Top Fantasy Football Running Backs for 2007

Last year was the year of LaDanian Tomlinson. Not only was he the MVP but he dominated in every major running statistic. More than likely you can look for him to be the number 1 player taken overall in your fantasy draft. I suggest that if you do get the first pick you should take him.

Since running backs are a high resource for fantasy stats, the below is what you should look for with one of your first two picks in your fantasy draft.

Here Are The Top Five Running Backs For Fantasy Football This Year:

1. Ladainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers:

He was the leading rusher, scorer and overall the best player in the NFL last year. His stats include:

• 1,815 Yards Rushing.
• 508 Yards Receiving.
• 31 Total Touchdowns.

The Break Down:

Tomlinson is explosive and with Phillip Rivers a year matured and a new offensive minded coach in town, look for Tomlinson to have another standout year. The Chargers offense is too good for defenses to concentrate their entire efforts on him and he is just so explosive that it is inevitable; he will score and he will have big games.

2. Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs:

He was second in the league in rushing and led the league in attempts. His stats include:

• 1,789 Rushing Yards.
• 410 Receiving Yards.
• 21 Total Touchdowns.

The Break Down:

Johnson has proved that he is durable by running the ball 400+ times last year. If the Chiefs would have had a passing threat last year and a better line, he could have easily run for over two thousand yards. His two fumbles from last year shows that he knows how to keep hold of the ball and his 17 Rushing Touchdowns makes him a constant threat in the Red Zone. The Chiefs have better back-up running backs this year and more receiving threats so look for Johnson to have an even better season this year.

3. Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks

Due to injury he only played in ten games and was hampered for a few more that he played in. His stats include:

• 896 Rushing Yards.
• 48 Yards Receiving.
• 7 Total Touchdowns.

The Breakdown:

Don’t let the Statistics scare you, Alexander only played in ten games and was still hampered. Alexander is one of the brightest runners in the league and knows how to get in the end zone. With a good offensive line to run behind, Alexander will once again be the focus of the Seahawks offense.

4. Stephen Jackson, St. Louis Rams

Jackson had an extremely productive season last year, leading all running backs in receiving yards. His stats include:

• 1,528 Rushing Yards.
• 806 Receiving Yards.
• 16 Total Touchdowns.

The Break Down:

Jackson really busted out last year by gaining over 2,300 total yards last year. He’s big, durable and explosive, making him the perfect fit for the St. Louis running attack. Look for another big season this year, as he should duplicate last year’s numbers.

5. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

He was 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards and proved to be an explosive weapon for the young 49ers. His stats include:

• 1,695 Rushing Yards.
• 485 Receiving Yards.
• 9 Total Touchdowns.

The Break Down:

Gore came out of left field last year and ran the daylights out of the football for the struggling 49ers in only his second pro season. Gore should have an even better season this year because the overall offense will be better. Alex Smith should be a year improved and TE Vernon Davis will be healthy… not to mention the big acquisition of WR Darrell Jackson from the Seahawks. His only downside is struggling with being able to pound his way into the end zone on shorter runs.

Here Are The Five Backs To Stay Away From This Year:

1. Jamaal Lewis, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland is lacking on the offensive side of the house and Jamaal Lewis will be the feature for this young team. In recent years he has had durability issues as well as off the field problems. He also doesn’t posses the burst he once had, so look for him to be a disappointment, even though he may still hit 1,000 yards if he stays healthy.

2. Kevin Jones, Detroit Lions

Not only will the Lions concentrate heavily on an outstanding passing attack, but Jones will be spelled by standout running back Tatum Bell, who came over from the Broncos. Jones last year failed to produce regularly, averaging only 3.8 yards per carry where as Bell averaged 4.4.

3. Carnell Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

He has been hurt in each of his first two seasons and has failed to show a knack for breaking tough tackles. He’s not a huge threat in the end zone either, and oh did I mention that he has been hurt in each of his first two years?

4. Ahman Green, Houston Texans

Green has had durability issues for several years now and has definitely lost a step or two. Now he goes to a Houston team that notoriously has no offensive line. Green will be hard pressed to find the end zone and will struggle to get any yards.

5. Warrick Dunn, Atlanta Falcons

With Michael Vick now gone for the season, it looks as if the most dynamic backfield duo in Professional Football is over. Dunn isn’t a red zone back anyway and without Vick keeping defenses on their toes, Dunn will have a tougher time finding yards, as well as finding the end zone.

Sleeper picks are always the best way to get your team on top of your league. If you play the field smart, you may wind up finding a gem of a running back in the latter rounds that could pay off big time.

Here Are Five Sleeper Backs That Could Do Serious Damage This Year:

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

He is the main specimen in the draft, his potential is unlimited and he will start the season on the bench. I am willing to bet though, that by the end of the year this work horse back will be putting up pleasant numbers, especially since he will stay fresh by sharing time with Chester Taylor.

2. Deuce McAllister, New Orleans Saints

Last year Big Deuce ran the ball very well, gaining over 1,000 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. With superstar Reggie Bush demanding so much attention, Deuce will continue to get rushing attempts, especially on third down and in the red zone.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jones-Drew had a breakout season last year in not only running but receiving and returning kickoffs. This year he will be featured in the offense right away and should get plenty of snaps, even though he will play behind Fred Taylor. Fred Taylor has had durability issues for the last few seasons and is running on his last legs so look for Jones-Drew to capitalize on an excellent Rookie year with an even better sophomore campaign.

4. Corey Dillon, New England Patriots

With Randy Moss joining the crew in New England, this will take that much more pressure off of the running game and Dillon should get enough snaps to be valuable in fantasy leagues. He scored 13 touchdowns last season and gained over 800 yards, proving he still has what it takes in the pros.

5. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants

Replacing a great like Tiki Barber cannot be an easy task, but this big back is up to the challenge. He looked good in spelling Tiki last year and proved to be vital in 3rd down situations. He scored 9 touchdowns (4 more than Barber) and averaged an incredible 13.5 yards per catch, which is very good for a running back. He shows great potential and with a big body he shouldn’t have any durability issues. Defenses will be looking more at stopping the Giants passing attack so the sky is the limit for this young bruiser.

Best Of The Rest:

These Backs below aren’t going to merit first round attention, but it would be wise to invest in one of them.

1. Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints

Bush is a natural athlete who commands attention at all times. With the best passing attack in the NFL behind him and a year of experience to boot, look for Bush to make tons of plays and payoff big as a fantasy player.

2. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles

Westbrook may be one of the most explosive players in the game. He is small, elusive and fast, and with 5.1 yards per carry on his side, he should definitely command attention in your draft. In 15 games last year, Westbrook ran for 1,217 yards and caught 699 more in receiving. He also scored a grand total of 11 touchdowns.

3. Willie Parker, Pittsburg Steelers

Parker is one of the most electrifying players in the league and also one of the hardest to tackle. His 7 fumbles last year makes him a slight liability but with gaining over 1,400 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns on the ground, I think he is well worth the risk.

4. Rudi Johnson, Cincinnati Bengal’s

Though Johnson is virtually no threat in receiving and he failed to gain more than 3.8 yards per carry, he still is a great buy in fantasy football. He’s not explosive, not fancy, but he does play on one of the most potent offenses in the NFL and will continue get yards and touchdowns.

5. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins

Like Shaun Alexander, Portis had injury problems last year that prevented him from ever getting his rhythm back. In 8 games though, he still managed to score 7 touchdowns and gain over 500 yards. Now he looks to be back in good health and his offense should be greatly improved from last years disappointing season. If Portis is healthy, he will easily cover 1,000 yards and should score plenty.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins

He’s a bruiser who if is healthy could put up huge numbers.

2. Marion Barber and Julius Jones, Dallas Cowboys

This duo worked really well for the Cowboys last season, as Barber finished with just over 600 yards on the ground and was 3rd in the league in rushing touchdowns. Jones finished the year with over 1,000 yards and 4 touchdowns.

3. Thomas Jones, New York Jets

It would be hard to imagine Jones not getting to start for the Jets. If Pennington can put up good number in the air, Jones should get plenty of room to duplicate his 1,200 yard performance last year.

4. Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens

McGahee should be an upgrade from Jamaal Lewis, although McGahee is still one of the most overrated players in the league. He may have a breakout year though, because Baltimore’s offense is loaded with big play potential. McGahee could wind up having a huge year for the Ravens.

5. Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts

Addai looked special one week and then the next week he looked insignificant. This is common with a rookie year, but Addai will have to improve if he wants to keep a starting slot in the high octane Colt’s offense.