Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Ryan Boser
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Running Backs

DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers)

In terms of pure rushing talent, you can count the number of running backs in DeAngelo Williams’ stratosphere on one hand. His deadly skill set is brimming with speed, quickness, power, balance, vision and elusiveness. Unfortunately, outside of a mind-bending 12-game stretch in 2008, Williams’ elite abilities haven’t translated into consistent fantasy greatness. Injuries have cost the 28-year-old 13 games over the past two seasons, which in turn, gave the gifted Jonathan Stewart an opportunity to shine in the Carolina Panthers backfield. It appears a forgone conclusion that Williams will follow former head coach John Fox from Carolina to Denver. If this holds true, Knowshon Moreno will be relegated to third-down duties, where he’d certainly make a smaller dent in Williams’ numbers than Stewart ever did. Conversely, Tim Tebow’s rushing production would undoubtedly chip away, which means there’s no guarantee that Williams’ fantasy value will get the Mile High boost that many anticipate.

Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants)

Last season, Ahmad Bradshaw rolled up 1,549 combo yards and eight scores while battling through injuries every step of the way. The New York Giants have made clear their intentions to re-sign the 25-year-old after his breakout campaign, and Bradshaw has reciprocated the love. Enter Drew Rosenhaus. The real-life Jerry Maguire has taken his talents to South Beach, where he’s drumming up the market for his client’s services. The Miami Dolphins could look to pair Bradshaw with rookie Daniel Thomas, but the Giants are likely to match any offer. Bradshaw’s also been mentioned as a backup plan if the Denver Broncos whiff on DeAngelo Williams. Still, a return to the concrete jungle appears to be the safest bet for Bradshaw, where he’ll reassume the lead role ahead of Brandon Jacobs. The explosive Bradshaw is a complete back, and despite his injury and fumble bugs, he’s a solid RB2 in all fantasy football formats.

Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals)

The 28-year-old Cedric Benson has been a criminally bad running back since the Chicago Bears made him the No. 4 pick overall in 2005. His 2009 “breakout” was a direct product of volume–he plodded along at a 4.2-yard per carry clip 301 times in just over 12 games. He notched another 321 carries last season, averaging a dismal 3.5-yards per carry. In fact, Benson failed to top 3.0-yards per carry in seven of the season’s final nine games. He’s not involved in the passing game, he’s useless against legitimate defenses, and he only scores from the stripe. Benson’s most likely to stay put in Cincinnati, where the Bengals will receive a misdemeanor discount after his latest legal episode. Cincinnati will grind the ball while easing Andy Dalton into the league, so expect another 300-plus uninspiring carries from Benson. Target him as your third fantasy back.

Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts)

Moving from one sluggish back to another, Joseph Addai is also expected to remain with his current team. While the Indianapolis Colts value Addai’s pass protection and third-down work, the ship has clearly sailed on his days as a featured back. He’s missed 13 games and averaged just 3.8-yards per carry over the past three seasons. Donald Brown is a train wreck, and while rookie Delone Carter has some juice, the Colts will probably be players in the free-agency market. Addai’s name has been mentioned in conjunction with the Washington Redskins. Whether he ends up in Washington or stays put in Indianapolis, Addai will be firmly entrenched in a committee. Addai’s fantasy value gets a slight uptick in PPR leagues, however he has a low ceiling regardless of format.

Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins)

Here’s what we know about Ronnie Brown: he’ll turn 30 in December, he’s been plagued by injuries his entire career, he’s coming off his worst rushing season (3.7 yards per carry), and he’s a long shot to return to the Miami Dolphins. Brown won’t be on top of any team’s running back wish list, therefore his final destination is entirely dependent on how things shake out with the top-tier free agents. In addition to Miami, the rumor mill has connected him to the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Much like Addai, Brown will have more value in PPR leagues. He has backup written all over him, consequently his best-case scenario would be to land in a two-back rotation. Thanks for the memories, lefty–the Wildcat was fun for a minute.

Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders)

In the right situation, Michael Bush might have as much fantasy potential as any back on this list. With an intriguing combination of quickness and power, the 6’1”, 245-lb. Bush is built for fantasy use. A very capable receiver for his size, he’d be a surefire breakout candidate in a featured role. Unfortunately, his free agency is expected to be restricted, and by placing the highest possible tender on him, the Oakland Raiders have made it crystal clear that they covet him as Darren McFadden’s backup. Just because the 27-year-old will be back in black in 2011 doesn’t mean that he’s devoid of serious upside. McFadden’s never played more than 13 games in his three-year career, and Bush has put up gaudy statistics when given the chance. In three seasons, he’s reached 15 touches 11 times, racking up eight touchdowns and over 114 combo yards per game.

Tiki Barber (FA)

Word is that the Pittsburgh Steelers may be the team most willing to help Tiki Barber pay off his divorce settlement. If the 36-year-old can rediscover even a fraction of fantasy football relevance, Bruno Boys owner Marc Caviglia will streak naked across Heinz Field in December.

Jerome Harrison (Philadelphia Eagles)

Outside of his 2009 fantasy playoff binge (Week 15-17: 106 carries, 561 rushing yards, five touchdowns) with the Cleveland Browns, Jerome Harrison has never been more than an above-average change-of-pace back. Wherever he lands, the low-mileage 28-year-old will be a worthy fantasy handcuff with upside.

Brandon Jackson (Green Bay Packers)

Brandon Jackson was never cut out for a lead role in the NFL, however he’s still a very capable third-down back. He’s also likely to be on the move when free agency kicks in. As a much better receiver than rusher, Jackson’s worth monitoring in PPRleagues.

Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins)

You heard it here. It’s officially safe to stick a fork in the oldest 29-year old on the planet. You’re better off taking a flier on one of the kids.

Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions)

Kevin Smith took an abusive 450 handoffs as a junior at University of Central Florida. Injuries took their toll on Smith’s opportunity in Detroit and as a result, he managed just 489 carries in three seasons with the Lions. There’s speculation that Smith’s an option for the Cleveland Browns, but the 24-year-old was cashed by the time he was drafted in 2008.