lumber2121
05-19-2005, 01:04 PM
I realize that we are in the midst of baseball season and football does not start for some time. However, I have recently been thinking about who has more value in fantasy football, a top flight running back or a top flight wide receiver.
Currently, there seems to be a lot more top tier running backs, fantasy wise, than there are top tier wide receivers. There seems to be a lot more depth at running back than there has been in the past.
Tiki Barber is a prime example of the running back depth. Who would have guessed that he would have the type of year that he had? If you say you did, why did not you pick him in the first or second round?
LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander were the cream of the crop last year. That was not a surprise. Based on my leagues scoring system*, both had over 140 fantasy points for the year (about 17.7 a game). Closely behind these two were Curtis Martin, Tiki Barber and Edgerrin James. The next level included Domanick Davis and Corey Dillon. This brings us to a total of nine running back in the top flight.
If you did not have one of these top flight running backs, then there was a group of eight running backs who were all the same. Comparing the top of this group to the bottom, the separation between Brian Westbrook (189 points) and Rueben Droughns (174) was only one point per game. That is not very much. In all fairness, one of these backs was Willis McGahee, who did not start the whole year.
These groups do not include Julius Jones or Steven Jackson, both of whom will have a chance to put up some big numbers this year. Further, Travis Henry, and some of the recently drafted running backs may be added to this pool of talent.
It seems that running backs' impacts on fantasy football is lower now than it has been in the past. Granted, if you have Tomlinson or Alexander you have nearly gauranteed big numbers each week. From there, the level of impact slopes downward.
Here is a list of who I think is included in the top running backs in fantasy football.
LaDanian Tomlinson
Shaun Alexander
Duece McAllister
Edgerrin James
Clinton Portis
Ahman Green
Tiki Barber
Domanick Davis
Fred Taylor
Travis Henry (assuming he leave Buffalo)
Chris Brown
Jamal Lewis
Curtis Martin
Corey Dillon
Priest Holmes
Julius Jones
Steven Jackson
Here is a lsit of who I think is among the best at wide receiver in fantasy football.
Randy Moss
Terrell Owens (if he plays)
Hines Ward
Chad Johnson
Marvin Harrison
Andre Johnson
Javon Walker
Joe Horn
Tory Holt
The depth at the position, along with further rules enforcement changes in the secondary, leads me to believe that an top five wide receiver may have more impact than a running back in spots three through 12. Obviously running backs can score more points more easily. I am thinking about the relative value of a wide receiver compared to others at his position.
So, while guys like Steven Jackson and Tiki Barber could have big impacts this year, I am leaning towards guys like Marvin Harrison and Chad Johnson as big time players in the coming season.
That is why my one protected player will probably be Chad Johnson and not Steve Jackson.
What are your thoughts?
By the way, here are Johnson's numbers over the last two seasons compared to Marvin Harrison's.
Chad Johnson
YEAR TEAM G GS REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
2003 CIN 16 14 90 1355 15.1 82 10 66 0 0
2004 CIN 16 16 95 1274 13.4 53 9 63 1 0
Marvin Harrison
YEAR TEAM G GS REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
2003 IND 15 15 94 1272 13.5 79 10 60 2 2
2004 IND 16 16 86 1113 12.9 59 15 63 1 1
____________________________________
*league scoring system:
FL - Fumble Lost, Including ST plays -2 points
Pa2P - Passing Two-point Conversion 2 points
PaInt - Passing Interception -2 points
PaTD - Passing TD 6 points
PaYd - Passing Yards 0+ PaYds = 1 point for every 25 PaYds
Re2P - Receiving Two-point Conversion 2 points
ReTD - Receiving TD 6 points
ReYd - Receiving Yards 0+ ReYds = 1 point for every 10 ReYds
Ru2P - Rushing Two-point Conversion 2 points
RuTD - Rushing TD 6 points
RuYd - Rushing Yards 0+ RuYds = 1 point for every 10 RuYds
Currently, there seems to be a lot more top tier running backs, fantasy wise, than there are top tier wide receivers. There seems to be a lot more depth at running back than there has been in the past.
Tiki Barber is a prime example of the running back depth. Who would have guessed that he would have the type of year that he had? If you say you did, why did not you pick him in the first or second round?
LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander were the cream of the crop last year. That was not a surprise. Based on my leagues scoring system*, both had over 140 fantasy points for the year (about 17.7 a game). Closely behind these two were Curtis Martin, Tiki Barber and Edgerrin James. The next level included Domanick Davis and Corey Dillon. This brings us to a total of nine running back in the top flight.
If you did not have one of these top flight running backs, then there was a group of eight running backs who were all the same. Comparing the top of this group to the bottom, the separation between Brian Westbrook (189 points) and Rueben Droughns (174) was only one point per game. That is not very much. In all fairness, one of these backs was Willis McGahee, who did not start the whole year.
These groups do not include Julius Jones or Steven Jackson, both of whom will have a chance to put up some big numbers this year. Further, Travis Henry, and some of the recently drafted running backs may be added to this pool of talent.
It seems that running backs' impacts on fantasy football is lower now than it has been in the past. Granted, if you have Tomlinson or Alexander you have nearly gauranteed big numbers each week. From there, the level of impact slopes downward.
Here is a list of who I think is included in the top running backs in fantasy football.
LaDanian Tomlinson
Shaun Alexander
Duece McAllister
Edgerrin James
Clinton Portis
Ahman Green
Tiki Barber
Domanick Davis
Fred Taylor
Travis Henry (assuming he leave Buffalo)
Chris Brown
Jamal Lewis
Curtis Martin
Corey Dillon
Priest Holmes
Julius Jones
Steven Jackson
Here is a lsit of who I think is among the best at wide receiver in fantasy football.
Randy Moss
Terrell Owens (if he plays)
Hines Ward
Chad Johnson
Marvin Harrison
Andre Johnson
Javon Walker
Joe Horn
Tory Holt
The depth at the position, along with further rules enforcement changes in the secondary, leads me to believe that an top five wide receiver may have more impact than a running back in spots three through 12. Obviously running backs can score more points more easily. I am thinking about the relative value of a wide receiver compared to others at his position.
So, while guys like Steven Jackson and Tiki Barber could have big impacts this year, I am leaning towards guys like Marvin Harrison and Chad Johnson as big time players in the coming season.
That is why my one protected player will probably be Chad Johnson and not Steve Jackson.
What are your thoughts?
By the way, here are Johnson's numbers over the last two seasons compared to Marvin Harrison's.
Chad Johnson
YEAR TEAM G GS REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
2003 CIN 16 14 90 1355 15.1 82 10 66 0 0
2004 CIN 16 16 95 1274 13.4 53 9 63 1 0
Marvin Harrison
YEAR TEAM G GS REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
2003 IND 15 15 94 1272 13.5 79 10 60 2 2
2004 IND 16 16 86 1113 12.9 59 15 63 1 1
____________________________________
*league scoring system:
FL - Fumble Lost, Including ST plays -2 points
Pa2P - Passing Two-point Conversion 2 points
PaInt - Passing Interception -2 points
PaTD - Passing TD 6 points
PaYd - Passing Yards 0+ PaYds = 1 point for every 25 PaYds
Re2P - Receiving Two-point Conversion 2 points
ReTD - Receiving TD 6 points
ReYd - Receiving Yards 0+ ReYds = 1 point for every 10 ReYds
Ru2P - Rushing Two-point Conversion 2 points
RuTD - Rushing TD 6 points
RuYd - Rushing Yards 0+ RuYds = 1 point for every 10 RuYds