Fantasy Advisor

With so many split backfields now characterizing the NFL landscape, some owners have begun to ask the question, “is the old standby RB-RB method finally dead?” For those relatively new to fantasy football, the RB-RB method is a long time strategy by fantasy football bluebloods in which a player selects a running back in each of the first two rounds. Historically, the method has guaranteed production out of the running back position, leaving teams that choose to wait on RBs stuck frustrating split carry situations. A new line of thinking has emerged that with so many carries now up for grabs among NFL teams, value can be easily found later in the draft. While many experts are calling for owners to find value at QB or WR in the early rounds of the draft, for the team with the right draft position the RB-RB method is still a viable option. Workhorse running backs are at a premium in the NFL, with few backs guaranteed north of 300 touches in a season. When your fantasy team snags one of these select few ball carriers, it places your squad at a distinct advantage compared with the rest of your league, as almost all back in the 300-carry club will post valuable stats in terms of both yards and touchdowns.While most of these ball carriers will hear their names called within the first 12 picks on draft day, some value is still available in round 2 and beyond. By all means, if several league members get too enamored with new draft strategies, jump on a Gore/Turner/Jackson type player were one to fall, however even if you find yourself in the midst of a chalk draft, there will still be plenty of carries available after Round 1. Cedric Benson, for example, looks to be an unquestioned lead back in Cincinnati, though few player rankings have him higher than 10 among running backs. Considering Andre Johnson, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and even Randy Moss could conceivable go in the 1^st round on draft day (not arguing that they should save for Rodgers, but it’s inevitable someone will beat the plunge), Benson will likely be available as the 2 option for many fantasy teams selecting in the mid-second round. Looking deeper down the cheat sheets, Ryan Grant, Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Matthews all should have nearly uncontested touches available in round 2.

Comments are closed.