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Back Page Committeed to fantasy mediocrity
By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com Everybody wants a stud running back. And I'm not just talking in terms of fantasy football. If given a choice, every NFL head coach would much rather rely on a single feature back than the dreaded "Running Back By Committee." But the reality is Eddie George's don't grow on trees. There simply aren't enough players out there capable of pulling the load for the average NFL team. Hence, the committee approach. And if a committee is distasteful from an NFL perspective, it can be ruinous from a fantasy point of view. It's like this: Most Fantasy leagues require owners to start more than one running back. Let's say you're in a 12-team league that requires each owner to start two running backs each week. That's 24 starting running backs. Unfortunately, there aren't that many honest-to-gosh, high-end, every-down feature backs in the NFL. In fact, one could easily argue that there are fewer than 20 players fitting that description currently playing the game. Since every owner must start two running backs, getting a feature back is essential to your success. However, since you know you'll have to rely on others, it behooves you to know which players will be primary cogs in their respective committee. An example I've been pushing all summer is Kansas City fullback Tony Richardson. The Chiefs' rushing attack has been a disappointment this summer. It was spotty at best during preseason play, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. However, coaches were encouraged by their work in short-yardage situations as Richardson converted a number of third downs. They were also pleased by the fact the offense finally punched it in twice near the goal line in the preseason finale against the Rams -- their only rushing touchdowns of the preseason. The week before they failed to put it in the end zone on a pair of attempts from the 1-yard line in the final moments against Jacksonville. The bottom line in K.C. says Priest Holmes is locked in as the starting halfback, but Richardson, who was responsible for that touchdown run against the Rams, looks like the better Fantasy prospect -- or the main cog in the committee, if you will. As far as committees go, the Chiefs situation is about as cut-and-dried as it gets. Things are usually much murkier. With that thought in mind, here are my five picks for committees you want to avoid:
1. New England PatriotsThis one seemed to get uglier with each passing week this summer. Without any of the top three candidates at halfback -- J.R. Redmond, Antowain Smith or Kevin Faulk -- unable to set himself apart from the others, head coach Bill Belichick is clearly resigned to relying on a committee approach -- at least until further notice.But wait. It gets worse. Belichick admitted last week that New England's starter might change from game to game, week to week. "We're going to play it a little bit by ear," the coach explained. "It may not be the same every game." The horror. Smith is expected to get the call in short yardage situations and when the Patriots find themselves playing in unfavorable weather conditions; Faulk will serve as the team's third-down back; and the most likely starter, Redmond, will handle whatever the other two don't.
2. Cleveland BrownsThe Browns cut Errict Rhett and traded Travis Prentice this summer leaving rookie James Jackson, speedster Jamel White and Texas high school legend Ben Gay as the team's top three halfbacks.That's about all anybody knows for sure because head coach Butch Davis won't tell us who he'll start against the Seahawks will be this Sunday. Nor will he provide details on a possible rotation. "One guy might play the whole game," he said. Sure. Davis says he'll decide on a strategy sometime "between now and Sunday,'' but don't let him fool you. All three will play; the only thing Davis hasn't decided is who gets the bulk of the time. My guess says he'll go with whoever gets a hot hand early. Here's an assessment of the three backs by quarterback Tim Couch: "James Jackson is going to run the ball hard and make the tough yards in the middle. Jamel White creates a lot of mismatches in the passing game and also runs the ball well. Ben Gay is a guy who can break it at any time.'' Accurate, but not very helpful. The bottom line here says H-back Mike Sellers might be a better bet on draft day than any of the three halfbacks. Coaches intend to make Sellers a key to the offense by moving him around to different positions in an attempt to keep opposing defenses off-balance. The 275-pound Sellers is an excellent receiver with a knack for turning short passes into long gainers. Don't laugh -- Davis has openly stated that Sellars could catch 70 passes this year.
3. Denver BroncosYou won't find a better example of just how damaging a committee approach is than this one.Less than a week before they hit the field for the regular season opener -- in front of God and everybody on Monday Night Football -- nobody will say for sure whether Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary or Terrell Davis will be the starter against the Giants. And if head coach Mike Shanahan has his way, nobody will say for sure until just before game time. Look for that to be a recurring theme this year. Yes, Shanahan tends to feature on backs. Yes, Davis is nearly 100 percent healthy. Yes, Gary has rebounded from reconstructive knee surgery as nicely as anybody we can remember. Yes, Anderson has run with intensity and authority after losing 10 pounds over the offseason to improve his quickness. Do you see where this is going? It all boils down to this: Nobody can say for sure which of these guys winds up playing that featured role this year and the only way you can ensure the Broncos' top rusher is on your roster is to draft all three. Then all you have to do is accurately predict which of the three will pull the load every week. Good luck.
4. San Francisco 49ersGarrison Hearst, who officially signed the deal restructuring his contract early this week, has been named the starter for Sunday's season opener against the Falcons. However, rookie Kevan Barlow will see significant playing time."Right now, the plan is to start Garrison and use Kevan Barlow quite a bit because we're committed to developing him as a tailback," head coach Steve Mariucci said. "They'll share that duty. We're going to see a little running back by committee and we'll find out if it's worth a darn." That committee is also likely to include Paul Smith, Jonas Lewis and Terry Jackson. Oh yeah. Don't forget starting fullback Fred Beasley, who has demonstrated the ability to put the ball in the end zone in the past. I find the fact that Mariucci is so willing to embrace the committee approach frightening. It tells me he's no convinced any of these guys is capable of getting the job done on his own.
5. Baltimore RavensTerry Allen still heads into the season opener as the starter with Jason Brookins serving as the No. 2 man, but the arrival of longtime Vikings backup Moe Williams could result in a shakeup.Williams, who will reportedly be given an opportunity to compete for the starting job, is the fifth former Viking on the Ravens' current roster, joining Allen, Randall Cunningham, Qadry Ismail and fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo. Head coach Bran Billick has ties with all those players from his days as Minnesota's offensive coordinator. The 6-1, 210-pound Williams passed a physical Tuesday morning and his familiarity with Billick's offense may allow him to play in Sunday's season opener against the Chicago Bears. "Moe knows our system, he knows our protection schemes and he is a solid special teams contributor," Billick said. The Ravens reportedly aren't concerned about the foot injury that sidelined him most of the preseason following a strong effort in Minnesota's exhibition finale against the Dolphins. "It's a little sore, which is just the healing process," Williams said of the foot on Tuesday. "But other than that, I'm ready to go. Once it gets warmed up, it's 100 percent." My guess says Williams will only need to be 33.3 percent tops as he shares time with Allen, Brookins and whomever Billick adds to the mix as the season progresses. There you have it. The committees have been formed and you've been warned. Those of you who steer clear of the most unsettled situations will be thanking me in December. Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications. His work is prominently displayed in all four FSP Fantasy annuals -- Fantasy Football Pro Forecast, Fantasy Football Experts Poll, Fantasy Football Cheatsheets and the Fantasy Football DraftBook. ... Look for all four on newsstands nationwide or Order them online now!
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