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2002 camp battles: RBs running rampant

Jerome Bettis has rushed for 1,000 yards in eight of nine NFL seasons but was limited to just 11 games last year. Ezra Shaw/Allsport

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

The second of a five-part series previewing some of this year’s more interesting training camp battles – both traditional and non-traditional -- from a Fantasy perspective. This week: Running Backs.

Arizona Cardinals: Thomas Jones vs. "Recent History"
After spending his first two seasons as a pro languishing behind Michael Pittman, it’s do or die time for Jones, who must produce in the wake of Pittman’s offseason departure.

The good news? If nothing else, the former first-round draft pick walks into a great situation. In addition to working behind an immense and improving offensive line, Jones will also benefit from David Boston’s emergence as one of the league’s most dangerous receivers. Plus, head coach Dave McGinnis is firmly in his corner.

The coach truly seems to believe a bulked-up Jones (he reportedly added more than 10 pounds of muscle to his frame over the offseason) is ready to quiet the critics who claim he isn’t tough enough to run effectively between the tackles. "The ability is there," McGinnis said. "Now it's his turn and his job, so he has to show he can do it."

Atlanta Falcons: Warrick Dunn vs. (T.J. Duckett vs. "A Rookie Holdout")
Do you suppose the Falcons were a little disappointed when Dunn blew off the last month of their “voluntary-but-strongly-encouraged” offseason workout program in order to spend some time with the folks back home?

Do you think Dunn forgot that Atlanta made him one of the league’s highest paid backs just a couple of months before?

Or did his absence have something to do with the decision to select another running back -- T.J. Duckett -- in the first round of April’s draft?

My guess says the answer to all three questions is a resounding “Yes!”

As surprising as the decision to select a running back in the first round of April’s draft might have been at the time, it makes perfect sense in hindsight. After all, Duckett, who turned in one of the most impressive workouts of the year back in March, (He covered 40 yards in 4.4-seconds despite tipping the scales at what one scout described as a "rock-solid 250 pounds”) is precisely the kind of hammer Dan Reeves has always coveted.

Even if Dunn winds up getting more touches this year, I'll be very surprised if Duckett isn't on the field in short-yardage and goal line situations -- as long as he doesn't engage in an extended contract holdout.

Which brings us to the preliminary bout. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Falcons aren't even close to reaching an agreement with the big fella. In fact, they haven't even heard from him since early this month.

''We don't know what gap it might be, inasmuch we haven't heard from [Duckett's] agent since we submitted an offer two Mondays ago,'' Falcons executive vice president and chief administrative officer Ray Anderson said. "Their initial response was, 'We don't like it, and we're going to see what happens with other guys.' The ball is in their court."

The fact that Duckett's agent, Joel Segal, often advises clients to hold out when he believes it's necessary makes this situation even more worrisome. Keep an eye on this one before you make any final decisions on draft day.

Baltimore Ravens: Jamal Lewis vs. "Reconstructive Knee Surgery"
According to recent reports, Lewis, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last August, is back. In fact, the former first-round draft reportedly generated considerable optimism by looking much better than expected during a series of voluntary workouts held near the end of May. The Baltimore Sun reported at the time that a more confident Lewis ran with much greater ease than he had during an April minicamp.

"I'm able to do a lot more because I've been able doing my offseason training, working pretty hard on the football drills and things that I'm really going to need," Lewis explained. "I'll be 100 percent by training camp."

Sounds pretty positive. So does the fact that team officials went ahead and released an overweight Jason Brookins shortly after that voluntary session.

Although I usually do my best to "let" somebody else draft running backs coming off torn ACLs, the fact that Lewis, who underwent reconstructive surgery on his right knee as a sophomore at Tennessee, is intimately familiar with such comebacks is somewhat comforting.

"For me, it's been easier because I've been there," Lewis recently explained. "I knew what it was going to take. Looking back when it happened last year, I really didn't get hit. I kind of got nicked, but my knee was in the right place at the right time. It was meant to happen.

"Some people have suggested it's a two-year injury, but I can't think that way. I'm going into this thinking that I'm just as good as before, that I've got my speed back to where it was before when I turned the corner on the sidelines."

It's certainly worth taking the time to scout Lewis this preseason. And if he's running with that same kind of confidence under game conditions, I might even be willing to take him off my list of "Guys I wouldn't touch with YOUR ten-foot pole."

Carolina Panthers: DeShaun Foster vs. Lamar Smith
Although I walked you through this situation back on May 8, current developments are likely to have a major impact on the outcome of this competition.

Smith is expected to open the season as Carolina's starting tailback, but the consensus among those who follow the team closely says Panther officials fully expect Foster -- who is clearly viewed as the team's "running back of the future" -- to start pushing Smith for playing time immediately.

But much like Duckett, Foster's ability to achieve as expected depends greatly on making sure he doesn't miss any critical practice time in camp.

Of course, it's probably also worth noting that Foster, the second pick in the second round of April's draft, will be looking for something close to the $5.38 million Houston will dole out Jabar Gaffney, the player selected just before him, over the next seven years.

Bottom line? The more time he misses, the longer it will take Foster to overtake Smith.

Cleveland Browns: Jamel White vs. James Jackson
He probably never had a legitimate shot at it anyhow, but team officials pretty much put the kibosh on any possibility that White might someday emerge as the team's feature back on April 20, when they made William Green their first-round draft pick.

In fact, listed at what might best be described as a "very generous" 208 pounds, the 5-9 White really doesn't have the body mass necessary to serve as an every-down back at this level anyhow. But that doesn't mean he won't contribute in other ways.

In fact, White -- generally considered the fastest man on Cleveland’s roster -- proved last year that he's more than capable of making a significant offensive contribution if necessary and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't wind up beating Jackson out for the right to serve as Cleveland's third-down and primary change-of-pace back with relative ease.

One last note on White: Despite that blazing speed, the elusive White is more of a north-south runner than a dancer. But most importantly, White has convinced the coaching staff that he’s a play-maker -- a guy who can turn short catches into long gainers and that’s enough to earn him 5-10 touches per week.

Dallas Cowboys: Troy Hambrick vs. Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton
As SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco noted last Thursday, at some point this season, Emmitt Smith is going to break Walter Payton's career-rushing record. However, Prisco went on to say that team officials in Dallas privately hope it's sooner than later.

Why? So they can get Hambrick more involved in the offense.

And with good reason. Hambrick averaged 5.1 yards per rush last season, showing big-play ability while subbing for Smith. And even though Smith isn't anybody to sneeze at, he simply doesn't have the kind of explosive burst in the hole or the ability to get around the corner that Hambrick brings to the table.

All of which means things in "Big D" are likely to come to a head in fairly short order once Smith racks up the 540 yards rushing he needs to surpass Walter Payton's all-time rushing record.

Denver Broncos: The Entire Backfield vs. Fantasy Owners
Are you familiar with the term “crapshoot?” No? If you’d like to learn more about that colorful word we recommend drafting a Broncos running back this year. That’s right kids; choose from Terrell Davis, who was still watching practices in the middle of June after making a surprise trip to the surgeon in May; recently converted fullback Mike Anderson; heck, talented rookie Clinton Portis will probably figure into the mix, too. And then there’s Olandis Gary, who is likely to be first man off the bench if Davis struggles. Unless, that is, he has problems with the leg he broke last November or the ACL he tore the year before.

While I'd steer clear of all these guys in redraft leagues, that's not the case when it comes to Portis in Dynasty and keeper leagues. Point of interest: Unlike his new Broncos running mates -- who were no better than fourth-round picks -- Portis was a premium pick with all the speed, talent and ability that goes with that status.

Indianapolis Colts: Edgerrin James vs. Dominic Rhodes
In an article published last Sunday, Indianapolis Star beat writer Mike Chappell reported that James -- a two-time NFL rushing champion -- was one of the featured performers last Saturday in the Saving Our Youth Celebrity Basketball Game co-sponsored by the Edgerrin James Foundation and Amp Harris Productions. The event, a part of Indiana Black Expo, benefits youngsters in Indianapolis, Miami and Immokalee, Fla., James' hometown.

James has spent the past eight months in south Florida rehabilitating his left knee. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee Oct. 25 at Kansas City and underwent reconstructive surgery Nov. 24.

The former Miami star caused quite a stir in Indy by skipping a mandatory April mini-camp in April, and then did not attend a subsequent voluntary mini-camp and voluntary summer school.

James said he has been released by Dr. John Uribe, the Miami orthopedic surgeon who has overseen his rehab, and plans to meet with the Colts this week. James' rehab work during the offseason has included pick-up basketball and flag-football games.

"He told you when he came back [to town] he would be ready," said Pierre Rutledge, one of James' advisers. "He's ready to go."

Maybe so. But the presence of Rhodes, who delivered more than adequate totals in James' absence last season, affords team officials the luxury of bringing the former first-round draft pick along slowly this summer. The latest reports out of team headquarters indicate James is likely to be limited to one practice daily throughout camp and he isn't expected to see much in the way of action until the final week of preseason play.

Once again, I'm always reluctant to count on running backs in their first year back following reconstructive knee surgery. I'm even more leery of situations like this, where a proven commodity -- in this case Rhodes -- is available to keep the pressure off the recovering superstar.

Oakland Raiders: Charlie Garner vs. Tyrone Wheatley
Sure, it sounds great. First-year head coach Bill Callahan is making no secret of the fact Oakland will rely more heavily on the power running game this year -- with Wheatley handling the heavy work between the tackles and Garner working primarily as a receiver and outside runner.

Yeah. It sure sounds like Wheatley will be asked to make a more significant contribution than he did last year. Which shouldn't be hard.

You'll have to excuse my failure to get incredibly excited over a guy who followed up an impressive 232-carry, 1,046-yard, 9-TD effort in 2000 -- by far his best season as a pro -- with an embarrassing 276-yard, 5-TD performance.

Those of you desperately looking for a positive here might want to focus on Callahan's obvious confidence in Wheatley's ability to get the job done this year.

Nonetheless, I'm looking for Garner, who came up big -- averaging four yards per attempt -- while handling a larger than expected share of the offensive workload than expected last year, to wind up proving himself more worthy than Wheatley once again this season.

Philadelphia Eagles: Duce Staley vs. Andy Reid
Thanks in large part to the season-ending knee injury Correll Buckhalter sustained back in April, Staley heads into the 2002 season as “The Man” in Philadelphia.

But I urge those of you interested in the former South Carolina standout to watch this situation closely before burning an early draft pick on him.

Remember, head coach Andy Reid has never been one of Staley’s most ardent supporters. His inability to avoid injury and his failure to run the ball effectively last year was obviously a concern this spring.

While Staley still appears to be one of the most effective receiving backs in the league, offseason trade rumors, the Eagles flirtation with then-free agent Warrick Dunn, the decision to select Brian Westbrook in this year's draft and the recent addition of veteran Dorsey Levens tend to lend credence to reports indicating that Reid isn't particularly comfortable with Staley.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Jerome Bettis vs. "Father Time"
Why don't more NFL running backs last long enough to rack up the 2,686 career rushing attempts and 10,876 yards Bettis has amassed during his career? Simple; the human body wasn't designed to handle the cumulative effects of the weekly beatings those totals represent.

Some guys -- like Bettis -- might hold up better than others; but nobody lasts forever.

Of course, I might be blowing the whole wear-and-tear issue out of proportion. After all, Bettis was the league's leading rusher with 1,072 yards when he was struck down by a groin injury.

Then again, the way Bettis is embracing a plan to significantly reduce his workload is hardly reassuring. "I don't have to take it 30-35 times," he recently admitted. "The old man can't do that all the time anymore. ..."

Which leads me to believe the Steelers intend to use Amos Zereoue -- and perhaps to a slightly lesser degree, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala -- liberally this fall.

As Bettis explained it: "[Zereoue] gives us a good opportunity to [improve] this offense,"

By the way, Zereoue has reportedly re-gained all the weight and strength he lost after spending four days in the hospital with severe stomach pains in May. A benign cyst was discovered, but the former West Virginia star -- who signed a new four-year deal worth more than $8 million on June 12 -- is expected to make a full recovery before camp opens

San Francisco 49ers: Kevan Barlow vs. Garrison Hearst
After a remarkable 2001 season in which he won Comeback Player of the Year honors and earned his second career Pro Bowl berth, Hearst was rewarded by the Niners with a six-year, $20 million contract that should keep him in a Niners uniform for the rest of his career.

But before anybody gets so caught up in last year’s triumphant return to action they suddenly feel compelled to burn a first-round draft pick on the former Georgia star, we’ll remind you that talented second-year man Barlow, who spent his entire rookie season battling a sore quad, might be ready to push Hearst for playing time and carries.

According to those who follow the team closely, Barlow heads into the 2002 season in good health and much better shape after working 11 pounds off his still imposing frame. According to Steve Mariucci, Barlow looks like he’s “in the best shape of his life."

He also boasts a much better understanding of the team’s offense after burying himself in his playbook.

Based on the above mentioned factors alone, I'm looking for Barlow to take a serious run at Hearst's No. 1 spot this summer

One last note on Barlow: According to the San Jose Mercury News, he had the play of the day Mondayt when he took a pitch, beat the pursuit around left end, turned the corner and -- after a brief tightrope act along the sideline -- raced by defenders for a touchdown.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Michael Pittman vs. Mike Alstott
Brought on board to replace Warrick Dunn as the team's No. 1 tailback, Pittman is among this year's most interesting prospects. A powerful but elusive inside runner with surprising speed and above average receiving skills, Pittman emerged as one of the league's most versatile running backs by finishing the 2000 season as only one of only two NFL players to lead his team in both rushing and receiving.

Those who follow the team closely believe Pittman, who racked up 1,565 rushing yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons, will be a more productive player this year -- in large part because he'll be working under head coach Jon Gruden.

As one NFC scout put it: "Getting with [Gruden] could be the best thing that ever happened to Pittman. He could really blossom; believe me, because the talent is there. ..."

At the very least, Pittman's presence should provide a significant boost to a rushing attack that ranked 30th in the league last year; and at best, he could emerge as one of the league's top Fantasy producers. Unless Mike Alstott gets in his way, which isn't all that farfetched a possibility.

In the seven years since he joined the Bucs as a second-round draft pick, Alstott has been the model of consistency -- missing just four regular season games due to injury and lining up a starter in the remaining 92 games. Along the way, the former Purdue star carried the ball 1,025 times for 3,982 yards and 40 touchdowns. He’s added another 1,450 yards and 10 more TDs on 185 career receptions.

The bottom line? Until Gruden decides to sit down and explain exactly how Pittman and Alstott fit into his system, it’s going to be very difficult to come up with accurate projections for either of them.

Tennessee Titans: Eddie George vs. "Fading Memories Of Past Glory"
Slowed by injuries, George went from the penthouse -- a career-best 403-carry, 1,509-yard, 14-TD effort in 2000 -- to the proverbial outhouse after failing to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his six-year NFL career.

The decline actually began last February, when he underwent toe surgery -- a procedure that kept the former first-round draft pick from going through the grueling workout regimen he came to rely on the previous five years. The toe kept him from pushing off his right leg the way he had in the past. The end result was a shorter than usual stride that prevented him from running with his usual power, making it easier for defenders to knock him off his feet.

That said, George has been working at full speed all offseason and -- according to those who follow the team closely -- he's already running with more strength and explosiveness than he did at any time last year.

There you have it, kids. Check back next week for a preview of this year's most intense preseason battles at wide receiver.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications.

 

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