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2003 camp battles: Wholehearted fights at running back

Amos Zereoue had three 100-yard games last year but scored touchdowns in just two. Rick Stewart/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to SI.com

It’s time for the second in my ongoing five-part, position-by-position preview of this year’s most interesting NFL training camp battles -- from a fantasy perspective.

Today’s focus: Running back competitions.

Arizona Cardinals: Emmitt Smith vs. Marcel Shipp
After 13 remarkable seasons in Dallas, the NFL's all-time leading rusher joins the Cardinals. Not surprisingly, Smith immediately takes over as Arizona’s starting halfback, if for no other reason than he’ll put fannies in the bleachers.

But there's no guarantee he can run as successfully in Arizona as he did in Dallas. Nor is there any guarantee he'll have the starting job throughout the entire season.

In fact, I can see a variety of scenarios playing out this season: An injured or ineffective Smith could eventually give way to Marcel Shipp, who burst onto the scene late last season; or maybe a seasonlong committee approach with Smith serving as the primary back and Shipp coming off the bench as third-down back.

Perhaps we'll see yet another productive season from a player I've dismissed prematurely in the past.

While the two men are very similar in terms of style of play, the fact that Shipp is nine years younger might be enough of an edge to earn him short-yardage and goal line duties. Shipp ran for 834 yards in just 188 carries, 66 fewer than Smith had last season. The third-year man also averaged a very solid 4.4 yards per carry and emerged as Arizona's most dangerous big-play threat.

One last note ... Smith made a positive impact during initial mini-camp workouts in May. "It's just amazing, man," receiver Bryan Gilmore said, "a Hall of Fame guy coming to work every day and handling his business like he should." Head coach Dave McGinnis agreed, saying, "The minute we signed Emmitt he was out here mixing right in with his new teammates, out here running 15 110s in the hot sun, in there in the weight room at 6:30 in the morning. That's why he is what he is."

It's also why I'd be reluctant to dismiss out of hand Smith's chances of playing productively.

Atlanta Falcons: Warrick Dunn vs. T.J. Duckett
Even though he's been more durable than many more physically imposing ball carriers over the course of his career (appearing in no fewer than 91 of a possible 96 games), the general consensus among observers remains unchanged: Dunn is not an every-down NFL back.

Dunn's primary shortcoming isn't durability; it's getting the job done in short-yardage situations. That's where Duckett comes in.

If healthy -- something that wasn't always the case in 2002, Duckett is a lock to earn a fair number of carries, especially near the end zone. None of which precludes Dunn from putting up totals similar to last year.

An elusive runner with great hands and playmaking ability, there's no reason to believe Dunn won’t continue to play well and rack up respectable fantasy totals despite Duckett's presence.

Duckett, who underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean up his right knee early this year, remained in San Diego to work with a personal trainer making him one of only two players who failed to take part in the team's initial May mini-camp -- a development that reportedly led to mild irritation among coaches.

Chicago Bears: Anthony Thomas vs. Adrian Peterson
After a disappointing 2002 effort in which his average carry fell from the 4.3 yards he posted as a rookie to a meager 3.4, general manager Jerry Angelo publicly lit into Thomas, telling reporters the A-Train wasn't a "special" player. Thomas took the criticism in stride. "I just want to go in and try to make myself better," he said in response.

Asked to comment on reports hinting that Peterson has a legitimate chance to cut into his playing time, Thomas said: "I don't need anybody to push me or cuss me or do things like that to motivate me. ..."

We'll see about that.

Peterson, who rushed for 6,543 yards and 85 touchdowns at Division I-AA Georgia Southern, did a nice job in limited action as a rookie. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 19 attempts and scored one touchdown. His best effort came in the last game of the season when he ran for 42 yards on seven carries in a loss to Tampa Bay.

"I like the way Adrian Peterson finished the season," Angelo said last week. "I think he's going to be a good back in this league, and more importantly I think he fits us. Would we like to get maybe a little bit of a change of pace, somebody that creates some excitement? Yes."

Thomas opens camp as the starter and the job is absolutely his to lose, but the buzz surrounding Peterson continues to grow. Watch this one closely before making a final decision come draft day.

Dallas Cowboys: Troy Hambrick vs. Bill Parcells, Mom's Cooking & Michael Wiley
Now that Emmitt Smith is no longer in the picture, Hambrick will finally get the opportunity he's been clamoring for. All he has to do is stop eating long enough to take advantage of it.

Sure, he's shed at least 10 pounds since, but -- thanks in large part to his mother's apparently extraordinary culinary skills -- Hambrick's weight shot up to 260 pounds in March, prompting new head coach Bill Parcells to proclaim: "Troy Hambrick will not play running back for the Cowboys at 250 pounds. His opportunity is here. He has to recognize and appreciate it and take it for what it is, because the circus doesn't stay in town forever."

That said, Parcells likes Hambrick's potential as a feature back; he has 924 yards on 198 career carries, an average of 4.7 yards per carry. And don't think for one minute that Parcells isn't aware of the 4.3-second 40 a 235-pound Hambrick reportedly ran during at this time last year.

But he's not the only option.

As Dallas Morning News beat man Jean-Jacques Taylor recently noted, Wiley caught the attention of owner Jerry Jones and the coaching staff with his 2002 performance. Wiley averaged 7.6 yards on 22 carries, including a long of 46. He also averaged 11.1 yards on 13 receptions, including three of more than 19 yards.

Taylor said Wiley, the club's third-down back last season, is a player with good speed, nifty moves and big-play ability, especially if coaches can isolate him in the passing game against linebackers. If Wiley does earn a greater role in the regular offense, newcomer Aveion Cason could see increased action in passing situations.

Detroit Lions: James Stewart vs. RBBC
According to the Detroit News, Stewart is likely to keep his starting job next season despite the arrival of talented newcomers Shawn Bryson and Artose Pinner -- as well as interesting holdover Luke Staley.

The big worry from a fantasy perspective, however, would be new head coach Steve Mariucci's past willingness to go with a committee approach at running back. Even if he holds onto his starting spot, Stewart is going to have a hard time hitting the 1,000-yard mark or re-establishing himself as a top-20 fantasy running back as long as he remains in Detroit.

Some observers believe Pinner, playing behind less-than-durable veterans like Stewart and Bryson, is a player worth watching. Despite his diminutive stature, the fourth-round draft pick is durable, a good blocker and a player some suggest will remind Mariucci of a cross between Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow.

Houston Texans: Stacey Mack vs. Jonathan Wells vs. James Allen vs. Tony Hollings
Mack, who played the last four seasons in Jacksonville, chose to sign with the Texans because he wanted an opportunity to be a starter. "I've always wanted to be able to showcase my ability," Mack said. "I am happy to be with Houston."

Mack has rushed for 1,498 yards and 19 touchdowns during his career, with an impressive average of four yards per carry. His best season came in 2001 when an injury to Fred Taylor allowed him to start 11 games, rushing for 877 yards and nine touchdowns.

Wells led the team in rushing as a rookie last season and is the incumbent starter. However, his style is very similar to Mack's; both men are best suited to working between the tackles. Neither is especially elusive and neither is capable of consistently turning the corner. That said, we believe past production and experience will serve Mack well enough to earn the starting spot.

Wells made 11 starts as a rookie last year, posting a season-high 93 yards on 14 carries off the bench against Indianapolis in Week 3. As a team, the Texans surpassed 100 yards rushing in a game just three times and averaged at least four yards per carry on only four occasions.

Allen began last season as the Texans' primary running back until losing the starting job to Wells in Week 6. Despite the decrease in playing time Allen was one of the most productive players on offense. He finished second on the team with 519 yards rushing and second in receptions with a career-high 47 catches for 302 yards. He got plenty of repetitions with the first-team offense during offseason workouts.

Then there's Hollings, a former Georgia Tech standout, who was selected in the second round of last week's NFL supplemental draft.

Although it's been less than a year since he underwent reconstructive knee surgery, Hollings -- the NCAA's leading rusher with 633 yards at the time he tore his right ACL last season -- has passed his physicals and could participate in drills at some point this summer.

If -- and it's a very big if -- Hollings is able to go full speed this year, those who follow the team closely believe it won't take him long to move to the front of this pack.

But before anybody gets too excited about these guys, I'll remind you the Texans averaged a meager 84.2 yards per game on the ground last season. In light of Tony Boselli's sudden retirement, I'll go way out on a limb and predict that immediate, significant improvement isn't in the cards here.

Kansas City Chiefs: Priest Holmes vs. Carl Peterson
Holmes says he's ready for the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp starting late next week. But playing in the season-opener against San Diego on Sept. 7 is another matter. Holmes announced last Wednesday that he'll sit out that game unless the Chiefs either extend his current contract, or give him a new one.

"I want to get paid," Holmes told the Kansas City Star. "I'll be ready to go when training camp starts, and I'm looking forward to getting on the field and helping the Kansas City Chiefs win a championship. I think we have the kind of team that can do it."

Maybe. But as recently as March, team president and general manager Carl Peterson adamantly stated he wouldn’t consider a new contract for Holmes. A month later, Kansas City made running back Larry Johnson of Penn State its first-round pick in the NFL draft.

"I've talked about extending his contract," Peterson said of Holmes. "I'm not offering a new contract, and I'm not interested in tearing up his current contract and throwing that away."

"He signed a five-year deal. We both agreed to it."

On a more positive note. ... In an article published July 12, Star beat man Ivan Carter said Peterson took a much softer stance in responding to last week's statements by Holmes.

"As I've said all along and as I've discussed with Priest and his agent: We want him back to being 100 percent Priest Holmes," Peterson said. "Based on how he's doing, how he's feeling and how we feel about where he is, I certainly will consider a contract extension. Not a new contract, a contract extension."

Peterson emphasized that he will not tear up Holmes' current contract and offer a new one, because of salary-cap ramifications. If he were to tear up Holmes' current deal, the prorated portion of Holmes' signing bonus would accelerate into this season's salary cap.

"That would be killer on our cap," Peterson said. "That's why I've said that I'll consider an extension based on what I've already seen and based on how he's feeling."

On an even more positive note. ... Peterson spoke optimistically about the status of Holmes' surgically repaired hip, saying he watched Holmes work out this week and feels confident he is progressing well enough to participate when training camp opens next week.

Holmes has not only resumed weight training, sprinting and running pass patterns, he's even been seen pulling a tractor around the practice field.

"I saw him running the stadium stairs -- he was really hitting it hard," Peterson said. "I told him: `Priest, you've made the team. You just need to tell [head coach Dick Vermeil] and myself how much you need to get ready. I told him: `If you have one failing, it's a lack of patience.' I think he admitted that himself, that he rehabbed a little too hard earlier."

Peterson said he, Vermeil and Holmes will meet soon to talk about how much work Holmes will receive in training camp and during the preseason. The Chiefs will play five preseason games.

Two of the games, including the Aug. 4 preseason opener against Green Bay in Canton, Ohio, will be played on artificial turf and another, an Aug. 23 game at Seattle, will be played on FieldTurf, the same artificial surface where safety Jerome Woods suffered a season-ending leg injury last August.

"I don't think you'll see him doing blitz drills, and we're certainly not going to hand him the ball 25 times against Green Bay," Peterson said. "That just wouldn't be smart. A lot of it we'll leave up to him and how he feels. The important thing is that he's ready to go in September when the games count."

And once Holmes proves he'll be ready to go in September, look for Peterson to break out the checkbook in fairly short order.

Miami Dolphins: Robert Edwards vs. Travis Minor
Neither man threatens Ricky Williams' elite fantasy status, but Edwards and Minor face an intense battle for whatever snaps will be available behind the former Saint this fall.

Although he was inactive for the final month of the 2002 season, Edwards was the talk of last summer's training camp by returning from three-year layoff because of a serious knee injury suffered after his rookie season. The former first-round pick won the third-down job, displaying very good hands and the ability to make people miss. But as the season wore on and the coaches decided to get Williams more carries, Edwards' playing time took a nosedive and his inability to contribute on special teams resulted in more playing time for Minor.

And as Palm Beach Post staffer Todd Archer recently suggested, Edwards proved he can play at a high level, but still needs to prove he can be an every-down back capable of taking over should Williams get hurt. He has better size and speed than Minor, but needs to work on his blocking skills.

Minnesota Vikings: Who vs. WHO?
Incumbent starter and emerging fantasy threat Michael Bennett, who fractured a bone in his foot earlier this year, is set to undergo surgery that could have him back on the field by the middle of the season, but there's no guarantee the procedure will be successful. In fact, there's a very good chance the former first-round draft pick will miss the entire 2003 campaign.

Which brings us to the list of likely replacements -- a list featuring Moe Williams, John Avery, Doug Chapman, rookie Onterrio Smith and Larry Ned, who was signed to the practice squad last December.

The team currently has no plans to inject any free agent talent into the mix. "I've been saying how deep we are at running back," Tice explained. "Let's see who's going to step up."

In an article published April 28, Star-Tribune staffer Kent Youngblood said team officials gave Smith a first-round grade heading into the draft, rating him just ahead of Larry Johnson, the first running back selected, as the best back in the draft.

"He's a guy with great hands, great speed -- he's a 4.5 guy, 4.51 -- and we're just excited to add him to the mix," Tice said at the time.

A runner with a compact build and a lot of upper body strength, Smith is a fluid, agile runner who can also lower the pads and knock a would-be tackler over. Smith may have fallen to the second day of the draft because of character concerns; a high school All-America, Smith went to Tennessee in 1999 and ran 31 times for 189 yards -- a 6.1-yard average -- but was dismissed from the squad for violating team rules. He transferred to Oregon, sat out a season, then appeared in 12 games in 2001 -- starting one -- and gained 1,058 yards on 175 carries.

In an article published May 2, St. Paul Pioneer Press beat man Bill Williamson suggested that's Smith's arrival Chapman's roster status less secure and that team officials expected Smith to be Bennett's top backup.

Nonetheless, Chapman, a former third-round pick, gets first shot at filling in for Bennett, who ran for 1,296 yards and five touchdowns last season. "Chapman walks in as your starter. He's got experience," Tice said. "He's most polished."

The former Marshall standout averaged 7.4 yards per carry in 2002 before internal injuries ended his season after six games. He played in all 16 games in 2001, including 22-carry, 90-yard effort against Green Bay.

Williams will continue his role as a third-down and short-yardage specialist. He rushed for 11 touchdowns last season, most on the team, and finished with 414 yards. "This doesn't change anything for me," he said. "I'm not going to put that pressure on myself, because we do have other good backs."

That said, I'll be very surprised if Smith doesn't move ahead of Chapman very quickly -- as in before the regular season opener. I also suspect the presence of a less-experienced replacement bodes well for Williams, who faced the prospect of Bennett getting more goal line work this fall.

It's hard to imagine Chapman or Smith playing well enough this summer to earn the level of confidence coaches already have in the reliable Williams -- especially in vital scoring situations.

New England Patriots: Antowain Smith vs. Kevin Faulk
Despite a running game that ranked 28th in the league last year, Smith will once again handle the feature role in New England this year. Not surprisingly, the former first-round draft pick realizes more is expected of him and he also has a pretty good understanding of what the problem was.

"A lot of it was my fault," he admitted when asked about his 2002 performance. Smith further conceded: "At times I saw myself dancing around. Sometimes the holes were there, I just didn't do a good enough job of reading them."

Fair enough. At least he knows what to work on. Smith also knows the size of next year's paychecks will depend greatly on what he accomplishes this year.

According to Boston Herald beat man Michael Felger, the Pats have seven days following the end of this season to pay Smith a $500,000 option bonus to pick up his 2004 salary ($2.4 million) and extend his contract. If the Pats don't exercise the option, Smith becomes a free agent.

In the meantime, all indications are Faulk will hold onto his job as the change-up back thanks to his productive 2002 campaign -- a season in which he flashed big play potential and eliminated the fumbles that kept him emerging as a starter two years ago.

Even though Faulk is a lock to contribute, especially in passing situations, coaches are still looking for a reliable, heavy-duty ball carrier to work behind Smith. J.R. Redmond has been assured there's a role for him in 2003, but Antwoine Womack might be a guy worth watching. If nothing else, the 225-pounder is versatile enough to handle a variety of jobs.

"Somebody needs to be a swing back for us," head coach Bill Belichick said earlier this year. "It's not going to be Kevin Faulk, we know that. Antwoine is a bigger back and he could have some versatility in terms of halfback, fullback and in the kicking game."

In the end, I’m looking for a better-conditioned, highly motivated Smith to play well enough to keep dinner on the table -- but not more.

New York Giants: Ron Dayne vs. Dorsey Levens
Starter Tiki Barber is coming off a super 2002 campaign in which he ran for 1,387 yards and added 597 more on 69 receptions, while providing the Giants with their most explosive and dangerous offensive threat. But as New York Newsday reporter Neil Best recently noted, the Giants always look to limit wear and tear on their most consistent offensive weapon, and after watching Dayne come up short the last two years, Levens was signed to help achieve that objective.

Levens racked up 411 yards on 75 carries and 124 yards on 19 catches last season as a backup and third-down specialist with Philadelphia. Most observers feel the former Packer, who suffered a string of injuries toward the end of his run in Green Bay, still can be a viable contributor.

It's also worth noting that Levens has always prided himself on his conditioning and is a solid character-type player, the kind of veteran presence Giants officials like to have around. The same can't be said of Dayne, who has done absolutely nothing to win over the folks who burnt a first-round pick in the 2000 draft to secure his services.

Philadelphia Eagles: Duce Staley vs. Correll Buckhalter & Brian Westbrook
Buckhalter's return from a torn ACL makes for an interesting mix at running back. Starter Duce Staley is the best receiver of the bunch; Brian Westbrook is the fastest; Buckhalter, perhaps the most punishing ball carrier of the three, ran with the first-team offense during early mini-camp sessions.

Staley was absent due to contractual issues, but his agent insists the veteran halfback will report to training camp in a timely manner.

According coordinator Brad Childress, "It's nice for us to be able to throw curveballs at that position and a difference pace and a different tempo for a back. That's tough on defenses when they get their cleats screwed into the ground one way on a running back."

Unfortunately, that approach is just as tough on fantasy owners.

On a more positive note, even if his total touches diminish with Buckhalter returning to the lineup, Staley is still one of the league's top receiving threats coming out of the backfield averaging more than 10 yards per catch each of the last two seasons.

On a less positive note, Staley is primarily a power runner who is at his best operating between the tackles; Buckhalter, on the other hand, is as effective turning the corner as he is running up the middle. I'll also advise you that Buckhalter ran well during the above-mentioned mini-camp workouts held early in May.

"I feel good," the powerful youngster said at the time. "I'm getting my rhythm back. So far the injury hasn't bothered me on the field, and I'm not even thinking about it."

Coaches were equally pleased. "He's really looked good," Childress said. "I saw some good things. ... Just in terms of him stuffing that leg into the ground and breaking off of it, and that's always encouraging."

Buckhalter added: "I'm a lot stronger in my lower body and by the time training camp starts I want the left leg that I injured to be about 50 percent stronger than my right leg. I'll be ready to go."

If that's truly the case, the former Cornhusker is likely to put a serious dent in Staley's 2003 totals.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Amos Zereoue vs. Jerome Bettis
Even if reports indicating Jerome Bettis heads into camp in "best shape of his career," Zereoue appears to be Pittsburgh's best bet in the running game, now and in the future. The fact is, Bettis simply has too much mileage to serve as an every down NFL back for a full 16-game regular season schedule.

Despite reports hinting that a well-conditioned "Bus" is ready to roll -- he actually beat Zereoue in a series of 40-yard runs that ended the first day of mini-camp workouts in May -- the shift to Zereoue as the team's feature back might already be too far along to be reversed.

This after the diminutive speedster took advantage of Bettis' four-game, injury-related absence to post three 100-yard rushing efforts and score four touchdowns.

One last note here: Zereoue's solid effort in the starting role last year prompted SI.com's Peter King to call him "the AFC's budding Tiki Barber."

San Francisco 49ers: Kevan Barlow vs. Garrison Hearst
While team officials believe that Barlow is physically the superior talent to 32-year old teammate Hearst, some reportedly wonder privately if Barlow has matured sufficiently to realize the opportunity he has and then seize it. I believe he will.

This despite the fact he's never distinguished himself with his classroom work in terms of learning the offense, nor with his work ethic in treating injuries and putting in his time in the weight room.

However, Barlow says he is in better shape this offseason than he was a year ago when he spent a lot of time working out at the Atlanta home of receiver Terrell Owens. This year, Barlow remained in the Bay Area, working with a personal trainer.

Hearst is a better receiver and is also better at picking up blitzes, but Barlow will have to struggle seriously before his older teammate gets a chance to reprise his role as San Francisco's feature back.

Tampa Bay: Michael Pittman vs. The State of Arizona
OK, the above is a bit misleading.

The truth is, Pittman's ongoing battle with the law -- while relevant -- is beyond the scope of this review. Let's just say the fact that he faces possible jail time and suspension from the league if found guilty of a May 31 arrest on assault charges, pretty much forces the Buccaneers to plan for the worst.

It's difficult to predict who'll fill the featured role should Pittman's legal woes keep him from hitting the field this fall, but the most likely candidate appears to be Thomas Jones, whom the Bucs acquired in exchange for second-year receiver Marquise Walker shortly after Pittman's arrest.

The bad news, of course, lies in the fact that Jones, who entered each of his first two seasons as the Cardinals' No. 1 halfback, eventually lost the job to Pittman both times. Last season was more of the same.

Although he opened the regular season as Arizona’s starter, Jones was giving up carries to Marcel Shipp by November. Then Jones injured his hand, supposedly while answering a telephone, and missed the rest of the season.

Asked about his failure to meet expectations in Arizona, Jones said: "Sometimes things don't go your way, and you just have to fight back. You just keep fighting until you get to the point where you want to be," said Jones, who rushed for a career-high 511 yards on 138 carries and scored two touchdowns last season.

"I'm a strong-minded person. I'm a strong-willed person. Obviously, I wasn't the seventh pick in the draft for nothing."

Of course, the Cardinals would probably tell you otherwise.

If not Pittman or Jones, who?

Mike Alstott remains a fan favorite, but according to Tampa Tribune staffer Roy Cummings, team officials simply don't believe he's feature back material -- for a couple of reasons.

For starters, Alstott lacks the speed to be a breakaway threat. In some situations, that allows defenders to play closer to the line, making it more difficult to execute any run. Second, Alstott's rumbling style makes his body prone to wearing down both late in games and late in the season if he's asked to carry the ball the 250 or more times a year that No. 1 backs usually do.

Which means -- after Jones -- Aaron Stecker, Travis Stephens, Terry Kirby and Earnest Graham might be best suited to fill the featured role if Pittman can't.

Of that group, Cummings believes Stecker is the most likely to emerge as a regular contributor. Gruden was impressed with the versatility and playmaking ability Stecker displayed last year, when he averaged 6.2 yards per carry and 5.3 per catch.

But Stecker, who has just 88 touches over three seasons, is even more unproven than Jones. And some with the Bucs believe he is best suited for a third-down role.

Stephens is a player the Bucs would like to make more use of this year, but he will have to improve as a pass catcher and blocker. Kirby has experience on his side, but he's really a return specialist who is, at best, suited to play a backup role at running back. Graham, the former Gator, was impressive during the offseason workout program but he probably is not ready for full-time duty.

Bottom line? Watch developments closely this summer and make sure you're up to speed on all the latest before burning a pick on any of Tampa Bay's tailbacks.

Washington Redskins: Trung Canidate and Chad Morton vs. Ladell Betts and Kenny Watson
One of the fastest running backs in the NFL and a former first-round draft choice, Canidate, acquired via offseason trade, will be given every opportunity to win the starting job this summer. The big question is whether Washington scored the Canidate who once gained 195 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns in a game against the New York Jets in 2000 or the guy who gained just 48 yards on 17 carries as the Rams' No. 3 man last season?

Based on early workouts -- in which Canidate failed to distinguish himself, especially early on, it's still not clear which player Washington landed.

Steve Spurrier obviously hopes Canidate will serve as the foundation of a re-worked rushing attack that will rely more heavily on speed and deception than power. The plan is to use smaller, quicker backs and get them into open areas by using draws, delays and a short passing game.

According to Spurrier, "We think he does have the speed to go the distance a little more than some of our other players."

The same can be said of Morton. Although he earned his NFL stripes as a special teamer, Morton's work out of the backfield was among the more surprising developments coming out of the team's initial mini-camp workouts.

In fact, his performance prompted Richmond Times staffer Paul Woody to write: "Whether he's the fastest man on the team is an open question. But there is little doubt that he is the quickest back in the team's stable of small and mid-sized runners. Morton is a natural at running the draw play and that, coupled with his ability as a receiver out of the backfield, puts Morton in strong contention for the job as third-down back."

If that's the case, Ladell Betts and Kenny Watson might find themselves competing for a single roster spot. Betts was the team's second-round draft pick of the current regime in 2002; Watson an undrafted rookie brought on board by Marty Schottenheimer.

Nonetheless, Watson reportedly has considerable front office support after emerging as the team's best short-yardage option after Stephen Davis was injured last year. Watson finished with 534 rushing yards, a 4.6-yard average and one touchdown, plus the third-most catches on the club (32).

That’s it all for now. Check back next week, when I’ll preview this summer’s most intense 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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