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Those who are drafting rookie running backs will be faced with an interesting dilemma. Do you take the best running back? Or do you select the player in the best situation?
Second-rounder Matt Forte of the Bears, for example, isn’t as talented as any of the five running backs who were selected in the first round, but he’ll probably get more carries than most of those guys.
Forte’s value increased on Saturday when Cedric Benson was arrested for boating Saturday night while intoxicated and resisting arrest, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune. Benson, according to the story, argued with Texas police officers and wound up getting subdued with pepper spray. The incident was serious enough that he had to post $14,500 bail.
On the plus side, this incident probably isn’t significant enough to merit the NFL considering a suspension – these are misdemeanors.
But the Bears have to be growing tired of Benson’s act. They’ve paid him a lot of money, and he hasn’t really done anything for them yet except underachieve and embarrass the team. And with this latest incident, it’s just looking more like that Forte could be the team’s starting tailback sooner rather than later. Probably, these guys will share time at the start of the season, with the more effective runner than taking on more of the workload.
So Forte, in other words, has an excellent chance to outproduce first-round running backs such as Rashard Mendenhall, Felix Jones and Chris Johnson – at least this year. Forte might put up better numbers than Jonathan Stewart and Darren McFadden as well.
To see all of the details on the boating incident, go to ChicagoSports.com.
—Ian Allan
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Posted by Paul Owers | May. 05 at 01:18 AM
Holding grudges never is a good thing in fantasy football. Just because a player screws you one year doesn't mean he isn't worth having on your team the next. That said, Cedric Benson would have to be available in the last round of my fantasy draft this summer for me to even consider him. What a dolt. I took him too high last year, and his underachieving helped keep me in last place for most of the season. Now, with his starting job in jeopardy, he allegedly gets drunk while boating. I agree with Ian that Matt Forte is the heir apparent in Chicago. But don't overlook Kevin Smith in Detroit. He might score 8-10 TDs, even while playing for the Lions!