The tendency in fantasy drafts is to select running backs in the first round. But the tendency in reality is for these guys to get injured or benched. As we reach the quarter mark of the sense, over half of the starting running backs in the league have already missed at least some time.
That's based on the guys we all thought would be starters when training camps opened. We view guys one way back in August, when it's for lesser, unrelated reasons that we chose one running back over another.
The reality is, once the games start, it's very difficult to latch onto a running back who's both productive and can stay in the lineup.
By my count, we're kind of down to four of those running backs (guys who have stayed healthy, and have also been productive): Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy and Matt Forte. And of those four, Charles and McCoy have both flirted with injuries (they both left games with lesser injuries).
STARTING TAILBACKS WHEN CAMPS OPENED | ||
---|---|---|
ARI | Rashard Mendenhall | |
ATL | Steven Jackson | thigh/hamstring |
BAL | Ray Rice | hip |
BUF | C.J. Spiller | thigh |
CAR | DeAngelo Williams | Stewart/PUP |
CHI | Matt Forte | |
CIN | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | sharing time |
CLE | Trent Richardson | traded |
DAL | DeMarco Murray | |
DEN | Ronnie Hillman | benched / fumbles |
DET | Reggie Bush | knee |
GB | Eddie Lacy | concussion |
HOU | Arian Foster | |
IND | Vick Ballard | knee |
JAC | Maurice Jones-Drew | ankle |
KC | Jamaal Charles | |
MIA | Lamar Miller | |
MIN | Adrian Peterson | |
NE | Stevan Ridley | benched / fumbles |
NO | Mark Ingram | turf toe |
NYG | David Wilson | benched / fumbles |
NYJ | Chris Ivory | hamstring |
OAK | Darren McFadden | hamstring |
PHI | LeSean McCoy | |
PIT | LeVeon Bell | foot |
SD | Ryan Mathews | sharing time |
SEA | Marshawn Lynch | |
SF | Frank Gore | |
STL | Daryl Richardson | foot |
TB | Doug Martin | |
TEN | Chris Johnson | |
WAS | Alfred Morris | ribs |