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Dolphins sign Moreno

The team that had a Marino as a quarterback now has a Moreno at tailback. Knowshon Moreno has agreed to a contract with the Dolphins.

Moreno comes off a solid season but like all the other free agent running backs didn’t get heavy interest from many teams. He’ll compete with Lamar Miller for playing time, and they’ll probably both play plenty.

Moreno is steady as a runner. Not lots of big plays, but he’s functional. He ran for 1,038 for the Broncos last year.

It’s in the passing game where he excels. Not only as a receiver but in pass protection as well. That’s why he played ahead of Montee Ball last year. He’s a lot better than Miller in that area.

Pass-catching for running backs is huge in today’s game. Perhaps in part because more teams are ignoring fullbacks, tailbacks are catching more passes.

In the last 10 years, 35 running backs have had at least 500 receiving yards in a season. Ten of those backs came from last year – more than any other recent season.

RUNNING BACKS WITH 500 RECEIVING YARDS
YearPlayerTm No Yds AvgTD
2006Steven JacksonSt.L.908069.03
2007Brian WestbrookPhil.907718.65
2006Reggie BushN.O.887428.42
2011Darren SprolesN.O.867108.37
2011Ray RiceBalt.767049.33
2004Brian WestbrookPhil.737039.66
2009Ray RiceBalt.787029.01
2006Brian WestbrookPhil.776999.14
2013Jamaal CharlesK.C.706939.97
2012Darren SprolesN.O.756678.97
2011Arian FosterHou.5361711.62
2005Brian WestbrookPhil.6161610.14
2013Danny WoodheadS.D.766058.06
2013Darren SprolesN.O.716048.52
2010Arian FosterHou.666049.22
2013Matt ForteChi.745948.03
2010LeSean McCoyPhil.785927.62
2004Domanick DavisHou.685888.61
2004Tiki BarberNYG5257811.12
2008Maurice Jones-DrewJac.625659.12
2005LaMont JordanOak.705638.02
2010Ray RiceBalt.635568.81
2013Knowshon MorenoDen.605489.13
2013Joique BellDet.5354710.30
2010Matt ForteChi.5154710.73
2013LeSean McCoyPhil.5253910.42
2005Tiki BarberNYG545309.82
2010Darren SprolesS.D.595208.82
2006Kevin JonesDet.615208.52
2013Giovani BernardCin.565149.23
2013Pierre ThomasN.O.775136.73
2006LaDainian TomlinsonS.D.565089.13
2010Darren McFaddenOak.4750710.83
2013Reggie BushDet.545069.43
2009Chris JohnsonTenn.5050310.12

Passing catching is also key, of course, in fantasy ball. If you can land a runner who’ll finish with 400-600 receiving yards, that guy gets a big head start on ground-based players like BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Alfred Morris. Especially acute in the PPR format, where it’s not only the yards but the catches themselves. In the PPR system, 48 receptions is the same as 8 touchdowns.

—Ian Allan

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