Touchdown Vultures
Here are RotoWorld's Top 10 vultures (in reverse order) and who they are taking from. After the vulture rankings, I'll take a look at the buzzing trade rumor mill and some injuries to monitor during training camp.
Top 10
10. Marion Barber, Dallas - (Julius Jones) Barber isn't a typical bruising goal line back. Still, he had more carries inside the 10-yard line last season than Julius, and the 11th most attempts in the entire league. He is versatile and a good blocker and could continue to steal five or more scores from Jones' bottom line.
9. Mike Anderson, Baltimore - (Jamal Lewis) Anderson was No. 8 on this list last season in Denver and then proceeded to dominate short-yardage situations. He had the fewest stuffs-per-carry (rushing plays with no gain or less) in 2005 and scored 12 times. So, why isn't he ranked higher now? Opportunity.
The Ravens don't view Anderson as a great short-yardage player. The team has experimented with him as a fullback and Musa Smith is reportedly challenging to be Anderson's backup. Jamal Lewis is a solid short-yardage back. As poorly as he played last season, he was still solid converting first downs when he was close to the marker.
8. Antowain Smith, Houston - (Domanick Davis) Davis isn't an ideal short-yardage back because of his size and propensity to dance near the line of scrimmage. Smith never made defenders miss, but he rarely loses yardage, being stopped for no gain only nine times in 166 chances while on the Saints last year. Smith is a sneaky late fantasy pick because of Davis' health.
7. Duce Staley, Pittsburgh - (Willie Parker) Bill Cowher says Verron Haynes could win the job of third-down/goal line running back, but Staley remains the favorite. He averaged over 100 yards in his first seven starts in Pittsburgh in 2004 before succumbing to injuries and Bettis nostalgia. Parker is not a player who needs to be taken out in these situations, but Cowher prefers to use two backs extensively. If Staley stays healthy in training camp, he's someone who has been undervalued in fantasy drafts. He's a solid RB4/5 reserve pick.
6. LenDale White, Tennessee - (Chris Brown) The Titans want White to be much more than a vulture, but they are worried about his toughness, as he's barely practiced as a pro thus far. Chris Brown has been the best overall back in training camp, but White should still be a better option in the red zone, where Brown has struggled in the past. White could steal 5-6 touchdowns even before he takes over as a starter.
5. Cedric Benson, Chicago - (Thomas Jones) Smaller running backs are often typecast as poor short-yardage options. The Bears would probably like to replace Jones with Benson on the stripe despite Jones scoring six times in seven attempts inside the three-yard line in 2005. Since Jones and Adrian Peterson are clearly better on passing downs, Chicago will want to use Benson in this role.
4. Deuce McAllister, New Orleans - (Reggie Bush) Bush owners hope the rookie scores long touchdowns, keeping McAllister off the field. The Saints seem likely to use Deuce in a short-yardage role even though he's coming off ACL surgery and has struggled getting first downs throughout his career. As a wise man pointed out this week, Deuce actually came into the league as the "lightning" to Ricky Williams' "thunder," and now his role is reversed.
3. T.J. Duckett, Atlanta - (Warrick Dunn) Duckett took a major step back in 2005 and could lose the primary backup role in Atlanta to rookie Jerious Norwood. That said, he still moves up three spots in our vulture rankings, because he's scored at least eight touchdowns for three straight years and is very successful in short-yardage situations. He's a classic goal-line back. He's too inconsistent to be valuable on his own in fantasy leagues, but he'll hurt Dunn.
 |
| Brandon Jacobs took a lot of touchdowns away from Tiki Barber last season, and he could be doing it again this year. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images) |
2. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants � (Tiki Barber) Jacobs should replace Duckett as the league's prototypical vulture if he can avoid fumbling. Even if he wasn't terribly efficient, he still scored seven times as a rookie despite only 38 carries. Moving up one spot in our rankings, he'll be a major fantasy drain to Barber's value this season. He's a definite sleeper in touchdown-only leagues.
1. Greg Jones, Jacksonville � (Fred Taylor) Of all the running backs listed here, Jones is the best value in fantasy leagues. He's going, on average, in the 11th round of fantasy drafts as the No. 43 running back. The Jaguars don't trust Taylor in short-yardage situations, and the other Jacksonville running backs are third-down types. Jones has the clearest role on the team and should perform a Bettis-like function at worst. He's reportedly had a standout camp and says he's only now fully recovered from ACL surgery he underwent at Florida State. At minimum, I expect 125-150 carries and 6-8 touchdowns, with the possibility of much more if Taylor continues to get himself hurt.
