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Deep sleeper RBs

Sigmund Bloom - Booker is already impressed in training camp with his ability to exploit mismatches in the passing game. His speed and quickness will translate to the next level. Booker has the potential to break any touch for a long gain, and he should be worked into the offense from day one. He might make a fantasy impact this year in PPR leagues.

"Jeff Pasquino" - I fully expect the phrase "a poor man's version of Reggie Bush" to be associated with Booker sooner rather than later. Regardless of that lofty comparison, Booker is the #2 option behind Ronnie Brown, who has had his own durability issues. Even if Brown plays 16 weeks you should expect Booker to get a decent number of touches this year.

"Aaron Rudnicki" - Booker was a very highly regarded talent coming out of high school but he was stuck playing in a dysfunctional Florida State offense for much of his college career. Like Leon Washington with the Jets last year, Booker has an excellent chance to be a better pro player than he was in college. As the primary backup to Ronnie Brown, who was a disappointment last season and wound up breaking down mid-season, Booker has limited competition for touches and should be able to make an impact right away as a 3rd down/change of pace back.

"Chris Smith" - The Dolphins already have their starting running back in Ronnie Brown but drafted Lorenzo Booker this season to spell Brown on occasion and provide a change of pace from the backfield. Booker has incredible potential that was never realized with Florida State but there has been much talk that he wasn't used properly in school and could be a big surprise in the NFL. Ronnie Brown hasn't had the impact expected of him as a high 1st-round pick and was in poor physical shape earlier this summer. Booker is a nice player to target later in the draft hoping he'll get more touches than expected this season. He is an explosive player that won't cost you much during your draft. That is a nice combination.

"Mark Wimer" - Booker is an elusive and powerful runner who will spell Ronnie Brown this season and possibly serve as the team's 3rd down back. We'll need to see how his game translates to the pro level once the pads go on and the hitting starts in earnest, but given his position on the depth chart in Miami he's likely to see some significant playing time this year. If Brown gets injured, Booker is the guy who'd be asked to pick up the slack.

"Anthony Borbely" - Booker is expected to be the primary backup to starting RB Ronnie Brown, and also the third down back. He should get enough touches to be worth rostering. Brown has not been a durable back, and should he get hurt, Booker could be in line to put up solid numbers.

"Jeff Haseley" - The clear choice to back up Ronnie Brown in Miami is the quick, yet powerful rookie Lorenzo Booker who can catch well out of the backfield and has the ability to zig and zag and make defenders miss. Some compare Booker to Warrick Dunn, also a Florida State alum. Booker will press Ronnie Brown for 3rd down duties and might be able to see more action if Brown falters, gets hurt or Booker simply lights it up. Definitely someone to watch.

"Jeff Tefertiller" - Ronnie Brown is the unquestioned starting running back in Miami. But, there are no other viable ball carriers on the roster with Morris going to the Patriots and Ricky Williams' suspension. The Dolphins drafted Booker for his explosiveness and will utilize his skills, even with a healthy Brown. If Brown is injured, Booker could be a star and Cameron is a great coach for Booker.

David Baker - Dominic Rhodes had almost 900 total yards and five touchdowns for the Colts last year in the same role Dorsey could be playing. Although unproven, he seems to have the best shot at being the second RB this year and while most believe Addai greatly increases his production, if Dorsey proves to be a strong runner, look for him to approach Rhodes numbers. It's still a long shot that Dorsey is their second RB, but if it happens and he shows something, he could surprise many.

Sigmund Bloom - There are more than enough reasons to want to draft Dorsey late. Dorsey excelled in preseason last year for the Bengals (20/149 3/80). The Colts protected him on their 53 man roster for the entire season after the Bengals tried to slip him through waivers to the practice squad. The Colts have clearly said in the offseason that they want to keep the same workload split as last year, which means the #2 RB will have a larger role than they would on most teams. Joseph Addai was injury prone in college, and Indianapolis's offense made a fantasy star out of previously unheralded Dominic Rhodes when Edgerrin James went down in 2001. Dorsey's definitely one of the most valuable backups to own, and you can get him at a deep discount because of his relative obscurity.

David Dodds - The Colts continue to tell anyone that will listen that they will be running a two-back offense again this year despite the departure of Dominic Rhodes. Dorsey isn't a household name yet, but might be a year from now. Addai is more talented, but far from an elite back. He just plays in a great system (and defenses fear the passing arm of Manning). If Addai were to miss any time at all, Dorsey could be fantasy gold.

"Clayton Gray" - The Colts maintain they still plan to use two backs in their offense. As long as they don't sign a veteran to complement Joseph Addai, Dorsey is certainly worth taking as the 62nd RB off the board. This is a guy that could end up being the proverbial "steal of the draft" in 2007.

"Jeff Pasquino" - This is more about opportunity than talent, to be sure. Yet another team that rode the RBBC approach to the postseason, the Colts would definitely like to have a second option to compliment Joseph Addai. Bill Polian has said that Dorsey looks to be that guy, and I listen to a franchise builder.

"Chris Smith" - Dorsey is the backup running back to Joseph Addai in Indianapolis this season and he'll see a lot of looks in spelling Addai throughout the season. He has impressed the Colts organization with his speed and elusiveness. The Colts plan on using some sort of RBBC this season and as a result, it is possible that Dorsey will have 120+ touches. He is worth a late draft choice without question and could surprise if given the opportunity.

"David Yudkin" - Unless the Colts plan to give Joseph Addai an Edgerrin James-like workload, they will need a second back to offload some of the workload. Enter Dorsey to fill that role and potentially gobble up some of what Dominic Rhodes saw last year when he ranked 33rd.

David Dodds - This has more to do with my general feeling Cedric Benson will fail than I think Adrian Peterson will succeed. He is just an average back, but if he were to start because of injury to Benson, he is capable of putting up decent numbers in this offense. I won't be surprised when he starts at least some games for the Bears this year.

"Andy Hicks" - Cedric Benson is on a short leash. Attitude, injury and performance problems dominate his first 2 years in the league. If Benson should falter, there is little between Adrian Peterson and at least 15 carries a game. In his career to date Peterson has as many 100 yard games as Benson and is capable of starting for a reasonable period of time. He is a better receiver than Benson anyway and at worst stands a good shot at 3rd down back duty. Rookie Garrett Wolfe is too small to see too many touches, leaving Peterson in an ideal situation to capitalize on the emotional and physical fragility of Cedric Benson. High reward, low risk is the mantra those considering Adrian Peterson should be chanting.

"Jeff Pasquino" - He was Adrian Peterson long before that kid in Minnesota, but with a rookie starter (Cedric Benson) in front of him on a run-happy team, look for the guy who seizes the understudy role to put up good numbers. Benson could easily get Thomas Jones numbers, while Peterson could get 2006 Benson numbers.

"Aaron Rudnicki" - With Thomas Jones moving on, Peterson gets a promotion from 3rd string up to 2nd string on what should be one of the league's better offenses. He has added value because the player he is backing up, Cedric Benson, is still unproven as a feature RB and has durability concerns. Peterson is a good all-around RB who has played well when given an opportunity in the past and would likely be successful if forced into the starting role. He's a better receiver and more reliable in pass protection than Benson as well so he could earn time as the 3rd down back as well.

"Maurile Tremblay" - Peterson is one of the more talented backup RBs in the league, playing behind one of the most unproven starting RBs in the league. Peterson has excelled whenever he's gotten the chance to play, averaging 4.7 yards per carry in his career. With Thomas Jones having left Chicago, Peterson becomes the primary backup to Cedric Benson, who has never carried the ball more than 16 times in a regular-season NFL game. If Benson falters or is injured, Peterson has terrific potential in Chicago's run-oriented offense.

"Jeff Tefertiller" - Cedric Benson is the primary back on the Bear roster now that Thomas Jones is gone. Benson was a workhorse in college at Texas, but has been nicked quite a bit since joining the Bears. A smallish rookie back, Wolfe, is the only other ball carrier on the roster. Peterson has played well when given the opportunity.

David Baker - The Bengals have been waiting for a long time for Chris Perry to play the third down role the team so sorely needs. Since Perry has been unable to be healthy, look for rookie Kenny Irons to play the role. In 14 games in 2005, Perry had 600 total yards and there's no reason Irons could not improve upon that number in the same role. And while starter Rudi Johnson has been an iron man of sorts, Irons could very well find himself the starter and he has the talent to succeed.

"Andy Hicks" - Rudi Johnson has had a heavy workload since becoming starter. In fact you would be surprised to know that no other back has carried the ball more in the regular season in the last 3 years than Rudi Johnson, with 1039 carries. This kind of workload takes its toll and with Chris Perry seemingly permanently injured, the path is clear for Kenny Irons to get opportunities this season. At the very least Rudi Johnson owners should get him as their handcuff. Others should see him as a potential late round steal.

"Aaron Rudnicki" - Chris Perry is expected to begin the year on the PUP list, which should put Irons into the backup role for the Bengals. While Rudi Johnson has been a top-10 RB for the past 3 seasons, he also has a lot of mileage on his legs during that time with over 1000 carries. Considering he finished with a career-worst average of 3.8 yards per carry last year, there's a good chance the Bengals will try to lighten his load this year and that's where Irons can come in. Many of the league's best teams last year successfully employed a committee approach and there's a good chance that the Bengals will want to follow that trend this year.

"Chris Smith" - I currently have Irons ranked 44th when it comes to redraft leagues but he has the potential to finish much higher than that. It doesn't appear that Chris Perry will ever return to a clean bill of health and Irons should slot in as the backup running back to Rudi Johnson this season. He should receive work as a 3rd down player as well as spelling Johnson throughout the game. Irons has the potential to be a 20-carry player if given the opportunity and he is one injury to Johnson away from possible being a top-fifteen type of player. If you can land him late in your draft, he could pay off quite nicely.

Sigmund Bloom - Harrison is lucky enough to be one of the backups to a running back that looked washed up at the end of last season, Jamal Lewis. The reports out of Cleveland about Lewis have been glowing, but so have the reports about Harrison. He has bulked up to 212 and the team will want to see what they have in the 2006 5th round pick as they plan for the future.

David Dodds - The Browns will give Lewis every opportunity to succeed, but in the end I think they will arrive at the same conclusion most of us already know...that Jamal Lewis is washed up. As the losses mount, I see the staff giving Harrison and a shot. I expect him to be the full-time starter by the end of the season.

"Jeff Haseley" - Jamal Lewis is aging and likely won't last the entire season as the Browns starter. At least that's the word on the street. Cleveland likes what they have in Jerome Harrison. He's the closest thing they've had to Eric Metcalf in Cleveland since, well Eric Metcalf. He's a great pass-catching back, who will be their 3rd down specialist. If/when Lewis gets hurt, the likely replacement is Harrison or Jason Wright. The multi-faceted Harrison is my choice. We'll see. I'll be watching this situation closely.

"Jeff Pasquino" - He can run a sub-4.5 40, has great reception skills, and has the bulk of a fullback without the lack of speed. Sure he is "stuck" behind Steven Jackson, but don't expect him to get 400+ touches again this season. Leonard was drafted in the second round for a reason, and I believe he has starter level talent.

"Mark Wimer" - Steven Jackson had 436 touches of the football last year -- that is a ton of work, folks. With Leonard in the fold, I think the Rams will seek to spread out the touches somewhat so they don't burn out Jackson before his time. Leonard would be the guy who benefits from this scenario, in my opinion. He could approach 500 yards (combined) and 4-5 TDs -- if Jackson were to miss some PT, Leonard's' value only goes up from there. He's definitely worth a late-round flyer.

"Jason Wood" - Leonard may not be the most heralded of rookie runners, but he's got everything an NFL coach could ask. Leonard is tough as nails, selfless, and a proven short-yardage runner; not to mention an excellent receiver. If the Rams decide Steven Jackson needs more rest; which is a logical presumption, Leonard could be in line for 100+ carries, 5+ TDs and 30-40 receptions. Under better circumstances (for example, an SJAX injury), Leonard would be a compelling fantasy alternative similar to the way Mike Alstott was in his prime for the Bucs.

"Aaron Rudnicki" - There has been some speculation recently that Cadillac Williams may have been playing with a herniated disk last year. While it may not have been too serious since he was able to play through it, back problems are the type of injuries that can linger and flare up at any moment. Pittman has value even when Cadillac is healthy but could become a top-30 RB if he became the feature back again. At a minimum, anyone who drafts Cadillac should strongly consider handcuffing him to Pittman.

"Mark Wimer" - Cadillac Williams hasn't been the most durable player in the NFL, to say the least. Pittman has hovered around 40-50 receptions per year since Williams arrived, with 50/245/1 rushing and 47/405/0 receiving last year -- Pittman is a valuable change-of-pace player in his own right who would be the starter if Williams gets bit by the injury bug again.

"Jason Wood" - Cadillac Williams was abysmal last year; and yet Michael Pittman is a forgotten man among fantasy leaguers. Why? He's enormous and is an excellent receiver, meaning he'll be in line for a heavy workload regardless of who plays quarterback or how Williams rebounds. If Cadillac re-emerges, Pittman will get a handful of series, lots of 3rd down catches and some short yardage work. If Cadillac continues to be broken down, Pittman could emerge as a main cog in a Jon Gruden offense; which is fantasy gold.

"Maurile Tremblay" - Dayne is the primary backup to 30-year-old Ahman Green, who has missed time in each of the past three seasons. While Dayne failed to live up to expectations with the Giants, he showed flashes with the Broncos and Texans in recent years. In weeks 13-16 last season when he carried the load for the Texans, he averaged more than 100 yards and a touchdown per game. If Ahman Green cannot stay healthy, Dayne could find himself -- as he did last year -- carrying his own weight in his fantasy owners' starting line-ups.

"Jason Wood" - Ron Dayne resurrected his career a season ago playing for Gary Kubiak. While he won't get a chance to start with Ahman Green in town, Dayne seems a good bet to play RB2 for an up-and-coming offense. While I can understand not making Dayne a focal point of your draft strategy, he should certainly be considered a sleeper, particularly if Ahman Green were to suffer an injury.

"Mark Wimer" - Corey Dillon isn't a Patriot anymore, and Laurence Maroney is rehabbing a bum shoulder and has yet to take significant contact on the injured arm. While Faulk is a solid change-of-pace/3rd down back in his own right (he snagged 43 catches for 356 yards and 2 TDs last year, and rushed for 25/123/1), he is also 2nd on the depth chart behind Maroney. At a minimum, Faulk should see an uptick in touches this year with Dillon gone -- if Maroney struggles, Faulk could get a lot more playing time than he has in recent years.

"Jason Wood" - Kevin Faulk is money in the bank in PPR leagues. Always good for 40 or so catches, he also seems particularly well positioned this year for a handful of carries per game. Remember, Laurence Maroney has a bum shoulder and Corey Dillon is long gone.

David Dodds - The upside is he only has to beat out Vernand Morency and rookie Brandon Jackson. He is probably too much of a darkhorse to actual roster in the preseason, but keep an eye on this situation. I won't be surprised to see as the starting RB by the end of the year.

"Jeff Haseley" - From our own Outlook section on Herron - "Herron has been given 20+ carries in a game exactly twice in his career. In those two games, Herron has carried the ball 43 times for 167 yards (4.0 YPC) and two touchdowns". To me that says a lot. Green Bay has given him the keys to the car on offense and he did not disappoint either time. I'd say he has just as much of a chance as anyone to grab that RB1 spot on Green Bay this preseason. It's truly anyone's guess who that will be. Why not Herron? Look what he's done with his chances prior. That can't be overlooked and something tells me the coaches already know that.

"Chris Smith" - Holmes is coming back to Kansas City for a comeback. Can he play anymore? Is he healthy? Will he make the team? Each of those questions cannot be answered at this point but if you can land Holmes in the final few rounds of your fantasy draft, he may provide incredible value for your squad. Holmes is a competitor and I wouldn't rule him out in regards to making the Chiefs roster this season and with Larry Johnson not in camp and unhappy with his contract, this could be a money move for your fantasy squad.

"David Yudkin" - Holmes may very well be yesterday's news, but if he can fill a Dillon/Bettis/Marcus Allen role he would still hold some fantasy value. There are far worse options as a late round pick. Spelling Larry Johnson, seeing some third down receptions, and an occasional TD could make Holmes an option in deep leagues with flex positions.

"David Yudkin" - Morris may see more work than in the past with Dillon out of the picture and Maroney with lingering shoulder issues. Just spelling Maroney and getting 500-600 total yards and a few TD would rank Morris in the Top 50.

"Jeff Tefertiller" - The Maroney shoulder surgery has me looking for opportunity in Morris. Maroney had only 175 carries in 2006 so who knows if/how well he holds up under a full load. That offense will get the primary back plenty of opportunity to score. Morris is a great running back to stash late.

David Baker - Most know Frank Gore's injury history. He has had severe injuries to both knees as well as surgery on both shoulders. If anything should happen to Gore, look for second year player Michael Robinson to step up. Robinson is a tough runner and versatile all-around player. He has quick feet and decent speed. One Frank Gore injury could mean great things for Robinson.

Sigmund Bloom - Robinson now has an entire year of focus on RB to draw from, and he's the early leader to be the primary backup to Frank Gore. Gore has had surgery on both knees and both shoulders, and he's not a finesse back, so the injury risk always looms. Robinson catches the ball and converts short yardage carries enough that he would have a decent shot of being a true #1 if Gore were to go down.

"Anthony Borbely" - Wright is currently competing with Anthony Thomas to be the primary backup to expected starter Marshawn Lynch. Bills head coach Dick Jauron has said numerous times that he wants to share the load, and while most believe Lynch will get the majority of the work, there could be enough carries left for Wright to be a viable late round pick.

"Jeff Haseley" - The Bills have recently mentioned that there is no clear RB1 on the team right now. They have 3 very capable RBs in rookie Marshawn Lynch, former two-time 1000-yd rusher Anthony Thomas and the other rookie, fourth round pick Dwayne Wright. Wright averaged 5.6 YPC with Fresno State last season totaling nearly 1700 total yards of offense with 12 TDs. The Bills have recently mentioned that they likely will instill a RBBC approach which would open up an opportunity for everyone to showcase their ability, including Wright.

"Maurile Tremblay" - Buckhalter is an afterthought in most fantasy drafts this year, but he shouldn't be. He is a very talented number two back on a team whose starter has never played a full 16-game schedule. Even if Brian Westbrook stays healthy, Buckhalter may get enough goal line carries to make him a serviceable bye-week fill-in. But if Westbrook misses time with an injury -- as he has in each of his five NFL seasons -- Buckhalter becomes a potential fantasy starter.

"Clayton Gray" - As the 54th RB off the board, Bush is definitely in the "take a shot" category. Obviously, his broken leg may take him out of the picture this season, but there are a couple of reasons to take that shot. First, he is very talented. Second, the other backs on the roster have deficiencies. If he can get healthy, Bush will make some noise.

"David Yudkin" - The Cardinals plan to run a lot more than in recent years and Edgerrin James can't really get many more carries. The new coaching staff seems to like Shipp and he likely would be the beneficiary of a lot more team rushing attempts.