Faceoff - RB Darren Sproles, San Diego Chargers

Posted 8/3, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Upside - by Sigmund Bloom

I'm going to go on at length as to why you should draft Darren Sproles this year, but one argument really trumps any that appeal to numbers or games from last year or offseason developments: Darren Sproles is one of the most talented running backs in the league.

If you saw Sproles in the playoffs or either Denver game, you could see his exceptional speed, lateral agility, vision, and toughness on display. He looks like what we hoped Reggie Bush would be. The Chargers know how important he is to the team - they slapped the franchise tag on him instead of letting him walk in free agency. Think about that, they paid him a top five running back salary this year, precisely because they know his talent is a lot closer to the Top 5 than most people around the NFL realize.

The Chargers named Sproles their franchise player before they restructured LaDainian Tomlinson's deal. They made keeping Sproles a higher priority than keeping Tomlinson. The Tomlinson contract situation ended up in a game of chicken where the Chargers made their final offer and Tomlinson was forced to take a pay cut in 2010 and 2011, or leave. When it comes to NFL front offices, actions speak louder than words.

Of course, Tomlinson is still going to the workhorse this year. Sproles will get more touches than he did last year, probably enough to make him a viable flex in PPR leagues, especially those that also give individual credit for special teams TDs. Still, that's not the reason to spend a mid-round pick on Sproles, and frankly, that's not enough value to make him worth that kind of pick. No, the reason to strongly consider adding Sproles to your RB stable is the combination of his upside and the ever-increasing likelihood that LaDainian Tomlinson is going to break down.

Tomlinson has provided little to no help in the playoffs the last two seasons because of injuries, and it's not because of an injury suffered on a freak play or a crushing hit. Tomlinson has suffered "wear down" injuries like turf toe and a groin strain. Sproles has been a stud anytime he has gotten touches. Last year, he got nine or more touches five times. He averaged over 20 fantasy points a game in those five games. For comparison purposes, consider that last year's No. 1 fantasy RB, DeAngelo Williams, averaged a little less than 18 fantasy points a game. Sproles the starter is a basically a top-five fantasy back. He is exactly the kind of mid-round pick that helps you win your league a lot more often than the solid depth pick, which can often be obtained through savvy waiver wire play.

Yes, Darren Sproles is very small at 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds, so small that it's hard to imagine holding up for more than four to six games if he becomes the starter. Don't let that cause you to overlook the fact that Sproles has shown that even though that ride will be short, it will be a triumphant one for your fantasy team.

Downside - by David Yudkin

Darren Sproles may have gotten franchised and a sizable paycheck this year, but the fact remains that LaDainian Tomlinson is still the man in San Diego. Sproles may see a few extra looks and has shown a lot of promise, but we've already seen a similar situation with the Chargers in Michael Turner. Sproles may end up being a big contributor, but that may stem more from his work as a kick returner.

Sproles is getting drafted much higher than he should be given that he likely won't see the ball much more than 100 times on the season. He has an ADP as the 35th running back off the draft board, yet his average FBG staff ranking is as the 42nd best RB. Many staffers have Sproles ranked in the late 40s, and some don't have him ranked in their top fifty.

Some people will suggest that Sproles HAS to see a much bigger workload based on his performance last year and his yearend ranking as the 43rd best RB. A closer look at his numbers will reveal that he had five receiving TD in only 29 catches (a CRAZY ratio) and a 5.4 YPC when he ran the ball (also very high). He will need a lot more touches just to get to the level of total fantasy production he did last year.

Michael Turner was in a similar situation a few years ago. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry in four seasons with the Chargers, yet he could only muster 80 carries in his highest workload season while in San Diego.

Recent reports have quoted head coach Norv Turner as saying that Tomlinson should be a top candidate for leading the league in rushing and should be on track for another season of 320 carries. That won't leave many leftover for Sproles, especially with the Chargers' improved passing attack.

Sproles has a pretty hefty price tag and should be considered not much more than overpriced insurance for Tomlinson owners. He's a decent backup, but a backup nonetheless, and there are bigger fish to fry with that seventh or eight round pick it will take to reel in Sproles.