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RB Sammy Morris, New England Patriots

HT: 6-0, WT: 228, Born: 3-23-1977, College: Texas Tech, Drafted: Round 5

2008 Projections

Average draft position

Current as of June 28th. [Full ADP list]

Overall: D Branch (129), Sammy Morris (131), R Curry (132), R Williams (133)
Position: C Brown (127-RB42), T Bell (128-RB43), Sammy Morris (131 - RB44), R Williams (133-RB45), L Washington (138-RB46)
Click here for a comparison of these players.

 Click here to go to the Sammy Morris faceoff, our staff's look at the pros and cons.

Best Case

Very good things could happen for Sammy Morris if he returns healthy and well-rested while Laurence Maroney continues on his course for getting banged up. New England could then give Morris most of Maroney's carries, and Morris would end up with fantasy RB2 numbers and even a little more upside. He matched Maroney's 4.5 YPC over the season and was actually out-producing Maroney before getting hurt. In his limited time in New England, Morris showed that he was not afraid to initiate contact and often lowered his shoulder to move the pile, all qualities coach Bill Belichick looks for in a running back and something that Maroney had previously been reluctant to do.

Worst Case

The worst case would be if Morris is not fully recovered from his injuries, while at the same time Maroney remained injury-free. Or perhaps the team looks to the future rather than playing a 31-year-old journeyman and lifetime backup, and Morris goes back to the days where he only saw the ball three or four times a game. Since New England always seems to sign players out of the blue, it would not be a complete shock if the team added a player like Shaun Alexander or Travis Henry to a low-cost contract, driving Morris' value down.

Outlook

The Maroney / Morris tandem worked very well together last year. Using the axiom if it ain't broke don't fix it, look for the Patriots to implement a similar strategy this year to keep Maroney fresh. The Patriots have done a decent job rotating their backs and scheming to exploit defenses with an arsenal of offensive players and specialists, so Morris will likely still have a contributory role even if Maroney does start getting a few more carries. For fantasy purposes, Morris is a decent mid- to late-round pick that can give borderline RB2 production at a fraction of the investment and at the very least would be a decent reserve player to have that actually sees the ball quite a bit. He would stand to see a huge boost if Maroney were to be out for awhile.

Relevant Articles

Why he is undervalued

Sigmund Bloom - Morris got double digit carries when both he and Lawrence Maroney were healthy last year, including valuable red zone carries that he converted into touchdowns. At worst you'll get a good emergency starter and backup RB in the most potent offense in the league, but if Maroney gets hurt, you could get an every-week starting fantasy RB in the 12th or 13th round.

David Dodds - Sammy Morris was extremely effective filling in for an injured Laurence Maroney before getting hurt himself. Look for the Patriots to use both Morris and Maroney in a RBBC and probably favor Morris near the goal line and at the end of games. The Patriots know Maroney is an injury risk and will limit his carries so that he is still playing football when the NFL playoffs start. Give me the RB in the committee at the cheapest price every time.

2008 Schedule

2007 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Morris provided a change of pace for the Patriots rushing 11 times 54 total yards. He looked quick and punishing while running and receiving as he also caught two balls for 11 yards. He's a more physical runner than Maroney and looks to have a definite role in this offense.

Week 2 - The veteran free agent pick up from Miami has a bigger role in the New England offense than many predicted. He gained 51 yards on ten carries and scored from the three yard line.

Week 3 - Morris was a key aspect of the Patriots' rushing attack against the Bills. While spelling RB Laurence Maroney, Morris managed 46 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He did not catch the ball during the game.

Week 4 - Morris split carries with RB Kevin Faulk with starter RB Laurence Maroney out with an injury. He carried the ball mostly between the tackles as Faulk was in on mostly passing situations. Morris had a very effective game running the ball as the New England's offensive line dominated the line of the scrimmage. He busted a big play early in the game going 49 yards off the right side and almost scored, but was tackled on the two yard line. Morris would get most of the carries in the first half against an injury depleted Bengals defense who only dressed four healthy linebackers in the game and lost two of them to injuries in the first half. He finished the first half with 13 carries for 98 yards.

Morris' night got better in the third quarter as he had a seven yard touchdown run off the left side as the New England offensive line began to take over the game. He added a nice 18 yard pass reception out of the backfield in the fourth quarter to pad his stats. He would finish the half with only 19 more yards in the second half, but he had real nice numbers as he had most of the carries in Maroney's absence.

Week 5 - Morris started his second straight game as Maroney recovers from a groin injury. Morris ran for tough yards against a stubborn Cleveland defense, but still averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Even with Maroney in the lineup, Morris is more likely to get ball at the goal line.

Week 6 - Morris struggled to find any running room. His long run netted three yards. His best run of the day went for eight yards, but was negated by a holding penalty. Morris' nine first half carries totaled 12 yards. Morris was injured early in the second half and did not return. He left the field gingerly with what was diagnosed as a "chest injury."

Week 7 - Morris did not play against the Miami Dolphins due to injury.

Week 9 - Morris was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week and is out for the remainder of the season.