But for as long as I've been playing, LaDainian Tomlinson has been the consensus, can't miss, overall No. 1 pick. This year, for the first time in several years, that's not the case. It's entirely possible that LT could fall to the second round in a lot of drafts. I have the first of two drafts tonight, so we'll see where the Chargers star running back ends up.
Tomlinson rushed for 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. Very respectable numbers for an NFL back, but statistically, it was the worst season of his career. From 2002-2007, Tomlinson averaged 1,569 yards and 17.5 touchdowns a season. You'd be a fool not to take him with the first pick.
That's how I felt last year, even though I had a feeling it would be a down year for Tomlinson. but I had to take him anyway, and suffice it to say, things worked out as I'd feared, not as I'd hoped.
So, who is Tomlinson's successor as the can't miss guy? I don't think there is one. A lot of people are high on Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, and with good reason. But I'm not sold that he'll make it through a full season injury free, especially when he is the Vikings' only offensive option.
And Michael Turner of the Falcons is a popular option after rushing for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. But he carried the ball a league-high 376 times. History shows running backs struggle a year after exceptionally high work loads. Look at former fantasy stud Larry Johnson: 416 carries for 1,789 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2006; missed eight games and managed just 559 yards and three TDs in '07.
It'll be interesting to see how the drafts play out without a guy like Tomlinson in his prime at the top of the draft.
5 comments:
Matt Forte? He was my sleeper pick last year and a definite keeper this year.
Adrian Peterson did go first, somewhat surprisingly, as my friend Gaelen resisted the urge to take fellow Miami of Ohio alum Ben Roethlisberger with her first pick, as she'd done the previous two seasons.
Some Patriots homers took a gamble on Tom Brady at No. 2 and I ended up begrudgingly taking Michael Turner at 3.
Can't wait to see how this season plays out.
well as the column stated there is no real sure fire #1 as in years past...(in my opinion it is Peterson)....so how is Brady a "gamble" at #2?...now Roethlisberger in the 1st round is a JOKE....in fact I drafted Roethlisberger last night in a league and I got him in round 8....here's my lineup
Roethlisberger, Ben QB
Peterson, Adrian RB MIN Westbrook, Brian RB PHI
Colston, Marques WR NO
Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN
Williams, Roy E. WR DAL
Boss, Kevin TE NYG WAS
Graham, Shayne K CIN
Colts DST JAC
Manning, Eli QB NYG
Johnson, Larry RB KC
Parker, Willie RB PIT
Breaston, Steve WR ARI
Harvin, Percy WR MIN
I never take a chance on Westbrook, for fear of injury year after year, but then I always get burned when I play him. One of these years I'm going grab him as a second RB.
...yeah, other than Peterson my RB's have some mileage on them.....when you have the 1st pick by the time it comes back to you all the young stud RB's are long gone
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