Survivor I - Eric Shelton Commentary

NOTE: this draft was completed on 7/24

Positives - Shelton was a scoring machine at Louisville, rushing for 20 touchdowns last year. He’s 6-3, 245 lbs and a perfect fit for the Carolina Panther offense. The Panther’s selected him in the second round and should give him every opportunity to see significant playing time early in the season with a chance of winning the starting job before the end of the year. His competition on the team is DeShaun Foster, who hasn’t had more than 113 rushes in a season, Stephen Davis, who may not be healthy at the start of the year, and Nick Goings, who has been returned to fullback. I like the odds of Shelton eventually becoming the primary ball carrier and goal line back with Foster playing a third down, change of pace role. With the success this offense has had running the ball in recent years, that could add up to a great season for Shelton.

Negatives - If the versatile Foster has truly overcome his injuries, he could be difficult to displace from the starting job. If Davis can play, even on a limited basis, he’ll likely receive the short yardage and goal line work similar to Jerome Bettis, leaving little opportunity for Shelton to make an impact this season. Goings is also a wildcard, having proven he could handle the job during several starts last year. Shelton will also need to prove he can handle the various blocking assignments which can sometimes take a while for a rookie to master, possibly limiting his opportunities all season.

Draft Strategy - I wanted to take one more RB with a chance of starting early in the season. Faulk, Bettis, and Duckett didn’t fit this criterion. I may have reached a bit for Shelton but feel the risk is warranted considering the value of the Carolina starting RB and the less than inspiring competition currently on the roster. With 3 RBs already on board, I don’t need Shelton to necessarily start early in the season. If this pick pans out, Shelton, along with Ronnie Brown, will compete to give me one of the highest scoring flex positions in the league. I know everyone could say that if their picks work out as expected; I just happen to like mine so far.