In To Handcuff Or Not To Handcuff, I broke down the handcuffs to the Top 10 fantasy RBs in detail to answer the titular question. That still leaves 22 other backfields to analyze through the lens of the guys not listed first on the depth chart. Depending on your league's roster size, it's sometimes best to draft all of the key backs from a team's RB corps, let the situation sort itself out, and reap the benefits. In this article, I'll rank the top 10 backfields you'll want to corner the market on in your draft plan.
1. Indianapolis Colts (Joseph Addai and Donald Brown)
This one will cost you a fourth for Joseph Addai (ADP No. 40) and a late seventh for Donald Brown (ADP - 84). On its face, the only real risk here is that the Colts go with a workload split similar to 2006 Rhodes/Addai. With that year's touch distribution, only once did Addai or Rhodes top 20 fantasy points. Three times one of them topped 15 fantasy points. On the flipside, only four times did neither back top 10 points. Plus, after an Addai-heavy Week 8, you probably would have started Addai over Rhodes for the rest of the year and had the better fantasy back in your lineup in all but two of the remaining weeks of the season. It's more likely that Addai will either miss some time or come roaring out of the gate in defense of his starting job, giving you clarity on which back to start. Consider this: the Colts were next to last in rushing last year, yet the backfield still yielded a double-digit point fantasy week from an RB 13 out of 17 weeks. It also paid out three weeks of 20+ points, each time coming from the back who had more touches in the previous week. If you take Addai and Brown, you are likely to get Top 15 RB production for the modest price of fourth- and seventh-round picks.
2. Arizona Cardinals (Chris Wells and Tim Hightower)
Yes, Arizona was the worst team at running the ball in the entire league last year. The RB position still produced 15 touchdowns - middle of the pack in the NFL - and four more in the playoffs. That's the benefit of playing in an offense that passes the ball so well. This year, they've replaced Edgerrin James with talented rookie Chris Wells, so the overall efficiency of the running game should increase. For just a mid-sixth (Wells ADP - 67) and a mid-ninth (Hightower ADP - 101), you can lock up the running game that will have plenty of opportunities to finish for Warner, Fitzgerald, Boldin, and co. The nice twist here is that you'll likely have clarity on who to start every week. Wells should get the nod when he's healthy, but his history of Ohio State showed us that he's not a lock to play every game, so you'll have Hightower waiting in the wings when Wells gets hurt. You also get two games against St. Louis and one against Detroit - and two of those juicy matchup happen in the fantasy conference title and Super Bowl weeks - 15 and 16.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham)
For the low, low price of an early-sixth (Derrick Ward ADP No. 63) and an early-ninth (Earnest Graham ADP - 100), you can get two very capable, well-rounded backs who run behind a young, strong, drive-blocking offensive line. The worst case scenario is that Raheem Morris equally divides the work between the two backs, giving you only a decent flex/weak RB2 in most weeks. Last year, the Bucs had a similar game plan with Graham and veteran Warrick Dunn. In the first five games, Dunn had 66 touches, and Graham had 77. If you had just played the back who had the better first game (Graham), you would have gotten 15+ point weeks twice in the next four weeks, so all was not lost. After that, injuries shook up the backfield and gave you more clarity if you owned both backs, which is what you can hope for if you draft both Tampa runners this year. Ward has been injury-prone in his career, and if the Bucs decide to give him a feature back workload, he'll probably end up sidelined again. The bottom line is that both of these backs are good pass-catchers and powerful enough to handle short-yardage duties. They can each be Top 20 options anytime the other is dinged up and Top 30 to 35 options even when both are healthy, and you will likely have drafted both of your starting RBs by the time you take the higher ranked half of the combo.
4. New England Patriots (Fred Taylor and Laurence Maroney)
Why is it so easy to corner the market on a backfield that was No. 6 in the league in rushing in an offense that should return to the stratosphere after merely being in the troposphere last year after Tom Brady's injury? Spend an 11th on Fred Taylor (ADP - 124) and a 13th on Laurence Maroney (ADP - 145), and you should have it covered. Sammy Morris (ADP - 146) is also going in the 13th, but it's hard to see him having a big role until Maroney or Taylor goes down. You can probably let someone else draft Morris and wait for them to get impatient and drop him. Kevin Faulk is worth a late-round pick in PPR leagues, but otherwise, you can leave him in the waiver wire pool. If you're still doubting the wisdom of throwing a few late picks at the New England backfield, consider this: a Patriots RB scored in 14 out of their 16 games last year - and again, that was with Cassel, not Brady. There's a lot of fantasy value to mined in the backfield, even if you have to wait to see exactly what Belichick's plan is for the four- or five-headed backfield.
5. Oakland Raiders (Darren McFadden and Michael Bush)
To corner this backfield, you will have to spend a late-fourth on Darren McFadden (ADP - 47), the back who struggled to get out of the garage last year with turf toe on both feet. The hope is that the Raiders use him like MJD or Reggie Bush and get him 50-60 receptions out in space where he can do damage in addition to 12-15 carries a game. On its face, this seems like a three back unit, with Justin Fargas getting a healthy amount of touches, but I would advise to skip Fargas at his ADP of 140, and instead take Week 17 wonder Michael Bush a round or two earlier than his ADP of 155. Bush ran for over 170 yards against Tampa Bay in the last game of the 2008 season, and he should push Fargas to third on the depth chart, maybe even before the season starts. The Raiders were ranked 10th in the league in rushing despite an abysmal passing game. With any improvement from JaMarcus Russell, the running game pie of stats could get even bigger and have more than enough to go around. At the very least, take Bush in the 11th or 12th, even if you don't take McFadden early.
6. Baltimore Ravens (Willis McGahee and Ray Rice)
Anyone who owned a Raven RB last year knows that trying to predict who the main back would be from week to week was like trying to ride the mechanical bull at Gilley's at 1:00 AM. With Le'Ron McClain moved back to fullback, maybe there will be some clarity this year. It's worth throwing some picks at the backfield for two reasons: 1) Baltimore was the No. 4 team in the league at running the ball, and 2) none of the candidates currently have an ADP higher than late-eighth (Willis McGahee ADP - 84). Surely some of this is due to the news of McClain's move slowly leeching out into the fantasy football world's consciousness, but the threat of McClain vulturing TDs or McGahee staying healthy will still dampen Ray Rice's ADP so that he remains out of the first five rounds. If you monopolize this backfield, it could require some nuanced strategy. You need to see Willis McGahee on the field in training camp before you draft him. As soon as he is healthy and productive in the regular season, trade him. He won't stay healthy for long. McClain's ADP is going to plummet. You might not need to draft him, but be ready to pounce when injuries strike as he was the Ravens' leading rushing last year and definitely their most effective short-yardage back. Don't be surprised if he scores a lot again this year, even if he stays at fullback all season. You also have to remember the name Cedric Peerman. If injuries take down more than one back in this stable, the rookie could get significant playing time, and he's more than talented enough to do something with it. The bottom line best strategy is probably to draft Rice and McGahee, trade McGahee after his first good game, pick up McClain after a frustrated owner drops him, and keep Peerman on speed dial.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Mewelde Moore)
The Steelers had an uncharacteristically ineffective year running the ball, winning enough to finish in the Top 10 in attempts, but stuck in the Bottom 10 in yards per game and Bottom 5 in yards per attempt. In other words, there's nowhere to go but up. You can get the presumed starter, Willie Parker, in the late-fifth (ADP - 59), the talented young handcuff, Rashard Mendenhall in the 10th (ADP - 112), and the guy who actually had some sustained value, Mewelde Moore, in the 18th (ADP - 215)! The reason to go after this backfield is that when the Steelers win, the RBs produce, and judging by their schedule, they should win a lot again this year. The hitch here is that you'll have to occupy three roster spots to corner the market on the Steelers backfield. You can risk leaving Moore out there and hoping he goes undrafted, or that the owner who drafts him loses interest before Parker or Mendenhall get hurt. The one thing that could blow it all up is Frank "The Tank" Summers vulturing TDs like Gary Russell did late last season - watch training camp news closely for updates on this element of the situation before committing.
8. Dallas Cowboys (Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice)
You will have to be situated in the early- to mid-second to corner this backfield, but it will be worth it. That early pick will go to Marion Barber (ADP - 16). Before you get too worried about Felix Jones and Tashard Choice cutting into Barber's workload, remember that he is nails in short yardage and was able to finish as RB7 with only 247 touches in 2007. As long as he has his 2007 role, he'll be worth that second-round pick. Felix Jones will only cost you a mid-eighth (ADP - 91), and he will be a viable flex if he breaks off long runs with the frequency he did last year. The best value of the bunch by far is Tashard Choice. He put numbers against a murderer's row of defenses (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and NY Giants) with both Barber and Jones ailing last year. Jones suffered two injuries in very limited playing time last year. If he proves to be fragile again this year, it will be Choice who becomes a viable flex. I have no idea why an RB that accomplished what Choice did last year is going in the 15th (ADP - 177), but he's worth stashing whether or not you end up drafting Barber or Jones. Barber will be your every-week play, Jones your "what the heck" flex and sell high or ride the streak candidate if he gets hot, and Choice your "break glass in case of emergency" option.
9. New York Giants (Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw)
This one paid dividends with two, 1000-yard backs last year, so it's already on a lot of people's radar. The Giants have a tremendous, run-blocking offensive line, a topnotch defense, and a conservative coach. They were the No. 1 running team in the league last year, and there is not reason not to expect another high finish this year. You'll have to spend an early to mid-second on Brandon Jacobs (ADP - 19), but that shouldn't bother you because Jacobs has been a stud as long as he has played. He rarely gets knocked out of games but simply misses them with some regularity. Right now you can get his sidekick, Ahmad Bradshaw, in the 10th round (ADP - 111), which seems very cheap, until you consider that the Giants also drafted a good back, Andre Brown, in the fourth round this year, who is currently going undrafted. So draft and start Jacobs, draft and hold Bradshaw, and watch for news about Andre Brown or Danny Ware pushing Bradshaw in training camp. With that plan, you should have this one locked down.
10. New York Jets (Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene)
This one could actually yield two starters before it's all said and done. Right now, the ADP of No. 1 back Thomas Jones reflects the uncertainty of his situation. A Top 10 back from last year is going at an ADP of 42 because the Jets drafted Shonn Greene in the third round while the veteran was making noise about his contract. As long as the Jets either trade Jones before the season starts or preserve his role from last year while letting Greene wait in the wings for an injury, Jones will greatly out-produce that ADP. I don't know if it is advisable to spend a late-ninth on Leon Washington (ADP - 107). With the presence of Greene, it's hard to see Washington ever getting a consistent enough workload to trust in your lineup, even though he'll have explosive plays enough to have solid year-end numbers. Greene, on the other hand, is a good deal at his 13th-round ADP of 151. If Jones were to go down or if the Jets struggle early and just decide to see what they have in the rookie, Greene will greatly out-produce that ADP and could be a surprise starter if a Jones trade gets done (fairly unlikely this late in the preseason. This team was No. 5 in yards per carry last year and, with a rookie QB likely starting, expect them to lean on that running game and create a lot of fantasy production from their backs.
Honorable Mentions