In the spirit of the season, with opening day almost upon us, I can't help but feel there is no better time to start the offseason fantasy football debate. In this post I've ranked the 10 best keeper running backs on the basis of the players' ability/potential, their recent performance and their age, considering them for the next 3 seasons. So without further ado, let's look at the guys you want to draft, trade for or keep.
1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (6-0, 226 ; age 24)
Foster is a great blend of size and speed and is an ideal fit in the Texans' zone-blocking run scheme which allows him to use his excellent vision and burst to attack the right lanes and get to the second level of the defense in a hurry. He led the league last year in scores and both rushing and receiving yards for a RB, while being the only back to average over 100 rush yards per game. He is simply the total package.
2. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (5-11, 200 ; age 24)
JC posted a ridiculous 6.4 yards per carry average last year. And that was an encore to his breakout '09 season average of 5.9. The man racks up yards in big chunks with his shiftiness and breakaway speed. He had at least 100 total yards in 13 of 16 games. Imagine what will be when the Thomas Jones train stops chugging soon.
3. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (6-2, 218 ; age 26)
No reason to waste my breath in ticking off the stats. Fact is he's been an elite RB since he stepped on the field as a rookie and no one has matched his production over the past 4 seasons.
4. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (5-11, 200 ; age 25)
I can give you 2,006 reasons, but just like AP, it's unnecessary. And really you only need one: the speed. If Tennessee had the pass attack to keep defenses honest he'd be at the top of the list.
5. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers (5-10, 225 ; age 23)
Mendenhall showed his ability to be a bell cow in the playoffs, particularly when he ran all over the Jets defense in the AFC Championship. He has great size and strength, but also the burst to get the corner and pick up yards in chunks. The goal line, however, is where he'll make his fantasy stardom. Thirteen scores may be the floor over the next few years.
6. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (5-8, 205 ; age 24)
Rice has shown the ability to rack up total yards like few others in the league can do. He takes advantage of his size by running low and shows excellent balance and tackle-breaking ability. Though his numbers dipped a bit last year, he is still one of the premier dual-threat backs in the league.
7. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (6-2, 215 ; age 23)
Run DMC was extremely explosive last year, leading the league in runs of 20+ yards with 14. He also showed much improved toughness, running through arm tackles en route to 5.2 yards per carry and 6 games of 100+ yards rushing. With more than 10 yards a catch he also showed his ability to change the game as a receiver. Was last year a fluke? Will the injuries keep coming? I'd take the risk with an upside this high.
8. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (5-11, 210 ; age 22)
Like Rice, he's a fantastic receiver. And the Eagles offense makes great use of his abilities coming out of the backfield. He puts up strong total yards and averaged a very healthy 5.2 per carry last year, showing terrific open field running and the ability to slash through small holes to get into the secondary. While he doesn't pile up the scores, he can be counted on for consistent yards.
9. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8, 205 ; 26)
He is Pocket Hercules. MoJo uses a combination of his quick feet and bowling ball body to make his money between the tackles better than most in the league. Like CJ and AP his career production speaks for itself.
10. LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2, 240 ; age 24)
Blount only started the final 11 games of his rookie year, but that was enough to flash his tremendous ability to break tackles and get downfield. A decisive runner who attacks lanes with abandon and sheds contact with his size and aggressive style, he was one of only 2 backs in the league to average a 20+ yard run every 20 carries (McFadden was the other). And with his size, it would be surprising to not see his 6 scores doubled or better in future seasons.
Though the game is becoming increasingly more dominated by pass-happy attacks, the fantasy football realm still requires an elite running back to be successful, if not two. You will not win a Super Bowl without one. If you are in a keeper league, invest in one of these studs for the next 2-3 years. If you are starting a keeper league, do what you must to draft one.