James Sims

Suspended for the first three games of 2012, Sims was the Jayhawks' leading rusher in 2011, amassing 727 yards on 182 carries. He also added a team-leading nine touchdowns. However, entering 2012, Sims may not be sitting pretty atop the Kansas depth chart. He averaged only four yards per carry on the season and meanwhile, new coach Charlie Weis hasn't really decided how he will go about handling his four running backs in Sims, Brandon Bourbon, Marquis Jackson, and Tony Pierson. Sims could end up as the No. 1 back once again in 2012. However, he could also end up sitting on the bench more than he's used to in his junior season when he returns from suspension.

Sims did very well as a true freshman in 2010, finishing the year with 876 yards and 10 touchdowns from scrimmage despite playing in just 11 games. He figures to get a more consistent workload in his sophomore season, and it’d be a disappointment if the big back didn’t approach 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns on the ground. None of the other Kansas running backs were able to average any better than 3.87 yards per carry last year, so Sims easily looks like the top talent available for Kansas.