Brandon Jacobs

Jacobs averaged just 3.8 YPC last season, though he did score eight touchdowns. Now 30, all those years of physical punishment have sapped his previous explosion, and he’s not all that special at the goal line either, going just 12-for-36 there over the past three seasons. Jacobs will also be joining a new team in San Francisco that suddenly has a deep backfield with Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James on the roster. It’s possible Jacobs puts up similar production to last year, but it’s more likely his role is even more limited at this stage of his career.

Jacobs ceded lead-back duties to Ahmad Bradshaw last season, and with fresher legs, he was highly productive on a per-play basis, averaging 5.6 YPC. He remains a poor receiver, but he added nine touchdowns and still finds himself in a good situation playing in New York. The fact that limiting Jacobs’ carries resulted in him staying healthy over a full season may be bad news for his fantasy value, as it seems like a recipe that should continue. Even if Bradshaw were to get hurt, expect Danny Ware to get in the mix, as Jacobs is unlikely ever again to reach 225-plus rushing attempts, putting a ceiling on his fantasy value.

Jacobs had a down year in 2009, as his touchdowns dropped from 15 the previous season to just five, and his YPC fell from 5.0 to 3.7 as well. He later revealed that he injured his knee in Week 1, and it hampered him over the rest of the season, and the injury required surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the offseason, so it wasn’t made up. While it was admirable that Jacobs fought through the injury, it’s just the latest in a long history of knee problems, as his huge frame (6-4, 264) and punishing running style aren’t easy on his legs. Despite missing essentially the final two games of the season, the powerful Jacobs was given 19 goal-line carries last year, fifth-most in the NFL. He converted only four of those attempts into scores, but he was highly effective from in close (12-for-20) in 2008, so he should continue to dominate goal-line carries. Jacobs has possibly the worst hands of any starting running back in football, but if his explosion returns with healthy knees, no other RB possesses his combination of strength and speed. While the Giants offensive line took a step back last year, it’s still a unit that should be above average. Ahmad Bradshaw is one of the more dangerous backup RBs in football, especially when you consider he should be healthy after playing all of last season on two bad feet. Consequently, Jacobs is highly unlikely to approach 300 carries, but he’s in a great system and should once again be a threat for a dozen touchdowns.

Jacobs ran for 1,089 yards with 15 touchdowns over 13 games last season, offered next to nothing in the passing game and once again dealt with knee injuries, partially tearing his left PCL and straining his right MCL. Jacobs is highly effective when on the field, getting 5.0 YPC over the past two years. The team signed him to a four-year, $25 million contract during the offseason, so it clearly believes he’s healthy enough to resume his feature-back role. At 6-4, 264, Jacobs’ massive frame and bullying style are ideally suited for short-yardage and goal-line work – his 18 goal-line carries tied for the second-most in the NFL, and he converted 12 of those into scores, all in just 13 games. Jacobs also has good long speed for such a big man, but he’s not often out in space, and he has terrible hands as a receiver out of the backfield. The Giants enter 2009 with one of the best defenses in football and a fantastic offensive line. With Derrick Ward gone, Jacobs could see a slightly bigger workload if he can somehow remain healthy. He’ll turn 27 before the season starts, and with only 555 career rushing attempts, there’s not much mileage on his legs. However, those legs carry a lot more weight than your average back, and expecting 16 games out of him, given his upright, contact-seeking style, might be unrealistic.

Jacobs was frustrating in 2007, missing five games and leaving two others early with injury, yet he was very productive when healthy. During the nine games Jacobs completed, he rushed for 929 yards, which was a league-leading pace. He finished the season strong, scoring seven touchdowns over the final six games, including the postseason. At 6-4, 264, Jacobs is a beast who punishes defenders, yet he also possesses good speed. His hands are a major weakness, and he needs to improve in that area, but the Giants did show a willingness to keep him active in the passing game. Jacobs' linebacker frame makes staying healthy a big challenge, but at least he now knows what it takes to get through a full season as the team's feature back. With Ahmad Bradshaw's emergence, Jacobs might see fewer attempts between the 20s, but he should also reclaim his role as New York's primary option at the goal line, as Reuben Droughns is unlikely to return with so many other running backs on the roster. Bradshaw and Derrick Ward's presence could help Jacobs stay healthy, and while a timeshare isn't ideal, Jacobs makes the most of his opportunities, and there is major touchdown potential in the Giants' offense – the team's 27 goal-line carries ranked second in the NFL in 2007. Coach Tom Coughlin's system consistently produces top-five rushing offenses, the defense is fierce and the offensive line is a terrific run blocking unit. Moreover, Eli Manning might have turned the corner with his postseason performance, so the Giants should be protecting a lot of second half leads. Jacobs underwent wrist surgery during the offseason, but he's expected to be fully healthy by training camp. He’s entering a contract year, so he’ll be extra motivated to play through bumps and bruises and has as much touchdown potential as just about any back in the league.

At 6-4, 264, Jacobs is the quintessential goal-line back, scoring nine touchdowns on just 96 carries last year. He’s predictably effective from in close, scoring seven times on 14 goal-line carries. Jacobs also produced more first downs per carry than any other back in the league last year (33/96). With Tiki Barber’s retirement, Jacobs will get the first crack at taking on the feature role, but because he received just 66 carries outside the red zone last season, whether he can thrive in it is still unclear. He likely won’t be much of an asset as a receiver, but he knows the Giants’ offensive scheme, so he has the upper hand on newcomer Reuben Droughns. Despite his massive size, Jacobs also runs a 4.4 40, so it will be interesting to see what he can do in the open field with regular work. The Giants didn’t draft a running back until the seventh round, so Jacobs and Droughns will receive almost all the team’s carries. Look for Droughns to spell Jacobs from time to time and especially on third downs, initially, though their roles could change if Jacobs struggles early on. Whatever happens, Jacobs will get all the goal-line work.

The goal-line specialist may be a dying breed, but don’t tell that to Jacobs. As a rookie he converted nearly half of his goal line touches (7-for-16), and with the Giants looking to protect Tiki Barber as much as possible, Jacobs could strike again for enough scores to make him draftable in most formats. He averaged just 2.6 YPC, but that was a product of the situations in which he was used – should Barber get hurt for a significant period, it’s unclear whether the team would turn to Jacobs in a feature role, but it would be interesting to see what he could do given his size (6-4, 267) and speed (4.4. 40).

At 6-4, 260, and with 4.4 speed, Jacobs is a physical freak, and he's been able to use his rare athleticism early in camp to impress Giants' brass. At this point, it looks like he'll be in the mix this season, likely spelling Tiki Barber in short-yardage and goal-line situations.