Donald Brown

After a productive run in Indianapolis, Brown’s first season in San Diego was a bit of a disappointment. He was supposed to be a big part of the offense, but despite Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead both missing significant time due to injuries, Brown was never used as anything more than a third down back. He only rushed for a total of 223 yards on the season and averaged a career-low 2.6 YPC. This season the Bolts figure to lean heavily on rookie Melvin Gordon, and with both Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver back in the mix, Brown will likely struggle to get many touches.

Despite having arguably his best season – setting career highs with 5.3 YPC and 27 receptions – last year, Brown couldn't stick with the Colts and now will have to settle for trying to wrestle carries away from Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead in San Diego. He's likely to see a limited role at first, but Mathews has had some propensity for injury in his career. If Mathews goes down, Brown – a one-cut, downhill runner not dissimilar to Mathews – is a more natural choice than Woodhead or rookie Marion Grice to carry the load.

Brown will likely have to step into a backup role behind upstart running back Vick Ballard and the newly acquired Ahmad Bradshaw heading into 2013.

Brown finished with just 29 more yards from scrimmage last season than the year before, but his 4.8 YPC mark was easily a career high, as were his five touchdowns. He missed the first four games of the season but looked like a much-improved player after returning. The former first-round pick enters 2012 as the favorite for carries in Indy for the first time in his career, as Joseph Addai is no longer around. He’ll have to beat out Delone Carter, who was a major disappointment as a rookie. While the team’s offense should improve with Andrew Luck taking over QB duties, it’s still likely to be below average, and Brown doesn’t project to be a true workhorse.

Two years into the league, Brown looks like a bust. The former first-round pick has constantly battled injuries, and when on the field, he’s averaged just 3.8 YPC during his career while struggling in pass protection, which isn’t acceptable in Indianapolis. As a result, the Colts drafted Delone Carter, and re-signed Joseph Addai, so Brown enters 2011 likely no better than third on the depth chart.

Brown failed to impress during his rookie year, getting just 3.6 YPC while constantly battling injuries. The Colts’ offensive line is built more to protect Peyton Manning than run block, but 29.8 percent of Brown’s carries went for no yards or lost yardage, which was the worst percentage of any back in football. Brown is faster and possesses more big-play ability than Joseph Addai, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy and improve in pass protection. The only way Brown isn’t on the lesser end of a timeshare is if injuries strike Addai, who has proven to be brittle in the past. If Brown were thrust into a feature role in the Colts’ potent offense, he’s the type of late-round flier who could win your fantasy league for you.

Indianapolis selected Brown, an early-entry junior, with the No. 27 pick in the draft. He led the nation in rushing last season with 2,083 yards (5.7 YPC) and 18 touchdowns. Brown has excellent vision with good instincts but isn’t overly powerful. He ran a 4.51 40 at the Combine, which was faster than Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells and Shonn Greene. He projects as a similar runner to new teammate Joseph Addai. While Colts GM Bill Polian has compared Brown to Thurman Thomas, coach Jim Caldwell has said Addai remains the team’s No. 1 back. That’s not surprising given the veteran culture of the NFL, but a statement made in April hardly matters come September and beyond. Addai is solid in pass protection and effective as a receiver, but he’s injury-prone and averaged 3.5 YPC last season. Over the past two seasons, he’s got just 3.9 YPC despite playing for one of the league’s elite offenses. Addai may be the safer choice, but we already know what he can, and more appropriately can’t, do, whereas Brown’s ceiling is unknown. With Addai so injury-prone and the Colts producing so many scoring opportunities, Brown could pay huge dividends.