The NFL's 32 running back by committees

Welcome to the second installment of our weekly look at fantasy’s favorite subject, the Running Back Committee. We learned a lot and had some injuries in Week 1, which changes things in quite a few places.

BACK AT IT

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Arizona Cardinals
Options: Beanie Wells, Chester Taylor, LaRod Stephens-Howling
Outlook: Taylor was inactive, as he had been with the Cards for less than a week before the opener. As expected, Wells was the man, carrying 18 times for 90 yards and a touchdown, and catching four passes for 12 yards. However, he dropped a second-quarter pitch from QB Kevin Kolb, and the Cards lost possession. That’s not something to worry about – yet.

Atlanta Falcons
Options: Michael Turner, Jason Snelling, Jacquizz Rodgers
Outlook: Turner had 100 yards on the ground, but only ran 10 times because the Falcons got blown out. He also caught three passes, which seemed less likely than a comet hitting the Earth. Snelling’s five catches warmed the hearts of fantasy owners who drafted him for just that kind of game. He’s still a tough play outside of bye weeks, though.

Baltimore Ravens
Options: Ray Rice, Ricky Williams
Outlook: If I had a nickel for all the people who sent me chat questions last week asking if they should bench Rice against the Steelers, I’d have a lot of nickels to put in a sack and beat those people over the heads. Rice was stellar, with 149 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns. Williams had a garbage time-fueled 63 yards on 12 carries, which is nothing to worry about. You know what the most encouraging thing was for Rice owners? His one-yard TD run in the first quarter. Last year, that carry would have belonged to Willis McGahee. Rice is going to be the fantasy monster you hoped for on draft day.

Buffalo Bills
Options: Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller
Outlook: Yeah, Spiller got a touchdown, but he had six touches to Jackson’s 21. F-Jax is the man in Buffalo, and he’ll get another heavy workload this week against the Raiders.

Carolina Panthers
Options: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson
Outlook: Thirteen touches for Williams, and nine for Stewart. Stewart looked better, though, and I think Williams’ fantasy owners might be in for a season of disappointment. Neither back will have much room to run this week against the Packers.

Chicago Bears
Options: Matt Forte, Marion Barber, Kahlil Bell
Outlook: Forte is a PPR owner’s dream. He ran 16 times for 68 yards, and caught five passes for 90 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown. Don’t be fooled by Bell’s 10 carries, as most of them came after the game was all but over.

Cincinnati Bengals
Options: Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott
Outlook: Benson had 25 carries for 121 yards and a score against the Browns. He might lead the NFL in carries this season if he doesn’t collapse from exhaustion first. This week, the Bengals visit the Broncos, who gave up 193 rushing yards to the Raiders.

Cleveland Browns
Options: Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty
Outlook: Hillis was his usual versatile self against the Bengals, with 17 carries for 57 yards and six receptions for 30 yards. Other than maybe a touchdown, it’s about what you expected.

Dallas Cowboys
Options: Felix Jones, DeMarco Murray, Tashard Choice
Outlook: Jones was the only fantasy noisemaker here, touching the ball 20 times and gaining 66 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns. Murray’s (one reception, 13 yards) owners need to look at him as a long-term play – he’s unlikely to help you soon unless Jones gets hurt.

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Denver Broncos
Options: Knowshon Moreno, Willis McGahee
Outlook: Ugh. Moreno was ineffective (eight carries, 22 yards; two receptions, 35 yards) before leaving with a minor hamstring injury in the second half. McGahee wasn’t exactly fantasy dynamite himself, carrying four times for three yards and catching five passes for 32. If Moreno is healthy for Week 2, can we just give these guys a mulligan and pretend the Broncos’ season starts Sunday against the Bengals?

Detroit Lions
Options: Jahvid Best, Jerome Harrison, Maurice Morris
Outlook: Harrison had eight carries against the Bucs, but none came in the first half, and you shouldn’t consider him as anything more than a handcuff. Best’s 25 touches and 114 yards served notice that he’s going to be an impact fantasy player in 2011 due to workload alone. Look for him to have another strong game this week against the Chiefs.

Green Bay Packers
Options: Ryan Grant, James Starks, John Kuhn
Outlook: The Packers’ coaches projected a 50-50 split between Starks and Grant. That was pretty close, as Starks had 12 touches to Grant’s 10. However, Starks just looked better, and seems likely to have more value going forward. Kuhn (two carries, five yards, TD) should have FANTASY TD VULTURE instead of his name on the back of his jersey. He scares me, and not in the “I should pick him up” kind of way.

Houston Texans
Options: Arian Foster, Derrick Ward, Ben Tate
Outlook: Tate and Foster shared the workload for awhile in Foster’s absence, but when Ward injured his ankle with the Texans ahead 34-0, he was encased in bubble wrap and sent to a vault inside Reliant Stadium. Ward’s injury isn’t considered serious – he’s “day-to-day” – and Foster will probably need some practice time if he wants to play this week. Don’t let your fellow owners stampede you as they rush to the free-agent wire to pick up Tate this week, when he’s likely to be a solid play against the Dolphins. Let’s remember that Foster will be back pretty soon, limiting Tate’s long-term fantasy prospects.

Indianapolis Colts
Options: Joseph Addai, Delone Carter, Donald Brown
Outlook: Ten touches for Addai and seven for Carter, but the Colts were down 34-0 at halftime. That doesn’t tell us anything. Continue to view Carter as the clear backup until something changes.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Options: Maurice Jones-Drew, Deji Karim
Outlook: If Luke McCown were my quarterback, I’d probably hand the ball off 42 times, too. Seeing Karim get 14 carries for 33 yards (he added three receptions for 39 yards) was one of the more interesting stat lines of the weekend. If the Jags are going to continue their run-heavy ways, Karim will be worthy of a spot on your roster, and have bye-week value.

Kansas City Chiefs
Options: Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster
Outlook: It’s hard to gauge much when a team loses 41-7, but last year’s Thomas Jones-led platoon in Kansas City appears to be a thing of the past, as Charles had 10 carries to Jones’ two. We expected Charles to be the lead back, but it was nice to have that confirmed in a real game instead of one of those fake ones that season-ticket holders have to pay full price for, anyway.

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Miami Dolphins
Options: Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas, Lex Hilliard
Outlook: Thomas’ NFL debut was delayed, as he was inactive Monday after suffering a mild hamstring injury in practice last week. Bush had a strong night for his PPR owners, catching nine passes for 56 yards and a touchdown while adding 38 yards on 11 carries. The Texans won’t exactly bring the Steel Curtain to South Florida this week, so look for Bush to post good numbers again. Just remember that he’ll probably get hurt at some point. He always does.

Minnesota Vikings
Options: Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart
Outlook: The only drama here was whether Peterson would reach 100 yards rushing (he had 98). If McNabb doesn’t improve, Purple Jesus will carry the ball 350 times, and that will thrill his fantasy owners. Last time that happened, in 2008, he led the NFL in rushing. The Vikings will probably bench McNabb for rookie Christian Ponder at some point, but Ponder is probably competent at handing the ball off.

New England Patriots
Options: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley
Outlook: Fourteen carries and 69 yards for Woodhead, seven carries for 34 yards and a TD for The Law Firm. You’d be better off picking names out of a hat than trying to project this team’s weekly backfield workload split.

New Orleans Saints
Options: Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles
Outlook: Thomas ran well (five carries, 31 yards) and caught four passes, but Ingram (13 carries, 40 yards) was clearly the lead ball carrier. I don’t see an argument for fantasy owners starting Thomas this week. Sproles (seven receptions, 75 yards) could be the NFL’s best receiving back in this offense. If I was a defensive coordinator, he’d terrify me.

New York Giants
Options: Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs
Outlook: Bradshaw had 13 carries to Jacobs’ six against the Redskins, which is close to what the breakdown was last season. I still think Jacobs will be a bigger part of the offense as the year progresses. He’ll score his share of touchdowns, too.

New York Jets
Options: Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson
Outlook: The Jets had trouble running against the Cowboys, which reminded us that Tomlinson (five carries, 16 yards; six receptions, 73 yards) is a viable start in PPR leagues. Greene will carry the ball more in most weeks, but won’t necessarily touch it more.

Oakland Raiders
Options: Darren McFadden, Michael Bush
Outlook: It was nice to see Bush get nine carries, but McFadden was a beast, gaining 150 yards on 22 attempts and almost scoring a 48-yard TD in the fourth quarter (he was pushed out at the one-yard line). Bush is pretty good, but he’s bye-week material only.

Philadelphia Eagles
Options: LeSean McCoy, Ronnie Brown
Outlook: McCoy had 122 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and had a couple of catches as well. For at least the first week, Brown wasn’t a threat to McCoy, and that should continue. Brown did get a carry inside the Rams’ five-yard line in the third quarter, though.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Options: Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Ike Redman
Outlook: Mendenhall had 45 yards on 12 carries against a bitter rival with a stout defense on the road. It happens. He should make it up to you this week against the Seahawks.

DIVISIONAL SCOREBOARD

• 49ers 36, Saints 32
• Patriots 45, Broncos 10
• Ravens 20, Texans 13
• Giants 37, Packers 20

San Diego Chargers
Options: Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert
Outlook: Mathews and Tolbert split the carries down the middle with 12 apiece, but Tolbert’s nine receptions for 58 yards and two scores (he added one on the ground) added a shocking wrinkle. Tolbert looked like a good start heading into Week 1, but who expected him to be the best fantasy start, period? Unfortunately, the Bolts’ dynamic duo gets to run into Vince Wilfork and Albert Haynesworth in Week 2. Start ‘em both, and cross your fingers.

San Francisco 49ers
Options: Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter
Outlook: The Niners scored 33 points but had only one offensive touchdown? Yeesh. Gore had 22 of the team’s 24 running back carries, and caught three passes as well. Don’t worry that his production wasn’t very good against the Seahawks. He’ll be fine.

Seattle Seahawks
Options: Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett, Leon Washington
Outlook: Fifteen touches for Lynch, six for Forsett and one for Washington. Until further notice, Lynch is the only one worth owning in most formats, and I’d be finding excuses not to start him this week against the Steelers. After getting whipped so badly by the Ravens, Pittsburgh might hold the Seahawks to negative-98 rushing yards.

St. Louis Rams
Options: Steven Jackson, Cadillac Williams, Jerious Norwood
Outlook: Jackson strained a quad on his game-opening 47-yard touchdown run, and is expected to miss the Week 2 matchup against the Giants. Williams carried the load in SJ39’s absence, racking up 140 yards from scrimmage on 24 touches. Williams projects to be a solid start on Monday because he’ll get plenty of work, but don’t expect the Giants to make things easy on him.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Options: LeGarrette Blount, Earnest Graham, Kregg Lumpkin
Outlook: Graham’s eight catches against the Lions made PPR owners take notice, and picking him up as a fourth running back isn’t a bad idea. Blount won’t see the field much on passing downs, but he’ll produce a lot more than five carries and 15 yards in the weeks ahead. Start him without hesitation this week against the Vikings.

Tennessee Titans
Options: Chris Johnson, Javon Ringer
Outlook: Johnson didn’t have much room to run (nine carries, 24 yards) against the Jaguars, and might encounter the same problem this week against the Ravens. Still, he’s too talented and explosive to be shut down for long, and his six catches in Week 1 eased the pain of his PPR owners.

Washington Redskins
Options: Tim Hightower, Ryan Torain, Roy Helu
Outlook: Hightower’s owners are pretty happy right now. Twenty-eight touches, 97 yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns … what’s not to like? Well, the 2.9 yards per carry wasn’t so great, and other running backs lurk. Don’t sell your Helu stock if you’re stashing him.