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Written by Eric Stashin of www.rotoprofessor.com

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

The Washington Redskins have three established, veteran running backs on their roster, not too mention youngsters Ryan Torain and Keiland Williams.  Let’s take a look at the battle for playing time and try to determine who may have fantasy value for the upcoming season:

Clinton Portis
The odds on favorite to emerge as the Redskins starter, when healthy he has proven to be among the best running backs in the league.  In the six seasons where he has played at least 13 games, his worst season is 1,262 yards and only once has he had less then nine rushing TDs.

He’s also a receiving threat out of the backfield, routinely topping 30 receptions.  The addition of Donovan McNabb, who knows how to integrate the RB into the passing game from his time with Brian Westbrook, certainly makes this seem like a perfect marriage.

He’ll turn 29-years old on September 1, so there certainly is a chance that he’ll start slowing down, but he’s not over-the-hill by any stretch.  He’s also coming off a year where he played just eight games due to concussion problems, the more worrisome proposition.

Of course, let’s not forget that Portis thrived under Mike Shanahan’s system when both were in Denver.  He’s the running back I’d draft, if I were going to go with the muddled Redskins backfield, as long as I get him as my RB3.  There’s too much of a risk to draft him as more then that.

The Redskins made a big splash by adding Donovan McNabb in the offseason. After a couple years of actually having some weapons in the passing game, McNabb takes a major step back with Washington’s offering. He always seems to find a way to make it work, so expect the Skins’ offense to improve.

Fantasy Playoffs Schedule:  Moderate
They open up the fantasy playoffs against Tampa Bay at home in Week 14. They then go on the road to face Dallas and Jacksonville.

Five Star Fantasy Options
None

Four Star Fantasy Options
Donovan McNabb – Normally I would give him a five star rating, but he does have an injury history, and he has the aforementioned drop-off in talent at WR. Perhaps his best options are TEs Chris Cooley and Fred Davis.

Three Star Fantasy Options
Clinton Portis – The Redskins brought in competition in the form of Larry Johnson and Willie Parker. McNabb’s presence should open things up for the ground game. If he can stay healthy, Portis brings the most to the table.

Santana Moss – Moss isn’t the player he once was, but he hasn’t had a QB the caliber of McNabb, perhaps ever. He is notoriously inconsistent, but he should have some big games still left in him. Brian Orakpo should pile up the sacks.

Chris Cooley – The Skins have a good problem having two talented TEs. Mike Shanahan is gifted enough to figure out a way to get both Cooley and Davis involved in the passing game.

Redskins Defense/Special Teams – The Redskins will need Albert Haynesworth to make nice with the team to remain a decent fantasy defense. Highlights include the Rams (Week 3), Lions (Week 8), and the Bucs (Week 14).

Two Star Fantasy Options
Larry Johnson – If Portis were to go down or finally hits the wall from the extensive use in his career, LJ would be the one to step in and carry the load. I think he still has some football left in him. It’s just a matter of how many  opportunities he’ll get.

Devin Thomas – He hasn’t lived up to his expectations yet, but McNabb should help. He is not afraid to rely on young receivers. Thomas has good size (6’2″, 215) and speed. He just has to put it all together.

Fred Davis – Davis stepped in when Cooley went down and ran with his opportunity. He had 41 catches for 464 yards and 6 TDs in the Skins last ten games. The Skins can’t ignore that kind of production, especially with a sub par receiving corps.

One Star Fantasy Options
Willie Parker – If he can stay healthy, he should be able to produce in spots for the Skins. That won’t help your fantasy team go. Unless he can earn the #2 RB gig, he’s not a viable fantasy option.

Malcom Kelly – Kelly is a 6’4″ receiver that has failed to score a TD in 21 games. That should change with McNabb, but don’t expect him to transform into a stud.

Click here for additional 2010 NFL Team Previews.

Larry Johnson signed a three-year deal with the Washington Redskins. He basically serves as Clinton Portis insurance. Honestely, with their aging line and age (LJ) and mileage (Portis) working against them, I don’t see either back being all that productive in 2010.

LJ’s character issues remain while his burst and ability have dried up. The signing truly makes no sense. That’s Washington for ya. You may want to take a flier on LJ at the end of your fantasy drafts. I’d probably just pass on him though.

In other news, Ben Watson signed with the Browns. Though a more low-profile signing, it has significantly more fantasy relevance. Watson is a gifted tight end that often got lost in the Patriots’ arsenal. In Cleveland there are fewer mouths to feed. Don’t be surprised if Watson becomes a top ten fantasy tight end for the Browns.

Kansas City cut WR Amani Toomer, paving the way for Mark Bradley to start opposite of Dwayne Bowe.  With Matt Cassel hurting, this offense has a chance to be pretty dreadful this year.  Devard Darling is out for the year with a knee injury, and Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey got the boot.  This is a work in progress, but lower your expectations of Bowe, Cassel, and Larry Johnson.

Rookie holdouts seldom have a happy ending.  The contract typically isn’t much better than what originally offered.  The player falls way behind in learning the system, and often injures himself as he tries to rush to get up to speed.  That’s what happened with Cincinnati Tackle Andre Smith.  The first-rounder fractured his foot before the ink even dried on his contract.  He will miss a couple of weeks and could have a hard time getting on the field this season.  The Bengals did get some good news, though, when Carson Palmer returned to practice.

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

There was a time when Larry Johnson was one of the premier running backs in the game.  In 2005, despite starting just 9 games, Johnson rushed for 1,750 yards and 20 TD.  The full-time back in 2006, he followed that up with a mediocre 1,789 yards and 17 TD.

The scary thing is that those numbers don’t even factor in his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, picking up 343 and 410 yards, respectively.  He was electric, dominating the game from the moment he stepped onto the field. 

Unfortunately, since then he has been plagued by injuries and suspensions.  In 2007 he played in just eight games before a foot injury prematurely ended his season.  He was healthy for much of the 2008 season, but was suspended by the team and benched thanks to violating team rules.  Later on in the season, he was suspended for a game by the league.  All in all he played in just 12 games, rushing for 874 yards and 5 TD.

Clearly, even when he was healthy, he was just a shell of his former self.  Well, is that actually true?

Johnson did average 4.5 yards per carry last season, the same number as Michael Turner and Thomas Jones.  It was better then Clinton Portis (4.3), Maurice Jones-Drew (4.2) and Brian Westbrook (4.0), just to name a few.

He had 7 rushes of at least 20 yards, placing him in a tie for 13th.  That was more than Ryan Grant (who had 119 more carries), LaDanian Tomlinson (who had 99 more carries) and Thomas Jones (who had 97 more carries).

The fact of the matter is if he had been given the opportunity to carry the ball more often, he would have been a very productive back on the ground.  With Jamal Charles as his back up, he is likely not going to see 300+ carries again this year, but if healthy should see more than the 193 he was given last season.

Time will tell on how exactly the offense is run with a new head coach taking over.  Herm Edwards is out, replaced by Todd Haley, the former offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals.  That offense certainly is not known for its ground attack, though it was built around two of the best wide receivers in the game.  In Kansas City they are not going to have that benefit, so seeing a greater focus on the ground in order to open up the attack for Mat Cassell and company should not come as a surprise.

Cassell’s presence is an important thing to note, as he replaces Tyler Thigpen at the helm of the offense.  While we will quickly find out if Cassell is as good as he played last season or just a produce of the Patriots system, he is certainly an upgrade and should take the pressure off the ground game.  A below average offensive line is not going to help, but defenses are going to need to defend against an aerial attack and not simply stack the line.

So, when we put this all together, exactly what should we expect out of Johnson in 2009:

Rushing – 254 carries, 1,094 yards, 9 TD
Receiving – 24 catches, 210 yards. 1 TD

Basically, there is still hope left for a player that many others have already written off.  He showed last season that the talent was still there, all he needs is the opportunity.  With a current ADP of 51.08, your getting a potential #2 RB in the fifth round.  That’s value that you just can’t beat.

I’m all for drafting him this season, depending on how the rest of your roster has shook out.  Yes, he’s a risk, but so are all the other RB going at that point in the draft.  Why not take the risk on a player who still shows life and has already performed as an elite back?

What are your thoughts on Johnson?  Is he someone you think could reemerge as a must use back?

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