Guys I like: RBs

Running backs are generally considered the Kings of Fantasy Football, which is nice for them, since with the pounding they take, your average fruit fly has a longer career. But there's a flip side: With the emphasis on acquiring RBs, their draft price stays extremely high in most leagues. Which means you'll be tempted to over-pay for them, and a flop can be extremely costly.

GUYS I LIKE

1. LaDainian Tomlinson -- One of the amazing things about LT's 2006 season (and let's face it -- those things are legion) is that he scored those 31 touchdowns on a combined 405 touches. Larry Johnson was a knock-down stud last year, and it took him 457 touches to score 19 times. But here's the point: While I've had bad feelings about both Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson after their recent starring seasons, I've got none of those concerns about Tomlinson. Yes, I expect a dip in his production, but I'll take 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns any season.
2. Shaun Alexander -- Alexander isn't a Top 3 running back anymore, but that's OK. He's falling into the second-half of the first round in some drafts this season, and I'm feeling really good if I'm getting him as the sixth, seventh or eighth player off the board. Which surprises me. I felt awful about his chances in 2006, and the skepticism has lingered. But go back and look at his 2006 game logs. Once Alexander shook the rust off, he was a quality player again. He's coming back ready to go, and the fact that he's got a "down" trend on him only pushes him lower in the draft.
3. Travis Henry -- I didn't like seeing him get injured in P2, but I'll set that aside. Henry is a good player, not a great one, who plays with toughness and pop. I know free agents tend to overwhelm, but I think Henry will make the most of this opportunity. He's worth the late-first-round pick it takes to acquire him.
4. Laurence Maroney -- There are all sorts of reasons to be wary of Maroney in 2007. He's unproven, he's young, he's still recovering from off-season surgery, yada yada yada. But let's remember the situation and the talent. Maroney will need some help from backup Sammy Morris and will be spelled on third-downs by Kevin Faulk, but he's just a tremendous talent. Risky? Sure. But once you get through the first round you're left with two options: risk, or mediocrity.
5. Adrian Peterson (Minn) -- Speaking of risk, this is the man you want to draft if you're looking to break the bank. He's the ultimate No. 3 fantasy back for 2007.
6. DeShaun Foster -- I loved him coming out of college, then watched him blow up his knee in a preseason game. Since then he's been in and out, struggling with injuries and the Panthers' general offensive inconsistencies, and everybody on Earth (including me) has been predicting the ascendancy of 2006 first-rounder DeAngelo Williams.Result? Williams is everybody's "sleeper" in the 5th round, while Foster is lasting until late in the 8th. This is an RBBC, but if you're paying attention, it's Foster -- not Williams -- who has been stepping up this summer. I like him as Option 1A in Charlotte.
7. Ladell Betts -- The wreck formerly known as Clinton Portis is available in the second round, while the Redskins' 1,100-yard rusher from 2006 continues to drop into the 7th round. I'd pick Betts over Portis any day.
8. Brian Leonard -- Last fall I traded away Steven Jackson in a keeper league after watching the violent hits he kept absorbing with his upright, angry running style. I don't see that changing. What's new, though, is that Jackson is now backed up by this talented rookie from Rutgers. Leonard isn't a "pure" tailback and doesn't have turn-the-corner speed, but he's a football player with a feel for the game and a graceful, natural athleticism. Leonard can play as a fullback with Jackson, as a pass-catching third-down back, and as a change-of-pace substitute. And, should Jackson go back to his old ways of breaking down physically, Leonard could be a fantasy starter.
9. Tony Hunt -- Nobody outside of Penn State and Fantasy Nation has ever heard of this guy, and that's good. I put him here because he's growing into the role of goal-line back in Philadelphia, where Brian Westbrook has million-dollar talent and 10-cent ankles. He's a bargain fourth-RB you can get with your final pick.

WANT TO LIKE
Joseph Addai -- A super-talented second-year player with a thousand-yard season on his resume, playing for a Super Bowl champion. What's not to like? Well, a couple things: The Colts have regressed in terms of defensive talent, and Addai's hyper-inflated draft position (4th or 5th in most drafts) both bug me. Don't get me wrong -- I want the guy on my team. I'm just not comfortable with what it costs to acquire him. In a keeper league I probably just bite my lip and draft him 4th overall.

Frank Gore -- A powerful, bowling-ball RB with burst playing for a rising team in San Francisco. But I've always worried about Gore's knee history, and the worries continue. Plus the team worried so much about his fumbling in 2006 that they used a rookie near the goal-line, and now Gore's coming off a broken hand.

Brian Westbrook -- If you're in a PPC league you like him regardless, but for the rest of us, Westbrook is a borderline stud with famously weak ankles. And even if he stays healthy he's likely to lose goal line carries to Tony Hunt (see above).

Reggie Bush -- Super talent and potential. But he's still an RBBC player. Isn't 8th overall a bit high for an RBBC player?

Willie Parker -- I've toned down my assessment of him this year, what with his apparent nicked-up condition and the Steelers shifting their offensive philosophy. He's still a first-round talent, but I'm less excited about the prospect of acquiring him.

Cedric Benson -- There are so many reasons to draft Benson (he's falling late in the second), but so many reasons to worry (health, personality, offensive line, etc.). I've protected him in my keeper league, which made sense given that roster, but I'd hate to be relying on him.

Maurice Jones-Drew -- Gotta love his potential and his running style. But the Jacksonville offense and his RBBC with Fred Taylor? Not so much.