1. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota
Peterson is one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL and can score from anywhere on the field. He had a touchdown in the offseason, but expects those numbers to improve in 2011. In previous years, a big concern about AP was his tendency to lose the ball, but that disappeared last year with just one lost fumble all season. Minnesota’s new coach is dedicated to the run and you can expect Peterson to have at least 25 carries per game next season. The only concern here is that Peterson may be injury prone, especially as the season progresses.
2. Chris Johnson-Tennessee
Chris Johnson is another guy who can rack up fantasy points from across the field. He is a dangerous running back who is the focal point of his team’s offense. He is also a threat from the backfield with the ability to catch balls on the floor and spread them open for big gains. If you’re in a PPR league, you might want to consider taking Johnson over Peterson because he’ll earn you a lot of points for the amount of looks he gets on swing routes.
3. Jamal Charles-Kansas City
Jamaal Charles came close to the rushing title last season and that says a lot because he was basically splitting his time with Thomas Jones. With Jones starting to age up, expect that to change a lot more in Charles’ favor this season. What hurt his stats last season was a lack of touchdowns (8), but that number should increase significantly next season, especially with the increase in touches.
4. Arian Foster-Houston
After his 231-yard touchdown 3 performance against the Colts last year, everyone who drafted him thought they were fantasy geniuses, but after a while, Foster came back down to earth. While he is a very solid running back who can put up big fantasy numbers, he can have some issues with consistency, which is a fantasy team killer. His 15-yard performance in week 15 killed fantasy playoff teams everywhere. We’re not saying he stays away from Foster, just keep in mind that he’ll occasionally drive you nuts with an abysmal fantasy performance.
5. Michael Turner-Atlanta
The Falcons run a very balanced offense and Turner is the key to their ability to do it. Although there are some quality running backs behind him, he gets the most touches and rarely drops below 20 per game. The Falcons don’t look for many routes for him in the backfield, so he doesn’t have a lot of PPR value, but he is consistent and that’s a huge advantage in the world of fantasy. Look for a slight improvement in Turner’s yardage this season, but he’ll probably stick around a respectable 12 touchdowns.
sleepers
LaGarrette Blount – Tampa Bay
When Blount got carries last year, he made the most of them by putting up some decent numbers. He saw limited action late last season and should be off the radar of many fantasy owners, especially if his league is recruiting early. Blount can be volatile, so make sure you check him out before picking him up to make sure he’s on the right track with his team.
Beanie Wells-Arizona
Although Wells didn’t have much production last year, that was due more to the Cardinals’ ridiculous commitment to passing than bunting. He is bigger, stronger, and faster than Hightower, so it would be hard to see him not start. This year, Arizona should come out with a more balanced attack and Wells should be the focal point of the running game. Recruiting him is a risk, but it could pay off, especially if you can pick him up in later rounds.