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 one touchdown in the offseason, but expects those numbers to improve in 2011. In years past, a big concern about AP was his tendency to fumble, but that disappeared last year with only one fumble lost all season. Minnesota’s new coach is dedicated to the race and you can expect Peterson to have at least 25 carries a game next season. The only concern here is that Peterson may be prone to injury, especially as the season goes on.
2. Chris Johnson-Tennessee
Chris Johnson is another guy who can rack up fantasy points from all over 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 wins. If you’re in a PPR league, you might consider running 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 this to change much 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 touchdowns.
4. Arian Foster-Houston
After his 231-yard touchdown performance 3 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, making him 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 will occasionally drive you crazy 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 so. 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 chase a lot of routes for him in the backfield, so he doesn’t have much PPR value, but he’s consistent and that’s a huge asset in the fantasy world. Look for a slight improvement in Turner’s yardage this season, but he’ll probably stay around a respectable 12 touchdowns.
sleepers
LaGarrette Blount – Tampa Bay
When Blount got carries last year, he took full advantage 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 drafting early. Blount can be volatile, so be sure to monitor him before selecting him 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 starting. 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 in later rounds.