Fantasy Finds: Injured RBs make for interesting scenarios

By Hugo Guzman  |   Thursday, September 27, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

Fantasy Football
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What would fantasy football be without the occasional rash of injuries? This week, a handful of mainstay running backs will sit out with various ailments, so if one of your RBs is facing a bye week or an unfavorable defensive matchup, it might be worth your while to scan the waiver wire for a hidden backfield gem.

If you were like me, stuck with the second overall pick of your respective fantasy draft, you probably thought that the St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson was a no-brainer. Wrong.

Jackson has been plagued by a mixture of underperformance and underutilization over the first three weeks of the season, and now he's out with a groin injury. Surprisingly enough, his fantasy replacement could also be his real-life backup. Former Rutgers standout Brian Leonard is set to start in Jackson's place this week and could have a decent showing against an unspectacular Dallas run defense. The rookie running back gained 21 yards on four carries and added a 6-yard reception in Week 3 despite getting limited reps late in the ballgame, so Leonard could be worth a try.

Another fantasy back who was considered a sure thing was Cincinnati's Rudi Johnson. He's also been a disappointment of sorts, posting a solid effort in Week 2, but struggling both in the opener and in Week 3. Johnson went down with a hamstring injury and was replaced by career backup Kenny Watson, who actually put up some impressive numbers in relief, rushing for 60 yards and even scoring a touchdown. Still, he is a bit of an unknown because Johnson was such a workhorse. Consider utilizing Watson in this week's game against the Patriots, but only if you feel that New England's run defense is softer than its stats indicate.

Patriots running back Laurence Maroney is also banged up, so I'm going to recommend his backup, Sammy Morris. After all, I recommended Morris last week even though Maroney was perfectly healthy then, and he rewarded me with a solid 10-point effort against the Bills.

I'm not as confident in the backup situation with the Houston Texans. Starter Ahman Green will likely sit out in Week 4, and the Texans' No. 2, Ron Dayne, is nursing a rib injury, so stay away from that situation at all costs unless you think Samkon Gado is a fantasy breakout waiting to happen.

I'll leave you with this little tidbit. Even though Eagles starter Brian Westbrook has yet to practice, don't be in a hurry to add his backup. Westbrook is coming off a huge performance in Week 3, and I'm sure that the Eagles will do everything in their power to make sure Westbrook suits up and plays against the NFC East rival New York Giants.

Make sure to check out our new Fantasy Football section, were you can get fantasy insights along with daily roster and injury updates...Get the most original NFL coverage at RealFootball365.com
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About Hugo Guzman

Co-founder of RealFootball365.com. Born in Argentina, of Dominican descent, living in Hoboken, but from Miami through and ...
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