Were you one of the few who discovered the talent in Alfred Morris last season? I was! Not only that, I stole Trent Richardson in the ninth round last season. Now I'm here to help you. I will give you my interpretation of each rookie running back, where their fantasy value is, and where you should draft them. MONTEE BALL, DENVER Most likely Ball will be the first rookie running back selected, but this is a serious mistake. I'm not saying Ball isn't worth the pick, but Le'Veon Bell is certainly a better option because Peyton Manning will likely take part in 60-70 percent of the offense. Not only that, but Ronnie Hillman will get some full series every game and could be the third down back every other series. This can limit Ball's rushing attempts per game to a dismal 15. I expect his total rushing attempts this season to be near 220 with some upside as he will get some receptions, but not many because passing plays will be targeted for Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker. Bottom Line: The Broncos offense is way too crowded for Ball to contribute a large amount of yardage or touchdowns. He is a RB3 with RB2 potential. Draft him no higher than the fourth round. LE'VEON BELL, PITTSBURGH The Michigan State standout is by far the biggest rookie running back steal this fantasy season. You might think because Ball was better is college, hence,he will be better than Bell in the NFL. You might be right, but this is not the NFL. It's fantasy football! The Steelers offense is nowhere near as crowded as the Broncos, which should give Bell all the opportunities he wants. Isaac Redman, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Jonathan Dwyer don't even come close to Bell's ability on the field. Bell is the clear every down back without an attempts limit. He may not average a higher yards per attempt then Ball, but his total number of attempts will make up for it. Also, with the departure of Mike Wallace, Bell becomes an equal opportunity red zone threat as Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. Bottom Line: Bell will get many red zone attempts and around 250 attempts this season. Featured every down back. A RB3 with RB1/RB2 potential. Draft him no higher than the fourth round. EDDIE LACY, GREEN BAY The man is simply a workhorse. He can easily be the league leader in rushing attempts if given the chance. With that said, he was drafted by Green Bay, the league's most prolific passing offense. The Packers will likely continue their pass-first offense with or without ...

At some point in the next several weeks we will play a disturbing game in our house that has become an annual tradition. When our fridge is so full it will barely close we will hesitantly pull Thanksgiving leftovers out item by item and discard them after challenging one another in 10 or more rounds of "What did I used to be?" Nothing is better than Thanksgiving leftovers. Nothing is worse than wasted, science experiment inspiring leftovers. Here are the fantasy football leftovers that you would be well advised to discard now, before they give you an upset stomach with a costly, nauseating performance. The last thing that I want anyone who reads this article to do is to miss an opportunity to add a possible contributor to your roster as we head in to the fantasy football playoffs. Each of these players has value, but I am here to warn you that you should not expect them to continue their success or to earn an expanded role. I know that T.Y. Hilton has been a touchdown machine for the Indianapolis Colts of late, and under the right circumstances he could be in a position to help your team. In the last four weeks Hilton has four touchdowns to go with two 100-yard games. One of the trips to the end zone came on a punt return and Hilton's versatility certainly adds to his value. The issue is that in the other two games in that stretch, Hilton logged three catches for 33 yards. In one of the games he was held without a reception. In fact, Hilton only has five or more catches in three outings this season. The Colts have a favorable late-season stretch and the rookie is building a strong rapport with Andrew Luck, but the key to his success is as simple as opportunity. Much of Hilton's success has come when fellow receiver Donnie Avery has been hobbled or sidelined with injuries. If you have a spot on your roster to stash Hilton and are brave enough to play the matchups and circumstances, go for it, but I can't gamble when so much is at stake come playoff time. If you have read my articles over the last couple of years you already know how much I love Chris ‘Beanie' Wells. I love Wells, like I love grandma's stale fruit cake! I'll pass. Chances are you aren't going to find many starting running backs sitting on the waiver wire this late in the season, so Wells will likely demand a roster spot in every league, but other backs like Marcel Reece are more likely to be contributors. LaRod Stephens-Howling was banged up in Week 12 making for an extremely rare...

Around the League Welcome back to fantasy relevance Greg Olsen. Olsen has certainly had a rough season thus far, but came to life in Week 10. He had nine catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He received a team-high 10 targets and was the first option in the red zone for quarterback Cam Newton on multiple occasions. This is now two solid weeks in a row for Olsen where he has led the team in targets. He should be in your starting lineup this Sunday against Tampa Bay. Those who started Felix Jones last week were very happy with his performance filling in for the injured DeMarco Murray. Jones carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and had three receptions for 22 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown. Murray didn't practice Wednesday morning and it's looking like he will miss another game, so start Jones with confidence. He has a pretty good match up against Cleveland and should see right around 20 touches once again. Look for a showing similar to that of Jones' Week 10 output. Antonio Gates isn't the fantasy force that he used to be, but he appears to be getting back on track and contributing at the tight end position. In his last four games, Gates has 15 receptions and four touchdowns. He's finally starting to get back some of those red zone targets that used to be his week-in and week-out and looks to be healthy enough to compete. He's nowhere near a Top 5 option anymore, but the tight end position has been very scarce this season and Gates has been hot over the last month. If you own him continue to start him, especially in Week 11 against Denver, a team that is allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends on the season. Shark Sleepers LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB, Arizona Stephens-Howling is the lead back for Arizona and has averaged 18 touches per game over the past three games. He hasn't been overly impressive, but he does have a touchdown in two of those games and a 100-yard performance. The Cardinals are playing Atlanta this weekend, and this is very favorable for Stephens-Howling as the Falcons are ranked 25th against the run. Start him if you have him or need to fill in a roster spot because of byes. Danario Alexander, WR, San Diego It looks like Alexander has now taken over the starting wide receiver spot over Robert Meachem in San Diego with his big outing in Week 10. Alexander had five catches for 134 yards and an 80-yard score. He has gained the confidence of Philip Rivers and is finally healthy after battling knee and hamstring ...

As I write this article I recognize there are many readers and a few writers who are dealing with issues much greater than fantasy football. To everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy, we hope all of you stay safe during a difficult time as our thoughts and prayers are with you. San Francisco 24, Arizona 3 49ers Like Godzilla entering Tokyo, this game was absolutely dominated by the 49ers defense holding Arizona to three points on the night. San Fran was so overpowering the Cardinals could only muster seven yards rushing, forcing Arizona into a one dimensional attack. With their backs against the wall, Michael Crabtree had an awesome performance hauling in all five of his targets for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Most impressive was Crabtree absolutely dominating Arizona's young shutdown cornerback, Patrick Peterson. As always, Crabtree's fantasy value is hindered by the stifling 49ers defense keeping the score low, and run heavy game plan. Over the last six games his fantasy production reads: 4, 1, 17, 2, 3, 19. Nothing bothers me more than sporadic production. However, at seven targets per game, Crabtree has some value if you can stomach the swings. Excuse me, have you seen Vernon Davis? Like Crabtree, Davis is being limited by the run heavy game plan installed by the San Fran coaching staff. Over the past five weeks Davis' fantasy points are as follows: 2, 10, 3, 0, 3. It's becoming apparent that he won't survive on yardage alone, needing a touchdown to be starter worthy. Odds are you don't have other options, but Davis is slipping into the lower TE1 range. After suffering a week eight rib injury, Frank Gore showed no ill effect ripping through the Cards defense picking up 55 total yards on big chunky runs. With a bye upcoming, the 49ers built a comfortable lead that allowed Gore to rest for much of the game giving way to Kendall Hunter. Gore owners shouldn't worry, he'll be back to RB1 status in week 10. Commenting on Alex Smith's rotation of coaches over the years, John Gruden said, "The only change is no change for a change." Love me some Gruden. Arizona The desert version of Darren Sproles, LaRod Stephens-Howling opened the game in the Cards backfield. Already a down matchup, "Stephens-Howling at the moon" found absolutely zero running room picking up six yards on eight carries. At 180 lbs, LSH had a tough time slowing down the blitzing linebackers, often getting bulled over opening his quarterback up to big hits. On the upside, William...

Running Wild Welcome to fantasy relevance, Chris Johnson! It took nearly a season and a half, but the former stud running back looks to have finally turned the corner. Johnson ran for 195 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo in Week 7, including a classic 83-yard scamper. His day could have been even better if he wasn't replaced on the 1-yard line on two other occasions. Keep in mind he did do this against the Bills, but it's definitely an encouraging sign for owners. Johnson now deserves to be in your starting lineup every week and should have another great performance in Week 8 against Indianapolis. Rashad Jennings is the hot pickup in fantasy this week, since starter Maurice Jones-Drew went down with a foot injury. Though it's just a sprain, he is expected to miss at least a few weeks, meaning that Jennings has some serious value for whoever is lucky enough to grab him. After Jones-Drew was injured on the first series last week, Jennings came in and was very serviceable. Even though he only ran for 44 yards on 21 carries, he did score a touchdown and also contributed seven receptions for 58 yards. He's a must-start while Jones-Drew is out. It looks like the Arizona Cardinals may have found their answer at the running back position for now. LaRod Stephens-Howling got the bulk of the carries in Week 7 and came up big. He ran for 104 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown and also chipped in four receptions for 45 yards. The most impressive part of his effort was that he did it against a stingy Minnesota run defense. Arizona hasn't been able to find a steady player in the backfield that stays healthy, so hopefully Stephens-Howling can be that player. Add him if you can. Sleepers Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Oakland Heyward-Bey is now fully recovered from his concussion and had a nice game last Sunday. He caught just four passes, but he was able to deliver 85 receiving yards. He was targeted a team-high seven times and seems to be Carson Palmer's favorite target most weeks. Oakland has a good match-up in Week 8 against a soft Kansas City pass defense, so spot start Heyward-Bey if you need receiver help. Vick Ballard, RB, Indianapolis Ballard seems to be the starting tailback for the Colts right now and could be a solid play this weekend against the Tennessee Titans. He got 20 carries last week and put up a respectable 84 yards. If he can get this kind of workload in Week 8, Ballard should be in your starting lineup. He doesn't offer a ...

There were a rash of injuries suffered in Week 5. While NFL rosters will plug in the next player in line, fantasy owners will require a more educated approach to fill their holes and continue to field a competitive lineup. Here is a look at a few of the key injuries and some suggestions on where to look for help. Cedric Benson had carved out a nice role in the Green Bay Packers offense over the first several weeks. Benson was a serviceable weekly flex play or a solid backup running back before he exited Sunday's contest with an injury. At first, the injury to Benson appeared to be minor, but, after a more indepth diagnosis Monday, the Packers revealed that he had suffered a Lisfranc foot injury. The injury carries an estimated two-month absence. Alex Green appears to have the inside opportunity to claim the starting role, but does that mean that he should be on the top of your waiver wire adds? Green was effective filling in for Benson, logging 55 yards on nine carries. James Starks has missed the first five weeks battling turf toe, but he should be back in action soon. Starks was the lead back for the Packers last season, but he is not an elusive, dynamic back suited to lead the Packers or your running attack. Green has more upside and is worth a speculative add if you are desperate for help in your backfield. Two weeks after putting Chris ‘Beanie' Wells on Injured Reserve with an injury that will keep him out of action until November, Ryan Williams suffered a season-ending shoulder injury this week. The Cardinals rushing attack has not been dependable with either back this season, and it only figures to get worst with the latest injury. A true running back by committee approach probably lies ahead for the Cardinals. LaRod Stephens-Howling figures to get the first shot, but Alfonso Smith and William Powell will also get carries. Unless one of the backs emerges as a legitimate lead back, none of these guys belongs on your roster. Chris Johnson has now gained less than 25 yards in four of his five games this season after his 24-yard outing on Sunday. Many have been suggesting that it may be time for the Tennessee Titans to let Javon Ringer have a shot at the starting job to see if his skills better suit offensive coordinator Chris Palmer's schemes. On the heels of another terrible outing, Ringer would have been closer than ever to claiming the starting job, but on Sunday he suffered a MCL injury that is expected to keep him out of action for ...

All the arguments for delaying your fantasy football draft were solidified Friday night when Arizona Cardinals rookie running back and sleeper candidate Ryan Williams suffered a season-ending injury. Imagine your frustration if you spent an early pick hoping to latch on to a key cog of your fantasy team. That's just a brief commentary on the value of waiting to hold your draft. For the rest of us, we are left with the task of deciding the implications of the injury and how changed roles will affect our projections. Many owners will simply elevate Chris ‘Beanie' Wells on their draft boards. While Wells' value certainly gets a tick, I would warn against blindly penciling him in as your RB2. There will always be value for the primary running back on a team in fantasy football, but the real challenge is to properly evaluate and gauge that value. Let's take a look at what we can reasonably expect from Wells in his, possibly, expanded role. Wells is coming off a forgettable sophomore season where he saw his rushing yards dip below 400 yards and the injury bug paid him visits throughout the year. Wells has a history of battling lingering injuries dating back to his college days at Ohio State. His rookie campaign, where he logged 16 games was encouraging, but likely an anomaly. In 13 games last year, Wells saw his yards per carry drop over a yard to a paltry 3.4 and he only found the endzone twice. If you play in a points per reception league, Wells will be a drag on your team in the receiving game as well. In his brief 29-game career Wells has only hauled in 17 passes. Even if he claims the starting job outright, Wells is not a three-down back. Wells' regression, injuries and limited skill set are the exact reasons the Cardinals elected to spend an early draft pick on Williams in the first place. The biggest factor being missed in this situation is that the Cardinals will likely look to bolster their backfield by adding another back either via trade or by signing a free agent. It is highly unlikely that Wells is the workhorse the entire year. Guys like Clinton Portis or Laurence Maroney could be on their radar or they may target younger guys via trade like the Carolina Panthers' Mike Goodson or the New England Patriots' BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Goodson has shown promise in limited action and is the odd man out in a talented and crowded backfield in Carolina. Green-Ellis may be expendable for a Patriots team who drafted two running backs in the last draft. ...