Running back by committee situations make fantasy football players weep audibly. The Buffalo Bills running back quandary started the preseason as a mess worthy of say, Denver Broncos proportions.
In 2009, Buffalo frustrated fantasy players with the tantalizing tandem of Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Lynch had the track record and the pedigree, but Fred Jackson spent the second half of the season showing he was the better fantasy performer.
Lynch has been the persistent subject of trade rumors but the Bills haven’t gotten rid of him yet. Buffalo made things even more confusing when they made C.J. Spiller the ninth pick in the draft. A week ago I would have suggested you avoid Buffalo’s backfield – and eating fresh eggs. I’ve changed my stance on Buffalo, but you should still mind the plant number on those eggs.
Fred Jackson broke his hand and Lynch sprained his ankle as soon as Buffalo’s preseason began. A sudden rash of injuries can bring clarity to a running back committee very fast. Spiller got a huge break and made the most of it. In last Thursday’s game against the Redskins, Spiller had 54 yards on 10 carries. That included a 31-yard run termed “unbelievable” by Bills Coach Chan Gailey. The Bills quickly got their new potential #1 off the field. The way this preseason has gone injury wise, a Looney Tunes-style anvil might have fallen on Spiller.
Jackson is likely to miss the start of the season. Lynch may be back in the mix, but Spiller is showing the explosiveness that made him such a high pick. The fantasy gods are speaking to the Bills, and those players looking for a potential draft steal. With Buffalo’s injury woes, the team has no choice but to give Spiller carries.
Spiller has already played himself into at least a timeshare with Lynch. As soon as Jackson’s healthy, the team and Lynch will probably continue working on a trade that will be beneficial for both parties. Keep monitoring that situation, because a happy Lynch could produce after a change of scenery. He could be 2010-11’s Cedric Benson, who looked lost with the Bears but blossomed into a fantasy star in Cincinnati.
Besides his rookie status, the biggest knock against Spiller is that he can’t carry it 30 times a game. So don’t draft him expecting he’ll be the workhorse. He is worth a mid-round pick if you need help at the running back position. Particularly in dynasty/keeper format, Spiller is a hot prospect. Even in redraft leagues, I like his upside and would take him before aging veterans such as Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Great share indeed. Friend on mine has been waiting for this update.