By Zack Cimini

Usually teams are quick to throw money at marquee free agents, especially when it comes to adding depth at the running back position. Surveying teams depth charts as they go into training camp is questionable at running back. That shouldn’t be the issue though as there are a plethora of veteran running backs that remain unsigned. Do teams truly believe these running backs are washed up and have nothing left? We doubt it. It seems as if more teams are willing to go with the younger unproven backs for depth. This shift is something very new and unparalleled.

Injuries do happen and build up quickly. We’ve profiled nine free agent running backs that all should fill rosters before the regular season starts. All have been key backs for fantasy rosters, and may have some value down the road this season.

Warrick Dunn- Dunn’s probably the primary target of the veteran free agents unsigned. He has bounced around the last few seasons, but still showed value. Last year with Tampa Bay he had over 1100 all purpose yards. At 34 and at his size it’s amazing he has been able to have a lasting career. Teams that will look at him will be looking to sign him because of his pass catching skills.

DeShaun Foster- Talk about an underachiver, Foster embodies that. He has been given all the chances in the world to be a feature back. Maybe being pushed out again and no teams showing interest will get him rededicated.

Rudi Johnson- It seems Johnson has been another victim of heavy carries syndrome. From 2003-2006, Johnson took on the bulk of the carries from the Bengals. Since he has faded quicker than evidence of Lebron James being dunked on. The issue on Johnson’s downfall is still out. It’s wait and see on Johnson, but in the right situation he could have some fantasy value.

Michael Pittman-Pittman keeps hanging around and still pops up on the fantasy radar once or twice a year. He has had several off the field issues that have not gone away. Once on the field though Pittman has shown he is one of the better backs in the league as being a duel threat.

Ahman Green- Another back that wore down from injuries and age. No one can forget his five monster seasons with the Packers, and his revitalized year with Houston in 2006. Steve Slaton pushed him out of Houston last year. One thing Green has going for him is that his injuries weren’t severe they were just on going (hamstring).

Nick Goings- Goings found trouble getting any carries with Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams running the show. Upon his release Goings has had a hard time catching anyone’s interest. He has came from the bottom up before as he did in 2004 when he went from a practice squad back to starter.

Deuce McAllister- Injuries have derailed a promising career as McAllister has hardly touched the field since 2005. His running style is similar to retired Eddie George, which didn’t bode well for George after seven to eight seasons. McAllister has a tough road ahead and obviously his days as a feature back are complete.

Reuben Droughns- Now 30, Droughns is more of a goal line and short yardage back. In his prime he had a couple of very productive seasons of 1,200 yards rushing in both the 2004 and 2005 season. Teams should be taken a look at him to fill the goal line back role he has had the last three seasons. In 2008 the Giants used him solely as a special teams player due to their massive depth at running back with Ward, Jacobs, and Bradshaw.

Aaron Stecker- Stecker was another back that had problems last season due to depth ahead of him. Pierre Thomas filled the third string role behind McAllister and Bush. Stecker showed in 2007 that he can be a primary back when needed.

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:00
by Steven Iñiguez Ruiz
National’s Morgan starting off on the right foot
Besides Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman, the Washington Nationals’ pool of valuable fantasy players has been rather shallow this season. As of Wednesday morning, the Nationals find themselves 27 games behind the National League East leading Phillies, but fantasy owners looking for SB need to overlook the bad record and focus on OF Nyjer Morgan. Morgan is currently 5th in MLB in stolen bases and is available in one out of every two Yahoo! and ESPN leagues. Morgan was traded to the Nationals from the Pirates on the 30th of June and has been plugged into the leadoff spot where he has flourished with a .333 Avg, 11 SB, and 10 R in 66 AB in the month of July. The 11 stolen bases are important because it is the most he has stolen in a month so far this season, and Nationals manager Jim Riggleman has made public that he wants his team to run more, so look for Morgan to be running when he reaches base.
Nyjer Morgan (Was – OF)
Avg HR RBI R SB
.288 2 30 50 29
——————-

Raymond Ayala’s Top 20 Running Backs

1) Adrian Peterson (MIN) – The running back quality is starting to dwindle, but Adrian Peterson is my choice as a top pick in any draft, as well as being the top Running Back. Peterson offers it all, and he has yet to even hit his stride. I look for Adrian Peterson to improve his receiving touchdowns and increase his touchdowns by at least five this year.
2) Michael Turner (ATL) – Turner fell victim to a rookie quarterbacks fantastic season last year, but anyone who snagged him early was rewarded with arguably the best running back in 2008. Now Turner is an elite running back, which defenses will be gunning for. I see a little slip in Turner’s touchdowns, but not by much. Expect more of the same from the kid who went to the school of LaDainian Tomlinson.
3) Matt Forte (CHI) – What Forte did last year did not go unnoticed by fantasy owners. In his rookie campaign, Forte not only put up eight rushing touchdowns, he also added four receiving touchdowns. Forte is a double threat, whose running game will only, improve with Jay Cutler in the backfield. Look for Forte to finish with 20 total touchdowns this year.
4) DeAngelo Williams (CAR) – Williams was put in charge of the Carolina running game last season and he showed that size does not matter. The 5’9 running back scampered around the field scoring an NFL leading 18 rushing touchdowns. Last year was no fluke and expect Williams to have a similar performance, with a small decrease in yardage.
5) Clinton Portis (WAS) – Portis has a solid skill set, but he is injury prone. Last season, he showed his old Denver form with a fantastic season for the Redskins. Look for the Redskins to rely on him this season, and Campell improving only helps his stock. He is a lock for double-digit touchdowns this season.
6) Stephen Jackson (STL) – An injury hurt Jackson and his owners last season, but I predict a season of full health, and at least 10-15 touchdowns from him.
7) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) – Jacobs proved last season that he can handle a starters load, and now he will look to breakout this season by improving on his yardage. LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) – While the Chargers have decided to use Darren Sproles more, many people think this will affect LT negatively. I think LT is looking to prove he is still an elite running back and will bounce back this season.
9) Tim Hightower (AZ) – After a breakout rookie season last year that saw double-digit touchdowns, I expect a breakout season for Hightower, due to the passing game being the main focus of opposing defenses.
10) Thomas Jones (NYJ) – Jones showed up in a big way last year, but his numbers will not be nearly as fantastic. With a rookie QB in the backfield, it is going to be tough for Jones to find holes, but double-digit touchdowns should be expected.
11) Frank Gore (SF) – If healthy, Gore is one of the deadliest Running backs in the game. With a smart quarterback behind him, Gore is a lock for at least 10 touchdowns this season.
12) Brian Westbrook (PHI) – Westbrook has been the cornerstone of the Eagles offense for the past three seasons. Injuries are starting to catch up to him, but he should improve on his stats from last year.
13) Steve Slaton (HOU) – Slaton left West Virginia for the NFL, and it was a wise decision. Slaton had a fantastic rookie campaign and is my pick to be this years Michael Turner-like steal.
14) Chris Johnson (TEN) – He would be higher on this list if he were not splitting duties with LenDale White. Johnson will improve on his yardage, but his TD’s will probably stay the same as last season.
15) Ryan Grant (GB) – Grant will need to improve his TD total to be valuable in Fantasy this season, but I see him doing it and becoming a great 2nd running back.
16) Marshawn Lynch (BUF) – Lynch could easily have been in the top 10, had he not been suspended for the first three weeks. Including the bye week that is four missed games this season for Lynch. Still he is a top tier RB.
17) Marion Barber (DAL) – Barber was somewhat of a disappointment last season, and Felix Jones threatens to take some of his carries. There is no question that Barber will get the goal line runs, which equal easy touchdowns.
18) Ronnie Brown (MIA) – Brown will take the load of the carries this season, and he will be relied upon to finish his season strong this year. Double-digit touchdowns will be attainable this season by Brown.
19) LenDale White (TEN) – White finally lived up to the expectations set at USC. He is a beast at the goal line and will continue to rack up TD’s so long as he stays in shape.
20) Reggie Bush (NO) – Bush knows how important this season is for the Saints, and a break out season is to be expected. By seasons end Bush will lead the league in receiving TD’s by a running back, and is a threat for 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards one day.

By Ted Cahill

It looks like the shutout Joel Pineiro threw at Citi Field last month had more to do with the right-hander than the hapless Mets’ offense.

In the 30-year old’s last five starts beginning with New York; he is 3-1 with a 1.63 ERA. Pineiro shut down Milwaukee, one of the league’s top offenses, on the road. He braved Great American Ballpark and beat Arizona himself with a two-RBI double. The only team to get the better of Pineiro was Minnesota, who touched him up for five runs including a Justin Morneau home run.

Overall, Pineiro is 8-9 with a 3.09 ERA and is looking more like the pitcher that won 16 games as a 24-year old than the one that lost 13 just three years ago.

The key to Pineiro’s success has been his command. He leads the league in walks per nine innings and has only issued 12 free passes all year. Even in his five-game losing streak this year, Pineiro only walked four hitters in 29 2/3 innings.

A sinker-baller, Pineiro has been effective keeping the ball down in the zone this year. He has allowed only three home runs, one less than the number of batters he has hit.

But Pineiro’s numbers are not a function of extraordinary luck. Overall, he has a BABIP of .288, just below his career .298 BABIP. In his last five starts, Pineiro has been much luckier, lowering his BABIP to .203.

Even in Pineiro hits another tough patch, his low walk rate makes him worth a look for fantasy owners. After a start against Houston on Monday, Pineiro has to pitch in Philadelphia, a stern test for any pitcher. If Pineiro can get through this week with a pair of quality starts, he will certainly rate a pickup for many teams.

Trading places:
The trading deadline is just around the corner and, as usual, many contenders feel that they need to beef up their bullpen. Many teams are working to acquire closer George Sherrill from the Orioles. Rumored to have contacted Baltimore about the left-hander are the Angels, Dodgers, Brewers and the Cubs. The Marlins may have interest as well if they can somehow stay in the race.

The problem for Sherrill and fantasy owners is that the Angels, Dodgers and Brewers all have established All-Star closers. The Cubs probably wouldn’t move him into the closers role, but he would be an option along with Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmol. If Sherrill is dealt before the deadline, he immediately loses most of his fantasy value.

If you eliminate saves as a stat in a standard 5×5 league, Sherrill drops from the 51st most valuable fantasy player all the way to 128 according to baseballmonster.com. Sherrill owners should keep a close eye on trade rumors and start preparing a backup plan in case he is moved.

Main attraction:
Last week San Diego called up Mat Latos one of the most highly-regarded pitching prospects. The 21-year old faced Colorado, striking out four. Latos is on a closely-monitored pitch count, which limited him to four innings in his debut. The Padres are clearly trying to limit his innings due to his history of injuries.

Whether he can make an impact this season for fantasy owners remains to be seen. For keeper leagues he’s probably worth a spot on the bench now, given his tremendous upside and a future of pitching in PETCO Park. For typical leagues, Latos most likely won’t save your season. But for those of you in a bind this week, he does get to face the Nationals on Friday.

Pitcher Pickup of the Week: John Lannan, Nationals

There are some good one-start options for this week (Randy Wells, Jarrod Washburn) but one of the best two-start pitchers comes from Washington. Lannan is part of a young staff that will help the Nationals turn around their track record in years to come, but this week is also very lucky. Lannan gets to face the Mets (Tuesday) and Padres (Sunday) at home, where he is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA this year.

Throw in the fact that the two teams he’ll be facing are among the worst offensively and his four-hitter against the Mets at home June 6 and you have a winner. In fact since the calendar flipped to June, Lannan is 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA and pitched very well against both the Yankees and Red Sox.

The biggest strike against the 24-year old is his walk rate, but he seems to have gotten that under control, issuing only one free pass in each of his last three starts.

Raymond Ayala’s Top 20 Quarterbacks

1) Drew Brees (NO) – Brees has been a model of consistency since his time with the San Diego Chargers. Things have gotten even better in New Orleans, where Brees has found some great targets in Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Reggie Bush. Brees was able to throw for over 5,000 yards and 34 Touchdowns, and that was without any of those touchdowns going to Jeremy Shockey. Look for Brees to have a great season, and Brees should be the first quarterback taken in mixed leagues, in my honest opinion.
2) Peyton Manning (IND) – Manning continues to be the king of the quarterback crop, and was named NFL MVP last season. He losses Marvin Harrison, but that did not make a difference last year, so it probably will not this year. Look for Manning to put up even more Touchdowns then he did last season. Manning will probably be the first quarterback taken, though I think Brees will have the better year fantasy-wise.
3) Tom Brady (NE) – Brady was the most important player in most peoples 07-08 fantasy football campaign, taking home MVP honors after breaking the touchdown record. Last season Brady’s year was done by Game 1, as a leg injury ended his season. Now Brady steps back into the starter role with a different team that he must once again get used to. Still I would definetly say that he is good for 30 touchdowns this season, and the passing yards will be high as well. Brady will be selected in the late 2nd round, early 3rd round of most mixed drafts.
4) Kurt Warner (ARZ) – Warner did not lost any single player that contributed to an MVP-like season last year, even though Anquan Boldin is supposedly not happy with the organization. Warner will continue to put up the same numbers so long as he has Larry Fitzgerald and Boldin to throw to. While Warner is old and a risk, he is still an accurate quarterback who will deliver Touchdowns this season. Warner will most likely fall in the third-fourth round of most major drafts.
5) Philip Rivers (SD) – When the Chargers let Drew Brees walk after a monster season, people in San Diego became very skeptical of Phillip Rivers. After a season like he had last year though, the skeptics have been put to rest. Rivers is hot-headed, but it is just apart of his game. He will only get better with an improved Ladainan Tomlinson this season. Feel free to take Rivers in the first five rounds.
6) Tony Romo (DAL) – No more T.O., no more Jessica Simpson=no more tabloid spotlight distracting Romo. He has settled in quite nicely with his No. 1 Wide Receiver Roy Williams.
7) Aaron Rodgers (GB) – Last year was no fluke. Rodgers has but the Favre-era behind him for good in Green Bay, and he plans on proving it this season. Carson Palmer (CIN) – Palmer will be out to show the world that he is 100% healthy this season, and Chad Ochocinco is still one of the best Wideout targets in the game.
9) Matt Ryan (ATL) – The rookie surprised many this season, achieving Rookie of the Year Honors in the process. He is the real deal and his numbers will increase by 10 in the touchdowns category.
10) Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) – The key to Roethlisberger’s season will be his usage of Santonio Holmes. If he uses him like he did in the Super Bowl, then the Steelers could be looking at another ring, and Ben could be looking at 5-10 more touchdowns this season.
11) Donovan McNabb (PHI) – Speed is the name of the Eagles game this year, and McNabb adds that aspect to the team. Will be one of the leaders in rushing yards for a QB, by seasons end.
12) Jay Cutler (CHI) – Trade to Wide-Receieverless Chicago hurts his fantasy value. Would not be more than a 2nd QB on my team.
13) Matt Cassell (KC) – Trade from New England hurts Cassell, but at least he has Dwayne Bowe on his team. If only Bowe would learn not to drop so many balls.
14) Chad Pennington (MIA) – Last year was a fluke for Pennington, as I expect him to be played less in favor of Chad Henne by seasons end. Pat White will also take away snaps from him
15) Trent Edwards (BUF) – Adding Terrell Owens will add TD’s to any quarterback’’s statline. Edwards ain’t to bad himself either though, he could be a breakout star this year.
16) Shaun Hill (SF) – Hill showed patience, as the 49ers opted for J.T. O’Sullivan to start last season. This year Singletary knows that the team is safe in the hands of Hill, especially when you have a running back of Frank Gore’s caliber.
17) Joe Flacco (BAL) – Flacco is improving and will suffer if Derrick Mason follows through with his retirement claims. I expect a big year out of Flacco though, especially with a year of experience under his belt.
18) Matt Hasselback (SEA) – The addition of T.J Houshmanzadeh to the already strong Nate Burleson, will equal some great stats for Hasselback this year. Only problem could be Seneca Wallace.
19) Jason Campell (WAS) – I think all the Brett Favre talk did to Campell was make him more inspired. I would be not surprised if he had a 20+ touchdown season this year.
20) Josh Freeman (TB) – It’s tough not to go with the proven veteran Jeff Garcia (OAK) here, but he plays for a terrible team. The Wide Receivers are set up for Freeman in Tampa Bay and he seems to be their long term option.

By Raymond Ayala

PHIL HUGHES (P NYY) – If the Yankee fan in your league has already not picked him up, I would say Phil Hughes is probably the best pitching option available right now in deep mixed leagues. Hughes can be used as a relief pitcher and a starting pitcher, giving him flexibility as well. Over his last ten appearances, he has 12 IP 15K’s and has not given up a run. Whether he sticks on the Yankees as a relief pitcher, or is traded to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay, just know you are getting good value with Phil Hughes.

GARRET JONES (OF PIT) – If it had not been for Justin Morneau blocking this kid in Minnesota, he would probably already be a household name. Jones has come from out of nowhere to become the Pirates main source of power. He compares well to Adam Dunn of the Washington Nationals and is the 2nd half answer to your power problems. In his first 10 games since his call up he has 7 HR’s and 9 RBI. Sure those numbers will slow down, but if you could get a couple of Homeruns a week from a guy you could easily snag in free agency, then why not do it?

SCOTT HAIRSTON (OF OAK) – The former Padre, has become a regular for the Oakland Athletics, and for good reason. The A’s surrendered three young pitchers to acquire Hairston, who has not done much thus far in his career. But Oakland is planning to build around this guy, which means big opportunities at RBI’s and HR’s, especially if the A’s part ways with Matt Holiday.

RYAN SADOWSKI (P SFG) – The San Francisco Giants have been a surprise team this year, and have shown signs of quality pitching throughout the first half of the season. One starting pitcher that has gotten overlooked is righty Ryan Sadowski. In 18 IP Sadowski has only given up 2 ER, and he did this against quality hitting teams. His next start will be against Atlanta, countering Tommy Hanson, so maybe wait another week or two to pick up this guy. Down the stretch his arm could become a very valuable pickup, especially if Randy Johnson does not come off the Disabled List.

CASEY MCGEHEE (2B, 3B MIL) – When top prospect Mat Gamel couldn’t handle the heat of being an everyday third basemen, McGehee came out of nowhere to become a regular in the Brewers lineup. Though he has slowed down from his early strong pace, he still is carrying a .321 Batting Average, with 6 HR’s and 27 RBI’s, in only 156 AB’s. I expect a strong second half from McGehee, and he would be a fine addition to a team needing middle infield help.