When Eddie Lacy fell to the Green Bay Packers near the end of the second round, fantasy owners rejoiced.  Finally, the Packers had a running back worth drafting in their fantasy league; one who could make a real impact in an already potent offense. 

Then Green Bay shocked everyone by trading up to select another running back, Johnathan Franklin, in the fourth round.  This caused a bit of a dilemma for fantasy owners.  At the time, adding Lacy meant that the Packers would finally have a truly balance offense and fantasy owners could count on Lacy for steady production.  Adding Franklin to the mix does give the Packers’ offense another dynamic weapon, but from a fantasy perspective, it puts owners in a precarious situation: Who do you take, Franklin or Lacy? Who will have a bigger impact on your team?  While the answer might seem obvious, it kind of depends on your situation.  Let me explain...

On paper Franklin looks like the clear winner here, and rightly so.  His ability to break to the outside and to eat up yards after the catch make him a great RB2 or FLEX option, especially in PPR leagues.  But unless Franklin can break away all the way to the end zone, there’s a really good chance his touchdown numbers will be less than stellar; thanks to Mr. Lacy. 

There’s no question that Lacy is a very talented runner, but you also can’t argue that his game is very one dimensional.  Lacy is a between the hashes, downhill-runner type and will be primarily used in short yardage and goal-line situations.  This will be a problem for most Franklin owners, as Lacy will end up being what we refer to as a “TD Vulture” along the lines of Mike Tolbert.  Now, if you’re in a league that favors touchdowns more than rushing and/or receiving yards, Lacy will be a better option than Franklin. 

In the end, both of these guys will have an impact on the Packers’ offense and in the fantasy realm in 2013.  The type of league you’re in will be the biggest factor in determining which player is for you; although you really can’t go wrong with either in dynasty leagues.