The 2012 NFL season has been extremely hard to project as it relates to the running back position. Outside of many owners who relied on Chris Johnson, for some reason, to provide RB1 production, there have been a great deal of surprises.
We have seen injuries dampen high hopes for some, and a lack of production cause major malfunctions for fantasy rosters the world over. Rookies continue to surprise and grizzled veterans just don't want to give up their status as solid contributors.
Let's take a look at the top 5 biggest surprises at the running back position through the intial six weeks of the 2012 NFL season.
1. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
This Florida Atlantic product was the 12th running back selected in the 2012 NFL draft. He started OTA’s as Washington’s fourth-stringer behind Tim Hightower, Roy Helu and Evan Royster. Heck, there was even a chance that we wasn’t going to make the 53 man roster.
Well, that seems like ages ago now.
Morris now ranks fifth in the NFL with 538 rushing yards, which puts him on pace for over 1,400 for the entire season. More importantly for fantasy owners, the rookie is No. 2 among running backs with five touchdowns and No. 7 overall in fantasy points.
Not too shabby for someone that fantasy owners were picking up off the waiver-wire just a few short months ago.
2. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills
Spiller struggled in the immediate aftermath of his Week 3 injury, gaining a total of 57 rushing yards against the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. He bounced back to early-season form by going for 110 total yards and a touchdown against a strong Arizona Cardinals defense on Sunday.
Spiller, who ESPN had ranked as the 33rd top fantasy running back in the NFL at the start of the season, now ranks ninth in fantasy points, which puts him right in the thick of the RB1 conversation.
Not too bad for someone that many had written off as a legit threat just a calandar year ago. Of course a lot of that had to do with his previous understudy role to Fred Jackson, who Spiller now shares carries with.
3. Steven Ridley, New England Patriots
When was the last time a Patriots’ running back was considered a top-of-the-line fantasy running back? Please don’t come at me with BenJarvus Green-Ellis because I will simply pop out at your computer screen and strangle you. I guess we would have to go back to the pre-modern days of fantasy football when Curtis Martin was roaming Foxboro.
Ridley, who was ranked 24th by ESPN at the start of the season at running back, is now sixth in the NFL in rushing yards and 11th among running backs in fantasy points.
Don’t expect this to change anytime either. New England found some balance on offense and they are going to run with it...Pun very much intended.
4. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
How could one of the most consistent fantasy running backs in the NFL find himself on this list? Well, the answer is simple. Gore came into the 2012 season as an extremely underrated fantasy player. There were many reasons for this. First, he isn’t getting any younger and is about to reach that age where running backs slow down. Secondly, San Francisco added both Brandon Jacobs and LaMichael James in the offseason.
ESPN had Gore as the 17th ranked back’ in the NFL at the start of the season, behind the likes of Darren McFadden and Steven Jackson.
Gore now ranks eighth in the NFL in rushing yards, fourth in rushing touchdowns and is on the cusp of RB1 production in terms of fantasy points. Definitely a far cry from where most had him rated, a mid-tier RB2 option, at the start of the season.
5. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
This has all to do with Peterson’s unfortunate injury last December and nothing to do with him as a running back. Fantasy owners were buying extremely low on AP at the start of the season because their was a huge concern that the former All-Pro wasn’t going to be able to return to full-health until October or so.
Well, that obviously didn’t happen.
While Peterson hasn’t exactly provided RB1 production, mostly due to two touchdowns through six games, he does rank sixth in yards and attempts. Not too shabby if you ask me. For what it’s worth, ESPN had him projected with 300 less rushing yards than he is currently on pace for. That equates to about two first-downs a game.