DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys
This talented young running back has put up 215 total yards in his first two games and has accumulated a total of 1,057 total yards in his last 10 outings. With that in mind, it is important to note that Murray has only scored two touchdowns in 15 career NFL games. Those numbers definitely need to increase if he is going to be a legit RB1 option like many, including myself, have him pegged as right now.
Dallas goes up against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that has yielded only 104 rushing yards in two games this season. Then, why start Murray? Well, it is pretty simple if you ask me. Tampa Bay’s seconded gave up over 500 yards through the air last week against the New York Giants. They are going to be facing an equally difficult pass offense against Tony Romo and Co.
That would seem to indicate that the Bucs are going to play more nickel and dime coverage in an attempt to take Dez Bryant and Miles Austin out of the game. If that happens, Murray will be facing a lot of six men boxes, which gives him a tremendous amount of space in which to run the ball...Something that he thrives in.
I expect something to the tune of 150 total yards. It is now up to Murray to actually get the ball past the pile on so I don’t continue to look damn foolish in recommending that my readers start him. C’Mon man, you can help a bro out here. After all, I know you spend your time reading articles like these. Isn’t that why you got that stellar Oklahoma education? But, I digress.
Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers
Anyone, including myself, who thought Gore was running on empty couldn’t have been more wrong. You can take his card out of the spokes of your bicycle and place them into the collectors case once again. Gore isn’t going anywhere. In fact, he looks the best that he has in three or four years now, which is saying a lot.
The 49ers’ all-time leading rusher is averaging over six yards per carry and has accumulated a total of 200 yards on the ground through the first two games of the 2012 season. Including the postseason, Gore has put up 564 total yards on just 78 touches in his last four games. Those are stellar statistics right there.
San Francisco will be taking on a Minnesota Vikings defense that gave up nearly 200 rushing yards to less than stellar rushing opponents in the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Maurice Jones-Drew less than 100 percent, and the Indianapolis Colts.
While the 49ers passing game has improved a great deal, they are still a run first team. Expect Gore to get his 20 touches, gain his triple-digit yards and score a touchdown. RB1 numbers right there.
Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
The only thing holding Rice back from being the unquestioned No. 1 fantasy football player in the universe is the complete ineptitude of one’ Cam Cameron as the play-caller for the Ravens’ offense. Seriously, how the hell can he have Joe Flacco put the ball up 42 times and hand it off to Rice 16 times in a close game? That is a primary reason Baltimore lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. A complete joke if you ask me.
Rice was still able to put up 152 yards on just 22 touches against a solid Eagles’ run defense. Okay, hopefully Cameron gets the point.
Baltimore will be going up against a New England Patriots defense that has given up a total of just 125 rush yards through two games this season. With that in mind, it is still important to look at how Rice has performed against New England in recent seasons. The P