Draft prep: Running with the Class of '06

Editor's note: This is a series of 10 predictions of things that will happen in 2008 Fantasy Football leagues according to Senior Fantasy Writer Jamey Eisenberg

The running back draft class of 2006 has seen its share of good times and bad for the first two years. There were breakouts and busts, injuries and impressive moments.

And now comes the standout year. In 2008, there are several running backs from this class poised for their best season.

That's going to make you as a Fantasy owner very happy.

Start at the top, where the first round in 2006 was Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney, DeAngelo Williams and Joseph Addai. There's not a lot of room for improvement with Addai, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards his first two seasons and scored 15 touchdowns in 2007. He is a No. 1 Fantasy option and a top-five pick in most leagues.

But there is upside for Bush, who has been a disappointment so far for plenty of owners. As a rookie, Bush showed potential with more than 1,300 total yards and eight touchdowns, including 88 catches.

Instead of building on that in 2007, when some owners drafted Bush as a No. 1 Fantasy option, he took a step back and had less than 1,000 total yards and six touchdowns while dealing with a knee injury. Bush knows he has a lot to prove this year.

"It's a learning experience," Bush said in a recent interview. "Anytime you are a rookie coming into this league and you're a first round draft pick, you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders. It's not an easy job. It's not an easy task. It's a learning experience, and you just try to do the best you can with it and try not to mess up."

Bush may never be a lead running back like Addai, but his versatility is what owners covet. And if Deuce McAllister can return from a knee injury or Pierre Thomas takes over the starting role, then Bush may pick up from his rookie year.

Don't be concerned that Bush is a bust. Draft him as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back worth a pick in Round 3 in all leagues and watch his skills flourish. He's still a focal point of the offense, and the Saints are going to put up plenty of points.

Maroney is another running back with a lot to prove. Last year, many Fantasy owners went into the draft with Maroney as a starting option after he rushed for 745 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a rookie.

Then he was a disappointment because of a groin injury and the Patriots record-setting passing game, and he rushed for 835 yards and six touchdowns. He came on in the playoffs with 280 yards and three touchdowns in three games and plans on carrying that over to this year.

"That gave me a little bit more confidence in myself," Maroney said of the playoff performance in the Boston Herald. "Once I put my mind to it, I know I can be a good back in the NFL. It's just a point of being patient and just going out and doing what I do best. I'm almost there. I wish I was a little bit further, but I can't complain because I'm a lot further than I was last year. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm not far away from it."

There is some concern the Patriots will throw the ball again like 2007, and Maroney will lose carries to Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan. But look for Maroney to carry the playoff performance into 2008, and he should be drafted as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back worth a pick in Round 3 in all leagues. He should have his first 1,000-yard season this year.

Williams has improved his stock recently with rookie Jonathan Stewart dealing with a lingering toe injury. That has helped Williams go from Fantasy reserve to a solid No. 3 option on the rise.

If Stewart is limited and Williams continues to get carries, he could be starting for your Fantasy team plenty this season. That's something Fantasy owners have waited for with Williams sitting behind DeShaun Foster the past two years. Williams only has 1,218 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his career.

Williams said in an interview with CBSSports.com that it takes time for running backs to get adjusted. He finally feels comfortable in his third season.

"Yes, definitely," Williams said. "Coming in your first year, you're a little wet behind the ears. Coming into my third year, it makes the reads easier for me. The game slows down in your head a lot and you know why people do things, the concepts of the defense and offense. And what's really funny is when a defense runs a blitz, you know what they're trying to stop and what they're giving up, and that's not something I had a good knowledge of my first and second year."

Maurice Jones-Drew enters his third season still sharing carries with Fred Taylor. (US Presswire)

In the second round, LenDale White might face the most questions of this class. After rushing for 1,110 yards and scoring seven touchdowns last year, the Titans drafted Chris Johnson in the first round.

But White, who played last year on a torn meniscus in his knee, isn't concerned about Johnson taking away playing time. White said the two can work together, and he's right since Johnson is more of a scat back to White's bruising style.

White is being drafted as a No. 3 Fantasy option so far, but he will probably produce like a No. 2 running back by the end of the year. Titans coach Jeff Fisher said he expects White and Johnson to play in tandem, and he's counting on White again in 2008.

Another player from this class in a tandem is Maurice Jones-Drew, who has been great the past two years with more than 2,500 total yards and 24 touchdowns, but could get even better in 2008. Fred Taylor, who starts for the Jaguars ahead of Jones-Drew, is 32, and it will be hard for Taylor to sustain at his recent level for much longer.

If Taylor suffers a setback or gets hurt, Jones-Drew is ready. He could go from a No. 2 Fantasy option to an elite running back in 2008.

"I'm still learning," Jones-Drew said in the Florida Times-Union. "It's not like I know everything. I'm still learning different things every day. I think that is when you become your best. You think you know it all, but you can always learn something else."

The rest of the class has some other breakout stars as well. Jerious Norwood, a third-round pick, is worth drafting as a No. 4 Fantasy option and could shine in a tandem with Michael Turner.

Leon Washington (fourth-round pick) could be a viable reserve if something happens to Thomas Jones. And Brian Calhoun (third-round pick) and Jerome Harrison (fifth-round pick) have potential in Detroit and Cleveland, respectively, if they get playing time.

This is a solid group of running backs. And this should be the best year yet for the Class of 2006.

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