The fantasy football season is almost upon us, and like every year, there are several topics that can get heated in some fantasy circles. Even here at Rant Sports, writers have disagreements, and we thought with the looming elections, this would be the perfect time to host our own fantasy football debates. Below is our third 2012 fantasy football debate between two very hot running backs in Arizona, Chris “Beanie” Wells and Ryan Williams.
Candidate Adam McGill – Beanie Wells
Fantasy hand-cuffs have slowly become an after thought, as more fantasy owners are sticking to one camp, as opposed to honoring both sides. There is no exception when it comes to the debate of Arizona Cardinals’ running backs, Beanie Wells versus Ryan Williams.
Both backs are immensely talented, but like the critically acclimated Highlander movies, “There can only be one.”
Chris “Beanie” Wells is being overlooked in every single type of fantasy league this summer, and in some cases Wells is even being drafted after his backup, Williams. This is ludicrous, because Wells is the number one back on the depth chart, so naturally he is the obvious choice as the team’s number one fantasy option as well.
Why draft a NFL backup, as a fantasy starter? It just does not make sense.
Wells gained a very impressive 1,047 rushing yards in 14 games last year, while miraculously scoring 10 touchdowns in Arizona’s bleak offense. He emerged as a reliable red-zone option for Arizona, and proved that the six-time Pro Bowl receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, is not the only one that can score in the desert.
Also, not many running backs can come off a season in which they had a 200-yard rushing performance and still be drafted outside of the first five rounds. Wells has not been talked about in any leagues this summer, only adding to his sleeper appeal. He is a low-end starter, that is being drafted as a backup. What more can a fantasy owner want?
On the other hand, Williams is coming off a devastating injury. After tearing his right patellar tendon in the preseason of 2011, Williams missed his entire rookie season. A knee injury, such as the one Williams suffered, normally takes at least one full year to recover, so he will not be nearly as explosive as people may think in 2012.
Wells will get the majority of the carries in Arizona, and thus get the majority of the fantasy points as well. Look for him to go over the 1,000-yard mark again and add around 8-10 more scores.
Candidate Ben Grimaldi – Ryan Williams
Which running back do I prefer in Arizona Cardinals? Easy, that would be Ryan Williams. I know he’s coming off a major injury, but it’s not like Beanie Wells has ever been the picture of health either. I’ll take the player who has had longer time to recover from his injury, as opposed to the player who seemingly breaks a nail and can’t play. Or he’ll leave you hanging because he’s questionable on the injury report every, single, week.
Being a winner at fantasy football is about limiting the amount of guessing you have to do, and maximizing your upside. Do you really want to torture yourself by reading dozens of injury reports about Wells every week? Is he playing, is he not playing; not to mention he plays half of his games during the late kickoffs. That means you’ll be guessing if he’ll play when you may have a sure thing on your bench from an early kickoff. I don’t want that headache.
When speaking about Wells, I like to quote the words of Dean Wormer from the movie Animal House, “drunk, fat and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”
Wells is soft, slow and always injured. On the other hand, Williams has looked like the player the Arizona drafted out of Virginia Tech. He’s quick to the hole and accelerates through it with explosive speed. These are traits we have hardly ever seen out of the former Ohio State back. Wells may be a bigger and more physical back, but it often leads to him getting injured.
Williams is a more explosive and decisive runner, which is important in the Cardinals’ offense, since their offensive line is less than stellar. He has the ability to see the hole and get to it faster than Wells. Williams can also get to the edge and break long gains, another thing that Wells has never been able to do.
The Cardinals need some explosion in their offense; it’s why they drafted Williams. Don’t get me wrong, they will both get plenty of playing time, but I think it’s only a matter of time until Ryan Williams becomes the feature back for the Cards. Or until Wells’ next injury.
Either way, I’m putting my money on Williams being the fantasy back you want to own in Arizona.
Who do you think won the fantasy football debate? Make sure to vote in the comment box below.
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