Top 5 Running Back Keepers
With free agency starting to die down, the NFL Draft is quickly approaching. Last season we saw Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Trent Richardson come out of the draft and make an immediate fantasy impact. The 2012 draft class was filled with top notch fantasy football studs. These guys are all very young and are going to be very popular draft picks in 2013 drafts
Young players are always wanted, but they are especially wanted in keeper leagues. Keeper leagues are leagues in which you get to keep players from your team from the year before and not have to draft them. Basically, they are yours without having to waste a draft pick on them.
Typically, the most popular keeper position is running back. We all know the shallowest position in the NFL is running back, so getting a franchise guy like Adrian Peterson would propel you ahead of your competition for years.
Your mind set for a keeper league is completely different. You are going to want to build for the future, not just focusing on winning in the current season. Keepers add a lot more of a franchise-feel which some people really enjoy and others do not.
If you’re playing in a keeper league in this upcoming season, or you have been playing for a few years in a keeper league, here is your top 5 running back keepers for the 2013 season.
Cameron Adamczyk is a fantasy football writer for Rant Sports. Follow his Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus for constant sports updates!
5- Marshawn Lynch
Beast Mode was a beast again last season. Lynch’s most desirable asset is his consistency. While he is never going to have a record-breaking year, he is going to give you 1500 yards and 8 touchdowns. Having a guy you can rely on from week to week is much underrated in fantasy football.
4- Arian Foster
It wasn't but a year ago when we were talking about Foster being the best fantasy option in the league. Despite having all the talent in the world, Foster had a disappointing 2012 season. He had 15 touchdowns, but he had a measly 1,424 yards rushing. This guy needs to pick it up, and he has the ability to.
3- Adrian Peterson
Yes I know Peterson just had the season of a decade. Yes I know that he is a freak athlete. However, this guy’s years are running out. Morris and Martin are 24 years old, while All Day is 28 years of age. He is going to go down as the best of his generation, but a new generation is quickly approaching. Thinking Peterson will have another 2,097 yard season is preposterous. He is still going to put up great numbers, but in four to five years he isn’t going to.
2- Alfred Morris
This guy could very well be the best keeper option, but the defenses in his division are more competitive than Doug Martin’s. His stat line looked better than Martin’s in 2012, but if you look at the attempts, Morris had 335 attempts, which is 16 more than him. While I have Morris ranked second, having either of these guys on your team is something you cannot be upset about. Morris led rookie rushers with 1,613 yards and 13 scores. The stats are good, but he may not be able to keep them up.
1- Doug Martin
Doug Martin emerged on to the scene as a rookie standout in 2013. In a young and explosive offense in Tampa Bay, Martin fits in as a centerpiece of that offense. He has a good passing game supporting him, which many running backs don’t seem to have nowadays. The Muscle Hamster had 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns last season on 319 attempts. He had games where he blew past everyone, the most memorable being against Oakland where he rushed his way for 251 yards and four touchdowns. Doug’s big-play ability and his ability to break tackles make him the best keeper option for 2013.
