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The Green Bay Packers have been known as a pass-first NFL offense for many years. Aaron Rodgers has proved to be one of the best fantasy quarterbacks available and before Rodgers, it was Brett Favre who led the team to multiple playoff appearances.
The 2013 season looks to be one of the most promising in terms of the fantasy running back position for the Packers. They have gone through numerous running backs, hoping to find the one player they can depend on to give the arm of Rodgers a rest.
Related: Preseason NFL Football Can Benefit Your Fantasy Team
In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Packers proved they are again searching for their star running back by drafting Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin. Both have impressed in training camp so far in their own way, but who will be the workhorse for the Packers this season? Drafting a Packers running back this year for your fantasy team appears to not look like a bad idea after all.
Lacy is known as one of the best running backs to enter the NFL this season as he proved his skill during his collegiate time. The Packers have not had a big, hard-hitting running back like Lacy for quite some time and are hoping he is the solution to their problems.
As of right now, Lacy may have the slight edge in the race, but this doesn’t mean he will be the starter come Week 1 of the regular season.
Lacy has put on, let’s just say, a few extra pounds since being drafted by the Packers. He credits it to eating more fast food and the greasy, cheesy meals that Green Bay is accustomed to serving. Head coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t seem too worried about the added weight around Lacy’s midsection. McCarthy says he’s doing well in training camp and doesn’t seem to be slowed down at all by the extra padding.
Franklin, a fourth round pick, may sneak up and steal the spotlight away from Lacy. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound back came into training camp looking for that starting role. Franklin is a dynamic player who impressed McCarthy right away in training camp and also stood out in the eyes of his quarterback Rodgers. Franklin is the shifty, quick-cutting style of running back that could be a major threat out of the backfield, and a solid fantasy option if you are in a PPR league.
The two competing for the starting role play the game in two opposite styles, and who gets the start in Week 1 depends on what McCarthy and his staff are looking for in their game plan. Who will get the majority of carries is not yet determined, but how each player plays throughout the preseason will be the defining factor.
If you’re looking to draft a Packers running back this season, be sure to keep tabs on how the preseason shapes up. Either of the two backs could be a nice, mid to late-round pick depending on how well they perform throughout the preseason.
Tristen Challe is a Fantasy Writer for Rantsports. Follow him on Twitter @TristenChalle
