Nothing happened this past season to budge me from my position that you should go running back shopping in the first round of your fantasy drafts. And it should come as no surprise I'm going to open the 2014 rankings with Jamaal Charles. He was one of my top choices headed into 2013 and he was fantastic for me during the playoffs. I don't have to remind anybody of that.
But let's get to the rankings.
- Hopefully, McCoy won't be too upset with me on the social media for making him the No. 2 back. He's in a great situation for next season with Chip Kelly and really, I wouldn't mind having either him or Charles as my RB1.
- Peterson will bounce back next season. He's still a No. 3 guy to me, so I don't see this as any disrespect. However, I do want to see who the Vikings will hire as the next coach. Like the Lions, I hope the Vikings go offensive-minded. I know it seems weird now, but the NFC North has seen its share of fireworks over the last couple of years.
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- Forte is another great back I would expect to find at the end of the first-round in most drafts. But he's my No. 4 guy here and the ceiling is still pretty high for him.
- I like Lacy and Murray. I would definitely draft them in the first round of the draft. I'm just not sure how excited I would be about it afterwards.
- Morris is going to be a monster next season. I'm going to show a little restraint on him here in the top 10. But he could definitely move up with the right coach.
- Knowshown Moreno will not appear on this list, and it's kind of a shame. He's been so good for me over the past couple of years, but the emergence of Montee Ball could eat into his production. Still, he's going to be good enough to be a No. 2 back, or flex option next year. I just don't think you'll find him in Round 11 this time.
- Boy, you have to wonder how much higher Stacy could be in drafts if Brian Schottenheimer was not the offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Football Club.
- Bell became one of the most consistent backs in the league down the stretch. Expect the Steelers to invest in the offensive line once again.
- Ryan Mathews needs to remain in San Diego. He won't be a top-10 pick if he stays, but I certainly won't touch him if he is with another team.
- Keep an eye on Ben Tate. If he lands in a good situation (like Arizona, as a for instance), he could certainly make a move up the list.
Did you know that Adam Rank won last year's Expert's League title? Oh that's right, it's like the only thing he ever talks about. Well congratulations, Rank. You finally did something. What have you done for us lately? Let's worry about 2013 and stop living in the past. Typical Lakers fan, am I right? Oh, if you found this useful (as if) check him out on the latest "Dave Dameshek Football Program". And follow him on Twitter, please. He's taking us to lunch if he gets 17 more Twitter followers today. And we only got 15 the last time, so step up fantasy enthusiasts!
