Clinton Portis has passed his first test of training camp.
The talented running back, who has been limited due to a bout of knee tendonitis, returned to full practice on Tuesday and worked with the first-team offense without limitations. It was a positive sign both for Portis and fantasy football owners who continue to wonder when (or if) Portis should be in their plans on draft day. There's more work to be done for sure, but Portis was pleased with his first real workout.
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"I was worried that I was going to show too much too soon," Portis said after practice. "It felt pretty good, actually. I have to get my legs back under me. I slipped and fell a couple of times running the ball but outside of that I felt good."
Portis, who is considered to be a game-time decision for Washington's preseason finale in Jacksonville, has kept up his conditioning with extensive cardiovascular exercise and riding stationary bikes to keep his legs in shape. He knows he isn't back to 100 percent health at this point in time, but Portis fully expects to be close to that mark when Washington opens its regular-season schedule against the Miami Dolphins.
"I'm about 85, maybe (I'll be) 95 tomorrow," Portis said. "If I'm 98 percent by Thursday of Week 1 then I got to be 100. We'll have a couple days off and I'm sure they're going to help so I feel like I'll be alright."
There are some fantasy owners who have to be concerned that his minimal practice time and no preseason work (at this time) could mean a slow start to the season. However, Portis isn't worried about his lack of preseason action because running the football is the same now as it's always been in the NFL.
"Football hasn't changed," Portis said. "I look back at the days when Jim Brown and Earl Campbell used to play football and it's still the same. It's the same plays John Riggins ran, the same plays Ernest Byner ran. It's still the same."
Portis, whose past numbers put him right in line with the likes of Brown, Campbell and Riggins, still seems headed towards sharing at least some of the workload with Ladell Betts. A fantasy football monster for owners late last season, Betts rushed for 1,154 yards (nine starts) and scored five total touchdowns with Portis out of action due to shoulder and hand ailments.
Head coach Joe Gibbs won't want to overburden Portis in the first week or two of the regular season, so Betts should see more than his share of action.
"I think Ladell has the best schedule in football because when I'm not going they make sure nothing happens to him as a safety valve, and when I am going nothing happens to him because I'm going," Portis said. "That's a sweet schedule. Luckily for me I got Ladell and hopefully we co-exist and give everybody what they're looking for this year."
Between his health and the presence of Betts, Portis is one of the most prominent risk-reward players in fantasy football. Still, it's not out of the cards for a back with such immense skills and abilities to record 1,000-plus yards and around seven touchdowns even if he does lose some work to Betts. While his status as an elite fantasy back has faded, Portis is still an attractive No. 2 fantasy runner and worth a second- or third-round pick. Owners who do take a chance on him should also look to add Betts in the middle rounds.
GORE CLEARED FOR ACTION
Aside from Portis, another runner who has dealt with a preseason ailment, albeit a less serious one, is Frank Gore. The stud runner broke a bone in his right hand earlier in training camp but has healed well and has been cleared to play in San Francisco's preseason finale against the San Diego Chargers. However, it appears that head coach Mike Nolan will err on the side of caution and keep Gore on the sidelines.
"He can probably play but I'm not going to play him," Nolan told the Sacramento Bee. "As much as he carried the ball last year, I think he's got it down."
Gore has been fitted with a protective padding that will help him take hits on his injured hand, but whether or not he wears it in Week 1 depends on how comfortable he feels with it in practice. Gore has participated in individual drills but hasn't taken part in a full practice since the end of July. That will change on Wednesday, however, as Gore will participate in team drills wearing the new hand protection.
"The more practice I get, the more I touch the ball," Gore said. "I'll be ready."
Gore, who emerged as one of the top sleepers in fantasy football last season, has worked hard on his conditioning and shouldn't need much time to become cohesive in an offense that will focus on him. In fact, quarterback Alex Smith told the Bee that Gore has tried his best to get in some work.
"You know, he was out here with the cast these last few weeks trying to get reps, trying to steal reps," Smith said. "I'm sure he'll be ready."
While he is one of the most young talented backs in the NFL, fantasy owners should not forget that Gore has not been durable in his career. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee before the 2002 season while at the University of Miami and missed the entire campaign. He came back in 2003 and rushed for 100-plus yards in each of his first three contests, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee five games into the season. He returned again in 2004 and rushed for 1,000-plus yards.
Another factor to consider is that Gore no longer has Norv Turner as his offensive coordinator. Stephen Davis, Ricky Williams and LaMont Jordan all saw decreased statistical success in the first season after Turner left their respective teams. While that is notable, it should also be known that the Niners will continue to run the same offense under new coordinator Jim Hostler, who served as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2006.
Since there are questions about some of the other top runners in fantasy football such as Larry Johnson and Shaun Alexander, Gore's durability and the loss of Turner will not keep himfrom being one of the first five back selected in most drafts. Owners who land Gore should be certain to also keep tabs on the battle for the second spot on the depth chart between Michael Robinson, Maurice Hicks and Thomas Clayton. The winner (Robinson seems like the favorite) will be a viable late-round handcuff selection across the board.
NEWS & NOTES
-- Brandon Jones was considered a viable sleeper candidate headed into the preseason, but it appears that he's been passed on the depth chart by Eric Moulds, Roydell Williams and rookie Chris Davis. Williams started with the veteran Moulds in the team's last exhibition contest, and Davis is the favorite to be the new slot receiver. While Moulds and Williams could be worth a late-round flier in leagues with 12-plus teams, none of the trio of Jones, Davis or Courtney Roby will warrant serious consideration in drafts.
-- Brandon Jackson appears to have recovered from the mild concussion he sustained last week. He passed a post-concussion test on Tuesday and seems to be in line to return when the Packers open the regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson's main competition for the top spot on the depth chart, Vernand Morency, took part in limited drills but still hasn't had a full practice since he hurt his knee in late July. Jackson, a rookie out Nebraska, remains the favorite to start and is a viable fantasy sleeper.
-- Reports out of Philadelphia indicate that L.J. Smith, who hurt his groin in practice earlier in training camp, expects to be available for the regular-season opener in Green Bay. Smith, who has also had to recover from a surgical procedure to repair a sports hernia, should be drafted as a No. 2 fantasy tight end due to his injuries but has the talent to be a regular starter for owners. Barring setbacks, Smith has the skills to catch 50-60 passes while Donovan McNabb is at the helm of the Eagles' pass-laden offense.
-- The San Antonio News-Express reports that Marion Barber will not lose his third-down and goal-line duties this season. Julius Jones will remain the starter and has seen added work in the red zone in preseason work, but Barber appears set to continue his role as a touchdown vulture. While his chances to duplicate the 16 total touchdowns he recorded last season appears to be slim, Barber's nose for the end zone will make him a more attractive choice then Jones even as the No. 2 back on the depth chart.
-- Hines Ward underwent a surgical procedure to repair the broken nose he sustained earlier in the week. Despite the surgery, the veteran receiver out of Georgia could still see some work in Pittsburgh's preseason finale in Carolina and should be fine foe the regular-season opener in Cleveland. Though his final statistics last season left a little to be desired, Ward should still be considered a viable No. 2 fantasy wideout and is well worth a middle-round selection across the board.
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