Fantasy football has evolved over the years, mostly by adding different formats and becoming more accessible as it's gained popularity. But our game changes as the NFL changes. It's happened before with respect to running backs, and we might be seeing it happen again before our eyes. And that change could affect how we run our fantasy teams.
Back in prehistoric days, three-down backs roamed the fields, hunting rushes, receptions and touchdowns. They were plentiful and valuable, though some were more effective and valuable than others. The same could be said in fantasy football, where the first round of a draft was the domain of running backs.
Then the meteor of specialization hit, and they mostly went extinct. Sure, you'd see the occasional Adrian Peterson, but the position evolved. A new species, the touchdown vulture, emerged. And as the running back position became more interchangeable to the NFL, the same happened in fantasy leagues. Now the first round of a draft has plenty of receivers and quarterbacks. Occasionally you might even see a tight end. And that became the new normal.
Now we might be seeing the next step in the game's evolution. The running back position is starting to accommodate two viable starters, with the term "backup" and "handcuff" losing some of their meaning.
Tevin Coleman is Devonta Freeman's backup, right? He's the handcuff if Freeman gets hurt? Those are rhetorical questions (since this a column) but I'm not entirely sure anymore. I don't want to call it a "committee" because that conjures up images of scrubs all trying to earn a few carries on a pretty bad team. Freeman starts, but both are getting significant chunks of all facets of the running game. Neither one is the pass-catcher or the goal-line specialist. You can't really predict when either one will be out there. And while that hurts the value of both players, it also makes each worthy of starter consideration on fantasy teams.
That might be a unique situation, but I'm not so sure. When Kansas City gets Jamaal Charles going, we might see the same thing in that backfield. Ware and Charles can both catch passes, be used at the goal line and run between the 20s. It wouldn't take much for both to become starters for different fantasy teams, or even the same team that has both on its roster.
This development is different than the "thunder and lightning" combinations we've seen in the past, like Ron Dayne and Tiki Barber. Those guys had specific roles, like Shane Vereen or Danny Woodhead. This is a situation where each guy is given all aspects of a running game and allowed to carve out some stats (and fantasy points) within each game. It's not totally unique in the annals of pro football, but we could be seeing an evolution in the position.
Like most things in the league, money plays a role. Teams are hesitant to pay big dollars to running backs, so this makes each player simply a part of the position that's easier to replace. It also reduces wear and tear on one guy, and allows someone to step into all facets of the game if they need to carry the load by themselves. That also gives teams more leverage when contract discussions come up.
The downside for fantasy teams is that getting your starter's "handcuff" is going to be more difficult, because they're not just a handcuff. They're on the radar screen as a potential starter in their own right.
I think there's more upside, though. Now there could be more legitimate fantasy starters than there are NFL teams. You have a better chance of keeping serviceable players on your roster, whether you have the other component to that team's running game or not.
And if you have two guys from the same team, you can legitimately consider starting both players. It's one thing to burn a roster spot on an insurance policy. But if the guy can actually score points for you in the lineup regardless of the starter's health? That player has a lot more value.
This might not become the norm immediately, but I think we're seeing a trend that will affect both real and fantasy teams. Hopefully that means more talent, a more robust waiver wire and more fantasy option at a challenging position. You might even find yourself with two starters from one team. So start 'em both. Why not? Good luck this week.
Do you see the potential to start two backs from the same team? Would you take that risk? Have you? Share your thoughts below.