Fantasy Football owners know that many things go into accomplishing the greatest of fantasy feats, the championship season. It's sort of like making the perfect chili! You need your corn (TE’s); you need your sliced green, red and yellow peppers (WR’s); you need your onions (DST); you need your stew cuts of beef (QB), and you need your seasoning as well (K), not to mention your sour cream and cheese (Bench). But, to me and every chili lover out there, you don’t have a great meal unless you have some great tomato (RB) product in there as well. The RB, much like the tomato, in my mind is what holds everything together! It's the base, and if you have a great base for your, there is no way that it will turn out horrible.

If you start out strong at the running back position, especially in the day of the RBBC, there is no way that you don’t make a strong playoff run and maybe even more! With that being said, the Bruno Boys want to break down some of the burning questions that surround the running back position as we head into 2008.

Enjoy the first of three articles in this Burning Questions - Running Back Series.
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Question: How will Oakland Raiders rookie Darren McFadden do in his rookie season?

Answer:  It has recently come out that Justin Fargas is the main back at the moment for the Oakland Raiders, so Darren McFadden’s value is slipping a little. For those that are looking for a solid RB3, that is good news! How? Because this allows him to go under the radar some! And, sometime early in the season McFadden should take over as the lead back and should prove to be a very solid commodity. I just don’t see Fargas remaining the top RB when McFadden’s game is beyond most RB’s. Expect solid numbers on the ground, some through the air and maybe a handful of TD’s to boot. But, if you are expecting Adrian Peterson rookie type numbers, you will be gravely disappointed!

2008 Fantasy Football Value: RB3 who's value should keep getting better as the season progresses.

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Q: What type of stats will Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker produce this year?

A: Willie Parker will be splitting some carries with Rashard Mendenhall for the Pittsburgh Steelers this year, with Mendenhall very likely becoming the featured goal-line back (still not announced). Parker had an outstanding 2006 season, and has averaged about 1,500 yards the past three seasons, but his TD production has not been great in three of his first four seasons. That should change some as he should see some goal-line time as well. Somewhere with his norm of 1,500 yards with a spike in visits to the pay dirt with 5-8 TD’s is not out of the question for this speedy back!

2008 Fantasy Football Value: RB2 and if he gets a good chunk of goal-line carries, possible low-end RB1.
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Q: How will the Carolina Panthers use Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams this season?

A: DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are like peanut butter and jelly. They are both solid on their own, but when fused together they're even better! Stewart is still ailing and could start the season slow. In fact, in his own words, he implied that the NFL speed is still a bit too fast for him, but he will catch up sonner than later. Williams is a very solid back that is finally coming into his own as well. I see Williams accruing more yardage with Stewart chiming in with more TD’s, but none the less the split in carries should be about even and both have solid backup RB potential this fantasy season. The Carolina Panthers have the makings for a great RB duo!

2008 Fantasy Football Value: Both are solid RB3 options, but neither should be used as a full-time RB2.
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Q: Will San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore’s game benefit from having new OC Mike Martz in the system?

A: You know it! His running attempts could be down some, as most of Mike Martz’s RB’s are, but Frank Gore’s receiving game will probably be shattering his own personal highs. Remember, Martz was the guru behind Marshall Faulk, groomed Steven Jackson into the player he is today and is eager to run the San Francisco 49ers offense through Gore. As long as Gore stays healthy, he has a real legitimate shot at gaining 2,000+ combined yards, 8+ TD’s and could become one of the biggest bargains in this years draft as he is slipping to the late first, early second rounds. Expect numbers that could push him back into the top-5 or so this year.

2008 Fantasy Football Value: Definite RB1 with the potential to produce as a stud RB once again.
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Q: Is rookie RB Kevin Smith the real deal for the Detroit Lions, or should I keep my eyes focused on one of their other RB’s, namely Tatum Bell?

A: Put it this way, Tatum Bell is not a favorite of the Detroit Lions coaching staff. He sat most of last year as a healthy scratch and this year the Lions brought in RB Kevin Smith with the first pick in the third round. Smith is going to go through his rookie growing pains, as all players do, but he should be the first option for the Lions out of the backfield. Don’t expect amazing stats, but he still has the potential to put up a solid year in the yardage department. It remains to be seen what they will be doing during goal-line situations though.

2008 Fantasy Football Value: He has the potential to be a very solid RB3 option, but it may be smart to try and use him as your RB4 instead, being that he is a rookie, and of course, a member of the Detroit Lions.
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Q: With a revamped OL and a star QB in Brett Favre, how will New York Jets RB Thomas Jones produce this year?

A: In Thomas Jones' first year with the New York Jets he was able to top 1,100 rushing yards, but his YPC average as well as his TD total were significantly down. This really wasn’t Jones’ fault though as there were many factors contributing to his lack of production, one of them being a horrible OL. This offseason the Jets were able to upgrade the OL big time, brought in a future H.O.F. QB in Brett Favre and things are looking rosier than ever for Thomas Jones to get back to where he was before he left the Chicago Bears. Expect 1,500+ total yards as well as 6+ TD’s this season from him.

2008 Fantasy Football Value: Look for him to bounce back into RB2 status and if you can snag him as your RB3, all the better!