|
Camp Battles
By Mike Beacom
Browns RBs – Harrison vs. Hardesty
In 2009, Cleveland’s offense was as generic as its uniforms, offering little for fantasy owners to get excited about. Then Jerome Harrison stepped in for injured Jamal Lewis and all of a sudden the Browns were relevant again.
Harrison had seen little action in his first three seasons in the league but nobody cared about that after he busted through Kansas City’s defense for three touchdowns and 286 yards – the third highest total in NFL history. In mid-June, Harrison signed a one-year tender for $1.759 million, but now must compete with the team’s second round draft choice, Montario Hardesty.
The winner of this camp battle will benefit from running behind one of the league’s best young offensive lines, led by Pro Bowler Joe Thomas.
Why Harrison will win the job: On a team filled with inexperienced backs, Harrison is the only one capable of offering a veteran presence on the field. Harrison has four years under his belt and has a feel for those big blockers working in front of him. And fantasy owners are fooling themselves if they think the Browns are going to dismiss the 561 yards and five touchdowns Harrison collected in the final three games of the 2009 season. Some backs may luck out with a 100-yard effort now and then, but only legitimate featured backs are capable of stringing together a few games like that. It was no fluke.
Why Hardesty will: It is going to take time, but eventually Hardesty will be the Browns featured back – fantasy owners can count on it. Not only did Cleveland package three picks to move up to draft the University of Tennessee rusher, but they recently gave him a meaty deal ($1.572 million of it guaranteed). Team executives were impressed by the 225-pound back’s athleticism and his production during his final season with the Volunteers (1,345 yards, 13 touchdowns, 25 catches). In the regular season finale against Kentucky, Hardesty sprinted 20 yards in overtime to claim the 30-24 win. He’s a winner, has ideal size, and was hand-picked by new Team President Mike Holmgren.
Don’t forget about: James Davis
Forget about last year’s statline (nine carries for 15 yards) … that wasn’t the real James Davis. At Clemson, Davis gained 101 yards in his first college game, and 216 yards against Georgia Tech during his sophomore season. He twice rushed for more than 1,000 yards and found the end zone 49 times. Last year, Davis was forced to sit behind Jamal Lewis before a shoulder injury cut his rookie campaign short. Now he is the favorite to win the team’s No. 3 tailback spot in camp.
Who fantasy owners should pull for: Hardesty
The former Tennessee star is the future of the franchise, but reports from camp suggest he may also be the present. Hardesty was neck-and-neck with Harrison for much of the summer, and a few of the team’s beat reporters feel as though he should already be elevated to the top of the depth chart.
In Harrison, fantasy owners get a steady workhorse, much the same as what Lewis offered last year. But Hardesty offers better speed and is more versatile, which could translate into more big plays.
Fantasy owners should not go overboard on either player, however, as the most likely scenario for this camp battle is that the team will keep Harrison in the No. 1 role for the first few weeks of the season and then gradually make the move the Hardesty, with the two sharing carries equally until then.
Mike Beacom is a contributing writer for FootballDiehards.com.
|
|
Home
