The Facts: Ballard finished his rookie season with 12 consecutive starts at running back, 211 carries, 814 yards and a highlight reel diving, corkscrew touchdown to win an overtime game in Tennessee. In his second year, he’s in line to continue as the lead back for the Indianapolis Colts, who will also have Donald Brown, Delone Carter and seventh-round pick Kerwynn Williams in the backfield mix.
Diehards Line:It remains to be seen just how much new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton will look to split up the workload for the team’s running backs. “It’s always nice to have a couple guys, a change of pace guy,” HC Chuck Pagano said recently. “Can Vick be an every-down guy? Yeah. Can [Brown] be an every-down guy? Yeah. They are different types of runners and are more than capable on third down, knowing the protections and picking up blitzers and being effective once they get out to catch the football and doing those things out of the backfield." As ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky suggested, Ballard and Brown should be able to complement each other. Carter can be insurance for Ballard and Williams might be an alternate change up for Brown.