Shanahan-Gate: Running Back by Committee Controversy
C.P. Dymeck
8/8/2006 

As we begin our countdown towards the ever illustrious NFL season, fantasy footballer’s begin to quarrel over which running backs will prevail in training camp battles. The Running Back by Committee has played a growing role throughout fantasy football in recent years, even though it has lurked in the shadows since the dawn of football itself. 
 

Mike Shanahan, head coach of the Denver Broncos has been the fantasy geeks’ scapegoat when it comes to running backs. Mike Shanahan is committed to keeping his lips glued when it comes to training camp battles between running backs. In the past three season’s, the Mile High City has entered the football season with three different starting running backs.

Another situation erupted in the 2005 pre-season where tight-lipped Shanahan refused to comment on. A healthy Mike Anderson was back in camp, competing alongside incumbent speedster Tatum Bell. Throughout August, Shanahan had led the world to believe Tatum Bell would be the lead back in the Broncos system. On the first week in Miami, Mike Shanahan announces Mike Anderson the starting running back. That announcement crushed fantasy manager’s dreams, especially those that drafted Tatum Bell before the fifth round of their annual draft. What a bummer.  

Once again, Denver has another controversy in the backfield. Undrafted rookie free agent Mike Bell, a Denver native, was brought in and overwhelmingly impressed the staff. Through the first week of pre-season, Mike Bell has been named the starter in Denver, over Ron Dayne and Tatum Bell. We all know how Mike Shanahan plays this game. When it concerns his running back stable, his poker face is hard-pressed. Do not be surprised if Mike Bell is the starting running back, since he has an average draft position of nearly nothing so far this pre-season. Shanahan never fails to appease those involved with fantasy football. 
 

Mike Shanahan is not the only coach who withholds valuable information for the money-funneling fantasy players worldwide. Let’s take a look at another recent situation that has not been friendly for us involved in fantasy football. 

The Minnesota Vikingsformer head coach Mike Tice was an expert at keeping his lips sealed when it comes to running back battles in training camp. The Vikings have had four different leading rushers in the past four seasons.  

In 2002, Michael Bennett carried the load for Minnesota; after all, he had impressed the coaches a year before in his rookie season. In 2003, Bennett was once again named starter, but ended up missing eight games. In that time, Moe Williams and Onterrio Smith took over and led the Vikings ground game. The situation from the two previous seasons’s led to a huge running back controversy in 2004.  Would Michael Bennett return with enough health to carry the Vikings or would Mike Tice put in place an all out running back by committee? Well, nonetheless, a new leader emerged amongst four running backs. Moe Williams and Michael Bennett struggled with health issues, while rookie Mewelde Moore took the spotlight when it was available. Finally, Onterrio Smith became the third different leading running back in three years for Minnesota. Last season, fantasy owners began to stray from selecting any Viking running backs too early amidst the running back by committee rumors. Before the season began, Onterrio Smith was suspended for the ever infamous “Whizzinator” incident. The battle for the #1 spot was down to three… Bennett, Williams, and Moore. Moe Williams sustained an injury that kept him out of the majority season. Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore shared the majority of the carries. Nevertheless, Moore led the team in rushing. Once again, there was a football team minus a true starting, solo running back to carry the load. 

The difference between Denver and Minnesota is simple. Denver has maintained a 1,000-yard rusher for four consecutive seasons. Minnesota has finished the past three seasons without a 1,000-yard rusher. Quite simply, the system in Denver works, regardless of running back by committee or controversy, the system in Minnesota has not. Will 2006 be the dawn of a new era for running backs in Minnesota? The Vikings appear to have a clear-cut starter in Chester Taylor. Taylor rushed for 1,201 combined rushing yards the past two seasons while having 227-less attempts than starter Jamal Lewis. Finally, it appears that any running back by committee situation in Minnesota has evaporated, at least for now. 

As for the nay-sayers that exclaim how bad a running back by committee is for fantasy football, let’s take a look at the Miami Dolphins in 2005. Nick Saban is the anti-Shanahan when it comes down to his running backs. Throughout his tenure at Louisiana State University, Saban has utilized a two-back system minus the controversy. In his first season in Miami, the two-back system led the Dolphins to a winning record. In 15 games, Ronnie Brown averaged 4.4 yards per carry while punishing opponents for 907 yards in 207 attempts. Meanwhile, Ricky Williams maintained the same average of yards per carry, on 168 attempts. He finished the season with 743 yards on the ground. This is a pure running back by committee minus the controversy. Ronnie Brown has not carried a full load for a football team since his high school days. There were only 6 games where Brown finished with less than 50 rushing yards, four of those games came in the final four weeks of the NFL season. Ricky Williams also finished below 50 rushing yards in only 6 games last season. Two of those games, he only carried the ball on 5 & 6 carries, respectively.  

Now, these are not incredible week in and week out numbers for any running back, but Brown and Williams were formidable starters in your #2 fantasy slot, depending on the opponent. Miami is proof positive that not all running back by committee’s can fall under the Shanahan syndrome.  
 

Either way, we will witness a possibility of 15 separate running back camp battles. Each day of practice is a battle, but a camp battle consists of two or more running backs competing for one starting gig. Let’s dive into the more controversial camp battles going on around the NFL. 

      Denver Broncos – Mike Shanahan sure has his hands full with the likes of Ron Dayne, Tatum Bell, Cedric Cobbs, and Mike Bell. With the latest smokescreens concerning Mike Bell, we mind as well throw Cobbs out of the picture. According to the Denver Post, Mike Bell has “impressed coaches with his hard running and the way he fits the Broncos' system.” Is he the real deal? We have already been led to believe that Quentin Griffin and Tatum Bell were the real deals. I would recommend staying away from any of these three running backs but stay tuned. By the end of August, we should see this controversy clear up and a lead candidate may emerge. Today it is Mike Bell; tomorrow it may be Tatum Bell or Ron Dayne. 

      New York Jets – With the recent rumors of an ailing Curtis Martin considering hanging up the cleats, the once crystal clear backfield in the Meadowlands has become a murky one. The Star-Ledger reported that if Martin does indeed return, it will not be at the start of the season. If Martin does indeed call it a career, excuse me, Hall of Fame career, we will see an all-out running back by committee headed by Cedric Houston and Derrick Blaylock. Former Seminole Leon Washington may see little action as well. Contrary to recent reports, Derrick Blaylock would not see the majority of action if Martin continues to be absent. Rumors have already begun to swirl that the Jets may be interested in former Virginia Tech standout Lee Suggs (according to the Beacon Journal). Do not expect to see a single running back eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the Jets this upcoming season. The running back pool is crowded with average talent behind a mediocre offensive line with a lack of quarterback support.

      Green Bay Packers – As I have preached with the Jets, the Packers backfield looks just as overcast. The best hope for any solid numbers from any Packer running back would be for Ahman Green to start a healthy 16 games. I am sorry if I do not expel with confidence in Samkon Gado or Najeh Davenport. All three running backs suffered serious injuries a year ago. Green and Davenport missed the majority of the season, in which Gado emerged to only suffer a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee late last December. How will all three suffering running backs fit into the picture in Green Bay? No one knows, not even head coach Mike McCarthy. If any of this trio can emerge, and run with a chip on their shoulder, fantasy geeks may be delighted. If any of these three continue to suffer from lingering effects of injuries, than fantasy geeks will be disappointed. As of now, the Green Bay rushing attack has been thrown in the lost and found bin. Ahman Green will be the starting running back, but the major questions concerning his health and the health of the others makes this one big controversial running back by committee. 

Running back by committee’s hurt fantasy football more than they hurt the NFL for obvious reasons. True difference-makers will emerge eventually. With running back by committee’s come handcuffs. Be sure to lock up the starter with his back-up, unless they play for Green Bay or the Jets.  

I leave you with a quote from Najeh Davenport: "This ain't (expletive). And besides, competition drives you. It makes everybody better."

C.P. Dymeck is a writer for FFLiveWire.com & NFLXperts.com. He is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers of America.