Betting on US Open 2009 odds is fun, but have you ever tried playing fantasy golf? It sucks. Pick a needle-in-a-haystack golfer, hope he wins, then you’re not allowed to pick him again all season? No thank you. Bring on the fantasy football, please.<\/p>\n
Let’s look at the top-20 fantasy running backs for this coming season – guys whose combination of talent and good situations gives them a chance to seriously boost their teams’ NFL odds.<\/p>\n
1. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings<\/strong><\/p>\n The tall, powerful AP is the new top standard for NFL<\/strong><\/a> running backs. He’s explosive and his 20-plus carries per game are secure. Imagine how valuable he’d be if he was a pass catcher? He only had 125 receiving yards compared to 1,760 rushing yards last season.<\/p>\n 2. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons<\/strong><\/p>\n The Falcons may run him into the ground within a few years – he had 376 carries last season – but he’s fresh right now and the bullish Turner should pile up yards and touchdowns again in a developing Falcons offense.<\/p>\n 3. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars<\/strong><\/p>\n OK, MoJo. The stage is yours – now show us what you can do as a starter. That the human bowling ball was so valuable for three seasons without starting shows how talented he is. Now he’ll get his 250-plus carries and he could post an MVP-caliber season – as long as his body holds up to that type of duty. Bump him up a spot if the Jags still give him kick-return touches.<\/p>\n 4. LaDainian Tomlinson – San Diego Chargers<\/strong><\/p>\n LT2 probably isn’t this high on most lists, as he hobbled through a reduced role last season, but I still think he has one good year left in him (before his inevitable rebirth with the New England Patriots during the twilight of his career). You may be able to get him outside the top 10 picks this season and reap the rewards.<\/p>\n