RB Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins

2007 Stats: 1262 rushing yards, 389 receiving yards, 11 total TDs
Projected 2008 Stats: 1177 rushing yards, 305 receiving yards, 12 total TDs
Projected Fantasy Round: 2nd Round
Running backs to be picked ahead of Clinton Portis: LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Joseph Addai, etc.

Fantasy Outlook:

Why you should draft Clinton Portis: If you were to discount his injury plagued 2006 season, Portis in his career is averaging 1438 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns per year.  Last season, Portis had five games where he was given at least 25 carries, and he eclipsed triple digits in rushing yards in four of those contests. 

Why you may want to stay away from drafting Clinton Portis: In 2007, Portis was held under 70 rushing yards in nine games, and he failed to score a touchdown in seven contests. In addition, Portis averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, which is a far cry from his first two seasons of 5.5 yards.

Bottom Line: Portis hasn’t looked 100 percent healthy the last two seasons, which has led to a dip in his production.  However, he has demonstrated that he can still put up big numbers when given enough carries.  Portis should be viewed as a No. 1 running back in fantasy with the ability to be in the upper tier of backs, but he can also be in the lower tier if he can’t stay healthy.