My opinion on the #Ravens announce they have cut RB Ray Rice.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2014With Rice [finally] out of the picture in Baltimore, what does the backfield look like, and what can we expect given their Week 1 performance?
Any Rice Replacements?
Last month, we wrote about why Ray Rice doesn’t just suck off the field, but who many believe will get the start on Thursday against the Steelers, has never carried the ball more than 118 times in a single season. He also has just nine games with 10 or more carries. When he did see volume (114 in 2009 and 118 in 2010), however, he wasn’t wildly ineffective. Especially in 2009, where his Success Rate was actually eighth best in the entire NFL among 100-plus carry backs.
But again, Forsett is somewhat of a journeyman running back who's 28 years old. Do the Ravens want to trust him carrying the ball 200 or more times this season?
Enter Lorenzo Taliaferro.
As noted last week in my 15 Fantasy Football Transactions article, I had hoped Taliaferro would be more involved in Week 1. He wasn't, but it would only make sense for the Ravens' long-term plan to involve him in some way, shape or form. Considering Pierce's two-year ineffective sample combined with Forsett's lack of general talent, Taliaferro could easily be the guy to replace Ray Rice.
In the preseason, Taliaferro led all NFL running backs in carries. By a pretty big gap, too. He had 65 to Forsett's 16 and Pierce's 21, and posted a similar yards per carry average to the two. That coming, of course, as a rookie.
Using our READ algorithm - which looks at combine measurables and team placement to try and project how a player would perform if given a chance to start - if Taliaferro were to be the top back for Baltimore this year, his top comparable season is Matt Forte's rookie campaign. That year - 2008 - Forte posted 1,715 total yards and was the fourth-best running back in fantasy football. That's not bad company.
In the short term, we should expect a committee approach in Baltimore as they sort things out, with general week-to-week unpredictability. But if you're looking to find upside in your fantasy football league, Taliaferro may be the man to target. After all, this is Gary Kubiak we're talking about.