FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLES

Size is a determining factor for running backs but there's exceptions to be certain. One of the key determinants on where a player will be drafted - and what role he is expected to play - is his size when it comes to running backs. Players coming out of college may have been superstars, but many end up as little more than third down backs. Players like Westbrook and Barber are breaking that mold, but other than the rare exceptions, there is an amazing amount of consistency to the size of a running back and his success.

Height - Unlike quarterbacks or receivers, running backs are almost always less than six feet tall. The height is not as big a factor since running backs typically do not need to see over the head of the line to throw nor out jump cornerbacks for passes. 5'10" is the prototypical height along with proportionate weight.

Weight - The speed of a running back is key to his ability to stretch runs into longer gains and pop the occasional long distance touchdown. That conflicts with the need for size to remain durable and to get the tough yards. The average weight in the top 12 from last year was 216 and that's fairly consistent year to year. Tomlinson at 5'10" and 220 has what is considered the perfect height/weight ratio. While many backs out of college weigh in at under 200 pounds, that almost never happens for the successful backs in the NFL. Again - Barber and Westbrook are exceptions and their listed weight of 200 pounds was probably measured while someone had their thumb on the scale.

Age/Experience - Youth be served. Barber and Martin enjoyed career type years in 2004 but almost always the best runners will have been in the league around five seasons and are about 27 years old. That is prime time for tailbacks. Last year was one of the oldest averages in the last decade, propped up by the fact that no "big time" runners have come out of college for three seasons. That age average is likely to dip downward if Benson, Brown and Williams can deliver on their draft slot expectations.

Rookies - Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams enter the league at almost prototypical size while Ronnie Brown is a bit bigger than most. Like Steven Jackson, he has more bulk to get through the line and enough speed to compensate for that bigger size. J.J. Arrington was knocked down in the draft because at 5'9" and 214 pounds, he was considered smaller than ideal. The reality is that he's almost the exact same size as Priest Holmes.

Eric Shelton went to the Panthers and at 246 pounds, he's much bigger than average and yet could be a nice fit in the power rushing game in Carolina. Most notable is Brandon Jacobs going to the Giants. He'll be behind Tiki Barber who is one of the smallest starting backs in the league and yet at 267 pounds, there is no mistaking the vast difference between Barber and Jacobs. While little word has been made that "thunder and lightning" is the new plan, they certainly have the players to fill those roles.