Fantasy Football Impact Analysis: Cleveland Browns backfield

June 15, 2010 @ 00:00:00

By John Kotch Jr.
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

The Cleveland Browns have an interesting situation brewing at running back this year. Although the running game was the strongest aspect of what was a dismal team in 2009, former All-Pro running back Jamal Lewis is gone now and there is some uncertainty surrounding each of the Browns' three running back prospects as the team wraps up their June minicamp.

The least of these mysteries is running back Jerome Harrison. Harrison, 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, is beginning his fourth season with the Browns, and since joining the team has mainly seen only spot duty. In 2009 He rushed for 862 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Harrison's first three years in Cleveland had been largely uneventful, up until an amazing three-game stretch at the end of last season that included a 286-yard performance against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. Although Harrison faced some weak run defenses in those three games, it still has Browns head coach Eric Mangini hopeful that he can carry a high level of play over into this season and sustain it on a weekly basis. 

If because of that three-game performance, Harrison thought he was a lock to be the Browns' lead back this year, he may have questioned that thought on draft day. In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Browns traded up 12 spots in the second round to take Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty. A great value pick at No. 59 overall, Hardesty didn't play extensively during the first four years of his five-year stint with the Volunteers. He did, however, receive ample playing time in his final year and was very impressive, rushing for 1,345 yards with 13 touchdowns as a senior.

Sleeper potential?

At 5-foot-11 3/4, 225 pounds, Hardesty is a well-built back and has the Browns hoping that he'll provide the same rushing complement to the smaller, faster back in Harrison, as did Lewis. Hardesty has displayed deceptive speed and quickness for his size. He ran 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Coach Mangini likes his maturity and praises Hardesty as a quick learner. He feels as though Hardesty's transition into pro football will likely be a quick one. 

However, Hardesty does come with one caveat. Before his productive senior season, Hardesty struggled with knee and ankle injuries. In his freshman year he had multiple surgeries on his right knee and then missed time as a sophomore with ankle problems. Then as a junior, he was hampered by a stress fracture in his foot. 

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the Browns' offensive backfield is second-year running back James Davis. Davis, 5-foot-11, 218 pounds, looked impressive for the Browns last summer and generated some hype. He ran the ball 24 times in the preseason and averaged 7.8 yards per carry, including an 81-yard run that went for a touchdown. In the first game of the regular season, however, Davis suffered a shoulder injury. He was eventually placed on Injured Reserve after playing in only two games but now returns healthy in 2010.

The likely scenario is Harrison and Hardesty splitting reps in training camp as well as the preseason, with Davis also in the mix. It's been reported that both Harrison and Hardesty split time with the first-team offense during minicamp practices. Just the day before, the only practice open to the media, Hardesty was getting the bulk of the reps with the first-team. Harrison was reportedly used often as a receiver out of the backfield and looked good.

Fantasy outlook

There's reason to be optimistic, but the reality is that all three of these players are relatively unknown at this point.

Harrison, despite his impressive showing at the end of last season, is still unproven over an extended period of time. Our sources say the coaching staff is concerned about his ability to hold up, and the Hardesty selection is a testament to that notion. Now Harrison gets his chance to prove he can be the feature back, but with the presence of Hardesty, Harrison will have to earn every carry he gets. Harrison is a risk and should be drafted as a fourth running back or, at best, as a flex option.

Hardesty certainly has all the tools to be a full-time starter in the NFL, but he has to show that the injuries are behind him and that he's not just a one-year wonder. Hardesty has more upside than Harrison since his build is more conducive to being a full-time rusher. Hardesty is considered a prime sleeper pick. Like Harrison, Hardesty is a midround fantasy pick, as he is also a fourth running back or flex option.

Davis has a lot of upside, but aside from his impressive showing a year ago, there is not much to go on. In the event the injury bug bites, or if both Harrison and Hardesty were totally ineffective, Davis would then get an opportunity to show what he has. He has virtually no fantasy value at this time.

The competition between Harrison and Hardesty is definitely one to keep your eye on, as their status is subject to change as more information becomes available. The specific role of each player in what will likely be a multi-back rushing attack for the Browns in 2010 should be ongoing evaluation that lasts throughout training camp. The Browns are likely to be a run-first team in 2010; since Harrison and Hardesty complement each other, both should see considerable action. The real question is will the defense and rest of the offense allow the Browns to rely on the ground game enough to make both players fantasy-relevant on a consistent basis.

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John Kotch Jr.
John Kotch Jr. has been a KFFL contributing writer since 2007.

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