Cedric Benson | Cincinnati Bengals | 5-foot-11, 225 pounds | 6th year

2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics

Pros: In his fifth season and with his second team, Benson finally connected the dots. He set career highs in rushing attempts (301) and rushing yardage (1,251). In 12 of the 13 games he played in, he carried the football at least 15 times; and the Bengals were not afraid to ride him when they needed to. He had six games of at least 25 carries, including three games over 30 carries. While he'll give up some time on third downs, he doesn't lose many touches to other backs and is the team's top option near the goal line despite recording just six touchdowns last season. Also worth noting, is Benson is entering the final year of his contract, so he has the motivation to put his best foot forward.

Cons: Benson is an off-the-field incident waiting to happen. Health, or lack there of, is the major concern with Benson. He was active for just 13 games last year and has never been active for a full 16-game season. Benson has never caught more than 20 receptions in a season during his career, so he is not going to contribute much in the receiving game.

Fantasy tip: Remember Rudi Johnson during his key years with the Bengals? Benson is almost Rudi 2.0. He is a solid contributor as your No. 2 fantasy back, but you have to realize he is going to miss time with injuries each year, so you need to have a solid insurance replacement as your third fantasy back. He should find more running room with what is expected to be a more open offense.