S. Morris Out; Find a Substitute

October 17, 2007 @ 07:32:56

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

John Tomase, of the Boston Herald, is reporting New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris (chest) will be out in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. Morris, who is believed to have injured the bone that connects the sternum to the clavicle during Week 6, could also miss up to one month. Preliminary tests have not revealed any broken bones.

Morris had gotten off to a solid start in his first year with the Patriots. Starting in place of running back Laurence Maroney (groin) for the past three games, Morris has totaled 233 rushing yards, four catches, 24 receiving yards and a touchdown. This season he has 384 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. He also has six receptions for 35 yards.

With Morris out for most of the team's Week 6 game, running back Kevin Faulk replaced him and managed 47 rushing yards on 12 carries. At just 5-foot-8, 202 pounds, Faulk has the build more suitable to that of a third-down back. Maroney also ran prior to the game last week but was still unable to return. With Morris out, it is possible the team could bring back Maroney sooner than expected. He could play in Week 7. The club also brought in free-agent running back Kevan Barlow (Pittsburgh Steelers) for a workout at the beginning of the week, but at press time he remained unsigned.

One bonus comes from the owners of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Brady is already on a record-setting pace with 1,771 passing yards and 21 touchdowns through six games. He could be called on to pass even more if the Pats lack a reliable running threat. This should also increase the value of the Patriots' wide receivers positively. Morris is a between-the-tackles runner, so, near the goal line, New England might be more apt to pass, even if Maroney is ready to return.

The question you might be asking yourself, however, is: How does this affect my fantasy team? Morris should still be held on to, as he had been the No. 1 back, for fantasy purposes, in the high-powered Patriots' offense. You could take a look at Faulk, even though he has just 97 total yards this season. He has value because of Maroney's shaky injury situation, especially point-per-reception leagues. Faulk is available in more than 99 percent of casual leagues polled and 77 percent of competitive leagues polled.

Faulk will probably not be worth as much if Maroney returns. Maroney's value should increase, but it is still not known when he will return. If Faulk is not an option and Maroney is likely already gone in most fantasy leagues, who would be an option to replace Morris?

One option could be Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Earnest Graham. Graham has just 176 yards this season, but he has been getting plenty of time in Tampa Bay since running back Cadillac Williams (knee) went down with a knee injury. Graham is an option, but he has been a hot commodity for a while. He is available in 44 percent of casual leagues polled and 14 percent of competitive leagues polled.

The next option could be Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams. Last week Williams broke out for 121 yards on 10 carries, which included a 75-yard touchdown run. The 121 yards were a career high and could be the start of something for the former University of Memphis running back. With Vinny Testaverde or David Carr (back) at quarterback in Carolina, the team will likely rely heavily on their running game to try to win games. This could lead to a greater role for Williams. One caveat, however, is that he splits carries with running back DeShaun Foster. Foster currently leads the team with 404 rushing yards and had 17 carries to Williams' 10 last week. That fact had made many Williams owners jettison him, but they must not have realized his value. He may not have the starting job any time soon, but he should continue to get touches because both he and Foster and injury-prone; the Panthers will likely want to keep both backs fresh. Williams is available in 46 percent of casual leagues polled and 25 percent of competitive leagues polled.

Finally, a player that might be worth a flyer is Buccaneers running back Michael Bennett. While Graham is starting in Tampa Bay, Bennett was acquired this week and could push Graham for the starter's job. Bennett has just 52 yards on 20 carries this year; however, that was as the backup to workhouse running back Larry Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs. Bennett is a former 1,000-yard rusher and could find a spot in the Tampa Bay offense. He could get 10-12 touches per game early on. With his game-breaking ability and the scarcity of running backs out there, he is an immediate option. He is available in 99 percent of casual leagues polled and 49 percent of competitive leagues polled.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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