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2008 Colts RB Review

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Depth Chart/review links

Joseph Addai

Dominic Rhodes

Mike Hart

Chad Simpson

Lance Ball

Najeh Davenport (cut)

Addai is still the top back in Indy. The Colts best rushing year (by DVOA, which likes the Colts run game better than totals or YPA because Colts backs rarely fumble) since Pre-knee injury Edge was with Addai as the featured back.

Year Run DVOA Main Back Secondary Back Split (1/2/Others)
2000 16.3% Edge James Lennox Gordon 98%/1%/1%
2007 11.0% Joseph Addai Kenton Keith 63%/29%/8%
2004 9.7% Edge James Dom Rhodes 85%/14%/1%
2005 8.0% Edge James Dom Rhodes 86%/9%/5%
2006 7.4% Joseph Addai Dom Rhodes 54%/45%/1%
2001 -3.4% Dom Rhodes Edge James 58%/42%
1999 -4.1% Edge James Keith Elias 97%/3%
2003 -5.5% Edge James Ricky Williams 74%/11%/15%
2008 -7.2% Joseph Addai Dom Rhodes 45%/44%/11%
1998 -7.4% Marshall Faulk LaMont Warren 89%/7%/4%
2002 -7.6% Edge James James Mungro 71%/25%/4%

Health is Addai's issue not production. When he got his chance to be the lead runner he was great (and then got banged up at the end of the year). In an odd quirk both the Colts best and worst season since Dom entered the league in 2001 were when Dom was not a factor in the Indy running game (2002 knee injury, 2007 lost year in Oakland). Evidence that Dom is a good, but not great runner? 60%-65% of the carries seems to be the most Addai can handle so a good secondary back is needed, but it would take a very good back to unseat Addai from the 1a spot.

Free Agents

2008 Stats

RB Carries Yards YPC DYAR DVOA Rec Rec Yds Catch % TDs Fumb
Darren Sproles 61 330 5.4 64(40th) 17.9% (10th) 29 342 85% 6 3
Derrick Ward 182 1025 5.6 274(4th) 25.9% (2nd) 41 384 75% 2 2
"Sticky" Ricky Williams 160 659 4.1 32 (34th) -4.0% (34th) 29 219 74% 5 5
Correll Buckhalter 76 369 4.9 72 (35th) 11.1% (20th) 26 349 81% 4 0
Brandon Jacobs 219 1089 5.0 308 (2nd) 22.5% (3rd) 6 36 50% 15 3

Ward is the most attractive of the 5 with Sproles right up there too. Both are dangerous runners who are big contributors in the passing game. Buckhalter is the bargain option for a dual threat RB. Sticky Ricky is mediocre and Jacobs while awesome running is a black hole receiving.

Draft Prospects

Site WalterFootball Football's Future

New Era Scouting

(Seniors Only)

Draft Countdown

 (Seniors Only)

NES Mock Draft
#1

Chris Wells (Ohio State)

Chris Wells (Ohio State) Javon Ringer (Michigan State) James Davis (Clemson) Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)
#2 Knowshon Moreno (Georgia) Knowshon Moreno (Georgia) Rashad Jennings (Liberty) Javon Ringer (Michigan State) Chris Wells (Ohio State)
#3 C.J. Spiller (Clemson) LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh) Arian Foster (Tennessee) Jeremiah Johnson (Oregon) LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh)
#4 Donald Brown (UConn) C.J. Spiller (Clemson) Jeremiah Johnson (Oregon) Andre Brown (NC State) Javon Ringer (Michigan State)
#5 Shonn Greene (Iowa) James Davis (Clemson) Devin Moore (Wyoming) Rashad Jennings (Liberty) Arian Foster (Tennessee)
#6 Devin Moore (Wyoming) Javon Ringer (Michigan State) James Davis (Clemson) Devin Moore (Wyoming) James Davis (Clemson)
#7 Javon Ringer (Michigan State) Shonn Greene (Iowa) Marlon Lucky (Nebraska) Arian Foster (Tennessee) N/A
#8 Rashad Jennings (Liberty) Jeremiah Johnson (Oregon) Cedric Peerman (Virginia) Cedric Peerman (Virginia) N/A
#9 Jeremiah Johnson (Oregon) Rashad Jennings (Liberty) Keegan Herring (Arizona State) Kory Sheets (Purdue) N/A
#10 Arian Foster (Tennessee) C.J. Gable (USC) Ian Johnson (Boise State)

Aaron Brown (TCU)

N/A