Trent Richardson is the ninth back being taken off the board in standard league mock drafts. His 13.9 ADP is extremely high at this point.
Analysis: Trent Richardson is one impressive back but the stats do not lie when it comes to projecting his numbers this year. The Steelers, Ravens and Bengals’ defenses all finished in the top ten in the NFL last year in rushing yards allowed per game. All three divisional rivals also finished in the top ten in yards per carry against. Add those impressive defenses to a shaky quarterback situation in Cleveland and you have yourself one modest fantasy rookie. Yet many experts want to annoint Richardson as a RB1 but he is just not there yet by no fault of his own of course.
Richardson very well may win offensive rookie of the year this year but RB1 numbers will not be his. Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson are being drafted after Richardson at the moment and smart fantasy owners love this. Michael Turner has rushed for over 1,300 yards and at least 11 TDs each of the past two years and he is the nineteenth back being taken off the board. Is anyone really buying Mike Smith’s comment that Turner will not get 300 touches this year?