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| Denis Poroy / Associated Press |
| Is LaDainian Tomlinson still an elite fantasy running back? Only to those who understand and follow football. |
| Is LaDainian Tomlinson still an elite fantasy football running back? This question is dogging fantasy football players who are also having a tough time deciding if Jessica Alba is attractive. Our fantasy experts, Craig Ellenport and Michael Fabiano, have to know what time it is, right? I posed the question to them in NFL.com's Instant Debate. |
 Michael Fabiano (10:53:11 AM): I think LaDainian Tomlinson is at the end of the road. Norv Turner is nuts if he thinks L.T. can handle 325 carries this season. |
 Adam Rank (10:53:25 AM): WRONG! |
 Craig Ellenport (10:53:30 AM): DEAD WRONG. L.T. loves to be challenged, so he'll thrive on those of you who think he's washed up. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:54:31 AM): Would A.J. Smith not rather have Michael Turner right now? Yes he would. |
| Craig Ellenport (10:55:15 AM): Well, the Chargers have been wrong before. And think about this: When you rush for 1,110 yards and 11 TDs and it's considered the beginning of the end, that's saying something. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:55:34 AM): Three of those TDs came in Week 17 -- didn't help my fantasy team! |
| Craig Ellenport (10:56:21 AM): From 2005-2007, L.T. averaged 1,583 yards and 20 TDs a season. That's about where he'll end up this season. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:56:37 AM): No chance. He's going to break down because he's only human. It started last season. I've seen the same thing with Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes. |
| Craig Ellenport (10:57:38 AM): He's human, but he's not washed up. Last year was an aberration. He's still got the physical tools to go along with his great vision. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:58:00 AM): Washed up, no. An elite fantasy back, no. Eric Dickerson and Eddie George are the only two running backs with more carries before 30 than Tomlinson. |
| Craig Ellenport (10:58:32 AM): Marshall Faulk was awesome, but he wasn't L.T. And I can't even include Priest Holmes in this conversation because his entire career was injury plagued. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:58:40 AM): They both broke down in the season of their 30th birthday. |
| Adam Rank (10:59:12 AM): What about Emmitt Smith? Struggled in 1997, but rebounded in 1998 to rush for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns followed by another monster year in 1999. So it's been done. |
| Michael Fabiano (10:59:29 AM): Emmitt is special; that guy was a monster. He's rare. L.T. is no Emmitt. |
| Craig Ellenport (10:59:51 AM): Oh, no ... don't even go there Cowboys fan. Do you want a mulligan for that remark? |
| Michael Fabiano (11:00:03 AM): In terms of carries, workload, durability, etc., Emmitt was much better than L.T. |
| Adam Rank (11:00:22 AM): What the (expletive) are you talking about, Mike? L.T. didn't get hurt until last season. Bad guru, bad! |
| Michael Fabiano (11:00:28 AM): It's like I'm in a WWE handicap match here! I love L.T., don't get me wrong. I talked him up in fantasy football when he came out of TCU. But the past shows that running backs with that many carries are prone to break down. |
| Craig Ellenport (11:02:35 AM): And he had a chip on his shoulder coming out of TCU because NFL people thought he was too small and not ready to be a big-time RB. He is just as motivated now that the "so-called" experts think he's washed up. |
| Adam Rank (11:02:45 AM): If you just want to use examples of guys who broke down, then yes, history is a great indicator. But L.T. is in Emmitt's category as a guy who can come back and regain his career. But feel free to keep digging. |
| Craig Ellenport (11:03:03 AM): I totally agree. I once thought L.T. would catch Emmitt for the all-time rushing crown. I no longer think he can go that far. But he's definitely got a few more big seasons left. |
| Michael Fabiano (11:04:01 AM): I don't know about that. Have you guys seen his schedule? |
| Craig Ellenport (11:04:15 AM): Um, Kansas City and Denver twice a year? And his personal whipping boys, the Raiders. Hello! |
| Michael Fabiano (11:04:17 AM): Eight games against teams that ranked in the top 12 vs. the run last season. |
| Adam Rank (11:04:46 AM): Yeah, the NFL never changes year to year, too. So the teams that were at the top last season are guaranteed to be at the top again this year. Where are you targeting L.T.? |
| Michael Fabiano (11:05:20 AM): Second round. |
| Craig Ellenport (11:05:43 AM): I'd take him in the middle of Round 1. Can't justify higher only because he'll go lower if anyone else were picking. |
| Adam Rank (11:06:20 AM): I would run away with the title if he would fall to me in the second round like in our in-house mock draft. I'd take him before a lot of the "so-called" studs like Steven Jackson. |
