To see the NFC RBBCs, click here.

Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were fourth in the league in rushing last season, so this is one of the most interesting RBBCs in the league. The touches broke out this way: 21 for Ray Rice (19 carries, two catches), 14 for Willis McGahee (10 carries, four catches) and nine for LeRon McClain (six carries, three catches). Rice looked strong all day, but it was McGahee who scored twice, once on a 3-yard reception and once on a 1-yard plunge. It should be noted that Rice got two carries inside the 5-yard line before McGahee scored on the reception. Rice also had a 22-yard scamper that set up the McClain 1-yard TD. I don’t think that the Ravens are going to necessarily pull Rice in the red zone, so he should have an opportunity to score 7-10 TD this year. However, it’s clear that Willis McGahee is still a viable fantasy player and the Ravens’ strong running game can support two fantasy backs.

Indianapolis Colts
Looking at the stat sheet, Joseph Addai had 22 touches (17 carries, five catches) compared to Donald Brown’s 13 (11 carries, two catches), but nine of Brown’s carries came in the second half after Addai lost a fumble. Clearly, the Colts aren’t married to the idea of Addai as their RB1, but as long as he doesn’t turn the ball over and stays productive, he should still get the lion’s share of the carries.

New England Patriots
Laurence Maroney (10 carries, 32 yards) and Fred Taylor (9 carries, 25 yards, TD) split the rushes, with Kevin Faulk chipping in with three carries for seven yards. Maroney was involved in the passing game (2-9), but Kevin Faulk (6-51) was in there on most of the third downs and during the Pats’ comeback, so he’s probably the guy to own in PPR leagues. Maroney got two short-yardage carries in the first half, but it was Taylor who got the sole goal line carry. Sammy Morris lined up at fullback most of the night. Simply stated, this is a mess. Maroney actually looked pretty good (11 touches, 41 yards) when rushing the ball, but Taylor is going to vulture the goal line carries and Faulk is going to get most of the work in the passing game.

Oakland Raiders
Darren McFadden (17 carries, 68 yards) led the way, but Michael Bush (12 carries, 55 yards, TD) was very effective and got the goal line work. McFadden caught two passes for 25 yards, but was targeted six times when you count the plays that were called back because of penalty. Total touches were McFadden’s 19 to Bush’s 13, though I think the Raiders intended to get McFadden more involved in the passing game. He should be a solid start in PPR leagues. Bush looks like a flex or bye week fill-in.

New York Jets
It looks as if the rumors of Thomas Jones’s demise were exaggerated. He led the Jets with 20 carries for 107 yards and two TDs, but did not catch a pass. Leon Washington had 19 touches (15 carries, 4 catches) for 84 yards, but did not score. Rookie Shonn Greene did not dress. Washington got carries at the Texans’ 10- and 11-yard line (one was from the Wildcat formation), but Jones was the one who scored from the 1-yard line. From a total touches standpoint, this looks like an even timeshare and both players were aided by the fact that the Texans didn’t put up much of a fight (allowing the Jets to run the ball over and over). Both players are startable assuming Greene doesn’t start to cut into their touches.

Cleveland Browns
James Davis was supposed to threaten Jamal Lewis’s job this season and he very well still might, but the rookie didn’t show any signs of taking over in Week 1. Lewis carried the ball 11 times for 57 yards, which is quite impressive considering that it was against the Vikings’ vaunted rush defense. Lewis also had three catches for 47 yards. Davis had eight total yards on seven touches (four carries, three catches). This looks like Lewis’s show for now. It’s possible that the Browns wanted to limit Davis since he was involved in a car accident the day before.

Denver Broncos
Four running backs carried the ball for the Broncos on Sunday. Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno had eight carries apiece, but Buckhalter was far more productive, gaining 46 yards to Moreno’s 19. Still, with Moreno coming off of an injury, it seems like the team is intent on getting him his touches, so I’d expect his share to grow as he gets healthier. LaMont Jordan carried the ball twice and Peyton Hills got one carry and one catch. Buckhalter had two catches for 11 yards.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Willie Parker dominated the carries, but was largely ineffective, rushing 13 times for just 19 yards. After the game, there were those that questioned whether or not Fast Willie still “had it,” but it’s not like his backups did any better. Mewelde Moore rushed five times for eight yards and Rashard Mendenhall carried the ball four times for six yards. I don’t think it’s Parker, I think it’s the Pittsburgh running game as a whole. In the passing game, Moore was in on most third downs and caught four passes for 28 yards. Parker caught one pass for five yards. The Steelers didn’t spend much time in the redzone, but when they did, it was Moore who was in the game. Given the split in touches — 14 for Parker, 9 for Moore and five for Mendenhall — and the overall inefficiency of the Steeler running game (at least in Week 1), this one is pretty ugly.


To see the NFC RBBCs, click here.