Jerome Harrison to finally receive more carries…in Philadelphia.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Harrison dives for yardage after being tripped up by the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter of their NFL football game in Cleveland, Ohio September 19, 2010.     REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

Despite his success at the end of last season, the Cleveland Browns had zero intention of making Jerome Harrison their long-term fixture at running back. That’s why they decided not to give him a new contract in the offseason, that’s why they drafted Montario Hardesty in the second round in April and that’s why they stuck him behind battering ram Peyton Hillis when Hardesty went down with a knee injury in the team’s first preseason game this year.

With that in mind, the Browns didn’t hesitate to send Harrison to Philadelphia on Wednesday in exchange for running back Mike Bell. What this basically amounts to for the Browns is that they trade one running back that they had zero desire to give carries to, for another running back that they’ll probably have zero desire to give carries to. The difference is that some in the media kept asking Eric Mangini why Harrison wasn’t getting any carries and now nobody will care if Bell doesn’t receive any because he’s Mike Bell (who wasn’t exactly tearing it up behind Shady McCoy in Philly).

I hesitate to say that this was a “great” move by the Eagles because Harrison will be stuck behind McCoy, but at least he has a higher ceiling than Bell. After all, he rushed for 4.4 yards per carry in 14 games last year and racked up 561 rushing yards in the final three games, including a 286-yard performance at Kansas City in Week 15. Bell rushed for 143 yards in Week 1 against the Lions last year while a member of the Saints and then never broke 100 yards again the rest of the season.

There’s a possibility that this trade amounts to nothing for either team in the end, but as it stands right now the Eagles are getting a potential steal.

Owners waiting for Jerome Harrison to produce should probably be happy with this trade, though Peyton Hillis’s quad injury could have opened the door for Harrison over the next few weeks. McCoy isn’t exactly the most durable RB, so there’s a decent chance that Harrison is seeing starter’s snaps at some point this season. The Eagles are also more likely to use him as a backup, whereas he was getting little to no run behind Hillis in Cleveland. I wouldn’t run out and pickup Harrison unless we’re talking about a deep league, but if you have a open roster spot, he wouldn’t be a bad pickup. As for Bell, he’s a decent handcuff for Hillis owners.

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‘Good chance’ Brian Westbrook won’t play against Giants

According to Philly.com, the Eagles are unlikely to rush Brian Westbrook back, even for a big game like Sunday’s tilt against the Giants.

From a fantasy perspective, Westbrook’s owners knew that he was going to miss a few games throughout the season, so they shouldn’t be surprised or angry about this news. LeSean McCoy is a capable backup, but it’s not like next week’s game against the Giants is a tasty matchup for either RB.

Desperate owners should look to Shonn Greene and/or Beanie Wells, who may be available. Greene is going to get most of Leon Washington’s touches and Wells is getting more and more work in the Arizona backfield. He’s a much better natural runner than Tim Hightower, though Hightower has more experience and better hands.

If Greene and Wells are gone, Mike Bell is another option. He is getting all of the Saints’ goal line work and has 27 carries in the last two games. He’s not going to post Westbrook-like numbers, but he should help fantasy owners get by. If Bell isn’t available, Justin Fargas ran really hard against the Jets and has a nice matchup against the Chargers in Week 8.

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