Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001

Need a running back? Try a fullback

These five stand out as the league’s top fantasy FBs

By Jeff Agrest, Senior editor

Fullbacks normally aren’t worth a hill of beans in fantasy football, but several have made an impact fantasy-wise this season. Here are five worth having on your roster down the stretch. Some of them might even be available on the waiver wire.

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers — He doesn’t belong here, but officially he does. The Bucs’ depth chart — and the Pro Bowl ballot — says so. Basically, Alstott is a big running back. He’s rushed for eight touchdowns this season and has stolen much of Warrick Dunn’s fantasy thunder. Alstott is even running better, averaging 1.3 yards per carry more than Dunn.

Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Ravens — Even though Terry Allen is expected to return to action this week, Ayanbadejo likely will remain involved in the Ravens’ running game. He scored two touchdowns in Week 12, one rushing and one receiving, and he had some productive outings earlier. This week against a tough Steelers defense, Ayanbadejo could see action as an outlet receiver for QB Elvis Grbac in the face of the pass rush.

Zack Crockett, Raiders — Quick, name the Raiders’ leader in rushing touchdowns. No, it’s not Tyrone Wheatley, though he’s only two behind. Believe it or not, it’s Crockett, who quietly has rushed for six touchdowns on 47 carries. That makes a whopping 18 total touchdowns since the start of the 1999 season. Not bad for a part-time player. Thing is, Crockett has two double-digit-carry games this season, though he’s caught only two passes. And given how much the Raiders like to spread the ball around, you never know when Crockett will reach paydirt.

Tony Richardson, Chiefs — Richardson is Alstott-like because of his versatility. Last season he scored three touchdowns rushing and three receiving. This season, all five of his scores have come on the ground, though he has caught 25 passes. Obviously, Priest Holmes is the Chiefs’ featured back, but you have to be impressed with Richardson’s scoring given his limited carries. Last season, he carried the ball 147 times. Through 12 games this season, he’s at 59.

Cory Schlesinger, Lions — This is more of a long shot, but Schlesinger’s involvement in the Lions’ offense has grown. Detroit is trying to turn Schlesinger into a West Coast fullback, so he’s had several catches and carries per game. James Stewart remains the featured runner, but Schlesinger still could see some action near the goal line. He’s rushed for two touchdowns this season.

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