Attention, fantasy owners. (I know, this is usually Rosenthal’s thing.) If you’re thinking about drafting any of the three top running backs this year in New Orleans, it would be wise to keep in mind the strong possibility that each of them will see action in games.
Asked whether he would use a “three-headed monster” of Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Mike Bell in the backfield, Saints coach Sean Payton said Wednesday, “I think a lot of people do.”
Payton then explained the reason for using multiple backs.
“You play a long season and I’ve just been taught that at that position you have to stack it up and have some depth,” the fourth-year head coach said. “You’re going to have some nicks along the way. I think the exception to the rule is the team that can feature just one back the whole season. When you understand what they do well and try to highlight what they do well it’s very common. You can go through every team and see a rotation of some sort even in Minnesota where there’s more than one back. It’s a tough position.”
Of the three tailbacks, it sounds like the newest arrival might be the guy to get the most chances to score touchdowns from close range.
“If you ask me what his strengths are I’d say Mike Bell is an upright runner who stays the course,” Payton said. “He’s pretty physical when he hits the hole. I think he has pretty good acceleration. He can lower his pads. Those are some of the things if you are paying attention to practice and watching us, you can see it in the goal line. Those are some of his strengths.”
Still, the apparent intention to split the touches not between two backs but between three of them is generally bad news for each of their prospects from a fantasy football perspective.
