Eddie Lacy may have slipped in the NFL Draft because of concerns over an operation to repair his turf toe, but you shouldn’t let the same thing happen in your fantasy draft. Many NFL teams such as the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers (both of whom took backs ahead of Lacy in the second round of the draft) have concerns about Lacy’s long-term prospects, but that hardly matters to us since fantasy football is generally a one year at a time proposition. Whether you’re in a keeper or re-draft league, we highly recommend Lacy as one of your top picks.
Lacy was a star at Alabama. He accounted for 32 touchdowns in three seasons while averaging 6.76 yards per carry. He made Notre Dame look foolish in the National Championship Game in January, rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He is a tough runner, adept at catching passes, and big enough to help in pass protection.
Lacy made his preseason debut for the Green Bay Packers on Saturday against the St. Louis Rams and looked great. He showed no effects of the hamstring problem that kept him out of the team’s first preseason game. If you watch the highlights, you’ll see that he broke tackles, ran through guys, and generally was a load to bring down. He finished with 40 yards on eight carries. Lacy also caught a pass out of the backfield and looked smooth in the open field. He reminded me a lot of Steven Jackson, and I don’t just throw out around comparisons to Pro Bowl running backs for anyone.
We’re not the only ones who think Lacy looks great.
“Give credit to that back,” Rams defensive end Chris Long said after Saturday’s game. “He’s a good back. He’s going to be a good player in this league — and he’s a load.”
Packers running backs coach Alex Van Pelt said during the week that Lacy “stands out” in pass protection, so that means he will likely have a role as a third-down back. DuJuan Harris and Johnathan Franklin will also see carries, but reporters believe Lacy will get most of the action for Green Bay.
If you’re wondering what kind of numbers he’s capable of posting, I’d suggest looking at Ryan Grant’s 2008 and 2009 stats for a baseline comparison. I think over 1,100 combined yards and 10 touchdowns are definitely within reach for Lacy, if not more.
