Best 2008 NFL RB tandems

[DFWJC]

With the trend going more toward using multiple backs over the course of a long NFL season, which teams will field the best RB tandems in 2008?

I'll drop several on you with a few assumptions: I chose to leave out the heavily unbalanced "tandems" like LT/Sproles and Westbrook/Buckhalter, I also make person assumptions on rookie contributions, I measure it based on versaitly, total yards rushing/recieving, and TDs.

Here goes:

1) A Peterson/C Taylor
2) MJD/ F Taylor
3) Barber/Jones
4) Parker/Mendenhall
5) McFadden/Fargas
6) McAllister/Bush
7) McGahee/Rice
8) Jacobs/Bradshaw
9) LWhite/CJohnson
10) Addai/Rhodes
11) LJohnson/Charles
12) DWilliams/JStewart
13) Portis/Betts
14) Norwood/Turner

I'm sure I left out someone. Also, I realize some will use 3 backs--like the Giants and maybe Dallas and Oakland. Maybe you could try 5 tandems or more?

 

[the kid 05]

why put teams with rookies in the top? we dont know how they are going to do
minnesota will start to use C-taylor less and less i feel.

 

[DFWJC]

why put teams with rookies in the top? we dont know how they are going to do
minnesota will start to use C-taylor less and less i feel.

Like I said. I decided to make assumptions on the rookies....so there is far more specuation. Also, I bet Taylor gets 800+ total yards this year anyway...which is good for a #2. IF healty, I think they combine for nearly 2900 total yards.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

You have McFadden and Fargas way too high.

 

[DFWJC]

You have McFadden and Fargas way too high.

That's fine. But what would your top 5 - 10 be? I assume everyone's will be different...it's all a guess.

 

[Hostile]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

 

[DFWJC]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

Cheater...he LT got almopst all of the years and TDs (18 of 19)...so that is not a tandem. Same with Westbrook last year.

 

[rodd94]

I'm not too sure about Barber. He was excellent in first half againt the Giants in the playoffs but struggled second half. i wouldn't be shocked to see jones/choice be a little better.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

Exactly what I was thinking when I read the OP.

 

[DFWJC]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

Here's some past #s

2007 AP/Taylor = 2185 Rush, 549 Rec, 20 TDs
2007 MJD/Taylor = 1970 Rush, 465 Rec, 14 TDs
2007 LT/Turner = 1790 Rush, 591 Rec, 19 TDs (almost all LT)
2006 McAllister/Bush = 1622 Rush, 932 Rec, 18 TDs (healthy)
2007 Westbrook/Buckhalter = 1643 Rush, 858 Rec, 16Tds (almost all WB)

just so you see where I'm coming from.

 

[AdamJT13]

Here goes:

1) A Peterson/C Taylor
2) MJD/ F Taylor
3) Barber/Jones
4) Parker/Mendenhall
5) McFadden/Fargas
6) McAllister/Bush
7) McGahee/Rice
8) Jacobs/Bradshaw
9) LWhite/CJohnson
10) Addai/Rhodes
11) LJohnson/Charles
12) DWilliams/JStewart
13) Portis/Betts
14) Norwood/Turner

Commanders hatred aside, Portis and Betts should be higher. Portis is generally a 1,200- to 1,600-yard back and is only 26 years old. And Betts had 1,154 yards (at 4.7 ypc) in his only season with more than 100 carries.

I'd also put the Steelers ahead of us. Parker rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past three seasons, and Mendenhall was taken only one draft slot after Felix Jones.

I might also put other teams' tandems ahead of us, considering that Barber has yet to rush for 1,000 yards and Felix is a rookie. Yes, Barber was a backup who split time, but part of becoming a franchise back is proving that you can handle the load for 16 games. We might need to wait and see before we put Barber and Felix higher than they deserve to be.

 

[DFWJC]

Commanders hatred aside, Portis and Betts should be higher. Portis is generally a 1,200- to 1,600-yard back and is only 26 years old. And Betts had 1,154 yards (at 4.7 ypc) in his only season with more than 100 carries.

I'd also put the Steelers ahead of us. Parker rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past three seasons, and Mendenhall was taken only one draft slot after Felix Jones.

.

yeah, maybe so on counts...I'm just predicting 2008, that's all.

here is Portis/Betts from last year
1597 Rushing, 563 Rec, 13 TDs

And yes, if Parker and Mendenhall are healthy it could be a great year for them. Parker/davenport had 1815 Rush, 348 Rec, 9 TDs last year

 

[DaBoys4Life]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

To me the top tandem is still Tomlinson & whomever.

Naw Hos, your mistaken on this one.....although you are usually right

A Peterson and Taylor......that is a combo....one gets hurt the other can carry the load.

 

[Rampage]

Naw Hos, your mistaken on this one.....although you are usually right

A Peterson and Taylor......that is a combo....one gets hurt the other can carry the load.

plus the vikes o-line are masters of run blocking.

 

[joseephuss]

Commanders hatred aside, Portis and Betts should be higher. Portis is generally a 1,200- to 1,600-yard back and is only 26 years old. And Betts had 1,154 yards (at 4.7 ypc) in his only season with more than 100 carries.

I'd also put the Steelers ahead of us. Parker rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past three seasons, and Mendenhall was taken only one draft slot after Felix Jones.

I might also put other teams' tandems ahead of us, considering that Barber has yet to rush for 1,000 yards and Felix is a rookie. Yes, Barber was a backup who split time, but part of becoming a franchise back is proving that you can handle the load for 16 games. We might need to wait and see before we put Barber and Felix higher than they deserve to be.

Portis will be 27 when the season starts, so I think he will fall apart. Just kidding. That is a very good combo.

If things go well for the Dallas offense I don't really think they will have a top rushing combo. It will be a good running game, but not league leading. It will be part of a well balanced offense.

The Vikings won't be balanced. They will have to rely on both runners. Taylor will still get lots of carries, so as not to wear down AD. I think their QB is still a year away from being a factor and that is if he ever gets there.

The Steelers will probably be efficient running and passing the ball, but they will place a lot of emphasis on rushing the ball as usual. Same with the Jags. Both teams run the ball way more than they pass it. They just pass it very efficiently.

 

[DFWJC]

Portis will be 27 when the season starts, so I think he will fall apart. Just kidding. That is a very good combo.

If things go well for the Dallas offense I don't really think they will have a top rushing combo. It will be a good running game, but not league leading. It will be part of a well balanced offense.

The Vikings won't be balanced. They will have to rely on both runners. Taylor will still get lots of carries, so as not to wear down AD. I think their QB is still a year away from being a factor and that is if he ever gets there.

The Steelers will probably be efficient running and passing the ball, but they will place a lot of emphasis on rushing the ball as usual. Same with the Jags. Both teams run the ball way more than they pass it. They just pass it very efficiently.

Yeah. The Vikes, Jags, and Steelers will be running it.
As for the Skins combo--they totaled 2160 total yards and 13 TDs. Thats good enough that I put them in the top 40% of the league...but that's it. Then again, I'm just guessing that some of those combos including rookies will go for more than that.

For example, I predict LWhite/CJohnson will do better than Portis /Betts in total yards....but it may be close. Of course, none of us know for sure.
If LJ is healthy and McGahee are health, I'll be curious to see how J Charles and R Rice mix with them in KC and Balt.

Oh yeah, I easily could have overrated our 1-2 punch...just some homer bias I guess. I say barber gets 1300+ Rushing/Rec and Felix (wish I could include choice) will get another 1100 combined yards...so that's 2400...pretty decent, but maybe not 3rd or 4th place.

 

[Skinsmaniac]

Commanders hatred aside, Portis and Betts should be higher. Portis is generally a 1,200- to 1,600-yard back and is only 26 years old. And Betts had 1,154 yards (at 4.7 ypc) in his only season with more than 100 carries.

If its a question of the RBs talent, then I agree that they should be higher. If it's a question of production then they are probably about the right place simply because I don't see our OLine blowing open any holes.

 

[CF74]

The Vikings own this by 300 yds

 

[Cali'sFinest]

I'm not too sure about Barber. He was excellent in first half againt the Giants in the playoffs but struggled second half. i wouldn't be shocked to see jones/choice be a little better.

Keep in mind that Julius never came in to give Barber a breather during the game..[Julius had 3 attempts the whole game]. IMO, Rb's need a backup to give them a breather. [See LT and Turner]

Also..it didn't help that our O-Line was getting man handled by the Giants D-line in the second half.