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TIKI BARBER
RB - Giants
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Comments from Tim Ferrell - 6/24
FANTASY UPSIDE
Word out of New York is the team is trying to improve Eli Manning’s short passing game. With more dump-off passes coming his way, Barber could have even better receiving stats in 2006. Unlike some other stud running backs (e.g. Larry Johnson), opposing defenses simply can’t afford to key on Barber. With Shockey, Burress, Toomer and rookie speedster Sinorice Moss in the lineup, Barber won’t be facing many 8-man fronts. As a shifty veteran runner who’s proven to be an all-purpose yardage stud, I see plenty of reason to still like Barber.
FANTASY DOWNSIDE
The Giants paid dearly to get Eli Manning and they didn't do it to see him hand off 65% of the game. With Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer, rookie Sinorice Moss and speedy Tim Carter, the Giants have plenty of weapons to spread the ball around to. That and the fact Barber is on the wrong side of 30 all tell me he's not going to average much more than 15 carries a game this year. If you’re in a TD-heavy league, it gets worse. Near the goal Barber can be effective but he’s not a true short-yardage back.
MY BOTTOM LINE
No mystery here, the Giants coordinator John Hufnagel will still feature Barber early in most games this year. However, look for the Giants to save Tiki and limit the pounding given on short-yardage work. So, the question is, should you draft Barber if you’re holding the 6th, 7th or 8th pick in your draft? Scoring rules dictate, but I think so. In general, I’d take Barber over Lamont Jordan or Rudi Johnson in a heartbeat. Tiki is durable, he’s in an explosive offense and he’s still got that “fire in his belly.”
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Comments from Scot Berggren - 6/24
FANTASY UPSIDE
Tiki Barber had a career-year with the Giants in 2005, rushing for a career-high 1,860 yards and nine TDs. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, most since ‘01. He continues to be a force in the passing game as well, with 54 receptions for 530 receiving yards and two more TDs. Despite 1,261 rushing attempts the past four seasons, Barber has not missed a regular season game during that span. Barber will again be the focus of the Giants’ offense in ’06.
FANTASY DOWNSIDE
Barber heads in to camp as the No. 1 back again, but you have to wonder if his number of touches and age will catch up to him. The 31-year-old had a career-high 357 rushes last season. Barber has been durable during this time, but ’06 may be the year that Brandon Jacobs starts giving Barber a few more breathers. Jacobs is also a decent goal line runner, scoring seven times on the ground last season. As a result, Barber’s TD total dropped from 15 in ’04 to 11 in ’05 and may dip again this season with the emergence of Jacobs. There is still the knock on Tiki that he’s a fumbler. Last year he fumbled just one time, but since ’00 he’s fumbled 41 times.
MY BOTTOM LINE
Barber is still a first-round fantasy draft pick, but if you’re in a keeper league, you’ve got to know his years are limited. Expect Tiki to rush for around 1,400 yards and score 7-10 total TDs this season, but if you need a top RB who will find the end zone more often, Larry Johnson or Shaun Alexander are much better selections.
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Comments from DJ Boyer - 6/24
FANTASY UPSIDE
Remember the days when Tiki Barber was “too small to be an every down back”? Barber has proven the critics wrong with his amazing statistics. Since 2002 Barber has averaged 315 carries and 61 catches a year and hasn’t missed a single game. When looking at All-Purpose yards for running backs over that time period Barber has 8,144 yards for an average of 2,036 yards per season, a mark that is tops in the NFL. Barber is coming off a career best season and the Giants are fresh off a division title. There are a number of reasons for Tiki Barber owners to be very happy.
FANTASY DOWNSIDE
Even though Barber had career numbers in 2005 something happened that concerned the Giants, he turned 30. This is the magic age where teams usually start thinking about the future and how much gas a running back has left in the tank. Barber shows no signs of slowing down just yet but there are a few factors which keep him from being ranked with LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson at the top of every Fantasy Football Draft Board. The Giants drafted rookie Brandon Jacobs last year and he became a popular goal line option. Barber had 9 rushing TD’s while Jacobs had 7. Barber also seems to go through periods where he fumbles the ball frequently. Leagues that penalize you for turnovers become a consideration when thinking about Barber.
MY BOTTOM LINE
The addition of Plaxico Burress, emergence of Eli Manning and the health of Jeremy Shockey all made the Giants a better offensive team in 2005. No matter how many weapons they have Tiki Barber is still the key to making it all work. If you’re starting a Dynasty League he is probably a player that falls out of the first round but in redraft leagues he is a top five pick overall. There are 2-3 great seasons left in Barber providing he stays healthy.
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What Next?
Be sure to check out the following...
a)
Full Impact Draft Simulator
b)
Full Impact Customized Cheat Sheets
c)
Ultimate Cheat Sheets
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