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RON DAYNE
RB - Broncos
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Comments from Ryan Chiaverini - 7/21
FANTASY UPSIDE
Ron Dayne has gone from Heisman Bust to the Broncos starting tailback?? It sure looks that way. After releasing Mike Anderson this offseason, Broncos GM Ted Sunquist says he plans to use Dayne in the same role with Tatum Bell rotating as he did last year.
Dayne did not get many opportunities last year but when he did he ran well. You may recall the Thanksgiving game in Dallas when Dayne broke free for a long run in OT to set up the winning FG.
Ron Dayne opened Broncos minicamp practicing with the first-team offense, as expected.
FANTASY DOWNSIDE
Ron Dayne lacks break away speed and although he is built like a fullback, he has not endured the wear and tear of being a 16 game starter in quite some time.
MY BOTTOM LINE
The Broncos system is such that just about any running back will put up good numbers. Ron Dayne is virtually the "same guy" as Mike Anderson. If Dayne can endure the grind, he will rush for around 1,000 yards with Tatum Bell doing the same. Mike Shanahan would prefer to have one dominant running back (i.e. Terrell Davis) but for now will stick to committee.
It's July. Take the time to accept this is Dayne's job to lose so you can be mentally prepared to draft him for value in August.
Tatum Bell was running with the second team, another Running Back by Committee in Denver is headed this way.
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Comments from Dorian Adams - 7/21
FANTASY UPSIDE
In Denver the running game starts up front, and it always has, so it’s only fitting that their offensive line be the first positive listed when discussing Ron Dayne. Denver’s zone blocking scheme coupled with their impressive personnel up front has led to one of the most respected offensive lines in the NFL today. This O-line has made a star out of the likes of Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson, next on their list is to help resurrect the career of former Heisman trophy winner, Ron Dayne. Dayne showed some shimmers of excellence last year and he closed out the season averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. Dayne is a big and physical type of runner who can show a lot of heart at times when running the ball.
FANTASY DOWNSIDE
Mike Shanahan, great coach, but sometimes hard to read on exactly who is their go to guy in the backfield. At this point it seems like Ron Dayne is the favorite, but with Shanahan that could all change in an instant. So, if Dayne were to struggle early coach Shanahan is not the type of person that will hesitate to sit him. He’s also yet to break the 1,000 yard mark in a single season; as a matter of fact he has only piled up a total of 2,337 rushing yards over a six year career, which averages out to 389 yards a season. He has also had problems with being a consistent runner from game to game.
MY BOTTOM LINE
Probably the best news is that the backfield in Denver isn’t nearly as crowded as it once was in previous years. So the time is perfect for Ron Dayne to finally have his shine. He could very well end up being a good sleeper pick at his position this year. Ideally he would really be nice if you could squeeze him in as a fourth RB, in a setup where you only have to start two. He could even be valuable as a third back for your team if Dayne will be facing a favorable match up during your starters’ bye weeks, but then I would recommend paying close attention to what Shanahan is saying in regards to his backfield throughout training camp. Be sure to keep track of what 4for4.com is reporting in August and how forecasts change to get a good read on Dayne's workload in 2006.
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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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