Fantasy FanHouse will be chiming in throughout the NFL draft with fantasy analysis of each fantasy relevant pick.Wow. I mean, just wow. Rashard Mendenhall kind of plummeted in the draft didn't he? And when he landed right in Mike Tomlin's lap, the Pittsburgh head coach scooped him up. And it was a very smart move.
Willie Parker is obviously the starter for the Steelers, but there have always been concerns about his ability to bash between the tackles, even when he was racking up huge seasons, yardage-wise. Now the Steelers won't have to face those questions as much, because Mendenhall will serve as a bruising back that will compliment Parker perfectly.
Single season leagues are probably going to wait and take Mendenhall, because Parker is a pretty solid first rounder. However, I tend to think he's got sleeper written all over him because of Parker's injury history and his different style of running. If you like to gamble, you're going to be thinking about this guy in the early teens during drafts, and certainly, he's a must have handcuff for Parker.
In terms of dynasty leagues, I think Mendenhall has to be at or near the top of drafts. He's a brusing, talented runner and he's landed in a situation where the offensive line has always been stressed. Is Parker the long term answer for Pittsburgh? At least for the next two years because of his contract. But I'd put my money on Mendenhall being the guy you will want long term. And if that's the case, he may end up being the most valuable guy in this draft when we look back on things in about three to four years.
