Lacking Faith in Jamal Lewis

I'm probably going to raise a few eyebrows and maybe even catch some flack for this one, but oh well. I simply can't pretend to go along with the masses and consider Jamal Lewis a solid option as a Fantasy RB. I strongly advise against wasting one of your top three picks on Jamal Lewis. Gasp. Silence. OK, I know you and the entire Cleveland Browns fanbase is quietly chuckling and/or assuming I've been drinking. Well, the latter might be true ... just not at the moment.

I'm just not taking the bait. Forgive me if I'm one of the few in the anti-Jamal camp. However, let me first explain why I'm not sold on Lewis. And trust me, I know I've got some explaining to do, because how on earth can't you like Jamal? He's running behind one of the top offensive lines in the game. He had a rebirth of sorts last season, and his offense is considered by many to be a juggernaut. Fair enough.

Yet I refuse to believe that a guy who's carried the rock over 2,000 times already in his career is still in his prime. Sorry. Sure, I know he's only 29 years old, but if anything we've seen over the years is that running backs seem to hit a wall right around their 7th or 8th season. Well, Jamal is not only entering his 9th season, but he also had a major knee injury back in 2000. Of course, it was back in 2000, but if we are ready to write off Larry Johnson, who has only racked up 1,000 carries and had a far less serious injury ... what's the difference?I mean, was the rebirth in Cleveland so life changing that Jamal has somehow found the fountain of youth? The Ravens couldn't wait to kick him to the curb after the 2006 season. One man's trash is another man's treasure and Jamal served up the motivation card, while delivering a decent season for the Browns a year ago. However, was that season really all that great? He went over 100 yards just four times and four of his nine TDs came in one game -- a game in which he averaged 1.9 yards per carry.

OK, in Fantasy terms and what was expected of him, last season was a blessing. However, as I mentioned, last season was all about redemption and motivation for Lewis. He had to prove the Ravens wrong, he had to show all those people who doubted him that he still had it. And what else? Oh yeah, he had to get paid. And that's just what happened for Jamal.

Hmm. How many running backs do you trust coming off "career revival" years that just happened to get a fat offseason contract? In fact, I wish we could track this for Fantasy drafts, like a little asterisk...*dude got paid this offseason.* I give any RB with a new contract a wide birth. I'm not saying Lewis is going to mail it in this season, but I'm just saying... the motivation that was on the table last year, is gone.

Of course, I could be completely wrong on the notion. But I just can't imagine Lewis giving you anything better or comparable to what he gave last year. Odds are he's hit his prime and this is where it begins to tail off. I'm certainly not saying you shouldn't draft Lewis, rather cautioning where you draft him. He very well could and should have a decent year, but I just don't trust the man, and will be sure he doesn't find his way onto any of my fantasy rosters.

It's your team and your choice, so do as you will. Yet, think it over before you're happy grabbing Jamal Lewis to anchor your team.