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The
Denver
Broncos
signed
veteran
running
back
Garrison
Hearst
after
trading
Clinton
Portis
to the
Washington
Redskins
for
cornerback
Champ
Bailey. Hearst
has been
with the
49ers
the past
seven
years
and he has
been a
productive
back. Will he
replace
Clinton Portis
as the
featured
back in
Denver
and more
importantly
when
should
you
draft
him in
your
fantasy
draft? Well
fellow
Freaks,
I know I
will
think
long and
hard
before I
decide
to
select
Garrison
Hearst
for my
fantasy
team.
•
Wear and
Tear
-
Garrison
Hearst
is not
getting
any
younger
and at
the age
of 33
minor
injuries
take a
little
longer
to heal
and Hearst
is no
stranger
to
injuries. In 1994
Garrison
tore his
ACL when
he
played
for the
Arizona
Cardinals. As a
49er,
Garrison
Hearst
sat out
the 1999
& 2000
seasons
after
breaking
his
fibula
just
above
his
ankle
and was
diagnosed
with a
condition
called Avascular
Necrosi.
This
is a
circulatory
problem
that
limits
proper
blood
flow. Those
two
injuries
and
eleven
years in
the NFL
cause me
great
concern
about
his
health.
•
Running
Back-by-Committee
- Over
the past
four
years
Hearst’s
rushing
&
receiving
attempts
have
declined
along
with his
yards
from
scrimmage. Last
season
he only
posted
one
100-rushing
game on
the
year. He has
failed
to rush
for a
1,000
yards in
each of
the past
two
seasons. The
Broncos
have two
second
year
players
in
Quentin
Griffin
& Ahmad
Galloway
who the
Broncos
believe
are
quality
backs. Throw in
one-time
1,500-yard
rusher
Mike
Anderson
and all
I see is
headache
for
those
who
draft
him.
•
Mike
Shanahan
- Those
of you
who have
played
fantasy
football
for some
time
know
that if
you
draft a
running
back on
the
Broncos
be
prepared
to be
misled
by
Denver
Broncos
coach
Mike
Shanahan
at least
once or
twice
during
the
fantasy
season. He will
tell you
that Hearst
is the
starting
running
back
and then
give
every
carry to
one of
the
other
backs on
the
team. For
those of
you who
have not
experienced
it
believe
me, it
really
sucks! Every
win you
get in
Fantasy
Football
is
important
so to
start a
guy that
doesn’t
play
a lot even
though
Shanahan
will
tells
you that he will
can
really
damage
your
fantasy
season. Is
Hearst
worth
that
risk?
•
Contract
- Hearst
was
signed
for the
league
minimum
for
veterans
so the
Broncos
don’t
have a
lot of
money
invested
in him. How much
he plays
depends
on how
the rest
of the
running
backs do
in camp.
Let
someone
else
jump for
Hearst
on draft
day
because
they
believe
Shanahan
can make
any back
a great
fantasy
running
back. The
earliest
I would
draft
Hearst
would be
as the 4th
back on my team
who
might be
able to
contribute
as a
decent
slot
back. If
you
draft
him as
your
number
#1 or #2
back
your
season
could be
over
before
it even
began.
If you
have any
comments
on this
article
feel
free to
contact
me.
Stingray |
