The following will be a daily article with a countdown/breakdown for the NFL. The NFL is 40 days away and The Sports Affiliation is taking a look at the top forty running backs (RB) and linebackers (LB) to take us to opening day. Some might ask why. There are a couple reasons. First these are easily my two favorite positions on the field at any time. My earliest football memories include Hall of Fame members Walter Payton and Mike Singletary, and they became an example of what football is, or ‘ought to’ be.

Second, football at it’s purest element is hitting, running, and tackling. The most simple act in motion is a run through the A, B, or C gap, or put simply a run play between the tackle and opposing tight end. It’s quite simple really. Green Bay Packer linebacker Dave Robinson stated it best in his Hall of Fame speech. He recalled a coach telling him, “it’s a Spartan game played by Spartan-like individuals in a Spartan-like manner. It’s a game of hitting and getting hit. You’ve got to like to hit, and you’ve got to like to get hit…” Mr. Robinson also went on to state, “I tell people that when you play football, you’ve got to like the taste of blood. You’ve got to remember that 50 percent of the time, it’s your blood.”

Lastly, the current state of the running back is a hot topic. Long regarded as the crucial piece of a fantasy football championship, some entirely ‘punt’ on the position now. The premium set on quarterbacks over the past two decades has led to higher priorities (salaries) on edge rushers, which has led to higher priorities (salaries) on do-it-all tight ends (look at the 2023 draft if you don’t believe me), which is leading to a higher priority (salary) on the unnamed hybrid linebacker/safety position. This along with popularity in ‘Points Per Reception’ (PPR), and other cultural factors have devalued the running back position. This happening although running backs account for a significant percentage of most NFL teams total yards and points. So if nothing else, it is an attempt to highlight positions that can be under appreciated in both reality and fantasy football… Six of the top ten flex performances of week 17 were running backs, including Raheem Mostert.

RUNNING BACK 40 – Raheem Mostert MIA
Mostert quietly put together his most impressive season, difficult to do in your eighth season (and RBs are washed after their fourth season… yeah right). The naysayers have plenty of fuel for their fire; he’s old (31), he is in a dreaded RBBC (running back by committee), rookie Devon Achane will take all passing snaps, and so forth. The stats indicate otherwise. 1,093 total yards, 31 receptions, and 5 touchdowns, including 91 total yards, 8 receptions, and a touchdown week 17. He seemed to improve by splitting time with Wilson Jr. last year, and Mostert is a trustworthy pass-blocking RB. If he plays 16+ games this season there is no reason he can not achieve, or surpass, his 2022 numbers. He has plenty of ‘tread on the tire’, and it helps with so much stress being applied to the perimeter of opposing defenses. His current RB ADP (Average Draft Position) is around 50 so you can get him at value regardless of your draft strategy.

Linebacker 40 – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah CLE
Owusu-Koramoah’s numbers improved in his sophomore season. He earned 49 solo tackles, 27 assisted tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 4 passes defended in 14 games played. Those do not jump off the charts, but he did improve last year and will improve this year. The 2021 2nd round pick will be starting next to Anthony Walker Jr. and will be asked to be a force in the middle of the defense as Cleveland utilizes their nickel package (an extra defensive back in place of a traditional strong side linebacker) as their base defense. Cleveland will look to control the clock and bring great edge pressure with a young secondary. This benefits Owusu-Koramoah and 100 combined tackles with an uptick in passes defended is well within reach this season. He is available late in drafts and in leagues with few IDP requirements could be in the free agent pool.

Thank you for reading, remember Mano y Mano will be out EVERYDAY until September 7th.
Bet Smart, Be Lucky – Iggy

*Stats come from FantasyPros, Sleeper, and NFL. Rankings based off of .5 PPR format and FF7s for IDP scoring