Empty the Bench

Empty the Bench is foaming at the mouth with the prospect of wildebeast-with-pads Laurence Maroney assuming full-time duty as starting running back for the New England Patriots next season. After racking up an impressive 745 yards rushing, 194 yards receiving, and 7 touchdowns in his rookie season while splitting carries with Corey Dillon and battling a few nagging injuries, it appears that Dillon is about ready to call it a day and allow Maroney to assume his rightful throne as fantasy running back stud:

“I think more of my health, how I envision myself five, 10 years down the road,” [Dillon] told the Globe. “I don’t want to be broken down, not able to play with my kids. Football is the furthest thing on my mind right now. I may wake up and feel the itch and decide I still want to shake it, but as of now, I doubt that will happen.”

HOT—one less running back timeshare fantasy owners have to worry about next season. ETB has been watching Maroney since his days at the University of Minnesota, when even then he had to share carries with another fantasy-stats monster you may have heard of, Marion Barber III. With Maroney now in line to get the lion’s share of carries in the New England backfield, watch out. He’s a big, powerful guy that’s deceptively fast (he returned kicks for the Pats in his rookie season) and knows how to find open field. He’s a lot like the Rams’ Stephen Jackson, and honestly, we think he has Jackson-type potential eventually.

As for the ’07 season, expect double-digit TDs and 1,200+ yards if Dillon is gone. Unless something drastic happens at the top of your fantasy draft, he won’t slip past the 2nd round.

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