Into the home stretch of NFL.com's 12-team Fantasy 2008 Mock Draft and you have to wonder what kind of league you're in when a 1300 yd rusher goes #19 overall. Can I be in NFL.com's league this year?
#19 Willie Parker, RB, Pit - Parker's outstanding ability to roll up rushing yardage (1316 yds last season, 4012 yds the past three seasons) was overshadowed by his bizarre inability to get into the end zone. Last year he set the NFL record for most rushing yards with fewer than 3 rushing touchdowns (Curtis Martin's 2003 season of 1308 yds / 2 TDs had been the old record). He's not a bruiser and there's no way he'll return to the 13 rushing touchdowns he had in 2006. You can depend on the yardage, but anything over 4-5 touchdowns is a bonus.
20 Clinton Portis, RB, Was - He's back, he's healthy and you can count on him. His stats from last season (1262 rush yds, 11 TDs) are actually a bit low as the Redskins treated him gingerly to start the season and he needed time to get into game shape. He finished strong at the end though (70 rushes, 306 yds, 4 TDs in the final three games of the season), including wins over the Cowboys and Giants. Ladell Betts seems to have been given the kiss of death by somebody, so feel comfortable with drafting Portis as a #1 RB -- about five to seven slots higher than this.
#21 Braylon Edwards, WR, Cle - He's the go-to guy in Cleveland without a doubt. His breakout season (1289 receiving yds and at least one touchdown in 11 different games) will have people drafting him in the second round, but I still have some concerns about Derek Anderson. You would have to think Anderson will come back to earth at least a little bit, and that should affect Edwards' stats. Still, if Joe Jurevicius and the recently signed Donte' Stallworth can provide some protection (not a given by any means) Edwards is a legitimate #1 WR.