Wednesday July 10th /2002

RB Ladainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers

Height: 5-10  
Weight: 221  
Born: June 23, 1979, Rosebud, TX  
College: Texas Christian

Career Statistics:    

Chris Smith’s Thoughts:  

I was very high on Ladainian Tomlinson coming out of Texas Christian and told everyone in last season's rookie analysis that he would have the finest rookie numbers of the running backs.  Now year two has arrived and he is capable of putting up solid numbers once again.  However, while he was great value in the 3rd + round last season, Tomlinson has been going in the mid-first round so far in 2002 fantasy drafts.  Now don't get me wrong because I love Tomlinson a lot for long-term fantasy success and his value in keeper/dynasty leagues is much greater than in redraft leagues.  However the Chargers have a lot of questions to answer on the offensive side of the ball such as who will start at quarterback, which receivers will step up and which offensive lineman will take control before I will feel comfortable with using my first round pick on him.

Tomlinson starting strong a year ago but began fading when the Chargers passing attack dropped into the toilet and defenses began to key on him.  His second half numbers show that the team has a long way to go in regards to run blocking before he can become a dominant running back.  I expect the Chargers to install second-year quarterback Drew Brees in as the starter and he will have the usual growing pains of a young passer.  As the passing attack gains in strength during the season, Tomlinson will begin finding more running room and will improve as the season goes on.  If you truly want Tomlinson, let somebody else draft him early and hope he struggles at first so you can trade for him after a few weeks and watch him improve as the season goes on.  His second half numbers will be much better than his first on way to being a legitimate top six running back for next year.

Quotes from the P.O.D. Thread in the forum: (make sure you click on the link that takes you to the thread.  There are many fantastic thoughts that I wasn't able to fit into this article).

Link to the thread: Click Here   

Positive Responses:

dcgangstas:

I look for more improvement from Ladainian Tomlinson this season. I attribute much of Tomlinson's fade down the stretch to substandard play from a poor offensive line. Under the Marty ball offensive construct, I think that he will continue to serve as the offensive focal point for the Chargers, and get at least 30 touches per game.

Maurile Tremblay:

Marty Schottenheimer recently said that he has no preconceived notions about the offense except one: he wants to get Tomlinson the ball more in the open field. Good idea, if you ask me.

footballman_696969:

Tomlinson had a great rookie season with the chargers. This year he will improve IMO. The O-line has improved and Marty Schottenheimer wants to get Ladainian the ball more.

Gargoylez:

Seriously, put a strong talented workhorse back like Tomlinson on the Colts or Rams... and he is INSTANTLY your top 3 fantasy player.

Doughboy:

I think Tomlinson will benefit from having a year under his belt and will improve slightly over last year's campaign. There has been quite a bit made of his drop off over the last part of the 2001 season, but I'm going to attribute that to having to endure the rigors of a 16 game NFL season after coming straight out of college

The Monsoon:

Tomlinson is going to be a beast. Everyone knows that Schottenheimer LOVES to run the ball, and the bigger the back, the better for him. Even though he is not the biggest back in the league, Tomlinson has proven that he can carry the ball as many times he is called to do so. This year, he is going to have his number called more than last year, and will most likely lead the team in not only rushing yards, but receptions as well.

Woodrow:

Seriously though, I think, all things being equal, LT merits serious consideration once the top tier backs (Marshall, Ahman, Alexander) are off the board.

LT has what many backs do not...unquestioned opportunity. LT will get his carries, come hell or high-water. Last season, as a rook, LT managed 398 touches. He accounted for 41% of the team's offensive snaps. That's opportunity.

Negative Responses:

JoeT:

 I see Ladainian with a decent year. He is slightly overrated in most drafts and should go mid second round but won't.

Mustang Man:

Tomlinson I think will never be a big time stud. He will be a reliable fantasy player that I feel is overrated in his rookie success. The team that he is on hurts him more then his talent. That is what dictates how big a star players are in fantasy football more so then talent.

Nexus:

Definitely a 1000 yard rusher but big ???s with Marty ball.

Gatorman:

I really wish I had a strong opinion about Ladainian. I think he is the next Curtis Martin. A lot of carries, the focal point of his Offense, and a top 8 back. The fact that he's trending in the top 5 makes me wonder if I am missing something, or if the RB position is starting to water down a little.

Footballguy Projections:

P.O.D. average projections  

Chris Smith's average projections