Buy or Sell: C.J. Anderson

C.J. Anderson
ADP: 10.9
RB: 8

Every season a handful of guys nobody has ever heard of pop up and do some amazing things. One of those guys in 2014 was C.J. Anderson, at the time a relatively anonymous second year player.

When pre-season darling Montee Ball was injured and ineffective early in the season, Anderson slowly started getting a few carries here and a few more there. And before you knew it, he’d put up 887 yards on the ground, 324 more through the air and scored 10 TDs overall.

So is he for real? Or is Anderson another flash-in-the-pan who produces when the pressure is off only to wilt when it’s theoretically finally his time to shine?

Buy: Andy

I’ve long been a proponent of the do-the-opposite fantasy football drafting philosophy. I’d rather load up on high-octane wide receivers and quarterbacks these days, passing on the top RBs. C.J. Anderson, however, is the type of back who might make me rethink that strategy this year.

While I wouldn’t be fool enough to pass up an Adrian Peterson in his prime, generally if I am going to draft a RB in the early rounds there are a couple things I look for: relatively fresh legs and the ability to contribute both as a runner and receiver. Anderson provides both qualities.

After getting just seven carries in his rookie season and 17 in the first six games of 2014, Anderson finally got his shot during the second half of last year and he made the most of it. He had 83 yards or more on the ground in six of the last 10 games, posting two games in which he scored three times. He added 34 receptions. Though 16 of those came in two games, he did have two more games where he tallied four catches.

These numbers from a guy who started the season as a RB3. The Broncos offensive line has taken a couple big hits this offseason, but while Pro Football Focus ranked the Denver OL 10th overall in 2014, the group came in just 20th in run blocking. So Anderson is used to putting up yards behind less than rock solid blocking. The team is switching to a zone blocking concept this season and Gary Kubiak has promised a more balanced attack – which should only benefit Anderson in his first full season as a starter.

And while I’m on record being uncomfortable with the idea of drafting Anderson’s QB in the first four rounds, Peyton Manning is still at least more than enough of a threat in the passing game to ensure that Anderson won’t be the sole focus of defenses. Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman may take a handful of touches each game, but they’ll be in clear supplemental roles, not in positions to threaten Anderson’s well-earned role as the lead back on this team. So sign me up.

Sell: Vomhof

I like C.J. Anderson. A lot.

In fact, I’m still kicking myself for dropping him in a short-bench keeper league the week before his big break out last season.

But I’m just not buying him this year—not at this price, at least.

Anderson suddenly is being drafted in the late first or early second of many drafts. While I understand the allure—it wouldn’t shock me if he lead the league in rushing and/or TDs—I’m just not ready to build my fantasy team around him.

There’s no debating that Anderson was an absolute monster down the stretch last season, racking up seven touchdowns in his final four games. He had 167 yards and 168 yards in Weeks 12 and 13, respectively, and he can contribute some in the passing game, too.

But let’s not forget that we were talking about Montee Ball this way last year. He’s still on the roster, and so is Ronnie Hillman, who looked surprisingly good before his Week 10 injury opened the door for Anderson.

While Anderson is the clear frontrunner now, it’s important to remember that the Broncos didn’t view him as anything more than a third RB until forced to play him. If he stumbles out of the gates this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise for this to turn into a committee.

Also, keep in mind that Anderson only has seven career starts. He was a fantasy monster during that stretch, finishing the year as a RB1 despite seeing limited action, but he also averaged 3.2 yards per carry or less in three of those seven games.

And if you’re in a dynasty league, I’d be also be concerned about Anderson’s staying power. I like to bet on elite talents, and he simply isn’t one. He was an undrafted free agent. The Broncos and new head coach Gary Kubiak both have history maximizing the talents of similar players of the years, but these guys tend to come and go.

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