2008 NFL Draft: 1.23 Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
RB Rashard Mendenhall was having a tough Day One; having been one of the obvious players to drop today. Thought to be the 2nd RB off the board by many, he comes off the board after McFadden, Stewart and Jones. Making matters worse for him, he’s joining a team that has a young franchise runner in place in Willie Parker. However, Parker isn’t the biggest guy and the Steelers have use for a backup of Mendenhall’s caliber.
Fantasy Impact: Parker got hurt last year and the Steelers didn’t really have an answer. This solves that worry and, also gives them a potential 20-carry back in a year or two depending on whether they want to commit financially to Parker a few years down the line. Given his size and running style, Mendenhall could play a key role in short yardage and at the goal line, which would somewhat diminish Willie Parker’s fantasy value.
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