By Jeff Chudnofsky – Staff Writer
It’s official. Former San Francisco running back Kevan Barlow has passed his physical and is now property of the New York Jets. The New York front office already suspected that future Hall of Famer Curtis Martin would not suit up in 2006, but when Cedric Houston’s matador impression nearly got Chad Pennington killed in the Jets’ preseason opener, the proverbial straw had broken the camel’s back.
After a “failed” trade attempt to acquire Lee Suggs from Cleveland, the Jets tossed a fourth-round 2007 draft pick to SF for the rights to Kevan Barlow. Barlow, who rushed for 1,024 yards in 2003, has been a shadow of his former self since his breakout season.
From a fantasy perspective, the obvious beneficiary of this trade is second year 49er, Frank “manbearpig” Gore, who stakes claim to the starting running back gig in San Francisco. Although some wonder if Gore’s two surgically repaired knees and shoulders can withstand 25 touches per game, his fantasy owners must be thrilled that he’ll at least have the opportunity to prove his skeptics wrong. Gore is a safe pick in the fourth round of most leagues and could be worthy of a late third round pick if running backs are snatched up fast in your league. Barlow, on the other hand, should still be valued as a lower tier RB3/4. That is not to say that Barlow will do poorly; I actually believe he will surprise most folks, but his draft position should not be overly affected by this trade.
Barlow arrives to a team with a young offensive line that plays much better for the run than they do in pass protection. New York boasts a solid defense coupled with a subpar passing game. Mix those ingredients with a rookie head coach and you’ll have a commitment to run as much time off the clock as possible and play for field position. Although Barlow won’t rush for 1,300 yards, he will likely get the ball at least 15 times per game. Calling Derrick Blaylock a threat to steal carries is like saying Dane Cook is funny; it is simply not true. Barlow, who was labeled as a lazy stiff in San Francisco, was once referred to by Mike Shanahan as the best running back in the 2001 draft. He is only 27 years old, and must feel a sense of rejuvenation and motivation to be relocated to the Jets.
If the Jets’ defense can keep games close, Barlow could top 900 rushing yards with seven touchdowns. If you have secured a comfortable set of running backs and receivers, Barlow is someone to take a look at in the late sixth/early seventh round. However, if he shows promise during the remainder of the preseason, bump him up a few spots if you’re feeling lucky. Whether or not Barlow succeeds in his new environment remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure…there is one fewer running back committee in fantasy football.
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