It was a difficult blow for the Pittsburgh Steelers when Rashard Mendenhall’s season ended right before the playoffs. It will now be even more difficult to be in that position that Mendenhall may not even suit up for the 2012 season.
Fantasy owners who planned on keeping Mendenhall or drafting him as a marquee RB1 are now left to squander their options. There are obviously other running backs to build a team around, but Mendenhall was one of six clear-cut RB1s heading into 2012, especially with Todd Haley set to assume play-calling duties.
The silver lining: there are viable options on the Steelers roster.
Isaac Redman is likely the first in line to receive the bulk of the carries. General Manager Kevin Colbert gave a ringing endorsement of Redman during yesterday’s press conference, noting that he established himself as an NFL running back.
Isaac Redman is the first in line to replace Rashard Mendenhall's productivity.
Redman carried the ball 110 times for 479 yards and three touchdowns last season. Lost in the disappointment of the overtime loss to Denver, Redman tallied 121 yards. There are two barriers to Redman’s productivity: offensive line woes and the possibility of a running back-by-committee approach. Based on potential alone, Redman is a surefire RB2 with a high ceiling, especially if you can grab in a later round or for a lower cost.
Another candidate for carries includes former Georgia Tech back Jonathan Dwyer, who was also placed on injured reserve during the season. A sixth-round selection in 2010, Dwyer was active for just seven games. Dwyer had all of 16 carries on the year, but 11 came against Tennessee Week 5, which translated into 107 yards and a six yard-per-carry average. Dwyer showed noticeable improvement as a blocker in his sophomore season, and health should not hinder him entering 2012.
The darkhorse in this race is John Clay. Undrafted after a Heisman Trophy-worthy campaign at Wisconsin, the Steelers added Clay to their practice squad. He was active for the final two games with Dwyer and Mendenhall on injured reserve, totaling 10 carries for 41 yards and a score.
Both Dwyer and Clay are the types of backs that excelled in college, yet we’ve only seen glimpses of true potential on the professional stage. Expect Dwyer, if healthy, to fill in as the primary back-up to Redman, especially with Mewelde Moore a free agent. However, Redman’s skill-set makes him the most viable third-down.