Beanie Wells Now or Never Season

Every year mock draft boards around the fantasy football world get shuffled due to pre-season injury. This year has been no different. It might be just the beginning since we still have to suffer through two more weeks of pre-season football, but one of the first causalities has been claimed. With the season ending injury to Arizona Cardinal rookie running back Ryan Williams last week one guy who will jump up your draft boards is Chris Beanie Wells.

The Cardinals might have screwed this one up from the outset by going into the season with so many questions at the running back position. They drafted Virginia Tech’s Ryan Williams in the second round of this year’s draft – nothing wrong with that – so far so good. Then they felt comfortable enough with Williams and Wells as their one two punch that they promptly traded Tim Hightower. Like I noted in a previous Gridiron Experts story, Hightower is not going to win you any fantasy championships, but at least he was able to run the rock occasionally and give head coach Ken Wiesenhunt an additional option in the backfield. Now with both Hightower and Williams gone, by default the starting job falls to Wells.

Drafting a running back in the second round just two years after drafting Wells late in the first round tells you all you need to know about the team’s faith in the former Ohio State Buckeye. Wells had a solid rookie season with nearly 800 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, but his production fell of dramatically last season. Wells didn’t even total 400 yards and found the end zone just twice – killing any fantasy owner that took a chance on him. One of the reasons he has struggled is injuries. Coming out of college he had some knee issues and that same knee reared its ugly head last season forcing Beanie to miss a handful of games.

Even without the injuries Wells was never going to be a big play guy.  At 6’2″ and 229 pounds he could be a good between the tackles kind of runner, but not much else. Wells is not going to scare anyone with his speed or agility making his ceiling pretty low. With his past and possible future knee issues, what speed and agility he does have is going to continue to regress. That being said, unless the Cardinals bring in a free agent or ‘gasp’ make an in-season trade (note to the National Football League, you can do that) Wells is the man in Arizona.

With very little behind him (LaRod Stephens-Howling looks like he will a chance to be the third down back) Wells can turn his young career around in a hurry. With the bulk of the carries being given to him by default and with the potential of the passing game with Larry Fitzgerald and Kevin Kolb, Wells has no excuses. The question for fantasy football owners is where does his second chance place him on a draft board?

If we are to believe Wells is going to stay healthy one could hope he has a season like he did as a rookie. 800 yards and half a dozen touchdowns seems about right. This would put him on most rosters as no better than a third running back, maybe a weak second back if you are in a large league or wait around to take a second back. Unfortunately I would be willing to guess one or both of these situations happen. Wells is either going to have to miss games because of his knee or he will continue to underachieve forcing the Cardinals to go with a running back by committee system. Even if in that situation it makes him the goal line back I don’t see his numbers getting to his rookie levels.
That brings us back to the original question – what does his new found starting role mean for Beanie Wells owners this season. In short, not much. He went from being in a running back by committee situation and being nearly undraftable to as of now the clear cut starter on a terrible rushing team. Wells is now worth a late round draft pick, ahead of a handcuff player, but until he can prove he can stay healthy and string together a consistent month or two, keep him buried on the bench.