Ronnie Brown Traded To Detroit

The Raiders going “all in” by acquiring Carson Palmer wasn’t the only deal at Tuesday’s annual NFL trade deadline. The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles got together for a running back swap of sorts. The Eagles sent 2011 free agent acquisition Ronnie Brown to the Motor City for fellow runner Jerome Harrison and a 2013 seventh round pick.

Obviously the Lions are very concerned about Jahvid Best‘s inability to stay healthy. Best suffered yet another concussion this week and his status for week seven is still unknown. Brown was acquired to spell Best and possibly serve as Detroit’s short yardage runner. The Lions have struggled to mount a rushing attack in 2011, so much so that they abandoned the run near the goal line, instead relying on fades and jump balls to Calvin Johnson.

Brown could still play  a decent fantasy football role. Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is very familiar with the former first round pick from their years together in Miami. It’s entirely possible that Brown could cause Detroit to put more emphasis on attempting to run the ball in and around the goal line, and possibly try to throw in more “wild cat” elements due to Brown’s success as a part time passer.

What we do know is that Keiland Williams in now going to have no fantasy value, and Maurice Morris is only an option if Jahvid Best is out and Morris splits time with the newly acquired Brown. The most likely scenario going forward is to see the club splitting carries between Best and Brown, with Brown being more of a between the tackles threat and Best used as a Reggie Bush like weapon as a pass catcher out of the backfield, hoping for mismatches against linebackers and defensive ends.

The move was somewhat more puzzling in Philadelphia, as Jerome Harrison was a member of the Eagles last year before moving on to the Lions. Harrison is a somewhat smaller back who has played will in limited roles throughout his NFL career.

LeSean McCoy is the undisputed featured back in Philly and will continue to play in and around the goal line, as Brown was ineffective in that part of the field for the Eagles. Harrison’s arrival only seems to put him in a position to split time with rookie Dion Lewis for limited playing time behind McCoy.

If nothing else, Harrison was acquired for his veteran experience in case the expanded role that Shady McCoy has taken on this season results in an injury or reduced effectiveness due to fatigue. Ronnie Brown never really had any success for the “Dream Team”, so a seventh round pick in 2013 is a small price to pay to acquire a back that Andy Reid feels better fits their system.

Fantasy Factor:

The move insures that LeSean McCoy will continue to be a full time player out of the Philadelphia backfield. With Ronnie Brown‘s departure, there is no longer the threat of him losing goal line carries to anyone other than Michael Vick.

Ronnie Brown is a shell of his former self, but could still make an impact in and around the red zone for a Detroit Lions team that has been unable to mount a consistent rushing attack in this area. If he’s on waivers, he’s worth owning immediately, especially with Jahvid Best questionable to play this week.

Jahvid Best‘s value shouldn’t be hurt too much by Brown’s arrival. Best isn’t much of a short yardage or inside runner and would be better utilized in a part time role, receiving about 10 carries and 6 receptions a game. That kind of role would take advantage of his speed by keeping him fresh, and likely reduce his chances of getting hurt.

Jerome Harrison and Dion Lewis will split time spelling LeSean McCoy, but of the two, only Lewis would have any real fantasy value in a very deep dynasty league.

Keiland Williams should be dropped immediately. Should Best’s concussion keep him out of week seven, Maurice Morris could get the start, but isn’t likely to make a big impact. He could be a desperation pick up in a PPR format.