I can not lie I absolutely love this guy. He does more in 12 games then most running backs do in a full season When healthy, Jackson is a do-it-all running back, easily capable of 20-to-25 touches per week with goal-line carries; talk about a fantasy dream. I like what the Rams seem to be doing improving their line and it says here S-Jax bring the house in 2009.
('09 Proj: 1800 total yds, 18 touchdowns) ~Dave Fosdick
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I still think Jackson has another 2006 season in him (1,528 yards, 13 touchdowns, 90 receptions, 806 yards, 3 touchdowns) if he can just stay healthy. 2006 has been the only year in his five year career in which Jackson has managed to play in all 16 games. With the Rams passing game no longer their strong suit I expect Jackson to get plenty of carries this season, again, if he can stay healthy.
('09 Proj: 353 att, 1,481 yds, 12 touchdowns, 63 rec, 506 yds, 2 TDs) ~Robb Perkins
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Jackson is an enormously gifted athlete, but he has only played a full season once in his five year career. Every year, he seems to be hindered by a nagging injury that robs him of his effectiveness (as if playing for the Rams hadn’t done such an effective job of that already). Unfortunately, it’s tough to bet on him suddenly becoming the picture of health and playing with a great team taking some of the pressure off of him.
('09 proj: 275 att, 1,150 yds, 7 touchdowns) ~Frank Mazzola
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If I was drafting today, I would strongly consider Steven Jackson with the second pick, especially if the Rams select another offensive lineman in the upcoming draft. I think Jackson is a perfect blend of speed and power. And doesn’t drop one bit in point per reception leagues. If the offensive line can protect Bulger, Jackson could be in a store for a monster year.
('09 Proj: 1,900 total yds, 12 touchdowns) ~Jon Rascon
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An absolute all purpose beast when healthy. He runs hard, is a great receiver and has a nose for the end zone too. Hopefully the Rams can be competitive enough to keep games close in order to use this stud to his potential.
('09 Proj: 2,000 total yds, 12 touchdowns) ~Steve Cavanagh
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Torry Holt was released. There is no debate who the best player on the Rams is. GM Billy Devaney has already said publicly that they WILL build around Jackson; then he went and proved it by signing fullback Mike Karney and upgrading the line by signing center Jason Brown. I like where this is headed for Jackson.
('09 Proj: 250 att, 1,200 yds, 10 touchdowns) ~Jeremy Fischer
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The ultimate fantasy tease. His talent is so obvious, apparent and dominant that he is impossible to pass on even though he has missed four games in each of the past two seasons. Here’s the facts: Jackson is not the workhorse back that the Rams would like him to be. He just can’t handle the workload. The team’s best bet would be to target him for 20 total touches each week and find another option for the remainder of their needs. Is that likely to happen with Jackson locked into a huge contract? No, it isn’t. Approach with caution. The projection below assumes that he will miss the usual 3-4 games.
('09 Proj: 250 att, 1,600 total yds, 10 touchdowns) ~Stan Feldman
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I tend to side with Stan on this one. I can understand you wanna ride your sled-dog and Jackson certainly is one of the most talented players in the entire league. Despite only 11 starts in 2008, S-Jax still finished #11 among running backs in attempts. Had he played a full slate, he was on pace for 368 carries, second only to Michael Turner. I'll give him the beneift of the doubt and pencil him in for 270 attempts because, in his four non-rookie years in the league, the guy has still managed a low-water mark of 237 carries. Not bad for a player tabbed as an emerging injury risk.
('09 Proj: 270 att, 1,700 total yds, 11 touchdowns) ~Rick Perkins