Could Patriots RB James White could rush for 700 yards?
Fantasy football owners’ ears just perked up everywhere. Sleeper and third-stringer, James White has entered the fantasy radar. In an over/under predictions piece, CBS Senior Columnist Pete Prisco said that the former Wisconsin standout will rush for 700 yards this season.
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"This fourth-round pick from Wisconsin has really impressed in camp. He should take away carries from Stevan Ridley. He can also be effective in the passing game. I think he gets to 700 yards rushing as a rookie."
Ridley is standing on a knife-edge ridge. If he slips any which way, he’s gone. All Bill Belichick needs is one more fumble. He was not to keen on Ridley’s issues holding onto the football last year. It killed the running back’s play time at the end of the season. He already had a fumble in preseason.
And Ridley can’t afford to let another running back in the door. Shane Vereen is already an equally talented running back. He was selected a round earlier than Ridley in the 2012 draft.
James White has had a solid showing in preseason but has done an excellent job in camp. Aside from not fumbling, the other essential quality for a Patriots running back is pass protection. If White wants to vulture carries from Ridley, he will have to prove he can protect Brady. Luckily, he came straight out of Wisconsin with those skills. So White is an absolute natural as far as prerequisites go — that’s why the Patriots drafted him
His performance in the preseason and early season will help him get into the stable, but Ridley will have to mess up, if White is going to get 700 yards.