By Rich Tandler
Although I’m not much at dispensing fantasy advice, I get a lot of questions about it anyway. And most of them revolve around the Redskins’ running backs.
I’m happy to be able to say now that all of the questions now have an answer.
Roy Helu.
After 10 games of giving Helu workloads varying from moderate to very light, Mike Shanahan decided that his fourth-round draft pick in last April’s draft was ready.
Not only did Helu get 23 of the 24 carries by running backs (fellow rookie Evan Royster got the other) but he played all but a handful of the 65 offensive snaps. He was the team’s leading receiver with seven catches (54 yards).
And he played well. He showed a knack for being able to find a few extra yards, consistently turning one-yard gains into four yards. That’s what all good running backs do.
But not all good running backs can do what he did in the fourth quarter. On third and three from the Seattle 28, Helu took a quick pitch from Rex Grossman. As he headed towards the left side, cornerback Roy Lewis drew a bead on him and dove for his legs to make the tackle. Helu hurdled the hapless defender, kept his balance, bounced off of an attempted tackle by safety Kam Chancellor and was off to the end zone.
A lot of backs can hurdle over a tackler but not many can maintain their balance enough to keep from getting knocked over by a safety.
The run finished off a 70-yard touchdown drive that got Washington back into the game after Seattle had take a 17-7 lead. It gave the team a needed jolt on both sides of the ball. Seattle did not get a first down the rest of the way and the Redskins scored on their next possession (on another spectacular play, a leaping Anthony Armstrong catch of a 50-yard Grossman bomb) to take the lead for good.
While this is by far his most highlight worthy run of the year, it isn’t the first time he displayed the ability to make jaws drop. Against the Colts in the preseason he appeared to be going out of bounds on a run when he made a sudden change of direction that left the defenders grasping at air as he took off on a 51-yard run. And against the Cardinals Helu eluded friendly fire when he hurdled over one of his own linemen while in the open field on a pass reception.
Certainly, it’s too early to put Helu in the Pro Bowl or talk about him as one of the better backs in the league. But it’s not too early to answer those fantasy questions.
--Roy Helu will start the remaining five games this season.
--He is probably worth keeping in dynasty leagues.
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