Week 12 could mean the return of Ricky Williams to NFL football after being reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell and he could still make a big impact in the league if he can focus. Williams has a problem with marijuana use which he states is for social anxiety disorder and has been in and out of football for quite a while. The Miami Dolphins who currently have him on their roster are without starting running back Ronnie Brown after a season ending injury and also are without backup Jesse Chatman for this week’s game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. This means that Ricky Williams should see some reps and may even start of the other available running back Patrick Cobbs.
For those who are unaware of the potential Williams had when he first came into the league, understand that Mike Ditka regarded him as the best back he has seen in a while and was comparable to he great Walter Payton which is why coach Ditka traded all of the New Orleans Saints’ draft picks that year to move up and draft Williams. Ricky was a major talent and dominated the college scene as many outstanding backs do. He was a monster that was hard to tackle and hard to catch up with once he got started which is one of the reasons he won the 64th Heisman Trophy. Williams also chalked up 200 yards or more in 12 different games (but not against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Go Tech) in his final year in college and holds or shares 20 NCAA records.
If Williams can knock the habit of marijuana, he is sure to become a very useful power back that can take the brunt of the load. He has power similar to Steven Jackson, Marion Barber, and Adrian Peterson and many teams can use a powerful bruiser that is very mobile as well. Looking at Adrian Peterson’s monster numbers this year makes one wonder how Ricky could have fared. His stats as a starter in 2002 for the Dolphins, when he was focused was pretty good with 1853 total yards, 16 rushing TDs, and a 4.8 yard average per carry.
Look for Ricky to bring back a little flare back in his game even against a tough defense like the Steelers. He has added some upper body muscle and weighs in at 231 and has been getting a higher percentage of reps during practice. Fantasy football players should definitely keep an eye on Williams and those who own Jesse Chatman or Ronnie Brown should already have picked him up.