If you look at the numbers Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams put up last season, they’re not bad. He carried 211 times for 823 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns.
If you then look at the circumstances, Williams’ numbers actually were very good. Coming off his second major knee injury, Williams did all that behind a team that was the worst in the NFL for the first half of last season.
Take all that into consideration and look forward. It’s not hard to imagine Williams turning in a bigger year in 2010. He’s completely healthy now and he’s the unquestioned starter at running back. The Bucs have shifted Earnest Graham over to fullback and Derrick Ward, who was signed last year with the dream of him becoming the feature back, has shown he’s just a backup.
Ward was one of the bigger disappointments last year, drafted pretty early as the assumed Tampa Bay starting RB. Caddy and Ward split carries much of last season before Williams kind of took over as the feature back. This certainly makes it look like Williams will be the starter again, and it may not even be a committee situation if Ward is simply a backup, or a third down passing-catching back. Feature backs are hard to find these days, and while you certainly can't expect week-in, week-out stud totals from any Tampa RB, keep Williams in mind as a potential RB3 on your team, with potential to start certain weeks.
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