4th-year running back Jerome Harrison was talk of 
the fantasy football world over the final three weeks of the season as he rushed for over 500 yards. But is he the real-life answer to the Browns running back issues?
While his 286-yard performance against Kansas City will forever be remembered in Cleveland, the stats seem to indicate that the Browns would be better off going in a different direction in 2010.
If you remove Harrison’s outburst against the Chiefs, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry this past season. Even in the final two weeks – two 100-yard performances – he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry. The fantasy stats were nice, but in reality his performance this season was well below average (aside from one game, of course).
So where can the Browns go from here?
Well, whether its the right move or not, Harrison is likely to get a shot at the starting role in 2010. At the very least, he’ll probably be given the opportunity to compete with James Davis who missed nearly his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury.
It would not be a wise move to enter the season with two unproven running backs competing for a job, however, and Mike Holmgren is well aware of this. Rather than spend big money to bring in someone to start over Harrison and Davis, I would look for the Browns to sign a veteran to share the load. Current Texas running back Chris Brown would be the type of experienced backup they could be looking for.
About the author
