This is an issue debated in FFB circles every year, ad nauseam. What position is worth more at your draft table, the running back, or the wide receiver? Most leagues now score a point for a reception, so the lower-tier WR’s have certainly gained in status through the years..
In 2007, the top 10 WR’s outscored the top 10 RB’s by a margin of over 300 points. Yet, in 2006, RB’s outscored WR’s by a significant margin. To be fair, in 2007, top tier RB’s were really snake-bitten by injuries, surely skewing things…
I say it is a push… I say it’s a wash…
Until this….
This year, the NFL has changed a rule that will substantially affect the FFB landscape. There will be no “force-out” calls this year. If a WR snags a ball and is forced out of bounds by the defender, it is no longer considered a catch.
Follow me with this scenario. Your QB attempts a 40 yard TD bomb to your WR, who you cleverly picked up in your draft. He snags the ball in the corner of the end zone, but he’s forced out of bounds by the defender, preventing both feet from planting in the end zone. In my league this would be an 18 point disappointment. That is beyond huge!
Even a 20-yard grab at the sidelines, forced out of bounds, could swing a weekly FFB outcome. These plays happen nearly every game!
This new rule will also impact your QB’s fantasy production as well. In the previous scenario, that would be a 7 point QB casualty, plus a loss of a completion. While NFL referees will breath a little easier, and instant replay booths will collect some dust, this rule will wreak havoc on the cumulative numbers of a WR, and even a QB. As is if FFB isn’t stressful enough!

ADVANTAGE………RUNNING BACK