Cast of Characters

Anthony Allen (Senior 2010)
Preston Lyons (Junior 2010)
Richard Watson (Sophomore 2010)
Lucas Cox (Senior 2010)
Charles Perkins (True Freshman 2010)

What’s the Scoop?

In the Yellow Jackets triple option offense, the “B back” position is the one that receives the most carries and thus yields the most fantasy production. The departure of Jonathan Dwyer leaves a gaping hole at the B position for the 2010 season. The most likely candidate to take over is senior, Anthony Allen.

Allen is a transfer from Louisville who is very talented and physically imposing (6'0 239 pounds). In 2009, Allen played the A position and rushed for 618 yards and 6 scores with an incredible 9.65 yards per carry. The switch to the B position in the backfield will lead to a huge increase in carries for Allen.

Who’s Gone?

Georgia Tech loses two senior starters on the offensive line in guard Cord Howard and tackle Brad Sellers. Also, starting guard Joseph Gilbert will be transferring at the end of the spring semester, leaving the Jackets with three spots to replace on the offensive line. Help might be found in junior tackle Nick Claytor, sophomore guard Omoregie Uzzi, and sophomore Phil Smith, who is questionable for the spring with an injury.

Who’s Back?

The biggest returning piece of the offense is quarterback, Josh Nesbitt. He ran for just over 1,000 yards and scored an impressive 18 rushing touchdowns in 2009. In his second full year running the triple option, Nesbitt should help this offense to run like a well-oiled machine.

What to expect in 2010?

The 2010 season should bring another monster ground campaign for the Yellow Jackets and their top rushers. The two top ground gainers this coming fall should be quarterback Josh Nesbitt and B back Anthony Allen.

The combination of power and speed which Allen possesses should lead to a successful transition from the A back position to the B back position. He will get the tough yards up the middle and should be able to break some long runs just as Jonathan Dwyer did a year ago. The B back has garnered a bunch of carries over the past two seasons with 200 carries in 2008 and 235 in 2009. All signs point to Allen getting those types of carries as the starter which should translate into a very successful fantasy campaign in 2010.

The B back 2nd stringer from last year, Preston Lyons, is out with a shoulder injury. This could open the door for true freshman Charles Perkins to get some early playing time behind Allen. Perkins has drawn early praise from head coach Paul Johnson this spring and might be a factor come fall. The third string spot should fall to Richard Watson and Lucas Cox.

If your fantasy draft was today…

Everything is in place for Anthony Allen to literally take the ball and run with it in 2010. He has every bit the fantasy value that Jonathan Dwyer had the previous two seasons with the capability of putting up big numbers. He should make for a solid RB2 in All-120 leagues and a fringe RB1 in BCS-only formats. Whoever emerges as the No. 2 "B" back also has some value in case of injury.