Shawn Southward

Despite splitting carries with DuJuan Harris the past two years, Southward has still been able to establish himself as one of college football’s more effective runners. He finished last year with 813 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage after finishing 2009 with 725 and 12. The departures of Harris and Jerrel Jernigan, however, leaves a void of 142 carries in the Troy offense, so Southward should have his best year yet in 2011.

Southward will have to split the rushing load with DuJuan Harris, but he holds more upside between the two. Harris is the favorite to start this year, but Southward ran for 19 more yards last year despite getting 41 fewer carries. That sort of production differential will outweigh any loyalty the program feels to Harris, the upperclassman. Still, Harris is too good to not get about half of the carries, so Southward won't reach his full potential this year. After running for 602 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman last year, it became obvious that Southward will do damage once he gets the ball. He's a top-notch RB2 option in Sun Belt-only leagues, and he certainly has utility in other formats, as well.