The Redskins have a nice corps of running backs set up for the 2008 season.  Clinton Portis is the main running back for the Redskins and he is a really good all around back.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Redskins last season and he carried the ball 325 times for 1,262 yards (3.9 ypc) with 11 TD runs.  He also caught 47 passes for 389 yards (8.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Portis should add to his impressive career numbers this season for the Skins.  Portis has now played in 84 games (79 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 1,710 times for 7,715 yards (4.5 ypc) with 63 TD runs.  He also has caught 205 passes for 1,688 yards (8.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.

Ladell Betts would be a starting running back for most teams in the NFL but not the Redskins.  He’s a very skilled back who can handle a heavy workload if something were to happen to Portis.  Betts played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Redskins last season and he carried the ball 93 times for 335 yards (3.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 21 passes for 174 yards (8.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Look for Betts to add to his career numbers as he begins to count down the days until he can become a free agent and make the big money.  Betts has now played in 80 games (11 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 659 times for 2,760 yards (4.2 ypc) with 10 TD runs.  He has also caught 126 passes for 1,126 yards (8.9 avg) with 3 TD grabs.

Rock Cartwright is a talented back but he’s firmly behind Portis and Betts on the depth chart so he doesn’t get much of a chance to show what he can do on offense.  He played in 15 games last season for the Redskins and he carried the ball 2 times for 0 yards (0.0 ypc).  Cartwright has now played in 91 games (3 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 146 times for 647 yards (4.4 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He has also caught 31 passes for 320 yards (10.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  A-