Bringing Sexy Back

I did lots of research before my fantasy football draft and all the experts agreed on one thing - running backs are the key.

Oh, really?

After Week 1 of the NFL season, the talk is not about the league's running backs, but about the wide receivers. With the exception of L.T., the marquee backs failed to live up to the hype (Steven Jackson, Larry Johnson, Reggie Bush) while the marquee wideouts had big weeks. Look at the numbers:

Randy Moss - 9 receptions, 183 yards, 1 TD
Terrell Owens - 3 receptions, 87 yards, 2 TDs
Chad Johnson - 5 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
Marvin Harrison - 4 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD
Steve Smith - 7 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD
Torry Holt - 8 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD

Throw in the next tier guys like Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Plaxico Burress and Javon Walker and you have the biggest and brightest from Week 1.

Who led the league in rushing last week? Recently cut and re-signed Titan Chris Brown.

Chad Johnson promised to bring sexy back this year, whatever that means exactly, but it doesn't look like he is going to do it alone. Moss and T.O. looked rejuvenated last weekend. Those three guys are sitting beside Manning and Brady when it comes to charismatic superstars of the league.

Meanwhile, the running back position is becoming more and more bland. Many teams are opting for a two-tiered backfield, so a potential superstar like Reggie Bush is sharing carries with the steady Deuce McAllister. Not counting the always exciting LaDanian Tomlinson, the rest of the league's big-name backs lack the imagination and moves of guys like Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Terrell Davis.

The quarterback position, outside of the previously mentioned Manning and Brady, lacks charisma as well. Carson Palmer? Marc Bulger, anyone? Michael Vick is going to jail. Brett Favre & Donovan McNabb are on the downsides of their careers and Vince Young and Matt Leinart are too green in the pocket to be anything more than "someday" stars.

The league's true stars are lining out wide. The question is, do we care? The NFL is not usually thought of as a superstar league. The NBA always has been, but NFL players are hidden under helmets, only on the field for half the game and it is rare when one player can single-handedly steal the show. Wide receivers are bad candidates also because they need a quarterback who can get them the ball in order to be a star. That also requires a good offensive line that can protect that quarterback so he can get them the ball. Look at Randy Moss in Oakland - hardly a superstar with Aaron Brooks trying to get him some catches while dodging blitzing defenders.

The league does, however, need some star power. Parity is well and good, but I'm not going to watch the 49ers/Cardinals game just because it will be close in the 4th quarter. It just makes me want to flip the game on at the end, the same complaint of NBA critics. But to watch Randy Moss...or Chad Johnson...or Terrell Owens - that is worth my time, even in the second quarter of an otherwise dull game.

Sure, they are prima-donnas. Yes, they are attention hogs. Okay, they might take plays off now and then.

But they are sexy.