Breakout: Felix Jones- No one has ever denied Jones' talent, but despite occasional flashes of brilliance over his first three years in the league, he has yet to put it together for a full season. That will all change this year. A combination of system, maturation, and opportunity will create a perfect storm for the Cowboys lightning bug. In previous years, Felix the cat has had to share a crowded backfield in Big D with the likes of over-the-hill vets Julius Jones, Marion Barber, and more. With those guys gone, the feature role is now all on the Arkansas alum and he'll have plenty of opportunities to shine in the high-octane Tony Romo-led offense. I foresee a rise to elite level, in the vein of LeSean "Shady" McCoy.
Prediction: 1100 Rushing Yards, 500 Receiving Yards, 8 total TD's.
Bust: Steven Jackson- While Jones is rising, Jackson is falling. It's hard to argue that S-Jax has been one of the most productive running backs of the past decade. Although he has never been at the top, he's always been in the conversation. Cumulatively, no RB has carried the ball more times over the past seven seasons than Jackson. While that is extremely impressive, it also means that the his tires are nearly treaded out. At age 29, a steep decline is expected. It doesn't help his cause that the Rams are skewing much more towards the passing game now that Sam Bradford is at the controls. While still a threat, Jackson's days as a top-shelf talent are all but over.
Prediction: 850 Rushing Yards, 300 Receiving Yards, 5 total TD's.
by Andrew Adamson
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