OK, don’t tell my editor but I’ve been avoiding writing about a running back for the first four weeks. This year’s running back situation league-wide has been atrocious and its been difficult to identify the trends, the contenders and the pretenders.

Following the zero running back strategy has been fruitful for a lot of fantasy football owners who avoided the likes of Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and Eddie Lacy in the early rounds. The running back position is volatile and it seems like half the backs starting on Week 1 are on the bench or off the team by Week 8. If you got Ben Tate later you felt good with Terrance West as a really late handcuff but now Isaiah Crowell looks like the better bet. Tennessee Titans rookie running back, Bishop Sankey, is a lot like a turkey burger; you don’t love him, you don’t hate him and he works if you’re hungry.

Week 5 isn’t the worst bye week with the dumpster fire known as Reggie McKenzie’s Oakland Raiders and the mediocre Miami Dolphins having a week off but this is a great week to pick up a guy like Bishop Sankey. Pick him up while you still can. He’s available in 36% of leagues; he was available in almost 50% a few days ago!

I’m pretty sure LaDainan Tomlinson could come out of retirement tomorrow and have more explosiveness than Shonn Greene has right now. It’s clear that Greene won’t be given goal line carries anymore either so his value is zilch. It looks like Sankey is going to get a lot more work in Week 5 and Ken Whisenhunt has admitted as much. Some “experts” viewed Sankey as a limited change of pace role player as a rookie but RosterWatch’s own Byron Lambert correctly assessed in his Rookie Fantasy Spotlight of Sankey that, “He’s a volume guy with change of pace skills, that will be a huge part of a committee now and in the future.” He was a guy that RosterWatch viewed while scouting live that had a dash on Deangelo Williams to him, and he’s almost Williams’ exact size, frame-wise.

Seriously guys, just accept that we know what’s best for you and all will be well. All joking aside, if you got Sankey in the sixth-round or later you got pretty good value and if you are or have picked him up off waivers you’re playing with house money!

Lets take a look at the positives and negatives surrounding Sankey this week and beyond so we can assess his prospects.

Positives

– Vision: Much like two of my favorite backs right now (even if one was over-drafted and the other is a showboating pothead tool) Andre Ellington and Le’veon Bell, Sankey has excellent vision. He’s patient in reading his blocks and he uses his excellent lateral agility to hit the holes with authority.

– Physical Ability: He’s got much more explosiveness than Shonn Greene but I don’t think he’s up there with Ellington. He’s not a burner but he’s got adequate speed to be elusive in the open field. His short-area quickness is excellent and he’s got good change of direction. For being a smaller back he’s quite durable (probably thanks to a thicker lower body).

– Reliance on Run Game: The game got out of hand quickly against the Indianapolis Colts but the Titans have a better chance against the Browns. There is a good chance that Jake Locker will start on Sunday and if he does, pants-crapping is likely on the activity list. Even if he doesn’t, the Titans are going to have to lean on the run. Clipboard Jesus still can’t get it done – and while Mettenberger is a great prospect, he has a loonnngg way to go until he’s even a poor man’s Eli Manning. Whisenhunt admitted that Sankey was going to see an increased workload against the Browns. The Titans are last in the league on converting third down but Sankey is a very capable receiver and could be an outlet for sub par Jake Locker.

– The Matchup: The Cleveland Browns defense has been solid under Mike Pettine but not impermeable. They’ve given up an average of 153.7 rushing yards per game against the Steelers, Ravens and Saints. The Titans backfield is not as good as the Steelers or Saints but Sankey could do some damage.

Negatives

– Size: At 5’9″ and about 210 lbs Sankey is fairly small. His lower body is thicker but size is always a concern. Not a huge issue, however.

– Quarterback Play: The Titans quarterback situation is an absolute train wreck. Jake Locker is worse than a game manager; he’s an inaccurate, injury-prone game manager. Charlie Whitehurst is 32 years old, looks like the guy from Almost Famous and has won exactly one game in the NFL. One. Way to go, Golden God.

I really liked Mettenberger at LSU and I still think he has a ton of potential but he needs a lot of time to develop. No matter who is behind center, the Browns defense is going to stack the box and force the Titans to beat them through the air.

– Dexter McCluster: McCluster doesn’t get nearly as much burn in Tennessee as he did in Kansas City (which was very little also) but he is still capable of making plays. Titans head coach Whisenhunt has proclaimed Sankey will get more work but he might be more apt to stick with a veteran when the chips are down.

– Leaky Defense: Tennessee’s defense is a middle of the road unit (15th in the NFL) without much star power at all. Ray Horton worked defensive magic with the Arizona Cardinals and then the Cleveland Browns but he’s having a tougher time with this group. The Browns aren’t really an offensive powerhouse but Ben Tate, Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell could run roughshod all over the Titans. If the Browns get up on the Titans quick, Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Jason Michael could start airing it out quickly.

DECLASSIFIED: Bishop Sankey’s Week 3 Fantasy Outlook

Sankey is going to start getting a lot more carries and is more reliable on third down than Shonn Greene was. No matter who is starting at quarterback on Sunday the Titans are going to have to lean on the Titans running game. However, don’t expect miracles out of Sankey this week. Put him on your roster, utilize him if you need him this week but stow him because he’s going to get better as the season progresses. All factors considered, I would expect Sankey to run for 80 yards, catch three passes for about 15 yards and score one rushing touchdown.

Follow Luke Shabro on Twitter