ESPN

Middle- and later-round picks are often used for "insurance" choices or "handcuffs." It's always a prime strategy of veteran fantasy owners to snare the main backups of starting players who are injury-prone or in danger of losing their starting jobs. The players who appear at the top of the depth charts aren't always the best ones to pick. Here are the top NFL reserves to consider on draft day 2005. We'll focus on the running back and quarterback positions here, since those are the main situations where one player is most likely to displace or fill in for another as a clear starter.

Running Backs

Eric Shelton, RB, Carolina: The Panthers might be hoping DeShaun Foster and Stephen Davis can split some carries, ideally. But the fearless (to his own detriment?) Foster has quickly become widely known as a brittle back, and Davis might be near the end of his career. Enter rookie Shelton, a strong inside banger who will fit well in an offense that could use a reliable ball-control back. There is already talk that he could compete for significant playing time, even though Foster and Davis are ahead of him on the depth chart right now.

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