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| Height: 5-10 Weight: 209 Born: Nov 11, 1980, Clinton, NC |
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| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Player Notes |
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October 8, 2008 Running back Willie Parker was running sprints on the sidelines during the Steelers practice, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our View:Parker has missed the Steelers last two games with an injured knee and everything points to his return in Pittsburgh's next game in Week 7. |
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October 7, 2008 Willie Parker has missed the Steelers last two games due to an injured knee. This week the Steelers have a bye but the following week Parker will be back on the field, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our View:Parker lobbied the Steelers coaches to let him play against the Jaguars but the decision was made to hold him out until after the bye week. |
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October 4, 2008 Willie Parker lobbied to play Sunday against the Jaguars, but he understands that the coaches wanted to hold him out one more week as a precaution, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Barring a setback, Parker said he will play against the Bengals on Oct. 19 following the team's bye week. "I know I could play this week," said Parker. "(The coaches) know I could play this week. I think it's best that I do sit out and relax and then come back (after the bye)." Our View:It's good to hear that Fast Willie is nearly back to 100 percent, as the Steelers are very thin at running back now with Rashard Mendenhall out for the year. |
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October 4, 2008 Willie Parker told television station KDKA in Pittsburgh recently that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians told him that the team's gameplan this week is to give the Jaguars a healthy dose of the no-huddle offense, according to the Florida Times-Union. "Honestly, this week in the game plan, that's all we're going to be doing," Parker told the station. "I talked with offensive coordinator [Arians], and [he said], 'Let's stick with the no-huddle this week.' Even though I'm not playing, he still kind of comes to me and tells me what the game plan is going to be, and we're going to do a lot of no huddle this week." Our View:Is this a bit of gamesmanship on Parker's part, or do the Steelers really plan to air it out? On one hand it seems like a good idea because the team is starting Mewelde Moore at tailback, but on the other hand Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with a sore shoulder. The team employed the no-huddle to success last week in the comeback win over Baltimore. |
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September 30, 2008 Willie Parker has already been ruled out for Week 5 due to his sprained knee, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our View:He could return in Week 7 at Cincinnati following the Steelers' bye in Week 6. They have signed Najeh Davenport with Rashard Mendenhall out for the season, and Davenport should share the workload with Mewelde Moore this weekend at Jacksonville. |
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September 24, 2008 The AP states that Willie Parker seems likely to miss Week 5 due to his sprained knee. Our View:Rashard Mendenhall will start while Parker is out, but the Steelers have a tough match-up against Baltimore this week and the schedule does not ease up as they head to Jacksonville in Week 5. |
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September 23, 2008 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicates that Willie Parker will miss Week 4 due to his sprained knee. Our View:Coach Mike Tomlin did not speculate how much time Parker will miss. Rookie Rashard Mendenhall will make his first career start in a tough Monday night match-up against Baltimore. |
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September 14, 2008 Steelers running back Willie Parker ran the ball 28 times for 105 yards in Pittsburgh's 10-6 win over the Cleveland Browns. Our View:Not a great average - just 3.8 yards per carry - but Parker nonetheless has nearly 250 rushing yards on the season. |
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September 10, 2008 In Week 1 of the 2008 season Willie Parker matched the total number of touchdowns he scored in all of 2007. Parker scored three times and rushed for 138 yards and with that performance he earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, according to the Miami Herald. Our View:Some fantasy owners stayed away from Parker due to his lack of visits to the end zone in 2007. But if Week 1 is any indication Parker might be back at the top of his game. |
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September 7, 2008 Willie Parker had a huge season opener against the Texans. He rushed 25 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns. His backup, Rashard Mendenhall, added 10 carries for 28 yards. Our View:For this week, the rookie didn't hinder Parker's fantasy value at all. Fast Willie scored from 14, seven and four yards out and didn't offer a chance for anyone to steal his goal line carries. |
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August 25, 2008 Mewelde Moore is the best receiver among running backs on the Steelers' roster and will be the third-down back, but Willie Parker could stay in on some of those situations as well, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Parker is performing well on third-downs during the preseason, and isn't afraid to take on blitzing linebackers, even while recovering from a broken leg. Our View:Going by this news, Parker could hold more fantasy value in PPR leagues as a pass-catcher, and Moore would get a slight downgrade. Parker has looked good running the ball as well, and could prove to be a steal if you can draft him as a No. 3 running back. |
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August 9, 2008 Steelers running back Willie Parker is likely to get the team's carries at the goal line this season instead of rookie runner Rashard Mendenhall, according to Pro Football Weekly. Our View:Fantasy owners weren't quite sure who was going to get those vital touches near the end zone, but this is great news for those who drafted Parker. It is equally frustrating news of Mendenhall owners, who were hoping to vulture a few goal line touchdowns. |
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August 8, 2008 Willie Parker will get his first chance to show that his broken leg has healed sufficiently when the Steelers face the Eagles in tonight's preseason opener, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He has looked fast in training camp and said, "I keep talking about this leg. I'm tired about talking about this leg." Our View:He will work with the first-team offense in the game, which means he won't see much action. |
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August 5, 2008 Running back Willie Parker scored in his only goal line attempt on Tuesday, and he talked about the role afterwards. "You know I want to score some touchdowns," Parker informs TimesOnline.com. "That’s why I told (coach Mike Tomlin) to throw me in there. I want to score. I want to be the go-to guy down there. After I drive the ball down the field, I want to be the guy who scores the touchdown." Najeh Davenport often filled in as the goal line back in 2007, but Tomlin says he is at least considering Parker for the role in 2008. Our View:The common assumption is that rookie Rashard Mendenhall will step into the short-yardage role, but it sounds like the Steelers are still working that out. Or, at the least, they're not tipping their hand. Fantasy owners who draft one Steelers back will ideally complete their handcuff. |
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July 15, 2008 Willie Parker realizes that his workload in the Steelers' backfield will be reduced this season following the addition of prized rookie Rashard Mendenhall, according to USA Today. Parker was surprised the team selected Mendenhall in the first round of the draft, but said, "I understand. They felt like we didn't have any running backs when I went out. I want to be the best, and whatever makes me better, I'm all for it." Our View:Mendenhall set a Illinois record with 1,681 rushing yards last season and will cut into Parker's production, even though he is reportedly fully healed from his leg injury. Parker has averaged more than 21 carries per game since 2006, and knows that sharing the workload will help prolong his career, however. If you decide to select Parker on draft day, be sure to handcuff Mendenhall as well. |
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June 18, 2008 Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said last summer that he would run Willie Parker "until the wheels came off," and one of them finally did -- in the 15th game of the regular season the NFL's leading rusher at the time, fractured his fibula. Our View:So why is the NFL leading rusher of a year ago (assuming he would have retained that status had he played in Week 17) getting so little respect in summer Mock settings? Parker, a first rounder at this time last year, has slipped to the third and fourth round depending on the format. The fact that he scored only two 2007 touchdowns has a lot to do with his 2008 value, but the All Pro knows how to score and is until evidence proves otherwise, still the short yardage option for the run-first offense. |
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April 22, 2008 On the first offensive huddle of the first practice of the Pittsburgh Steelers' new season, running back Willie Parker lined up at tailback behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Right now I'm a little shaky," Parker said, "but I'm at full speed, cutting and all that stuff. If not 100 percent, I'm real close to it." Our View:This is great news for Parker, who was leading the NFL in rushing last season, before breaking his right fibula in Week 15. Keep an eye on the backfield situation in Pittsburgh, as there are rumors circulating that the organization wants to draft a back to reduce some of the workload on Parker. |
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April 21, 2008 The pre-draft chatter from Pittsburgh is that the organization wouldn't mind finding a bigger back to complement, and reduce the wear-and-tear on running back Willie Parker, according to Pro Football Weekly. Our View:The Steelers need offensive line help first and foremost, but could burn a second-round or second day pick to bring in some competition for Najeh Davenport, Gary Russell and Mewelde Moore. |
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March 31, 2008 Willie Parker, who broke his lower right leg in late December, is progressing well and is already doing some running, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We're very optimistic, as are our doctors and trainers," head coach Mike Tomlin said of the Pro Bowl running back. "He's getting better every day." Good news that Parker is back on his feet running. We will continue to keep you updated on his progress, when additional information becomes available. |
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February 9, 2008 The Steelers plan to stick with a grass field next season, rather than switch to an artificial surface, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Willie Parker's speed might best be used on a more stable surface, but it sounds like owner Dan Rooney believes grass is what the players are in favor of and that it causes fewer injuries. On the other hand, NFLPA surveys consistently rank the field among the worst in the league. And you can remember the mess it became in the rain this past season. |