Running back Ryan Grant went from obscurity to the spotlight last year, catching on with the Green Bay Packers during training camp and finishing the year as the starter for the team that came up a win short of the Super Bowl. Along the way, he put up a terrific partial-season’s worth of numbers, rounded out a dangerous Packer offense and had a signature outing in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, bouncing back from two lost fumbles early to hang 201 yards and three touchdowns on the Seahawks in a 42-20 Green Bay win.

Yet Grant’s breakout season was largely ignored in the aftermath of the season, as Green Bay quarterback/icon Brett Favre announced his retirement soon after the Super Bowl and most of the offseason questions surrounding the Pack have regarded Favre’s successor, former first-round draft pick Aaron Rodgers.

Fortunately for Grant and his 2008 fantasy owners, the end of an era at quarterback shouldn’t affect the young tailback’s ability to pile up numbers. As long as Grant continues to run like a man with something to prove and stays healthy, he’ll be a vital cog in a Packer offense that will stay dangerous even without Favre under center.

Grant had his first big week last season against the Broncos in Week 8, coming off the bench to log 104 yards on 22 carries in Green Bay’s win. He was rewarded with a start the following week and the Packers’ offense had a new dimension the rest of the way. Grant finished the season with 965 yards and eight touchdowns, but even more importantly, he averaged 5.1 yards on his 188 carries. If you play in a league with lazy owners who might prep for the draft by making lists of 1,000-yard rushers, you now have an ace in the hole. In 2008, Grant should be able to expect to carry the rock from Day 1 and amass in the neighborhood of 250 carries, which projects to a Pro-Bowl caliber 1,300 yards rushing, and an optimistic guess of 12 to 15 touchdowns. Add in his skills as a receiver (30 grabs last season) and Rodgers’ inexperience at quarterback (which should lead to more conservative play-calling in the red zone and more touches near the goal line for Grant) and you’ve got yourself a solid every-week starter in your fantasy league.

Most importantly, there is little need to fear the effect of the switch to Rodgers from Favre. One, Rodgers is a talented quarterback, even if he hasn’t got game experience, and he’s had a couple of years to learn the Green Bay system. More importantly, Green Bay has one of the best offensive lines in the league. A couple of seasons ago, Green Bay started three inexperienced guys at center and the guard positions. Now, center Scott Wells (5^th season) and guards Daryn Colledge (3rd) and Jason Spitz (3^rd) will team with veteran tackles Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton to open holes. Grant benefited greatly from these guys last year with his no-frills running style and will do so again in 2008. The blockers up front will allow him to consistently get to holes while still running downhill, and as long as the line is healthy, Grant will continue to average four or five yards a carry (he also has some big-play ability, evidenced by two touchdown runs of 60-plus yards a year ago). Even if defenses creep safeties to the line to slow the run game, Grant’s ability to run downhill will allow him to consistently gain yards.

If anything, Grant and his solid arsenal of offensive teammates will ease the burden on Rodgers and make him a more effective player in 2008. Football offenses are symbiotic, with every player in a unique role helping one another. With so much talent around them, there’s no reason Aaron Rodgers can’t keep things humming and Ryan Grant can’t have an even better season next year.