Fantasyfootballer.com's Gridiron
        (https://www.fantasyfootballer.com/cgi-bin/theGridiron/YaBB.cgi)
      

        the Gridiron >> the Red Zone >>  Rookie RBs
        
(Message started by: ocinonyx_jubatus on Aug 2nd, 2003, 7:37pm)
Title: Rookie RBs
Post by ocinonyx_jubatus on Aug 2nd, 2003, 7:37pm
Does anybody think much of the new crop of RBs?  Who do you think will be the next Clinton Portis?

Anybody fancy Fargas?  (as a RB!!)
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Philly on Aug 2nd, 2003, 8:02pm
I'm not sure there is a Portis in the bunch for this year, although Onterrio Smith will come the closest.  Over the long term, McGahee has to be considered, although word has it that Travis Henry is practicing like a man possessed to prove that he is the #1 man in Buffalo.  I think Artose Pinner could be a good one if he gets some blockers in Detroit in a couple years.  Justin Fargas is a question mark.  I always fear those guys who are okay during the season and then put on a show at the combines and wow everyone into drafting them higher than they really should be.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Tony_O on Aug 2nd, 2003, 8:40pm
I think Fargas was a "Workout Wonder"......meaning that it was his numbers i.e. 40 time, bench reps, etc that impressed people, not his performance history in college. You have to wonder about a guy who wasn't on any teams radar until he ran a 4.3 40?
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by DirkDiggler on Aug 3rd, 2003, 3:50pm
I don't think there is going to be a Clinton Portis in this draft.  Too many RB went to a "non-favorable" situation.  Instead of Dallas, Tampa, New England(teams that need a RB) the running backs went to solid RB teams.  Larry Johnson has Priest, McGahee has Henry.  

I think NEXT year you will see 4 RBs taken in the first round.  There are some high quality guys coming out, especially if Clarett manages to sue his way into the NFL.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by PrimeTime on Aug 6th, 2003, 11:37pm
Tread VERY carefully among the rookie RB's this season.  While a few rookie RB's post decent fantasy numbers every year, it is really a crap shoot this year.  

As mentioned above, O. Smith is probably the best bet, but I think he will be drafted too high.  

In a keeper league there are some interesting choices as noted above.  Not mentioned above is Brown for the Titans.  While he is currently injured (nothing major), he COULD produce this year if George breaks down (which is not out of the question).  
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Philly on Aug 7th, 2003, 9:00am

on 08/06/03 at 23:37:47, PrimeTime wrote:
In a keeper league there are some interesting choices as noted above.  Not mentioned above is Brown for the Titans.  While he is currently injured (nothing major), he COULD produce this year if George breaks down (which is not out of the question).  


Has Brown moved ahead of Holcombe on the depth charts?  I see Brown as a good keeper, but would he start this year if EG can't cut it?
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by PrimeTime on Aug 7th, 2003, 10:16am
He has some sort of leg injury at the moment that has kept him from practicing so his development has been slowed.  From what I remember reading in The Sporting News, he is expected to take over for Holcomb and if something happened to keep George out for an extended period, they would look to Brown.  You are correct that at this moment, Holcomb is number 2.

If your not in a keeper league, you should not be drafting Brown based on what is known at this time.  You should keep an eye on the situation as a possible mid-year FA pickup.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Razzak on Aug 7th, 2003, 12:57pm
It was a bad RB draft class.  Fargas has been on everyone's radar since high school, he's just had trouble staying healthy.  He was pegged as a 3rd rounder before the combine, then the great workout was supposed to shoot him to early second or maybe late first.  He still went in the 3rd, so it doesn't look like "Workout Wonder" applies.

Of the bunch... with the Bennett situation and Holmes actually playing in preseason (great news for Holmes fans, and I'm very happy I have one more option at the #2 spot in my draft this year) I like Onterio Smith as the most likely to put up numbers.

That said, I don't think Smith can run well in the pros.  I only saw six of his college games (3 in his good junior year and 3 in his poor senior) and he looked like a very good slashing runner with power.  I'm not sure he can power over guys in the NFL, but he might be talented enough to adjust his style.

So, I'd take Smith but he won't be a Portis.

#1 Smith
#2a Fargas
#2b Johnson
#2c Brown

The rest are about equal, but I'd go with Fargas just for his speed.  That might look to be a silly reason, but it seems RB's with speed, WR's with size, and QB's with legs pan out fantasy-wise more than the rest.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by komments on Aug 7th, 2003, 1:12pm
Chris Brown looked VERY good in preseason workouts but as has been stated is suffering from a leg injury that is expected to make him miss the rest of training camp.  Two others who might make some noise this season are LaBrandon Toefield (backing up an injury prone Fred Taylor) and Artose Pinner (in Detroit).  

As with the others, I don't expect a lot from this year's rookie crop.  If you jump on the Onterrio Smith bandwagon, better be sure to back him up late with Larry Ned.  Ned broke many of Marshall Faulk's SDSU records and is more of a jitterbug RB than Smith.  Both have looked good, and bad, in camp this year.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Philly on Aug 7th, 2003, 1:31pm

on 08/07/03 at 13:12:34, komments wrote:
Chris Brown looked VERY good in preseason workouts but as has been stated is suffering from a leg injury that is expected to make him miss the rest of training camp.  Two others who might make some noise this season are LaBrandon Toefield (backing up an injury prone Fred Taylor) and Artose Pinner (in Detroit).  

As with the others, I don't expect a lot from this year's rookie crop.  If you jump on the Onterrio Smith bandwagon, better be sure to back him up late with Larry Ned.  Ned broke many of Marshall Faulk's SDSU records and is more of a jitterbug RB than Smith.  Both have looked good, and bad, in camp this year.


Welcome to the Gridiron Forums Greg...

I have a question about Pinner.  I am very high on him - think he could be another Bettis/Means type of back with possibly more upside.  But does he have any shot this year?  Stewart is clearly the number one, and when (not if) he goes down, Bryson would be the clear #2 in my mind.  I would think that Mooch would want to sit him for the whole year, let him learn the system, and then begin to work him in next year when he is totally healthy.

Toefield is another guy I've been high on... but I've heard nothing from the Jags camp about how the battle between Toefield and Joseph is going.  I would imagine Toefield has more ability and potential, so they would want to get him as many touches as they can this year.

I'm not too crazy about Brown, and I think he'll be hard-pressed to do much this year.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by komments on Aug 7th, 2003, 3:28pm
Pinner is stuck in a log jam and as long as he is healthy, Stewart is the better back at this point.  The hardest thing for a rookie back to learn is blitz responsibility and in a west coast offense, when the vast majority of your passes are three and five step drops, your back had better be able to read and pick up the blitz.  That is where both Stewart and Bryson have the edge (experience).  The Lions expect to get Bryson back this week but you have to remember he is coming off of major knee surgery (ACL tear) that he suffered in October.  He is not ready to play.  Pinner, who is still on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list, is recovering from a broken bone - a much less serious injury.  That said, it is unlikely either will be much use early this year.  I would just prefer the upside of a rookie (especially since they picked him over the higher profiled Suggs of New Orleans) than a four year vet that has not accomplished much of anything.  Another back to watch in Detroit is Luke Staley who started practicing last week.  But Staley is also very injury prone (think Travis Jervey - very talented when healthy but not healthy enough for it to matter).  I think Pinner is at least a year away from having any real impact.  But in deep keeper leagues, he is a rookie that COULD have an impact if given the opportunity.

From the Detroit Free Press:
Stewart, who has two 1,000-yard seasons in his three years with the Lions, is expected to start, but there is stiff competition for the backup jobs among Bryson, Rafael Cooper, Luke Staley, Autry Denson, fourth-round draft pick Artose Pinner (still on PUP) and undrafted rookie Avon Cobourne.

From the Jags:
Both young players (Toefield and Smith) are getting an opportunity because Fred Taylor is sidelined with a bone bruise in his leg and backup Elvis Joseph has a sore hamstring.

Taylor and Joseph missed the scrimmage last Friday night and probably won't play in the preseason opener Saturday night in Minnesota, which means that Toefield and Smith will be busy because they'll also have to play on special teams.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080503/jag_13197347.shtml

Toefield sat out of yesterday's practice but his injury is not considered serious.  Expect him to suit up for the game in Minnesota.
Title: Re: Rookie RBs
Post by Philly on Aug 7th, 2003, 4:17pm

on 08/07/03 at 15:28:28, komments wrote:
Pinner is stuck in a log jam and as long as he is healthy, Stewart is the better back at this point.  The hardest thing for a rookie back to learn is blitz responsibility and in a west coast offense, when the vast majority of your passes are three and five step drops, your back had better be able to read and pick up the blitz.  That is where both Stewart and Bryson have the edge (experience).  The Lions expect to get Bryson back this week but you have to remember he is coming off of major knee surgery (ACL tear) that he suffered in October.  He is not ready to play.  Pinner, who is still on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list, is recovering from a broken bone - a much less serious injury.  That said, it is unlikely either will be much use early this year.  I would just prefer the upside of a rookie (especially since they picked him over the higher profiled Suggs of New Orleans) than a four year vet that has not accomplished much of anything.  Another back to watch in Detroit is Luke Staley who started practicing last week.  But Staley is also very injury prone (think Travis Jervey - very talented when healthy but not healthy enough for it to matter).  I think Pinner is at least a year away from having any real impact.  But in deep keeper leagues, he is a rookie that COULD have an impact if given the opportunity.

From the Detroit Free Press:
Stewart, who has two 1,000-yard seasons in his three years with the Lions, is expected to start, but there is stiff competition for the backup jobs among Bryson, Rafael Cooper, Luke Staley, Autry Denson, fourth-round draft pick Artose Pinner (still on PUP) and undrafted rookie Avon Cobourne.


Interestingly enough, when I talked to Matt Murphy (Lions TE) a month ago, he mentioned Avon Cobourne as a guy to watch.


Fantasyfootballer.com's Gridiron » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.1!
YaBB © 2000-2002, Xnull. All Rights Reserved.