F&L, I am very curious to read your thoughts on Justin Forsett. He seems to be the RB du jour and has spawned a lot of debate and high hopes. Can he be a Ray Rice?
Ray Rice? Negative. He's not nearly that talented, and I can't see him ever coming close to the 332 touches Rice had last season.Here's my cliff's notes on J-Force:
I liked him going into last season and recommended him several times early in the season on my Rotoworld Waiver Wired column. He surpassed my expectations and thoroughly outplayed Julius Jones, but a sizable contingent of fantasy owners -- especially Dynasty owners -- went on to overstate his fantasy value and potential.
I think Forsett can be a valuable role player for an NFL team, but my concern with him is similar to past concerns with Jerious Norwood, Leon Washington, and even Steve Slaton: can he sustain a team's rushing attack for 16 games?
On the bright side:
There's a perception that Forsett was valuable because he was used as a change of pace back, but that doesn't really hold up to scrutiny. The four games he carried the ball 10 or more times account for 397 of his 619 total yards, and Force averaged 6.3 yards per attempt in those contests. The opposing defenses ranked 14, 32, 5 and 26 in rush defense.
While that production is impressive, it doesn't mean that the smallish Forsett can hold up to 250-300 touches. Contrary to what you would expect from a 194-pound back, Forsett actually has a physical running style and would not hold up to a lead-back's workload. Would the coaching staff even give him that opportunity with his obvious physical limitations? Forsett does have very good balance and gets up to full speed quickly, but his 4.65 and 4.73 forty would make him one of the slowest starting tailbacks in the NFL. Forsett's first coaching staff cut him from the team and lost him on waivers. Jim Mora and Greg Knapp considered him a role player and even gave Jones his starting job back late in the year in the face of Forsett's superior play. While the current regime insists they appreciate his skills, the acquisitions of Leon Washington and LenDale White show a clear lack of faith in Forsett as a feature back. The reports that the Seahawks were interested -- and still may be -- in Marshawn Lynch show the same lack of faith in Forsett as anything more than a role player.
In sum, I think Forsett can excel as a situational player, especially in Seattle's zone-blocking scheme. He can be handy as a RB2 for stretches of the season in redraft leagues, but he lacks the staying power, special talent, and stability that I like to see in a Dynasty back.
Luddites and those without Twitter access at work missed a quality discussion on Forsett yesterday between @ProFootbalFocus, @evansilva, @SigmundBloom and myself. Mostly it was Bloom killing it (but that's just because I basically agree with him and think PFF are in over their head at times).
Bloom:
[*]Some brakes on Forsett express: only had 18 rec for 118 yards when Seattle was in the game, 23 for 232 when they were already way behind
[*]Forsett also had 244 yards on only 37 carries when situation was 2nd and 8+ or 3rd and 7+
[*]Forsett also had almost half of his rush yds (274/619) and 3 of his 4 TDs vs ARI/STL - and one STL matchup is week 17 this year.
[*]Forsett is a nice little back, but hype is getting out of control. He hasn't even won the starting job - @PeteCarroll reminded us yesterday
[*]To those saying but wont Seattle be behind a lot: Drafting a fantasy RB counting on garbage time production is very risky
[*]Also Leon Washington is very similar to Forsett, so he wont have those situations all to himself this year
[*]@mschauf63 77 carries and 18 receptions. All im saying is that a lot of weight is being put on stats accrued when D had foot off gas
[*]Forsett is a great gamble in the 10th or later, but 6th round? taking him over more talented backs, better situations, more guaranteed work?
[*]@mschauf63 1) like Forsett, Norwood isnt built for more work. 2) like Forsett, Norwood Avgs inflated by facing nickle Ds
[*]It just feels like some positive buzz and over-inflated avgs have turned Forsett from nice gamble RBBC back in PPR to sleeper of the year
[*]Funny thing is that White release seemed to trigger this, when White was no threat to Forsett workload, Forsett won't be GL or short ydge RB
[*]Why take Forsett in the 6th when he has roughly same role as Hightower/Sproles/Slaton/McFadden/CTaylor (all available later) on worse team
[*]@FDC_MikeClay if Leon is healthy, he is Forsett, but better. JJ always seems to win coaches confidence, dont know why.
[*]@FDC_MikeClay isnt there more upside at making educated guess at winner of OAK/NYG backfields?
[*]I understand swinging for the fences at RB in the 6th-8th, but Seattle is a AAA offense, take a hack at OAK/NYG backfields, DBrown, Spiller
[*]a Forsett backer @FDC_MikeClay says 15 touches/game - where is the upside there if Forsett doesnt have long speed or most GL carries?
[*]@FDC_MikeClay yeah and that 5.4 YPC is inflated by carries against nickel defenses, as I said earlier, can't just extrapolate that
[*]@evansilva who says SEA will have a true feature back, why wouldnt carroll use all 3? He always went RBBC at USC
[*]I dont even support the notion that SEA will have a true feature back that gets >50% of touches. @petecarroll was RBBC all the way at USC
[*]@ThunderingBlurb size, coach that likes RBBC, presence of RB who is similar, but better if healthy
[*]@ProFootbalFocus All of Forsett's big plays in the passing game last year came down while SEA was down big and facing defenses mailing it in
[*]@ProFootbalFocus Washington has a better initial burst, long speed, and balance than Forsett
[*]@ProFootbalFocus you also have to take into account that a lot of Forsett's good plays were against nickel Ds and in garbage time
[*]@ProFootbalFocus what Forsett shows in those situations might not translate against base #1 defenses
[*]@ProFootbalFocus Lots of RBs look good making nickel corners, coverage LBs, and pass rush specialists miss against a spread out defense
[*]@ProFootbalFocus JJones for some reason wins coaches trust even tho he leaves yards on the field - @petecarroll mentioned him in mix ystday
Also, here's one I posted from today:
Forset had 20 carries once last year (@ STL), was questionable next game w/ quad injury and wasn't himself for 3 weeks:
http://bit.ly/95RedR