What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Montee Ball (1 Viewer)

NYRAGE said:
rdrouyn said:
Faust said:
Broncos' Montee Ball lighter and leaner, and he must compete for his old job
Click to expand...
Took a flier on him in a short bench league and I like what I'm reading in this article, particularly:

Ball said he’s now at 212 pounds and plans to stay there in the foreseeable future. As a point of reference, Ball weighed 214 pounds at the scouting combine before the 2013 draft and weighed in at 214 again at his pro day at the University of Wisconsin a week later.

“I can move better, hit the holes faster … I feel a lot more comfortable at this weight," Ball said. “I didn’t like it [at 224 pounds] … I’m going to stick right here, stick where I’m at now and will most definitely show the difference."

I'm going to hold and hope that he gets a 50/50 split by the time the fantasy playoffs roll around.
Click to expand...
ugh, I hope not as a Ball/Hillman owner. I'm going to send him Krispy Kreme gift cards.
Click to expand...
I should have said "at least", of course I would prefer for Ball to get all the carries.

 
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The starting job at running back isn't the only thing Montee Ball lost during his month on the sideline recovering from a torn right groin.

The Denver Broncos' second-year pro said he eliminated sweets and cut down on carbs and fried foods during his rehab because at 224 pounds, he wasn't hitting the holes fast enough.

So, he dropped a dozen pounds and now tips the scales at right around the weight he was at Wisconsin and two pounds lighter than he was at the NFL combine in 2013.

"Today I felt great out there," Ball said Wednesday following his first practice since he was hurt Oct. 5. "I felt a lot more elusive. I felt a lot more agile. And this is where I should have been at the beginning of the year."

Ball said he realizes Ronnie Hillman deserves to remain the starter — for now — after leapfrogging him during his absence "because the running game has been a lot better since he's been in there."

"He did a great job of taking that job from me," Ball said. "He should start now because he did a great job. But I'm going to most definitely be working for that spot again."

"It was kind of my plan, so I could move better, hit the holes faster," he said. "I was 224 when the injury happened. I'm 212 now and I most definitely love it. This is where I was at in college, and I feel a lot more comfortable at this weight."

Ball played at 220 pounds last year.

"So, this is the lightest I've ever been in the NFL and I'm loving it," Ball said. "I haven't been hitting the holes fast. I've been doing too much second-guessing."

Ball got hurt when he accidentally did the splits while chipping a defender before going out on his route in a game against Arizona. But he said his right groin was actually sore since the start of the season.

"I wasn't telling anybody about it. I was just trying to work through it on my own," Ball said.
Click to expand...
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f261d7229e524350bbe70dc6917c3ace/ball-loses-weight-gain-edge-backfield?utm_campaign=NFL&utm_source=SocialFlow&utm_medium=Twitter

 
It's a tough call for me with Ball. 16 team dyno with only 3 RB roster spots. I had really high hopes going into the season. Had him paired with Ellington in hopes of having a solid young RB corp for the future. Ball just had to be fantasy gold, I was sure of it. He just never looked right when the season started. The optimist in me wants to say that he rushed back for the start of the season and was just never right and frankly the O-line didn't look like it could open any holes. Maybe that plays into being hopeful going forward. I think as the cold weather starts to set in and looking at the playoff picture, I think Ball's running style better suites the Broncos offense. I will also say that the other than the NE game, Hillman was clearly the better back and the offense was more explosive.

Bottom line is I have a tough decision on my roster. Ball, Ellington and T-Rich (I know I know...cheap RB3 in a deep league). Currently Jeremy Hill holds the active roster spot over Ball but I have to activate him or release him. I am trying to look at it as if something happens to Hillman or GIO, which one would have the most value. I'm currently leaning to Hill just because I think he can step in at any moment and put of good RB1 numbers. Not wanting this to be taken as an AC type post but hoping it will give perspective to anyone in the same type situation.

 
NEWS ARTICLES > BALL ADMITS HILLMAN SHOULD REMAIN THE ST...

Published Thu Nov 6 9:11:00 a.m. ET 2014

(Rotoworld)Montee Ball (groin, questionable) admitted Wednesday that Ronnie Hillman "definitely should" remain the starter.

Analysis: Ball was sluggish through the first four games, averaging just 3.12 YPC and scoring one time. The faster Hillman has come on and sparked this running game, averaging 4.37 YPC with three touchdowns over the last five games. Ball's weight loss should help him gain quickness and be more effective, but everyone is expecting him to be the change-of-pace guy. Hillman has earned the starter's title. "He did a great job taking it from me and I understand what it is," Ball said. "I'm a man and I understand that he's been doing a great job."

(Article Link)

 
He's worth a roster spot if you have room, but I'm finding it hard to drop anyone I have right now for him in redraft.

 
JFS171 said:
In dynasty, he's a clear hold. In redraft it's more murky. The team evaluated their running backs, with Ball and Hillman both on the roster, for a solid 18 months before this season, and Ball was soundly declared the winner. He missed the entirety of training camp and still was put in as the starting RB immediately.

There's not been a lot of talk about it, but I'd have sworn I read an article suggesting there were whispers in the Broncos locker room that Ball was never healthy and was playing hurt. Of course, now that I go to find it, I can't seem to locate it, but regardless, I'm not sure Ball has been 100%. It would explain a lot if true.

IMO this feels similar to the Le'Veon Bell hate last year (in the sense of his "inefficiency"). It may be a lost season for Ball, but I doubt a few weeks (or even a month) of Hillman playing well erases 18 months of Ball outplaying him and being the coaching staff's choice. Ball may yet need surgery in the offseason, so I'm not sure we can count on much this year (which is why I made a quick trade for Hillman after incorrectly handcuffing with Anderson in dynasty), but I'd expect Ball comes back strong in 2015, and much like Bell, if he's a little quicker and the OL improves just a little, he could look like a completely different player.
Click to expand...
What do you know... he lost 12 lbs. We've gotta hope the Broncos stick with their workhorse MO for the rest of this season, employing one guy for 70% of the snaps so we can rely on him. But for 2015, wouldn't be at all surprised to see a lighter Ball take the job back. He ran circles around Hillman last year.

 
Broncos Running Backs: -4.5 in pass protection

Breakdown: A big part of slowing Manning down in any game is finding a way to get pressure and while the Patriots didn’t get to him often, when they did, it came quickly and often came through the running backs. Ronnie Hillman was the biggest culprit as he struggled with “A-gap” blitzes throughout the afternoon and surrendered three hurries on only eight pass blocking attempts.

Signature Stats: Broncos running backs combined to surrender five hurries on 16 attempts in pass protection to go with their combined -4.5 grade.

Signature Plays: For Collins, his A-gap pressures stood out as he tossed Hillman aside at the 8:42 mark of the second quarter and later juking past him to provide the quick pressure on Manning and nearly force an interception with 5:39 to go in the second
Click to expand...
PFF

 
Not sure if am being too cautious, but as a Hilman owner I just traded for Ball. Sent Fred Jackson and received Ball and Viniaterri. I could definitely see the tide shift back over to Ball and wanted to cover my bases. I overpaid, but the upside of having Peytons RB on arguably the leagues best offense on lockdown was too enticing to pass up. Either way, I think if your Hilman owner, locking up Ball would be a very good move.

 
I gave up on him and dropped him 2 weeks ago. I added back this week. I have a guy feeling that he has some decent value going forward. My RBs are bad enough that it's worth the gamble,

 
Ilov80s said:
I gave up on him and dropped him 2 weeks ago. I added back this week. I have a guy feeling that he has some decent value going forward. My RBs are bad enough that it's worth the gamble,
Click to expand...
Same here basically. Between a chance for short yardage and goaline at worst with a chance of building to a share especially if the pass pro has been that bad (not to mention potentially injury to hillman) there is value if you have a bench spot.

 
Koya said:
Ilov80s said:
I gave up on him and dropped him 2 weeks ago. I added back this week. I have a guy feeling that he has some decent value going forward. My RBs are bad enough that it's worth the gamble,
Click to expand...
Same here basically. Between a chance for short yardage and goaline at worst with a chance of building to a share especially if the pass pro has been that bad (not to mention potentially injury to hillman) there is value if you have a bench spot.
Click to expand...
This is going to be very interesting to watch. Ball has lost weight and knows he has to perform. Motivation is an amazing thing. He may just be lights out!

 
I also picked him back up. Mostly because I'd feel sick to my stomach if someone else got him for free and he went off after costing me a 2nd round pick.

 
Add me to the list of those that dropped him and scooped him back up. Who knows...sometimes a guy needs a little extra motivation to get him going and maybe Hillman threatening his job lit a fire under him.

 
Rotoworld:

The Denver Post does not expect Montee Ball (questionable, groin) to return until Week 11.

The slimmed-down Ball impressed in practice this week, but the Broncos typically give their injured players an extra week to get ready. They're also facing the winless Raiders Sunday. Look for Ronnie Hillman, who struggled badly in pass protection last week, to be the unquestioned feature back. We'll have official word on Ball's status by 3pm ET.

Related: Ronnie Hillman

Source: Denver Post
Nov 9 - 10:32 AM
Click to expand...
 
I predict he looks like the turd he did previously and they turn back to Hillman after he's rested in week 13. I think

Hillman is the only RB on the roster to show the elusiveness they are looking for, especially to the outside. Maybe

the weight loss makes him a new back but I kind of doubt it.

 
srfndoc said:
I predict he looks like the turd he did previously and they turn back to Hillman after he's rested in week 13. I think

Hillman is the only RB on the roster to show the elusiveness they are looking for, especially to the outside. Maybe

the weight loss makes him a new back but I kind of doubt it.
Click to expand...
. That's not what they want. Run for 3-4 yards when you get the ball, and pass protect for Manning. That's it, and Ball does it.

 
ROYALWITCHEESE said:
srfndoc said:
I predict he looks like the turd he did previously and they turn back to Hillman after he's rested in week 13. I think

Hillman is the only RB on the roster to show the elusiveness they are looking for, especially to the outside. Maybe

the weight loss makes him a new back but I kind of doubt it.
Click to expand...
.That's not what they want. Run for 3-4 yards when you get the ball, and pass protect for Manning. That's it, and Ball does it.
Click to expand...
I think they want more than that but that is what they're willing to accept.

 
dwashington said:
Interesting analysis on Ball carries vs Hillman

http://www.milehighreport.com/2014/11/14/7217701/montee-ball-broncos-to-ball-or-not-to-ball
Click to expand...
I feel like this is something people were saying back at like page 8. Those of us who saw even just one game with Ball saw a RB almost always getting hit at or behind the line of scrimmage.

He's more talented than peopel give him credit for. You've got three groups of people in here:

People who dragged Ball and are hoping to God he is the starter and up to snuff come fantasy playoffs

People who have Hillman and feel like he showed enough to be handed the starting job when he comes back

People who have CJ and think he should be the starter after last week

There is one more very small group of objective people with no skin in the game, but there's obvious bias.

For me, I'm in the first group. I don't think Ball has what it takes to be a star or even a starting RB in the league, but I do believe he is more talented than the other two and the PFM effect is what most of us are hoping for regardless of who we have.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I didn't know Montee Ball grew up in Wentzville,MO (St.louis area)

This won't be Ball's first game in the dome. He made his unofficial debut during halftime with a youth football team, playing line and linebacker.

"I was too big to run the ball. I didn't make the weight," said Ball, who has 45 friends and family he expects to attend Sunday's game. "But, yeah, I can't wait to get back out there."

 
I do believe that one back will be the leader in this backfield.

I don't believe that Hillman has done anything special enough to be that guy. Even before he got hurt there were grumblings about his pass blocking. He put up good fantasy numbers for the most part which was a pleasant surprise, but I don't think he has a vice grip on the job by any stretch. IMO he can only keep the job by default if the other guys aren't good.

CJ Anderson was an afterthought until attrition forced Denver to put him in the game. Yes, he had a monster game, and that's the only thing that puts him in the running right now for a starting gig, but before that he wasn't consistently on game day rosters. Neither was Hillman, earlier in the season. Denver's obviously OK with taking a guy from street clothes to starting lineup. The other good news for Anderson is that Ball may still not be 100% healthy right now. He has a chance to impress this week and earn playing time, but he's not the starter, imo.

The first crack at the starting job belongs to Montee Ball. He might not be healthy enough - or recovered enough - to have a big game this week, which gives Anderson a legit shot. But he's the guy that Elway talked up as their "Terrell Davis" after the draft, he was successful in spot duty last year, he was the starter in September, he's well versed in the protection schemes, and he's said and done all the right things since the injury, including conceding that Hillman had won the starting job and he had to earn his way back, and getting his body to where the team wanted it. That's everything a head coach and GM wants their handpicked player to do.

I do think they make him earn it. I would expect Anderson to get the start today, and Ball to mix in. If one is more effective than the other, I think they get the bulk of the work. Ball could definitely fall flat on his face - and so could Anderson. And that would open the door up for Hillman to get the job back when he's ready, no doubt.

But in this muddy situation, I think Ball's the favorite to be a starter in the fantasy playoffs as of now.

(Full disclosure: In the only league where I have any part of these guys, I own both Ball and Anderson, and have long since given up on using either of them the rest of the way. My backfield is stacked and I probably won't use either of them the rest of the year. I really don't care how this plays out - this is just how I see it.)

 
Rotoworld:

Montee Ball re-injured his groin in Week 11 against the Rams.

Ball limped off the field after his first play back from a five-game absence. He tried to re-enter, but popped the groin again trying to make a catch out of the backfield. Ball's season may be over. And with Ronnie Hillman (foot) also staring at an extended absence, it's all C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson.

Nov 16 - 2:15 PM
Click to expand...
 
I wasted so much time on this guy in FF this year. Good thing other picks panned out.

Denver needs a stud RB in the next draft and stop with this everyone is equal garbage. Peyton won't be able to do this forever.

 
Broncos placed RB Montee Ball on injured reserve with a groin injury, ending his season.
Ball served as the Broncos No. 1 back through the first four games of the season before suffering a serious groin injury Week 5. Ball returned Week 11, but re-injured himself on his fourth snap back and has not played since. A consensus top-ten running back in fantasy drafts this summer, Ball finishes the season with 172 yards and one touchdown on 55 carries. With C.J. Anderson exploding down the stretch, Ball will have to fight for a role in the Broncos' offense in 2015.
Click to expand...
 
Rotoworld:

Montee Ball (groin) promised to return "ready to win the job."

Ball was well behind C.J. Anderson even before landing on injured reserve in December. We don't doubt that he'll return healthy and the new coaching regime will give him a chance to steal back the starting gig, but we would be surprised if it actually happened. Anderson, whose decisive quickness and vision make him a far better fit for Gary Kubiak's one-cut zone scheme, showed foundation back ability while compiling a 179-849-8 line last year. Ball looked like he was running in mud on his 55 carries, averaging a brutal 3.12 YPC.

Related: Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson

Source: ESPN.com
Feb 10 - 10:17 AM
Click to expand...
 
Rotoworld:

By all accounts, Montee Ball is working "fiercely" to earn back the starting running back job.

Ball had his big chance as the starter to open the 2014 season and flubbed it, proving far too slow to the hole en route to a pathetic 3.12 YPC average. New coach Gary Kubiak has already stated C.J. Anderson should arrive at OTAs "like he's the starter," a title we'd expect him to hold all the way through to the regular season. CJA's decisive one-cut style is a great fit for the Kubiak scheme. Ball projects as the No. 2 man no matter how hard he's working.

Related: C.J. Anderson

Source: ESPN.com
Mar 23 - 7:49 AM
Click to expand...
 
VaTerp said:
Shutout said:
Greggity said:
ConnSKINS26 said:
Top-5 this year. Moved a bunch of future picks for him to complete my lineup in a league where I was weak at RB and I'm pumped.
Click to expand...
I think so too. Im all in.....
Click to expand...
People are going to be SO disappointed in Ball this year. Not because he won't be a valuable FF rb but you guys that are looking at this like he's going to be a top 5 RB are nuts.

TO do that, you are going to have to push some seriously ff-friendly rb talent to the side and I don't see it. Lightning in a bottle SELDOM repeats itself in ff with interchangeable parts. Sure, Marshall Faulk was God for a while but the thing is...he was always Marshall Faulk. You don't plug-n-play superlative talent in at RB often.

I get the drawing of the conclusion. People say Ball is so much better than Moreno and look what Moreno did. But, you know, the people with that line of thinking are likely the same people that sat here this time last year and said Moreno might get cut and it's Ball team..and watch out for Hillman.

This assumption that he would be top 5 or so basically means he has to come out here and do everything Eddie Lacy did last year, but a noticeable amount better. I just don't see it in terms of volume. Denver is just not one of those teams that says we are going to put a saddle on our RB and let him march us in. Forget the idea of "they will get leads and will want to milk the clock...blah blah blah." EVERY TEAM says that and I can tell you that Denver is not a team to practice that. If it were Pittsburgh, sure! If it were even San Diego or Tennessee, ok. But nobody in the league, from fans, to coaches, to the league office thinks the best way to showcase (and win) Denver on theire umpteen prime time games is to roll out the final days of Peyton Manning and handing it off 35 times a game. Manning is like a star gone super nova. He's burning hottest and brightest at the end and everyone knows he is to be ridden all the way. If they wanted to run that much, they could have kept Tebow.
Click to expand...
This seems really off base to me. You say people are going to be SO disappointed in Ball based on two people saying they think he's top 5. I think Ball certainly has top 5 potential this year and have him ranked around RB8 which looks close to his current ADP from what I've seen. Where do you project him finishing if healthy this year? Outside the top 10, 15? What constitutes SO disappointing?

You then sight Marshal Faulk as some sort of example of lightning in a bottle not repeating itself. Not sure where you were going with that but it's worth noting that when Faulk was replaced as Manning's RB both Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai produced top 5 seasons. Now James, and to a much lesser extent Addai, were both talented guys but neither was Marshall Faulk. Obviously playing in a Peyton Manning offense significantly enhanced their FF value and opportunities. Which is further evidenced by Moreno's top 5 finish last year. Hell, Dominic Rhodes put up a top 5 pace over a 10-11 game stretch with Manning back in 2001.

Ball, IMO, is a better talent than Moreno and Addai, and will now have tremendous opportunity as the lead back in a Manning offense that is coming off a historically productive season. Of course we shouldn't expect a repeat of their record breaking performance but there is every reason to expect this to be a high octane offense that could see even more production on the ground.

And you talk about Denver not being a team that will pound the ball 35 times a game as if that's a requirement for Ball to finish top 5 or close to it. Again Moreno was top 5 last year averaging 15 carries a game. There is good reason to believe that Ball will have a similar, if not higher, workload and that he will be more effective with the touches he gets. He may not duplicate Moreno's 60 catches but I think 45-50 receptions is well within reason.

There are questions on Ball just like there are with every RB, particularly outside of the top 4. But FF has shown that opportunity, particularly at the RB position, can be equally important as talent. Ball has good talent and a great opportunity to produce as a top 10 RB with a realistic shot at top 5.
Click to expand...
Someone asked me my opinion on this since I've been lucky with Denver Rbs for a few years running now, being able to identify "the guy" so FWIW:

I think Ball has almost zero value for this team now if Anderson stays healthy. If Hillman can stay healthy, I think even he pushes Ball to the side.

 
Rotoworld:

Montee Ball - RB - Broncos

Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson are "splitting" first-team reps at Broncos OTAs.

The Broncos have a new coaching staff and have pushed a competition at the tailback spot, even if Anderson is seen as the heavy favorite. Although Anderson carries legitimate NFL-rushing-title upside in Gary Kubiak's run-friendly scheme, Anderson also holds risk because he isn't totally assured of opening the season as an every-down workhorse. At very least, fantasy owners who select Anderson early in drafts should be sure to handcuff him with Ball.

Source: 9 News Denver

May 28 - 7:23 PM
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
With the news re: Clady yesterday, I don't think its unreasonable to start looking at which TEs on that team can block best and which Rbs can pass protect best.

Much like the Moreno year, this could quickly devolve into a situation where it is about protection over hands or protection over vision, etc.

 
Shutout said:
With the news re: Clady yesterday, I don't think its unreasonable to start looking at which TEs on that team can block best and which Rbs can pass protect best.

Much like the Moreno year, this could quickly devolve into a situation where it is about protection over hands or protection over vision, etc.
Click to expand...
Each of the RBs can, this is more often about rookies not experienced backs.

 
What kind of value does Ball have in dynasty? I have Anderson in one league and tried picking Ball up and he will only take my 1.11 pick. I have Ball in another dynasty that I am rebuilding and I have been trying to sell him to the Anderson owner and he would only offer a very late 3rd.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Travdogg's positional rankings from week 5 onward
2
Replies
55
Views
2K
themeistersinger
themeistersinger
T
Travdogg's pre-combine mock draft
2
Replies
52
Views
2K
(HULK)
(HULK)
Hooper31
Grade your team's draft from 2020
Replies
29
Views
1K
daveR
daveR

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top