Stevan Ridley (1 Viewer)

[cst2006]

Not worth a roster spot.

In a 14 team league I beg to differ.

Beg away.

I'm in a 16 team league with 9 man benches, most definitely worth a spot far as a lottery ticket is concerned. Blanket statements like this add nothing to the discussion. A lot of guys (myself included) enjoy getting other people's perspectives on players like Ridley who can most definitely be contributors in deeper formats. Back on topic, I don't think its realistic to expect anything close to what Dillon did with fulltime reps at RB 7 yrs ago, but Ridley can definitely be a contributor in that high powered offense that provides a lot of goalline opportunities. He's worth a stash IMO, especially in leagues with larger rosters/upwards of 12 teams. Snagged Ridley this past waiver period in the previously mentioned league, starting him in my flex spot over the inept Thomas Jones, hoping for 8-12 touches against oakland and hoping for the best.

 

[tombonneau]

Pats homer here. Throughout the preseason and his limited action in the regular season, Ridley is the most talent back on the Pats roster. He even had a nice blitz pickup vs. the Bills which surely goes a long way in his favor.

Yudkin is right in that there will just be too many mouths to feed to make him much of a fantasy factor, but what impressed me most about him in the preseason was he had some really great goal line carries. If he can work his way into that role and become the GL back I think he becomes a fantasy factor as a RB3.

But barring a ton of injuries to RB he just won't be consistent, unless they phase BJGE out completely and Vereen ends up red-shirted.

 

[David Yudkin]

Just in case you missed #22Like every coach, Belichick wants to win the Superbowl. It's been a while, 2004 season, coincidentely the last time they had a stud RB. Corey Dillon played in... 15 regular season games:Carries 345Yards 1,635TDs 123 playoff games:292 Yards2 TDsI do believe Belichick has been searching (first 2 of 3 rounds = RB). Ridley will get the majority if carries this week and going foward... I bought the cool-aid.

Here is the team leader in carries for each year that BB has been a head coach.1991 Cleveland 197 1992 Cleveland 1691993 Cleveland 1711994 Cleveland 2091995 Cleveland 1362000 New England 1642001 New England 2872002 New England 252 2003 New England 1822004 New England 3452005 New England 209 2006 New England 1992007 New England 185 2008 New England 156 2009 New England 194 2010 New England 229 2011 New England On pace for 176Dillon averaged 23 carries a game in 2004 (a year when Faulk got hurt and there was no great RB option after Dillon). I see nothing in BB's track record other than that one outlier to think that he suddenly will turn Ridley loose and morph him into Dillon. As already indicated, sure, maybe if the bevy of other backs get hurt, maybe even Brady gets hurt and they turn into a running team. Short of those drastic outcomes, I don't see Ridley turning into a bell cow, featured back.

 

[baconisgood]

- Lots of other RBs to compete with. The Pats aren't unhappy with BJGE and Woodhead. If Ridley does better, they would give him more time on the field, but I doubt they feel the need to have to play Ridley. Kevin Faulk is also due back in a few weeks, only giving another RB mouth to feed.- Vereen is also in the mix, and it sounds like he is healthy but working on his blitz coverage and pass protection. Once he gets the hang of that, I think the Pats are still high on Vereen as well.- The Pats so far have been pass happy. They rank 1st in the league in pass attempts and 20th in rushing attempts with almost a 2 to 1 pass to run ratio.- At this point, no one had really seen the ball a lot RB wise, with a big week for anyone basically being 10-12 carries.I suppose at this stage of the season that there aren't many guys on fantasy waiver wires that at least have any chance of hitting a home run, so in that regard Ridley might be worth a stash. But I would not want to plan the rest of my season around Ridley being a sure thing or put up rookie Clinton Portis numbers.

As far as not feeling the need to play Ridley- they put him in a game in the 4th Q down 7 to start a drive and gave him the first 3 touches. They clearly wanted him in the game. Vareen is a potential issue, but he still doesn't have an NFL carry. The Pats are pass happy but their run game has been average. 12th in Y/A and 13th in total yards and tied for 10th-18th in rushing TDs. BB isn't exactly a guy who lets a mediocre portion of his team stay mediocre just because they are winning. Given how much attention teams have to pay to their passing game 12th in Y/A is nothing to be excited about.BB obviously values versatility and obviously will give a chance to any player with any amount of experience if it looks like he can get the job done. A rookie converted QB to take Welker's place game 1? Give it a shot. 2 rookie TEs last season? Go right ahead. People who get playing time have the opportunity to earn more while BJGE and Woodhead left BB looking for more options in the offseason- and not the super cheap 34 year old scrap heap RB he tried the past few years. They have had an ### kicking passing game for 4 years now and their last 3 playoff defeats they have scored 14, 14 and 21 pts while not running the ball particularly well. Ridley earned a spot on their roster then earned a few carries in game 2 and more in game 3. Perhaps he stagnates at the 8 touch per game mark but I don't think anything mentioned above- beyond him learning the plays, picking up blitzes and not fumbling- is a serious impediment to a Maroney like 14-15 touches per game rookie season. Unless of course Vareen steps onto the field and lights it up.

 

[David Yudkin]

Pats homer here. Throughout the preseason and his limited action in the regular season, Ridley is the most talent back on the Pats roster. He even had a nice blitz pickup vs. the Bills which surely goes a long way in his favor.Yudkin is right in that there will just be too many mouths to feed to make him much of a fantasy factor, but what impressed me most about him in the preseason was he had some really great goal line carries. If he can work his way into that role and become the GL back I think he becomes a fantasy factor as a RB3. But barring a ton of injuries to RB he just won't be consistent, unless they phase BJGE out completely and Vereen ends up red-shirted.

I would personally ignore the preseason stuff, as it came against basically college competition in games that didn't matter in a scrimmage environment. If people want to say he tried hard or ran hard, fine, but I would not even consider the actual results for much of anything. BJGE had preseason games and totals where he looked like Jim Brown, yet the Pats didn't move him up the depth chart because of it.Ridley could turn into something eventually and might become a decent role player, but I really don't see the Pats trying to groom anyone for more than a specific role at this point. The team said Ridley earned more time for this week. But he played basically 15% of the downs last week. More snaps doesn't automatically mean a lot more carries.I don't want it to sound like I am down on Ridley, but there are so many other options on offense both running and passing the ball that I have a hard time coming up with a realistic scenario where he becomes a weekly fantasy starter short of catastrophic injuries to multiple players.

 

[NE_REVIVAL]

Pats homer here. Throughout the preseason and his limited action in the regular season, Ridley is the most talent back on the Pats roster. He even had a nice blitz pickup vs. the Bills which surely goes a long way in his favor.Yudkin is right in that there will just be too many mouths to feed to make him much of a fantasy factor, but what impressed me most about him in the preseason was he had some really great goal line carries. If he can work his way into that role and become the GL back I think he becomes a fantasy factor as a RB3. But barring a ton of injuries to RB he just won't be consistent, unless they phase BJGE out completely and Vereen ends up red-shirted.

I would personally ignore the preseason stuff, as it came against basically college competition in games that didn't matter in a scrimmage environment. If people want to say he tried hard or ran hard, fine, but I would not even consider the actual results for much of anything. BJGE had preseason games and totals where he looked like Jim Brown, yet the Pats didn't move him up the depth chart because of it.Ridley could turn into something eventually and might become a decent role player, but I really don't see the Pats trying to groom anyone for more than a specific role at this point. The team said Ridley earned more time for this week. But he played basically 15% of the downs last week. More snaps doesn't automatically mean a lot more carries.I don't want it to sound like I am down on Ridley, but there are so many other options on offense both running and passing the ball that I have a hard time coming up with a realistic scenario where he becomes a weekly fantasy starter short of catastrophic injuries to multiple players.

Again, I will have to respectfully dissagree with you on this topic.http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php? topic=611695&st=0&p=13551118&hl=ridley&fromsearch=1entry13551118 You are down on Ridley and I am not sure why. We both agree that Benny is just a jag and if so why wouldn't NE want to see what Ridley might be able to do. To think they wouldn't want a back who is faster, shifter and a better receiver to be their primary back is silly. Ridley could replace Benny due to injury, but he might also take his job.This isn't about Ridley turning into AP, this is about whether or not there is a realistic chance that Ridley might seriously eat into Bennys time and maybe even replace him as the primary ball carrier. In no way am I saying that is a slam dunk, or even likely, but is it possible? Heck ya, the threat is very, very real imho and I don't understand why you don't see that. Only time will tell, but more playing time last week was significant and it is another indicator that suggests Ridley may well get an oportunity to take Bennys job. Will he be up to the task? We do not know, but since we do what Benny can do I think there is a significant chance that we will get to find out (what Ridley can do).

 

[Boston]

It all comes down to how good Ridley is...in his (very) limited time the kid has looked really good...he runs extremely hard and there's a zip in his game that a back like Benny doesn't have...if he continues to play at a high-level with more opportunities I can easily see a scenario where he becomes more of a featured back and I'm of the belief this is something that would greatly benefit the Pats...the Pats could really use a guy they can lean on to be more than a quality member of a RBBC...that being said I don't see the other RBs not getting a fair share as well..

There is one thing you have to remember with BB...be careful with looking at the past because he constantly changes things up...whether it's Brady going from more of a game-manager to a gunslinger, to a team that appeared to favor a WRBC to Moss and Welker putting up huge #'s, to TE's not being a big-part of the passing offense to becoming a huge part of the offense and to Dillon being a bell-cow things are always changing with this team...if Ridley proves he can be a legit #1 I see no reason why he won't be treated as one...what he does in the next few weeks will be very interesting because if this kid can prove he's a player the Pats will be far better off in the long-run...

 

[David Yudkin]

Again, I will have to respectfully dissagree with you on this topic.http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php? topic=611695&st=0&p=13551118&hl=ridley&fromsearch=1entry13551118 You are down on Ridley and I am not sure why. We both agree that Benny is just a jag and if so why wouldn't NE want to see what Ridley might be able to do. To think they wouldn't want a back who is faster, shifter and a better receiver to be their primary back is silly. Ridley could replace Benny due to injury, but he might also take his job.This isn't about Ridley turning into AP, this is about whether or not there is a realistic chance that Ridley might seriously eat into Bennys time and maybe even replace him as the primary ball carrier. In no way am I saying that is a slam dunk, or even likely, but is it possible? Heck ya, the threat is very, very real imho and I don't understand why you don't see that. Only time will tell, but more playing time last week was significant and it is another indicator that suggests Ridley may well get an oportunity to take Bennys job. Will he be up to the task? We do not know, but since we do what Benny can do I think there is a significant chance that we will get to find out (what Ridley can do).

Benny has been averaging 11 carries a game. If Ridley eats into those carries and they split them, that's not exactly going to produce big numbers. One also should think that they have a plan for Vereen, as they drafted him before Ridley.At this point, we have no data to conclude anything about Vereen and we have very limited data to conclude anything about Ridley. But we do have more of a track record for BJGE, Woodhead, and Faulk. I don't see them giving up on those guys, as they already know what they have. Just like we don't have much to go on for the rookie backs, how BJGE and Woodhead have done so far this year is a very small sample size.Put another way, if Ridley did get 10 carries this week and only churned out 18 yards, should we think that he will never get a chance because he had a poor game? Similarly, if Vereen stepped in at some point and had an 8 carry, 85 yard day, would we assume he takes over? How about Woodhead? Say he had 12 carred for 95 yards. Then what?Ridley (or any of the other backs) would need to consistently be leaps and bounds more productive over all the other backs and stay healthy while the other guys were nicked up. Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

 

[David Yudkin]

It all comes down to how good Ridley is...in his (very) limited time the kid has looked really good...he runs extremely hard and there's a zip in his game that a back like Benny doesn't have...if he continues to play at a high-level with more opportunities I can easily see a scenario where he becomes more of a featured back and I'm of the belief this is something that would greatly benefit the Pats...the Pats could really use a guy they can lean on to be more than a quality member of a RBBC...that being said I don't see the other RBs not getting a fair share as well..There is one thing you have to remember with BB...be careful with looking at the past because he constantly changes things up...whether it's Brady going from more of a game-manager to a gunslinger, to a team that appeared to favor a WRBC to Moss and Welker putting up huge #'s, to TE's not being a big-part of the passing offense to becoming a huge part of the offense and to Dillon being a bell-cow things are always changing with this team...if Ridley proves he can be a legit #1 I see no reason why he won't be treated as one...what he does in the next few weeks will be very interesting because if this kid can prove he's a player the Pats will be far better off in the long-run...

Again, we don't know what we don't know. Maybe Vereen has the same giddy up or more. If the Pats stay hell bent on passing, Woodhead should see the field the most, and he could be the one getting 10-12 carries a game.And like I just posted, if Ridley has a game where he bombs, fumbles, or gets Brady's clock cleaned they could reevaluate how much they want to use him.

 

[drfeelgood]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

 

[Boston]

It all comes down to how good Ridley is...in his (very) limited time the kid has looked really good...he runs extremely hard and there's a zip in his game that a back like Benny doesn't have...if he continues to play at a high-level with more opportunities I can easily see a scenario where he becomes more of a featured back and I'm of the belief this is something that would greatly benefit the Pats...the Pats could really use a guy they can lean on to be more than a quality member of a RBBC...that being said I don't see the other RBs not getting a fair share as well..There is one thing you have to remember with BB...be careful with looking at the past because he constantly changes things up...whether it's Brady going from more of a game-manager to a gunslinger, to a team that appeared to favor a WRBC to Moss and Welker putting up huge #'s, to TE's not being a big-part of the passing offense to becoming a huge part of the offense and to Dillon being a bell-cow things are always changing with this team...if Ridley proves he can be a legit #1 I see no reason why he won't be treated as one...what he does in the next few weeks will be very interesting because if this kid can prove he's a player the Pats will be far better off in the long-run...

Again, we don't know what we don't know. Maybe Vereen has the same giddy up or more. If the Pats stay hell bent on passing, Woodhead should see the field the most, and he could be the one getting 10-12 carries a game.And like I just posted, if Ridley has a game where he bombs, fumbles, or gets Brady's clock cleaned they could reevaluate how much they want to use him.

My overall point is if Ridley (and Vereen for that matter) show they are clearly better than the other RBs I see them being treated as a #1...right now that is an unknown and will be for awhile but I will say that in the limited time we have seen Ridley he looks like he might be a high-quality player...in the end I don't think BB is fully wedded to a RBBC...it has been the best way for them to go post-Dillon given the talent they've had at RB...if a RB gives him a reason to be featured like Dillon than I don't think he will hesitate to heavily use him...

 

[Irish Chaos]

Just in case you missed #22Like every coach, Belichick wants to win the Superbowl. It's been a while, 2004 season, coincidentely the last time they had a stud RB. Corey Dillon played in... 15 regular season games:Carries 345Yards 1,635TDs 123 playoff games:292 Yards2 TDsI do believe Belichick has been searching (first 2 of 3 rounds = RB). Ridley will get the majority if carries this week and going foward... I bought the cool-aid.

Here is the team leader in carries for each year that BB has been a head coach.1991 Cleveland 197 1992 Cleveland 1691993 Cleveland 1711994 Cleveland 2091995 Cleveland 1362000 New England 1642001 New England 2872002 New England 252 2003 New England 1822004 New England 3452005 New England 209 2006 New England 1992007 New England 185 2008 New England 156 2009 New England 194 2010 New England 229 2011 New England On pace for 176Dillon averaged 23 carries a game in 2004 (a year when Faulk got hurt and there was no great RB option after Dillon). I see nothing in BB's track record other than that one outlier to think that he suddenly will turn Ridley loose and morph him into Dillon. As already indicated, sure, maybe if the bevy of other backs get hurt, maybe even Brady gets hurt and they turn into a running team. Short of those drastic outcomes, I don't see Ridley turning into a bell cow, featured back.

seriously well done. This is some interesting stuff. I just picked up Ridley but am now tempering my expectations.

 

[DeaLerZ]

It all comes down to how good Ridley is...in his (very) limited time the kid has looked really good...he runs extremely hard and there's a zip in his game that a back like Benny doesn't have...if he continues to play at a high-level with more opportunities I can easily see a scenario where he becomes more of a featured back and I'm of the belief this is something that would greatly benefit the Pats...the Pats could really use a guy they can lean on to be more than a quality member of a RBBC...that being said I don't see the other RBs not getting a fair share as well..

There is one thing you have to remember with BB...be careful with looking at the past because he constantly changes things up...whether it's Brady going from more of a game-manager to a gunslinger, to a team that appeared to favor a WRBC to Moss and Welker putting up huge #'s, to TE's not being a big-part of the passing offense to becoming a huge part of the offense and to Dillon being a bell-cow things are always changing with this team...if Ridley proves he can be a legit #1 I see no reason why he won't be treated as one...what he does in the next few weeks will be very interesting because if this kid can prove he's a player the Pats will be far better off in the long-run...

That is because he is a brilliant coach when it comes to getting the most out of his personnel and designing his offense around his players... if Ridley is a guy who can handle the load and does a good job like Dillion did.. than BB will definitely change their offense to fit his player... so I would agree and say that it is definitely a possibilityjust like he did last year.. when Moss was not as big of a part of the game plan because of the two TE's he got in the draft...because they could do similar things and create better mismatches...

 

[gethugefast1]

It all comes down to how good Ridley is...in his (very) limited time the kid has looked really good...he runs extremely hard and there's a zip in his game that a back like Benny doesn't have...if he continues to play at a high-level with more opportunities I can easily see a scenario where he becomes more of a featured back and I'm of the belief this is something that would greatly benefit the Pats...the Pats could really use a guy they can lean on to be more than a quality member of a RBBC...that being said I don't see the other RBs not getting a fair share as well..There is one thing you have to remember with BB...be careful with looking at the past because he constantly changes things up...whether it's Brady going from more of a game-manager to a gunslinger, to a team that appeared to favor a WRBC to Moss and Welker putting up huge #'s, to TE's not being a big-part of the passing offense to becoming a huge part of the offense and to Dillon being a bell-cow things are always changing with this team...if Ridley proves he can be a legit #1 I see no reason why he won't be treated as one...what he does in the next few weeks will be very interesting because if this kid can prove he's a player the Pats will be far better off in the long-run...

Again, we don't know what we don't know. Maybe Vereen has the same giddy up or more. If the Pats stay hell bent on passing, Woodhead should see the field the most, and he could be the one getting 10-12 carries a game.And like I just posted, if Ridley has a game where he bombs, fumbles, or gets Brady's clock cleaned they could reevaluate how much they want to use him.

David, i highly regard you as the finest poster for anything Patriots... Being a Giants fan, i'm just a tad bit concerned if the Pats add a RB like Dillon provided in '04... Love for my G-men to win the next 20 SBs. Would you not agree adding that type of RB (Dillon '04), any head ooach would dream about?

 

[baconisgood]

Ridley (or any of the other backs) would need to consistently be leaps and bounds more productive over all the other backs and stay healthy while the other guys were nicked up.

I don't see why you think this. BJGE wasn't any more productive last year on a per carry basis than Sammy Morris or Fred Taylor were with the Pats before they finally broke down. They have been able to get solid production out of 4 scrap heap guys when you count Woodhead and there is no reason to believe they couldn't have continued to do so with the plethora of halfway decent FA RBs in this years market. Harrison, McGahee, Bell, Portis, LJ, Sproles, Ronnie Brown- not to mention all the UDAs and cuts. Using a 2nd and a 3rd on RBs indicates to me that they want more out of that position. Specifically selecting Vareen and making it a point to get Ridley involved in the passing game makes me think they want more versatile backs- which is the weakness of BJGE and Woodhead.

But we do have more of a track record for BJGE, Woodhead, and Faulk.

Come on with the Faulk stuff, hes 35 years old and on the PUP. Otherwise yes- the reason to be excited about Ridley is the fact that it is very possible for him to be better than BJGE or Woodhead. the Pats aren't exactly falling over themselves to extend the Law Firm, but they do seem to be tripping over themselves to upgrade the position.

 

[NE_REVIVAL]

Again, I will have to respectfully dissagree with you on this topic.http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php? topic=611695&st=0&p=13551118&hl=ridley&fromsearch=1entry13551118 You are down on Ridley and I am not sure why. We both agree that Benny is just a jag and if so why wouldn't NE want to see what Ridley might be able to do. To think they wouldn't want a back who is faster, shifter and a better receiver to be their primary back is silly. Ridley could replace Benny due to injury, but he might also take his job.This isn't about Ridley turning into AP, this is about whether or not there is a realistic chance that Ridley might seriously eat into Bennys time and maybe even replace him as the primary ball carrier. In no way am I saying that is a slam dunk, or even likely, but is it possible? Heck ya, the threat is very, very real imho and I don't understand why you don't see that. Only time will tell, but more playing time last week was significant and it is another indicator that suggests Ridley may well get an oportunity to take Bennys job. Will he be up to the task? We do not know, but since we do what Benny can do I think there is a significant chance that we will get to find out (what Ridley can do).

Benny has been averaging 11 carries a game. If Ridley eats into those carries and they split them, that's not exactly going to produce big numbers. One also should think that they have a plan for Vereen, as they drafted him before Ridley.At this point, we have no data to conclude anything about Vereen and we have very limited data to conclude anything about Ridley. But we do have more of a track record for BJGE, Woodhead, and Faulk. I don't see them giving up on those guys, as they already know what they have. Just like we don't have much to go on for the rookie backs, how BJGE and Woodhead have done so far this year is a very small sample size.Put another way, if Ridley did get 10 carries this week and only churned out 18 yards, should we think that he will never get a chance because he had a poor game? Similarly, if Vereen stepped in at some point and had an 8 carry, 85 yard day, would we assume he takes over? How about Woodhead? Say he had 12 carred for 95 yards. Then what?Ridley (or any of the other backs) would need to consistently be leaps and bounds more productive over all the other backs and stay healthy while the other guys were nicked up. Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

To your first point, I think there are a lot more than 11 carries there, but I do not want to quible about how many carriers are there for Ridley & Benny to split. Such a scenario would leave both of them with little value; however, who is to say they would split carries for very long?Agreed we don't have much info on Vareen, but my thought is he is in line for more of a Woodhead role; again, we don't know, we can only go by what we have seen.We do have a track record on Benny, Woody & Faulk; one (Benny) is a jag and he is the most relevent to this discussion. The other 2 are primarily 3rd down backs one of whom is at the end of his career and the other they do not want to over use for obvious reasons.In answer to your hypotheticals, if Ridley had a poor game we would expect he would get another chance since his career is in it's infancy. If Vereen came in and played well we would expect him to get more playing time. Woodhead has already shown that he is a talented 3rd down back. He does not have the size or the build to be a 3 down back. Keep in mind that I said pretty much all of the above well before Benny had his poor game this past Sunday. I like Benny, he is a decent rb, but we both know he is a jag.Ridley does not need to be leaps and bounds better than Benny, he only needs to be a little bit better (with little being a relative term); a little faster, a little shifter and or a little better receiver can make a big difference. Not saying all these things are true, I am just saying I see a realistic possibility that these things might be true.I think your last statement is a little different than the theme of the discussion I thought we were having. I would agree with you that as currently constituted it is hard to give any NE rbs much value (all though that could change). Having said that, I think we dissagree on the chances of Ridley replacing Benny as the primary ball carrier. I think you believe it is highly unlikely, while I believe it is very possible; maybe even somewhat likely Again, time will tell, but I think it goes without say that if I were a Benny owner I would certainly also be a Ridley owner.

 

[David Yudkin]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

 

[baconisgood]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

This is only been true since Maroney got hurt in year 3. In years 1&2 he averaged 14.1 and 14.5 touches per game and was a 1100/8 per 16 game back, prior to that it was the Corey Dillon show for 2 years (in fact both Dillon and Maroney were relevant in Maroney's rookie season). You are extrapolating over the past two years based on a situation that came about because their 1st round draft pick simply didn't progress/couldn't stay healthy. And the first draft after they had given up on that back? They spend 2 high draft picks on the position. I think you are letting the recent cluster of necessity confuse you with their basic philosophy.

 

[Boston]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

I think you're missing what some are saying...if Ridley turns out to be a high-quality player he will become relevant regardless of the injury situation...the question right now is how good is the kid and is it good enough to separate himself from the pack...

 

[karmarooster]

Just in case you missed #22Like every coach, Belichick wants to win the Superbowl. It's been a while, 2004 season, coincidentely the last time they had a stud RB. Corey Dillon played in... 15 regular season games:Carries 345Yards 1,635TDs 123 playoff games:292 Yards2 TDsI do believe Belichick has been searching (first 2 of 3 rounds = RB). Ridley will get the majority if carries this week and going foward... I bought the cool-aid.

Here is the team leader in carries for each year that BB has been a head coach.1991 Cleveland 197 1992 Cleveland 1691993 Cleveland 1711994 Cleveland 2091995 Cleveland 1362000 New England 1642001 New England 2872002 New England 252 2003 New England 1822004 New England 3452005 New England 209 2006 New England 1992007 New England 185 2008 New England 156 2009 New England 194 2010 New England 229 2011 New England On pace for 176Dillon averaged 23 carries a game in 2004 (a year when Faulk got hurt and there was no great RB option after Dillon). I see nothing in BB's track record other than that one outlier to think that he suddenly will turn Ridley loose and morph him into Dillon. As already indicated, sure, maybe if the bevy of other backs get hurt, maybe even Brady gets hurt and they turn into a running team. Short of those drastic outcomes, I don't see Ridley turning into a bell cow, featured back.

seriously well done. This is some interesting stuff. I just picked up Ridley but am now tempering my expectations.

These numbers tell the story from the end of the season, but they don't tell you week to week what RB had a chance at 20 carries. I don't think anyone expects Ridley to have 200 or 300 carries. But that's not necessary....I picked up Ridley in a few leagues as a RB5 or something, and won't be starting him unless there is some perfect storm re: the RBs ahead of him.This is the whole reason the BJGE initially became a factor... two or three? years ago, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and whatever else crap they had were all hurt simultaneously, and here comes the Law Firm. That's the reason for picking up Ridley ... barring that kind of scenario, you'll never be able to start him, but who's to say that for weeks 10-12 or something, due to injury, that he's virtually assured of getting the lion share of production including goal line carries? In fact, that seems more likely than ever THIS SEASON in particular due to the insane amount of injuries cause by the lay-off.

 

[KellysHeroes]

buy low on Vereen, 2012 will be his yr... including this season

 

[David Yudkin]

I picked up Ridley in a few leagues as a RB5 or something, and won't be starting him unless there is some perfect storm re: the RBs ahead of him.This is the whole reason the BJGE initially became a factor... two or three? years ago, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and whatever else crap they had were all hurt simultaneously, and here comes the Law Firm. That's the reason for picking up Ridley ... barring that kind of scenario, you'll never be able to start him, but who's to say that for weeks 10-12 or something, due to injury, that he's virtually assured of getting the lion share of production including goal line carries? In fact, that seems more likely than ever THIS SEASON in particular due to the insane amount of injuries cause by the lay-off.

What you are saying is essentially help prove my point for me. As you just cited, it will take a slew of injuries for Ridley to be worth much fantasy wise. But the same can be said about any NFL RB3 or RB4. If no one else is around to get the ball and one guy gets almost all the work, that guy will be worth a lot fantasy wise. Just ask guys like Steve Slaton or Nick Goings.As for the injury thing, did Ridley take some special medication so he will be immune from injury? He could just as easily get hurt as the other guys in NE. Again, I am not bashing Ridley. We don't know how he will do as I don't even know if he's had 10 carries yet. We also don't know how durable he will be. We certainly don't know how Vereen will do either or which guys will be healthy in weeks 10-12.Bottom line, for now you have him pegged where he should be. Fantasy depth on your bench should you need him. But is he worth much more than Bilal Powell? Taiwain Jones? Jordan Todman? How about Alex Green? All of those guys would shoot up value wise if two backs in front of them were hurt.

 

[Chaka]

David, do you think BJGE could lose touches based purely on lack of production and not injury?

I mean never fumbling is a great thing and will take BJGE far with BB, but that was easier to stomach when BJGE was averaging 4.4 ypc (like last year), what happens if he maintains his current 3.5 ypc? I agree that there will be no bell cow back in New England but in your opinion could Ridley become a 12-15 touch guy at BJGE's expense without injury?

 

[Deaddawg]

I picked up Ridley in a few leagues as a RB5 or something, and won't be starting him unless there is some perfect storm re: the RBs ahead of him.This is the whole reason the BJGE initially became a factor... two or three? years ago, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and whatever else crap they had were all hurt simultaneously, and here comes the Law Firm. That's the reason for picking up Ridley ... barring that kind of scenario, you'll never be able to start him, but who's to say that for weeks 10-12 or something, due to injury, that he's virtually assured of getting the lion share of production including goal line carries? In fact, that seems more likely than ever THIS SEASON in particular due to the insane amount of injuries cause by the lay-off.

What you are saying is essentially help prove my point for me. As you just cited, it will take a slew of injuries for Ridley to be worth much fantasy wise. But the same can be said about any NFL RB3 or RB4. If no one else is around to get the ball and one guy gets almost all the work, that guy will be worth a lot fantasy wise. Just ask guys like Steve Slaton or Nick Goings.As for the injury thing, did Ridley take some special medication so he will be immune from injury? He could just as easily get hurt as the other guys in NE. Again, I am not bashing Ridley. We don't know how he will do as I don't even know if he's had 10 carries yet. We also don't know how durable he will be. We certainly don't know how Vereen will do either or which guys will be healthy in weeks 10-12.Bottom line, for now you have him pegged where he should be. Fantasy depth on your bench should you need him. But is he worth much more than Bilal Powell? Taiwain Jones? Jordan Todman? How about Alex Green? All of those guys would shoot up value wise if two backs in front of them were hurt.

I think the crux of the matter is that some of us believe that the NE RB position is up for grabs. That 2 talented rookie RB's were drafted to compete and get every opportunity to supplant the current holders of the position. We have BJGE, a pedestrian back who only got a chance due to injury. We have Woodhead who is a 3rd down/change-of-pace back who replaced an injured 3rd down/change-of-pace back. I don't think we have to wait for an injury for Ridley or Vareen to take over. I think that if Ridley can be trusted to pick up the blitz and protect Brady, he will have the lead back role before mid season. I mean we have seen it tons of time before where an incumbent back is replaced by a young and talented up and comer. It is not like Ridley is trying to beat ADP here.

 

[NE_REVIVAL]

I picked up Ridley in a few leagues as a RB5 or something, and won't be starting him unless there is some perfect storm re: the RBs ahead of him.This is the whole reason the BJGE initially became a factor... two or three? years ago, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and whatever else crap they had were all hurt simultaneously, and here comes the Law Firm. That's the reason for picking up Ridley ... barring that kind of scenario, you'll never be able to start him, but who's to say that for weeks 10-12 or something, due to injury, that he's virtually assured of getting the lion share of production including goal line carries? In fact, that seems more likely than ever THIS SEASON in particular due to the insane amount of injuries cause by the lay-off.

What you are saying is essentially help prove my point for me. As you just cited, it will take a slew of injuries for Ridley to be worth much fantasy wise. But the same can be said about any NFL RB3 or RB4. If no one else is around to get the ball and one guy gets almost all the work, that guy will be worth a lot fantasy wise. Just ask guys like Steve Slaton or Nick Goings.As for the injury thing, did Ridley take some special medication so he will be immune from injury? He could just as easily get hurt as the other guys in NE. Again, I am not bashing Ridley. We don't know how he will do as I don't even know if he's had 10 carries yet. We also don't know how durable he will be. We certainly don't know how Vereen will do either or which guys will be healthy in weeks 10-12.Bottom line, for now you have him pegged where he should be. Fantasy depth on your bench should you need him. But is he worth much more than Bilal Powell? Taiwain Jones? Jordan Todman? How about Alex Green? All of those guys would shoot up value wise if two backs in front of them were hurt.

Aside from Powell, they all have players in front of them that are producing at a high level. Obviously if a starting rb gets hurt the backup has value; the list is almost endless. The pertinent question is how many rbs have a better chance than Ridley at beating out the starter? As for the short list above, imho Ridley would be #1 and Powell #2, the other 2 don't even enter in the discussion (as far as beating out the starters).

 

[Itchy Amos]

I picked up Ridley in a few leagues as a RB5 or something, and won't be starting him unless there is some perfect storm re: the RBs ahead of him.This is the whole reason the BJGE initially became a factor... two or three? years ago, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and whatever else crap they had were all hurt simultaneously, and here comes the Law Firm. That's the reason for picking up Ridley ... barring that kind of scenario, you'll never be able to start him, but who's to say that for weeks 10-12 or something, due to injury, that he's virtually assured of getting the lion share of production including goal line carries? In fact, that seems more likely than ever THIS SEASON in particular due to the insane amount of injuries cause by the lay-off.

What you are saying is essentially help prove my point for me. As you just cited, it will take a slew of injuries for Ridley to be worth much fantasy wise. But the same can be said about any NFL RB3 or RB4. If no one else is around to get the ball and one guy gets almost all the work, that guy will be worth a lot fantasy wise. Just ask guys like Steve Slaton or Nick Goings.As for the injury thing, did Ridley take some special medication so he will be immune from injury? He could just as easily get hurt as the other guys in NE. Again, I am not bashing Ridley. We don't know how he will do as I don't even know if he's had 10 carries yet. We also don't know how durable he will be. We certainly don't know how Vereen will do either or which guys will be healthy in weeks 10-12.Bottom line, for now you have him pegged where he should be. Fantasy depth on your bench should you need him. But is he worth much more than Bilal Powell? Taiwain Jones? Jordan Todman? How about Alex Green? All of those guys would shoot up value wise if two backs in front of them were hurt.

I think the crux of the matter is that some of us believe that the NE RB position is up for grabs. That 2 talented rookie RB's were drafted to compete and get every opportunity to supplant the current holders of the position. We have BJGE, a pedestrian back who only got a chance due to injury. We have Woodhead who is a 3rd down/change-of-pace back who replaced an injured 3rd down/change-of-pace back. I don't think we have to wait for an injury for Ridley or Vareen to take over. I think that if Ridley can be trusted to pick up the blitz and protect Brady, he will have the lead back role before mid season. I mean we have seen it tons of time before where an incumbent back is replaced by a young and talented up and comer. It is not like Ridley is trying to beat ADP here.

Ditto for me. BJGE is reliable. I like him, but I'd like him more as the backup running back. I think his role is entirely up for grabs and short yardage work might be the first piece to go. I know that we havnt seen enough carries out of Ridley to be certain of his abilities, but to me - Ridley appears to be better (and maybe alot better) than BJGE. In my mind, this is where Ridley's situation differs from most other backup running backs across the NFL.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.

Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

I think that tells the story, right there.I'll never have a bad word to say about benny, I'm a big fan of his excellent work, but how does he go from being supposedly a stiff last year who only got touches due to injury to the lead dog over a couple of highly drafted, and possibly more talented backs?

right now he is the incumbent, he's stewed in the offense for quite some time, he does what he does very well, but if these guys are better players why is it they can't push him back down the totem pole, as you say?

not that I'm wishing it, but just for the sake of conversation.

maroney is widely considered a horrible bust, and yet he was starting while benny couldn't steal touches from 45 yr old fred taylor -- why was that?

again, I'm not ripping benny, nor will I ever, just pointing out the situation.

 

[Banger]

I would not want to plan the rest of my season around Ridley being a sure thing or put up rookie Clinton Portis numbers.

How about Corey Dillon numbers? Not as far fetched I don't think, but he would need to either unseat LawFirm or have him go down. Woodhead and Faulk share their own unique role.Vereen is the wildcard that really muddies this for me, but otherwise I see it as Riddler will work the rest of the season to unseat LawFirm or step in after injury. Much like the Ingram/Pierre/Sproles situation.As of right now, neither is dependable for anything, but both are in prime situations to step into TD making roles for juggernaut offenses as the season progresses.

Ridley won't get (nor will anyone else for that matter) anywhere near the workload that Dillon did. No way, no how. Even Dillon didn't get the same workload after the 2004 season. Sure, if Ridely were the only guy at the goal line and they shunned everyone else in that role he could get some TD chances (the ones that don't go to the TEs and Welker).We don't know what role Vereen will have, we do know the role the other 3 guys have had (which they have done very well), and all we really have is how Ridley played in a handful of snaps with a handful of carries.I think some people may be looking for a scenario that fits what they want for a conclusion or an end game. SUre, Ridley is an intriguing 3rd or 4th string NFL RB, but he's a long way from being a key cog in NE. A similar case could be made for backups on other franchises as well. Have 3 other backs get hurt on most NFL franchises and the healthy guy that's left would be at least a fantasy RB2 if no one else was around to get the ball.

I don't disagree but things can change fast if someone comes in and makes plays. The offense is there, the opportunity is getting closer. Picked him up this week and it's a no risk move that if he makes plays he could have a lot of value quickly. Law firm stinks and is playing his way out. Woodhead is a nice gimic (that they won't completely stop using) but a good RB that could take some pressure off, run the clock, could be useful I think. When is the last time they had a good RB? Taylor - over the hill, Maroney - stinks, Faulk, Law Firm, they're garbage. I'm not saying Ridley is a great talent but he's looked good all preseason, looked good in limited action. He's beyond a no brain pickup IMO in all leagues.

 

[NCPanthersFan]

Once the weather turns we are going to be seeing allot more of Ridley.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

the risk is you passed on 200 other 'no risk' players that might blow up while ridley doesn't.

every thread is filled with all these no risk lottery tickets who should be stashed for no cost just in case --- my league limits rosters.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Im wondering who you guys are dropping for Ridley? Im considering picking him up, but my worst 2 bench players are Pierre Thomas (have Ingram, not dropping) and Bernard Scott (this ongoing how many games may Benson miss has me ready to cut bait).

I would drop almost any non-handcuff backup RB for Ridley right now, but based on my situation, I dont think I have anyone worth dropping for him at the moment.

 

[Banger]

the risk is you passed on 200 other 'no risk' players that might blow up while ridley doesn't.every thread is filled with all these no risk lottery tickets who should be stashed for no cost just in case --- my league limits rosters.

what offenses are better, what guy got 7 carries and looked good that's available on the WW and has a void at RB. It may work out to nothing but RBs are king and I don't know of a better lottery ticket right now.

 

[Banger]

Im wondering who you guys are dropping for Ridley? Im considering picking him up, but my worst 2 bench players are Pierre Thomas (have Ingram, not dropping) and Bernard Scott (this ongoing how many games may Benson miss has me ready to cut bait).I would drop almost any non-handcuff backup RB for Ridley right now, but based on my situation, I dont think I have anyone worth dropping for him at the moment.

ya, I wouldn't drop them. I mean it depends on your roster and how risky you want to be but I probably wouldn't drop them if I were thin. If I had 3 other strong guys I might might go for a homer and drop Thomas since I don't think his ceiling is high...it's just a matter of time IMO.

 

[None_More_Black]

Im wondering who you guys are dropping for Ridley? Im considering picking him up, but my worst 2 bench players are Pierre Thomas (have Ingram, not dropping) and Bernard Scott (this ongoing how many games may Benson miss has me ready to cut bait).I would drop almost any non-handcuff backup RB for Ridley right now, but based on my situation, I dont think I have anyone worth dropping for him at the moment.

dropped Woodhead for him non-ppr. More upside.

 

[OPS]

Dropped Delone Carter for him.

 

[LivingTheDream]

The guy has a burst!

 

[crush304]

Here is the team leader in carries for each year that BB has been a head coach.

1991 Cleveland 197

1992 Cleveland 169

1993 Cleveland 171

1994 Cleveland 209

1995 Cleveland 136

2000 New England 164

2001 New England 287

2002 New England 252

2003 New England 182

2004 New England 345

2005 New England 209

2006 New England 199

2007 New England 185

2008 New England 156

2009 New England 194

2010 New England 229

2011 New England On pace for 176

Dillon averaged 23 carries a game in 2004 (a year when Faulk got hurt and there was no great RB option after Dillon). I see nothing in BB's track record other than that one outlier to think that he suddenly will turn Ridley loose and morph him into Dillon. As already indicated, sure, maybe if the bevy of other backs get hurt, maybe even Brady gets hurt and they turn into a running team. Short of those drastic outcomes, I don't see Ridley turning into a bell cow, featured back.

happen to have new england tight end fantasy totals over the same time span?

 

[WiDDoW_MaKeR]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

I think that it's more a matter of you simply giving an educated guess just like everyone else who follows this matter. I respect that you may have some inside info in regards to NE... but you certainly don't have any more of an idea about BB's plans or thought process in regards to his current running backs. First of all... Woodhead and BJGE (who I disagreed with you on last year and I'm glad I picked him up).... both of those guys are relatively new guys in NE's fold too. It isn't like they are longtime established vets on that team. I don't see why BB would overlook obvious talent just to keep in a person because "he knows what he has" in him. Who's to say that he doesn't like what he has in them.... which is why he has to throw the ball so much? Just like BB "knew what he had" with Morris and Maroney, and chucked them aside last year.Did you watch Ridley at LSU? He basically ran out of an offense exactly like the Pats. He is a perfect shotgun formation back. Blocking, receiving, runs like a bull up the middle on the draw. He is the PERFECT fit for this offense. Also, last year you said Morris and Maroney would get carries over BJGE. Now... Maroney didn't get traded by accident... BB traded him because he felt that he didn't need him, obviously. Morris wasn't accidentaly moved to FB either. They moved him there because they liked BJGE better for the HB Role, and basically used Woodhead to take Faulks place. Point being... you were simply wrong. The coaching staff liked BJGE better than those guys, so he moved one to a different position and traded the other. This just shows that if he sees something that he likes out of a player, he isn't afraid to make the change and go with it.

 

[David Yudkin]

Since someone asked, here is a yearly breakdown of how many carries the top back got each week. Basically, I looked up each box score and logged the highest carry total from each game. Mind you, some years the top carry back rotated while others it was mostly Dillon. I also noted how many games each year that the high individual hit 10 carries, 15 carries, 20 carries, and 25 carries.

Year, AVG, 10, 15, 20, 25

2000, 14.75, 13, 6, 6, 0

2001, 17.94, 16, 11, 9, 1

2002, 15.75, 14, 10, 2, 2

2003, 17.00, 16, 12, 3, 1

2004, 22.56, 15, 15, 11, 8

2005, 16.81, 14, 10, 5, 1

2006, 14.44, 14, 7, 2, 0

2007, 15.19, 14, 8, 4, 1

2008, 13.81, 13, 6, 3, 1

2009, 14.94, 13, 8, 5, 0

2010, 15.13, 14, 9, 3, 0

2011, 13.33, 2, 1, 0, 0

Obviously 2004 was the outlier. And even with injuries, the past 5 years has seen the top ball carrier see fewer carries than in the early days with BB in NE. Remember, the above numbers were made up of several different guys getting the most carries, It doesn't mean that one guy got the most carries every week.

As for Ridley, there are a lot that doesn't add up. If Ridley was going to be their guy of the future, why did they take Vereen in the 2nd round before taking Ridley in the third? I agree that Ridley has looked good in limited action, but there is not a ton to go on . . . he's had 9 carries so far.

If we play this out and say Ridley takes on a bigger role, what happens to all the other backs? Does Vereen ever play or does he sit on the bench? If so, why did they draft him? And what about BJGE and Woodhead? Do they get kicked to the curb? It seems like they would be taking up quite a few roster spots on RBs.

. Against BUF, he had a nice 16 yard run. But he averaged

 

[griff321]

Once the weather turns we are going to be seeing allot more of Ridley.

This is a myth. It's hard to do anything in bad weather, but it's even harder for linemen to get any push and open lanes in the slop. Does anyone have any weather related numbers that I can just bookmark? Even on the NFL films BB special they're looking at the snow fall before the game and drool over "the QB's dream weather." Then Brady goes out and rips up the Titans for 6 TDs. Sometimes guys rip off some nice gainers on the outside, but it's tough sledding in that crap.

 

[Lester Long]

I would only pick him up in the deepest of leagues. all he is doing is making it more of a logjam at RB there.

 

[BigTex]

Not sure what his future is but he passes the eye ball test for me.

 

[AmosMoses]

Bottom line to me, as the Pats are currently constituted, I don't see any NE back getting the ball enough to be a huge fantasy producer.

Last season you didn't think BGE would be serviceable enough to be fantasy relevant, and he ended up to be very servicebable. You never know.

I hear this all the time now, but the same thing holds true in NE every year. IF MULTIPLE PLAYERS GET HURT AND ONE GUY GETS A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE WORK, HE WILL BE FANTASY RELEVANT. At the start of the year, BJGE was low man on the totem pole after Maroney, Morris, Faulk, and Taylor.Faulk went on IR early. Maroney got traded. Taylor got hurt again, Morris was moved to FB. And do BJGE got his chance. He might have been even better if they didn't pick up Woodhead.

The low man on the totem pole is the most important. Is that what you mean here?

 

[Boston]

Not sure what his future is but he passes the eye ball test for me.

In some ways this post sums it all up...right now Ridley is the great unknown...we have little to go on with the exception that in the small sample-size we have seen him there looks like there may be something very good going-on...I would not be counting on him due to this but I would also find a place on my bench with the hope he goes off and plays better than any Patriot RB since Dillon in 04 and Smith in 01...believe in him or not the biggest mistake someone can make in this situation is to think past Patriot history will dictate what BB will do should this kid start to shine...if BB has proved anything over the years it's a willingness to change...

 

[Mentos]

Im wondering who you guys are dropping for Ridley?

I dropped Deji Karim to get Ridley.

 

[fCheeze]

Im wondering who you guys are dropping for Ridley?

I dropped Deji Karim to get Ridley.

Dropped Reggie bush

 

[None_More_Black]

Since someone asked, here is a yearly breakdown of how many carries the top back got each week. Basically, I looked up each box score and logged the highest carry total from each game. Mind you, some years the top carry back rotated while others it was mostly Dillon. I also noted how many games each year that the high individual hit 10 carries, 15 carries, 20 carries, and 25 carries.Year, AVG, 10, 15, 20, 252000, 14.75, 13, 6, 6, 02001, 17.94, 16, 11, 9, 12002, 15.75, 14, 10, 2, 22003, 17.00, 16, 12, 3, 12004, 22.56, 15, 15, 11, 82005, 16.81, 14, 10, 5, 12006, 14.44, 14, 7, 2, 02007, 15.19, 14, 8, 4, 12008, 13.81, 13, 6, 3, 12009, 14.94, 13, 8, 5, 02010, 15.13, 14, 9, 3, 02011, 13.33, 2, 1, 0, 0Obviously 2004 was the outlier. And even with injuries, the past 5 years has seen the top ball carrier see fewer carries than in the early days with BB in NE. Remember, the above numbers were made up of several different guys getting the most carries, It doesn't mean that one guy got the most carries every week.As for Ridley, there are a lot that doesn't add up. If Ridley was going to be their guy of the future, why did they take Vereen in the 2nd round before taking Ridley in the third? I agree that Ridley has looked good in limited action, but there is not a ton to go on . . . he's had 9 carries so far. If we play this out and say Ridley takes on a bigger role, what happens to all the other backs? Does Vereen ever play or does he sit on the bench? If so, why did they draft him? And what about BJGE and Woodhead? Do they get kicked to the curb? It seems like they would be taking up quite a few roster spots on RBs.. Against BUF, he had a nice 16 yard run. But he averaged

We will see. If Ridley blows up, Footballguys should get out of the prediction business.

 

[meanjoegreen]

If Ridley was going to be their guy of the future, why did they take Vereen in the 2nd round before taking Ridley in the third?

Do you think Brady was drafted in the 6th round to be their guy of the future? It's not always about where you were drafted, but about opportunity and what you do with it.

 

[Bayhawks]

Since someone asked, here is a yearly breakdown of how many carries the top back got each week. Basically, I looked up each box score and logged the highest carry total from each game. Mind you, some years the top carry back rotated while others it was mostly Dillon. I also noted how many games each year that the high individual hit 10 carries, 15 carries, 20 carries, and 25 carries.

Year, AVG, 10, 15, 20, 25

2000, 14.75, 13, 6, 6, 0

2001, 17.94, 16, 11, 9, 1

2002, 15.75, 14, 10, 2, 2

2003, 17.00, 16, 12, 3, 1

2004, 22.56, 15, 15, 11, 8

2005, 16.81, 14, 10, 5, 1

2006, 14.44, 14, 7, 2, 0

2007, 15.19, 14, 8, 4, 1

2008, 13.81, 13, 6, 3, 1

2009, 14.94, 13, 8, 5, 0

2010, 15.13, 14, 9, 3, 0

2011, 13.33, 2, 1, 0, 0

Obviously 2004 was the outlier. And even with injuries, the past 5 years has seen the top ball carrier see fewer carries than in the early days with BB in NE. Remember, the above numbers were made up of several different guys getting the most carries, It doesn't mean that one guy got the most carries every week.

As for Ridley, there are a lot that doesn't add up. If Ridley was going to be their guy of the future, why did they take Vereen in the 2nd round before taking Ridley in the third? I agree that Ridley has looked good in limited action, but there is not a ton to go on . . . he's had 9 carries so far.

If we play this out and say Ridley takes on a bigger role, what happens to all the other backs? Does Vereen ever play or does he sit on the bench? If so, why did they draft him? And what about BJGE and Woodhead? Do they get kicked to the curb? It seems like they would be taking up quite a few roster spots on RBs.

. Against BUF, he had a nice 16 yard run. But he averaged

We will see. If Ridley blows up, Footballguys should get out of the prediction business.

Seriously? There's a reason you used the word "prediction." No one, save perhaps the NE coaches, "knows" whether Ridley will "blow up." Yudkin is giving us his take on the situation, based on what he knows about the situation. If you don't agree with him, that's fine, but to suggest that if his take happens to be wrong is somehow a indicator that FBG is a useless FF site/tool is a little harsh, IMO.

 

[BRONG]

Talent will win out; just look at the shiny new TEs up there. Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead? Not much to unseat there. Had there not been a strike, you likely don't have a chance like this (to get him off the WW in week 4).

A lot can be gleaned off that one series in Buffalo, down 7. A few more like that and it's over...so now is the time. Went all-in, this is what it's about really.