Biabreakable
Footballguy
Seems crowded for Hunter there but nice to hear he has been maturing and becoming a better player. A lot of them never do that.
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.
U of Tennessee WR Justin Hunter (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Matt Waldman
- Start date
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Sometimes guys have to be a half of a step away from being out of the league to get "jolted into the upright position." I have no real notion of Hunter amounting to much, but seeing your career on life support has finally woke up other players before. It could happen again for him.
I liked him a good bit at UT and he's certainly in a good spot with that offense. Weird crap happens sometimes, so who knows?
This too.
Last edited by a moderator:
And now he has a knucklehead teammate who's paved the way for him to possibly start on SNF this week.
Like everyone else, I'm excited to see what Bryan't demotion to Scout team and possible move to being inactive means for JuJu, but everyone is reporting Hunter is taking Bryant's reps in practice this week.
Biabreakable
Footballguy
Which means Hunter is ahead of DHB on the depth chart? DHB has played a few snaps the last two weeks, Hunter hasn't had any since week 4 and 5. The only two games he has played in games so far this year.
Bryant has averaged 5 targets per game over the first seven games this year, but only 3 targets then 2 targets in the last two games. He was on the field for 52% of the snaps the past two weeks though. So someone, or a combination of players will get more playing time.
They recently got Eli Rodgers back from injury, so his playing time may increase due to the move. He played on 16% of the snaps last week, while Hunter didn't play at all.
Hunter fits the profile of a large outside receiving threat similar to Byant. That would be a difference between him and DHB compared to Rodgers that Bryant has filled. JuJu has been playing a lot of snaps even with Bryant getting 52% or more. So the bump in playing time for him may not be that much in a relative sense. Either Hunter or DHB will need to fill that gap at least somewhat I think. Maybe even as much as the 52% that Bryant has been getting.
SameSongNDance
Footballguy
It is not out of the question that Hunter becomes what Bryant was supposed to be this year. It's honestly not that crazy of a notion to me. It would entail him indeed being ahead of DHB, but the odds are better than Juju actually playing on the outside.
Last edited by a moderator:
Biabreakable
Footballguy
Yeah this is kind of what I am thinking also, with perhaps Rodgers getting more playing time in the slot if JuJu does play outside more.
SameSongNDance
Footballguy
Yeah, I'm just not sure I see the upside in Juju on the outside. None of these guys have been heavily involved anyway but at least with Bryant you can keep defenses somewhat honest.
It's funny because all that would need to happen would be for Ben and Hunter to connect on one deep shot on MNF and everyone would at least ponder whether or not Hunter should have been starting all along. Bryant has set the bar super low.
Biabreakable
Footballguy
I'm not expecting it, but it would make me happy for Hunter if he could start being a productive player and rejuvenate his career.
I don't see why JuJu Smith-Schuster can't be a successful outside WR though. A friend of mine likened his role with the Steelers as being similar to Hines Ward. I thought that was very interesting. It also suggests that JuJu might have more of a Flanker/Slot role. He doesn't seem like a WR who would be limited to slot role as much as Rodgers is from what I have seen of him, but others have likely watched JuJu more than I have. Maybe there is something to that?
Just based on the experience with the team my guess is JuJu more outside and Rodgers playing more in the slot.
I don't see why JuJu Smith-Schuster can't be a successful outside WR though. A friend of mine likened his role with the Steelers as being similar to Hines Ward. I thought that was very interesting. It also suggests that JuJu might have more of a Flanker/Slot role. He doesn't seem like a WR who would be limited to slot role as much as Rodgers is from what I have seen of him, but others have likely watched JuJu more than I have. Maybe there is something to that?
Just based on the experience with the team my guess is JuJu more outside and Rodgers playing more in the slot.
IIRC Hunter is 6-4 and ran a 4.3. He has always been a great deep threat. This is what I was talking about this summer. The Steelers have this tailor-made role for him if he can get into it. They've always had a big, fast guy that Ben takes shots to. It might even be that they always have, regardless of coach or QB.
Bryant stinking is a big deal in that O. Those downfield shots seem to really help everyone else whether it's the run game or the other passes to JuJu and Brown. If Hunter goes like 2 for 60, I'd strongly predict most everyone has a good day. It's a bit much to say but Hunter could even breathe some life into Ben who seems all negative like he might retire. A sweet game for the O could lessen that Brown whining or whatever he was doing the other week too. I'm real curious how this affects the rest of em'.
We all know that if they ask Hunter to do all these underneath routes and be a traditional WR, it's highly questionable that he'll succeed. "Go deep" though is just the sort of limited role he needs. He can "jump out of the building" too. If there's a deep ball, I'd bet on him not the CB.
I can't imagine Bryant returning unless Hunter fails. Bryant's probably not bigger or faster or considerably better deep. Why bother changing it up? And the way I always understand Pitt is if Big Ben is happy, they're happy.
It's really interesting how this has come true or held true. Now the bust of a WR gets to do the one thing he does well. Bryant needs to understand he is about to become Justin Hunter in the free agent world if he doesn't shush- he can ask Markus Wheaton how that's working out. If Bryant did get cut or not re-signed. I would demand my agent contact the Raiders if I were him. Ever since ol Al Davis they've crushed on a big deep speed WRs too. Maybe Bryant is more complete, but these "knocked down a peg" WRs need to go to a team where they can do their bread N butter moves to get their confidence back. Definitely Raiders. Even accept the bare minimum. Just get back on track for a year.
Hunter was re-signed by the Steelers and got some good praise for his work last summer, coach said he earned it etc.
James Washington's fb posts show Hunter escorting him around and telling him the in's and out's- not AB or whomever comes to mind.
All in all this is nothing for FF or the game but Hunter has clearly been accepted as a good boy and improved as a person/matured.
James Washington's fb posts show Hunter escorting him around and telling him the in's and out's- not AB or whomever comes to mind.
All in all this is nothing for FF or the game but Hunter has clearly been accepted as a good boy and improved as a person/matured.
Reports of Hunter being the Steelers red zone WR because of their struggles there last year. (Yeah right, we'll see)
Saw him actually used with the first string O. Read Big Ben saying real good things. Saw coach get excited and slap him on the helmet when he scored.
Maybe Hunter is a DFS play this year? Got no "money" left under the cap and Hunter is probably dirt cheap?
He's like some ex-girlfriend I just can't let go of
Saw him actually used with the first string O. Read Big Ben saying real good things. Saw coach get excited and slap him on the helmet when he scored.
Maybe Hunter is a DFS play this year? Got no "money" left under the cap and Hunter is probably dirt cheap?
He's like some ex-girlfriend I just can't let go of
massraider
Footballguy
Draft him, Moncrief, and Devante Parker, see if your leaguemates get the joke.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Hunter has talent but Im not sure he is going to get many targets with all the mouths to feed in Pittsburgh. Brown, Schuster, and Bell deserve a lot of targets.
Chaka
Footballguy
