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Anthony Miller WR Houston Texans (1 Viewer)

squistion

Footballguy
Was going to post the below news item, but couldn't find a thread on this kid, who looks promising to be a fantasy producer his rookie season.

https://withthefirstpick.com/2018/05/24/chicago-bears-anthony-miller-emerge-1-target/

Chicago Bears: Anthony Miller could emerge as No. 1 target

The Chicago Bears have made a concerted effort to improve the receiving corps. Anthony Miller could prove to be the best option in the resurgent group.

The Chicago Bears selected Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. It was a bold decision by a franchise that’s been desperately searching for a franchise quarterback for the better part of its existence.

The jury is still out on Trubisky, but the working theory is that Chicago has equipped him with the necessary firepower at wide receiver.

In 2017, Kendall Wright was the only Bear who amassed more than 50 yards or 100 receptions—and he checked in at 50 for 614. Furthermore, it was tight end Adam Shaheen who led Chicago in receiving touchdowns with a mere three.

In the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bears selected a player who could exceed every one of those numbers as a rookie: Memphis Tigers wide receiver Anthony Miller.

Miller joins a receiving corps that will also include the likes of Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and former top-10 draft pick Kevin White.

Miller is a 5’11” and 201-pound wide receiver with big hands and upper body strength that blew scouts away at the Combine. On the field, he’s an explosive receiving threat who thrives in the red zone and can make plays all over the field.

That much is established by the fact that he recorded 187 receptions for 2,841 yards and 31 touchdowns between the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Beyond the numbers, Miller has remarkable footwork and the ability to line up both in the slot and outside the numbers.

Miller specializes in a specific area, however, as he ranked sixth in the country in yards per route run from the slot in 2017. He forced 19 missed tackles and proved to be a versatile threat in terms of the different routes that he ran.

Miller produced passer ratings that were at least 21.4 points above the NCAA average on screen, out, hitch, comeback, and post routes in 2017, per Pro Football Focus.

With Allen Robinson lining up outside the numbers and Anthony Miller in the slot, the Chicago Bears could have two high-level targets for Mitch Trubisky.

 
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https://beargoggleson.com/2018/05/25/anthony-miller-impressing-mitchell-trubisky/

Chicago Bears: Anthony Miller impressing Mitchell Trubisky

In their first chance to practice as Chicago Bears teammates, Mitchell Trubisky is very excited about what he has noticed so far from rookie Anthony Miller

I know, it’s just OTA’s. Heck, I preface every article this time of year with that saying. However, the vibe feels different this year. There is positivity in the air, and pieces are beginning to fit together.

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller was able to get his first work in with future quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky talked about Miller after practice, and could not help but compliment the young skill player.

“Really twitchy. Really good route runner and strong hands,” he said. “He attacks the ball. Those are my immediate impressions. The toughest thing for the rookies right now is just adjusting to the change of speed and learning a new playbook. You’re going to come out here and make a mistake as a rookie, but it’s all about how you put it behind you and bounce back and he’s done that so far. I like the way he attacks the ball and runs routes and I feel like he’s going to help that group a lot.”
Yes, Mitchell Trubisky is going to talk up his teammates. He is the leader now. This is his team. He has to do this.

However, one of the quotes did feature more overall honesty when looking into how Trubisky really feels.

“Twitchy”, “strong routes”, “good hands” we will see if that is real on Sundays. However, the mental processing of the game is what you need to see early, and Trubisky has seen it in Miller.

Putting the past behind, learning from it, and coming out on the next repetition better for it. That is what stood out to Trubisky about Anthony Miller.

He has noticed growth in his mental ability and humility in his overall demeanor. These are huge positives that can provide a lot of Anthony Miller optimism moving forward.

Miller has the chance to get on the field right away and make an impact. This is going to be very important for the Chicago Bears. Vibes are positive for the first time in a long time. For good reason, too.

 
ARob is recovering. I'm always skeptical of reports of players ahead of schedule for their recovery. It's only May after all. Gabriel is looking like a downfield threat but maybe boom/bust. That leaves a young QB like Mitch with short and intermediate targets like Cohen, Burton, and Miller. He can make hay with that. Miller could get some benefit with a slow recovery from ARob. Any starter level production or consideration I get from Miller after, say, week 8 would be gravy.

 
Bears traded up with the Patriots to select Memphis WR Anthony Miller with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Chicago gave up the No. 105 pick and a 2019 second-round pick. Miller (5’11/201) was a 2 ½-year starter for the Tigers, tallying a career 238/3,590/15.1/37 receiving line with otherworldly production in his final two years (95+ catches, 1,430+ yards, 14+ TDs). PFF College charted Miller at No. 4 in yards per route run (3.47) among draft-eligible receivers, and No. 3 in yards per route run (3.43) from the slot. Miller sat out most of the offseason after suffering a Lisfranc injury in Memphis’ bowl game, but he looked at full strength for the Tigers’ Pro Day with a crisp 6.65 three-cone time and 39-inch vertical, running 4.5-flat in the forty. Old for a rookie, Miller turns 24 in October. He still profiles favorably to Sterling Shepard – who also came out "old" -- and even drew a handful of aggressive pre-draft comparisons to Antonio Brown. Bears also added Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel to their receiving corps this offseason. 

Apr 27 - 8:31 PM
 
NFL Media's Chad Reuter believes Memphis WR Anthony Miller is one of the most underrated prospects among all receivers and tight ends.

Reuter explains "Those that paid attention during the fall, though, know that he's a tough customer who can make defenders look silly in the open field. He could be a Randall Cobb-type receiver, and probably won't be picked until the second round or early in the third round." Rotoworld's Thor Nystrom also has a favorable outlook on Miller (5'11/190) comparing him to Seattle Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin. Miller excels in both the slot and on the outside, making him an extremely versatile Day 2 selection.

Source: NFL.com 
 
I like that he tested well at his pro day, 39 inch vert and 4.46-4.52 depending on which watch.

I like the opportunity, with only Robinson as real target hog. Everyone else there is worthy of targets, but could all lose some targets to Miller if he's the goods.  

I like that they traded up for him, that's always nice.

I like that he could get deep in college.

I like that Howard cannot catch.  Cohen can, but it's definitely better for the slot guy if the lead back can't catch.  

I like his size, for a slot guy (5'11", 200)

I like that he was above average against zone. 

I don't like that he was average against man coverage in college, considering his competition.

I don't like his age, 24 in October.

I don't like that it took him so long to get on the field in college.  

 
So for some reason I thought he had some sort of injury history, but perhaps it was the jones fracture from the bowl game. I saw it reported as a lisfranc in some places, which is probably what I read that scared me off. Don’t have any shares but still have a draft. 

Jones fracture for the nfl player

Miller had a jones fracture, and likely had plenty of time to heal. Quick 1 page read on what the nfl player can expect. Some Miller talk in the Gallup page made me take a look. 

 
So for some reason I thought he had some sort of injury history, but perhaps it was the jones fracture from the bowl game. I saw it reported as a lisfranc in some places, which is probably what I read that scared me off. Don’t have any shares but still have a draft. 

Jones fracture for the nfl player

Miller had a jones fracture, and likely had plenty of time to heal. Quick 1 page read on what the nfl player can expect. Some Miller talk in the Gallup page made me take a look. 
Great article! It's refreshing seeing someone pulling information from an actual study rather than "When I was in high school I had one, and let me tell you..."

Did he have surgery to correct this? This article focuses on return following surgery. I do not believe Miller had surgery, but I have no idea. 

If this was something that happened gradually over time, it is more of a stress fracture, which has worse prognosis long term. If it was from a game, one awkward landing, then it was an acute fracture which has better prognosis. I have no idea about the nature of his injury, so just throwing out some info there. 

I absolutely love this part of the article. It's what I've been preaching in here for the last several years about all major injuries, and how people expect these guys to do exceptionally well following 8 months from an ACL surgery, ORIF, Achilles rupture with repair, or other major injuries:
 

Those players returning in less than 10 weeks after surgery were also more likely to require a second jones fracture surgery. This suggests that although players are frequently pressured to return to play as quickly as possible after these injuries, it may be more advantageous in terms of post-injury performance and career longevity to extend the timeline for recovery.

 
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Great article! It's refreshing seeing someone pulling information from an actual study rather than "When I was in high school I had one, and let me tell you..."

Did he have surgery to correct this? This article focuses on return following surgery. I do not believe Miller had surgery, but I have no idea. 

If this was something that happened gradually over time, it is more of a stress fracture, which has worse prognosis long term. If it was from a game, one awkward landing, then it was an acute fracture which has better prognosis. I have no idea about the nature of his injury, so just throwing out some info there. 

I absolutely love this part of the article. It's what I've been preaching in here for the last several years about all major injuries, and how people expect these guys to do exceptionally well following 8 months from an ACL surgery, ORIF, Achilles rupture with repair, or other major injuries:
 
He got injured during the bowl game.

Tex

 
So for some reason I thought he had some sort of injury history, but perhaps it was the jones fracture from the bowl game. I saw it reported as a lisfranc in some places, which is probably what I read that scared me off. Don’t have any shares but still have a draft. 

Jones fracture for the nfl player

Miller had a jones fracture, and likely had plenty of time to heal. Quick 1 page read on what the nfl player can expect. Some Miller talk in the Gallup page made me take a look. 
Well thats interesting.

2 Jones fractures were identified during the 2010-2015 NFL seasons. 15 players returned to the field in 10 weeks or less after surgery, with 9 requiring a second Jones fracture surgery. 27 players returned to the field greater than 10 weeks after surgery, with 4 requiring a second Jones fracture surgery. Compared to all other positions, wide receivers were the most likely to suffer from a Jones fracture. There was an average decrease in performance by 53.2% in those players returning in 10 weeks or less after their first Jones fracture surgery, compared to a 9.4% increase in performance in those players returning after at least 10 weeks from their first Jones fracture surgery. After a second Jones fracture surgery, there was an average decrease in performance by 46.3% and 16.5% in those returning in less than or greater than 10 weeks respectively.
So the injury occurred on Dec 30 and 10 weeks elapsed in April.

 
Well thats interesting.

So the injury occurred on Dec 30 and 10 weeks elapsed in April.
Yes, except I can’t find anywhere that says he had surgery. He’s running in otas but not participating, so I wouldn’t read too much into it unless he starts missing time in camp. I’ve just been seeing a ton of people saying it’s miller time with confidence, but I’m always wary about foot injuries at any position.

 
Yes, except I can’t find anywhere that says he had surgery. He’s running in otas but not participating, so I wouldn’t read too much into it unless he starts missing time in camp. I’ve just been seeing a ton of people saying it’s miller time with confidence, but I’m always wary about foot injuries at any position.
The Bears were only having him do individual drill in May otas.

If it didn't require surgery then maybe the injury wasn't that bad. Miller did perform exceptionally well at his pro day April 3rd which followed the 10 week time frame of the study you linked. So it was not something that was hampering him from a 39" verticle or a 6.65 three cone. He said he is fully recovered. Yet the Bears were still cautious with him in May. So yes I think this is a wait and see if he participates in everything once training camp starts.

 
General manager Ryan Pace: “Competitive, tough, route quickness … A lot of these college wide receivers, don’t run the full route tree, so [the fact that Miller did] is part of it. Also run after the catch ability. Immediate burst, immediate acceleration, [getting] quickly down the field.”

Pace: (When asked if Miller’s foot injury is why he fell in the draft.)”Yeah, we feel fortunate getting him where we did. That’s why we moved up to get him. I’m not sure that’s why he fell, but we’re happy that he did.”

Pace: (When asked how important it was to find a wide receiver in the first two rounds.) “[We’re] not trying to force these things.”

Tex

 
I just acquired Trubisky in a trade now I need to draft Miller. I tend to keep a QB/WR combo in the AFC and one in the NFC. Some might say that Robinson is the WR to get but I’m not too sure about that.

Tex

 
I just acquired Trubisky in a trade now I need to draft Miller. I tend to keep a QB/WR combo in the AFC and one in the NFC. Some might say that Robinson is the WR to get but I’m not too sure about that.

Tex
While I, like everyone, expect the bears offense to leap forward, maybe pump the breaks just a bit. Cohen, burton, Miller, ar15, Howard, can’t all get the ball. As long as the price is right I don’t mind acquiring any of these guys but it’s still not a guarantee. I like all these guys, and perhaps you made the logical move and get the guy who will benefit from having all these weapons- Mitch. 

 
I just acquired Trubisky in a trade now I need to draft Miller. I tend to keep a QB/WR combo in the AFC and one in the NFC. Some might say that Robinson is the WR to get but I’m not too sure about that.

Tex
Who is your afc duo?

 
This guy and Kirk.. the 2 players that stood out in all of college football with the ball in their hands.

 
While I, like everyone, expect the bears offense to leap forward, maybe pump the breaks just a bit. Cohen, burton, Miller, ar15, Howard, can’t all get the ball. As long as the price is right I don’t mind acquiring any of these guys but it’s still not a guarantee. I like all these guys, and perhaps you made the logical move and get the guy who will benefit from having all these weapons- Mitch. 
Lol @pumpthebreaks! No way! Got to go with that gut feeling my friend! Burton and Miller are on my list to acquire. Most of us (including yourself) put a lot of time, effort, study, work into what we do. Once that light turns green you must go for it! If Burton is gone when it’s my turn to draft then yeah I won’t sweat it as I already have Mitch so I will just draft Gesicki instead. Miller is the best WR on that team IMHO and I will get him.

Tex

 
Lol @pumpthebreaks! No way! Got to go with that gut feeling my friend! Burton and Miller are on my list to acquire. Most of us (including yourself) put a lot of time, effort, study, work into what we do. Once that light turns green you must go for it! If Burton is gone when it’s my turn to draft then yeah I won’t sweat it as I already have Mitch so I will just draft Gesicki instead. Miller is the best WR on that team IMHO and I will get him.

Tex
I'm with you, Tex. Didn't have a pick in first two rounds and tried unsuccessfully trade up for him. Now working feverishly with owner to acquire. I'm more than happy to overpay. I just think this kid has It. And he's too fun to root for. And that's what this is all about. 

 
this almost has a rabid-like feel to it, like last year's Corey Davis preseason hype. by the time the season starts we'll up to Mark Boerigter status..I'm not really sure where this love fest for Nagy comes from but between him and Matt LeFleur in Tenn you'd think it's the 2nd coming of Bill Walsh..let's just pump the brakes, come to a full stop before we go thru the traffic light..

Chicago is a bad team in a tough division with defensive minded coaches everywhere and they have MT at QB vs. Cousins, Rodgers, Stafford 6x/year. not every first year head coach is going to do what McVay did in L.A last season. many are like MacAdoo, or McDaniels, or  Steve Spagnuolo :tfp:

maybe for dynasty Miller is good, but there's better value elsewhere, unless you're in an 18-team league and he's your #4 WR..I know everyone wants to find that needle in a haystack but those players are typically found during the season, plucked off the waiver wire ( see Kamara)

 
I'm with you, Tex. Didn't have a pick in first two rounds and tried unsuccessfully trade up for him. Now working feverishly with owner to acquire. I'm more than happy to overpay. I just think this kid has It. And he's too fun to root for. And that's what this is all about. 
I follow him on Twitter and love his workouts. I will grab him him the 1st and not think twice. His production is great, he run most of the route tree and he has hands the are nearly 11in big! Bigger than OBJ and Hopkins. Don’t forget his respectable numbers.

ETA I got Trubisky via trade and there’s no question that both Miller and Burton will be there at 1.6 and 1.7 whom I will take respectfully.

Tex

 
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this almost has a rabid-like feel to it, like last year's Corey Davis preseason hype. by the time the season starts we'll up to Mark Boerigter status..I'm not really sure where this love fest for Nagy comes from but between him and Matt LeFleur in Tenn you'd think it's the 2nd coming of Bill Walsh..let's just pump the brakes, come to a full stop before we go thru the traffic light..

Chicago is a bad team in a tough division with defensive minded coaches everywhere and they have MT at QB vs. Cousins, Rodgers, Stafford 6x/year. not every first year head coach is going to do what McVay did in L.A last season. many are like MacAdoo, or McDaniels, or  Steve Spagnuolo :tfp:

maybe for dynasty Miller is good, but there's better value elsewhere, unless you're in an 18-team league and he's your #4 WR..I know everyone wants to find that needle in a haystack but those players are typically found during the season, plucked off the waiver wire ( see Kamara)
You said a lot but provided nothing......that’s the best you can do? I mean seriously, is that your best advise or input?

i’m not being funny but provide something that would at least make me/us think twice or reevaluate and look at our notes to cause some doubt in our thought process but you did not.

Tex

 
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Unlike Kirk, who was mentioned in this thread, I am concerned about Miller's target share...the Bears have the following receiving options.

Burton - spent a ton of money to get him

Gabriel - spent a fair amount of money to get him

A. Robinson - spent a ton of money to get him

The Chiefs under Nagy had 543 attempts last year, the #3 WR(Demarcus Robinson) had 39 targets.   The #2 WR (Albert Wilson) had 62 targets.

Now there are reasons to believe the #2 or #3 WR for the Bears may have more targets, Burton will see less targets than Kelce and perhaps Trubisky will be more aggressive than Smith, but for the most part I don't see a drastic increase in #3 targets.  It is unlikely the Bears have a more effective offense than did the 2017 Chiefs.

Even if Miller beat out Gabriel for the #2 WR AND the Bears had as many attempts as the 2017 Chiefs, which I think is unlikely, he would be looking at 60-80 targets maximum.

HARD PASS on Miller for redrafts.  He'll need an injury to Gabriel or A-Rob to see 100 targets.

 
Unlike Kirk, who was mentioned in this thread, I am concerned about Miller's target share...the Bears have the following receiving options.

Burton - spent a ton of money to get him

Gabriel - spent a fair amount of money to get him

A. Robinson - spent a ton of money to get him

The Chiefs under Nagy had 543 attempts last year, the #3 WR(Demarcus Robinson) had 39 targets.   The #2 WR (Albert Wilson) had 62 targets.

Now there are reasons to believe the #2 or #3 WR for the Bears may have more targets, Burton will see less targets than Kelce and perhaps Trubisky will be more aggressive than Smith, but for the most part I don't see a drastic increase in #3 targets.  It is unlikely the Bears have a more effective offense than did the 2017 Chiefs.

Even if Miller beat out Gabriel for the #2 WR AND the Bears had as many attempts as the 2017 Chiefs, which I think is unlikely, he would be looking at 60-80 targets maximum.

HARD PASS on Miller for redrafts.  He'll need an injury to Gabriel or A-Rob to see 100 targets.
The data points on #3WR is interesting but IMO not super relevant to my opinion of Miller. I feel he is good enough to be the #2 WR by mid-season if not sooner. I haven't had such confidence in a WR since Cobb coming out of Kentucky. You just knew he had it. Same with Miller. 2018 returns might not be stellar but he will be WR2 level in 2019 and honestly feel he has Antonio Brown/Marvin Harrison potential to his game.

I do agree with @Tanner9919 thought that people need temper expectations for 2018 Bears and not just assume Nagy is some wizard that vaults them into top 5 offenses.

 
I like everything I have seen about this kid. But I’ll be honest, how do we see Trubisky performing this year? Not a fan at all and don’t think he is the long term solution. Just curious if you guys who are high on Miller (I can see why) have reservations about the QB play. 

 
Unlike Kirk, who was mentioned in this thread, I am concerned about Miller's target share...the Bears have the following receiving options.

Burton - spent a ton of money to get him

Gabriel - spent a fair amount of money to get him

A. Robinson - spent a ton of money to get him

The Chiefs under Nagy had 543 attempts last year, the #3 WR(Demarcus Robinson) had 39 targets.   The #2 WR (Albert Wilson) had 62 targets.

Now there are reasons to believe the #2 or #3 WR for the Bears may have more targets, Burton will see less targets than Kelce and perhaps Trubisky will be more aggressive than Smith, but for the most part I don't see a drastic increase in #3 targets.  It is unlikely the Bears have a more effective offense than did the 2017 Chiefs.

Even if Miller beat out Gabriel for the #2 WR AND the Bears had as many attempts as the 2017 Chiefs, which I think is unlikely, he would be looking at 60-80 targets maximum.

HARD PASS on Miller for redrafts.  He'll need an injury to Gabriel or A-Rob to see 100 targets.
You make some valid points I just believe Miller eventually will be the last man standing and to be clear I’m talking in terms of Dynasty. We really don’t know how healthy A-Rob who only had one good season will be and I see Miller out right over performing the of two.

Tex

 
Clearly I’m gambling on Trubisky, Miller and Burton. I may lose and waste my picks but I just don’t think so. We still have time to evaluate.

Tex

 
I like everything I have seen about this kid. But I’ll be honest, how do we see Trubisky performing this year? Not a fan at all and don’t think he is the long term solution. Just curious if you guys who are high on Miller (I can see why) have reservations about the QB play. 
Trubisky is a gamble, no doubt.  But A+ WRs tend to be QB-proof.

 
I was watching Miller workout last week and the passes were way off at times especially the one that were thrown low and behind him. He was still able to catch them with one hand it was remarkable to watch. 

Tex

 
I was watching Miller workout last week and the passes were way off at times especially the one that were thrown low and behind him. He was still able to catch them with one hand it was remarkable to watch. 

Tex
Damn. You're really making me hope my trade offer is accepted ....

 
Damn. You're really making me hope my trade offer is accepted ....
There’s two WRs in this class that I’ve seen people I respect that certain of their parts game that has been “compared” to OBJ.

Miller and Moore......I totally see it! Both of these guys are very hard to tackle to boot. Miller is talented and he hands are bigger than ANY WR and TE! I can’t emphasize this enough.

Tex

 
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BigTex said:
There’s two WRs in this class that I’ve seen people I respect that certain of their parts game that has been “compared” to OBJ.

Miller and Moore......I totally see it! Both of these guys are very hard to tackle to boot. Miller is talented and he hands are bigger than ANY WR and TE! I can’t emphasize this enough.

Tex
Yeah I just started watching some DJ Moore film finally. Wasn't on my radar as had no first or second so didn't scout a lot of those guys, but he jumps off the screen as well. Got this guy on the line for Miller. He's countering big ha. I'll get on this train one way or the other though.

 
BigTex said:
Miller is talented and he hands are bigger than ANY WR and TE! I can’t emphasize this enough.
AFAIK, there has been zero correleation between hand size and WR performance.  I love that you're crazygonuts for this guy, but I think your heart has stepped in and is overruling your brain a bit.

 
AFAIK, there has been zero correleation between hand size and WR performance.  I love that you're crazygonuts for this guy, but I think your heart has stepped in and is overruling your brain a bit.
Thank you Sir, while you clearly have not read all of my views on Miller I still appreciate your input. Maybe you should read everything before telling me about my brain lol.

And your wrong about the hand size and 100% wrong but wrong nevertheless AND studies have been conducted but that not for me to share.

Tex

 
Thank you Sir, while you clearly have not read all of my views on Miller I still appreciate your input. Maybe you should read everything before telling me about my brain lol.

And your wrong about the hand size and 100% wrong but wrong nevertheless AND studies have been conducted but that not for me to share.

Tex
I've read this entire thread.  It's a giant Miller circle jerk by you. There's plenty of reasons to be excited for him, but you're already saying that he's the best WR on his team above someone who has been an All Pro and proven to be VERY good in the NFL.  It's irrational exuberance at this time.

And if there's any stats which show a hand size/performance correlation, I'm not aware of it.  You say it exists, show me.

 
I've read this entire thread.  It's a giant Miller circle jerk by you. There's plenty of reasons to be excited for him, but you're already saying that he's the best WR on his team above someone who has been an All Pro and proven to be VERY good in the NFL.  It's irrational exuberance at this time.

And if there's any stats which show a hand size/performance correlation, I'm not aware of it.  You say it exists, show me.
I didn’t say this thread......anyways I’m really not interested in trying to prove something that you pulled out of the sky lol it’s meaningless and well Hell I’m just not trying to get into this conversation.

Tex

 

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