Are you gambling with the LJ situation? (1 Viewer)

[Macdaddy_2004]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........

If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.

I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

 

[jurrassic]

I am gambling. Traded Addai and now I am keeping LJ. I will not be taking his backup. I would rather secure other backs.

 

[The Jerk]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

Historically, KC has had an above average to great offensive line. This year... not so much. I don't see much value in a handcuff due to the weak OL and several candidates who could fill the role. (I'm not sold on Priest playing at all and if he does, I don't see him holding up physically.) Looks like possible RBBC if LJ is out.

 

[Routilla]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

Historically, KC has had an above average to great offensive line. This year... not so much. I don't see much value in a handcuff due to the weak OL and several candidates who could fill the role. (I'm not sold on Priest playing at all and if he does, I don't see him holding up physically.) Looks like possible RBBC if LJ is out.

The line was supposed to be much weaker last year based on many FBG posts but LJ still racked up huge #s. I think if folks keep predicting the OL is getting worse they are bound to get it right eventually. But as long as LJ is in his prime I would not want to be predicting it until there is some serious evidence that it is a problem. The OL was average last year IMO and look what LJ did. Now if the OL gets better instead of worse then what are the naysayers going to do? Oh wait I know, they will resort back to Herm and criticize him for making the playoffs in 4 of his 6 years as a head coach.

 

[The Jerk]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

Historically, KC has had an above average to great offensive line. This year... not so much. I don't see much value in a handcuff due to the weak OL and several candidates who could fill the role. (I'm not sold on Priest playing at all and if he does, I don't see him holding up physically.) Looks like possible RBBC if LJ is out.

The line was supposed to be much weaker last year based on many FBG posts but LJ still racked up huge #s. I think if folks keep predicting the OL is getting worse they are bound to get it right eventually. But as long as LJ is in his prime I would not want to be predicting it until there is some serious evidence that it is a problem. The OL was average last year IMO and look what LJ did. Now if the OL gets better instead of worse then what are the naysayers going to do? Oh wait I know, they will resort back to Herm and criticize him for making the playoffs in 4 of his 6 years as a head coach.

I agree with your post; however, the OL is nowhere near its level during the Priest glory days. I am keeping LJ in one league and my only fear is the holdout. LJ is a stud RB with a mediocre line. That's why his numbers were good. My post addresses the idea of a backup putting up big numbers in KC if LJ is holding out or injured. I don't see it because now you have a mediocre RB with a mediocre line. I see a big falloff here, unless Priest really does come back and miraculously performs at his 2002-2004 level and stays healthy to boot.

 

[The Jerk]

And I'm no Herm naysayer. All last year I kept bringing up references to Curtis Martin's 2004 campaign in support of LJ with Herm at the helm.

 

[David Yudkin]

Holmes in the 7/8th is WAY too early. He's been going in rounds 15-20 in my drafts.

 

[Routilla]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

Historically, KC has had an above average to great offensive line. This year... not so much. I don't see much value in a handcuff due to the weak OL and several candidates who could fill the role. (I'm not sold on Priest playing at all and if he does, I don't see him holding up physically.) Looks like possible RBBC if LJ is out.

The line was supposed to be much weaker last year based on many FBG posts but LJ still racked up huge #s. I think if folks keep predicting the OL is getting worse they are bound to get it right eventually. But as long as LJ is in his prime I would not want to be predicting it until there is some serious evidence that it is a problem. The OL was average last year IMO and look what LJ did. Now if the OL gets better instead of worse then what are the naysayers going to do? Oh wait I know, they will resort back to Herm and criticize him for making the playoffs in 4 of his 6 years as a head coach.

I agree with your post; however, the OL is nowhere near its level during the Priest glory days. I am keeping LJ in one league and my only fear is the holdout. LJ is a stud RB with a mediocre line. That's why his numbers were good. My post addresses the idea of a backup putting up big numbers in KC if LJ is holding out or injured. I don't see it because now you have a mediocre RB with a mediocre line. I see a big falloff here, unless Priest really does come back and miraculously performs at his 2002-2004 level and stays healthy to boot.

The possible hold-out is my only concern. Last year's OL proved that to me. They can be mediocre with LJ running and he will still get his yards and TDs. I draft tomorrow and am leaning towards Addai as my franchise because there has been NO DIALOGUE between KC and LJ in quite awhile. It totally sucks. I want to keep LJ but I cannot afford to take 0s for 6-10 weeks either.

 

[The Kansas Comet]

I am gambling with LJ, having tagged him as one of my keepers. However, I won't be drafting a handcuff for him though, unless I hear/read amazing things about Kolby Smith throughout training camp. Bennett is mediocre at best, Priest's health is a bigger question mark than LJ's holdout in my opinion, which leaves Smith as potentially the only backup worth something in my eyes. Fortunately, my draft is not for a few more weeks.

 

[ShaqAttaq]

i'm only able to keep one of LJ, Maroney, Bush. very TD heavy, no ppr.

LJ has risk of holdout into the season, holdout rust + elevated injury risk, lousy OL. highest upside. if i keep him, i likely won't handcuff, as i don't like any of the options.

maroney brings the heightened risk of inury and the likely extremely up-and-down performance that NE skill position players experience. will likely be solid if he's not hurt too much.

Bush may experience limited touches & some up-and-down performances. i hate those 30 rec yd, 30 ru yd games that plagued him last year. could be huge as his workload increases.

each day i oscillate between one player or another.

hijack over

 

[faulkfan]

I am keeping him as one of my 10 keepers, but once we all officially make our cuts I will then start shopping him pretty hard.

I am hoping to deal him with my 2nd round pick or Andre Johnson for Terrell Owens and Willie Parker. I can turn Owens into the 1.02 pick which would be either Calvin or AP.

I just don't have a good feeling about him and I'd rather take a pick and a player than have to sweat out his relationship with KC and Peterdon's asanine approach to handling this situation.

Not worth the gamble to me.

 

[Sake-Bombers]

I actually think not handcuffing is the thing to do, too, and in fact I think you'll end up having a stronger team for it. If you take LJ in round 1, you're forced to cover yourself by taking enough other RBs to carry the load if he does sit out part of the season. Then when if he does sign pre-season, or starts playing partway through the year, you'll have greater RB depth because you were forced to plan for life without LJ, and now you'll either be rock-solid during byes or have RB pieces to deal to strengthen your team in other areas.

At least that's my theory, anyway, we'll see how it plays out...

 

[SouthJersey]

A question about this situation I'm interested in is how high of a 1st round pick is everyone willing to risk on him?

 

[-Crippler-]

who are you handcuffing him to and what round........If I had say the 9th pick in round 1 and wanted to gamble and draft LJ I think I may be looking to draft Priest in Round 7/8 and lock up Kolby Smith in one of the later rounds.I don't know how good that KC running game will be this year but historically your getting a top 5 back.

A. No chance that LJ makes it close to 9thB. Wasting a pick on Holmes that early is pathetic...he's the backup to the backup this year

 

[faulkfan]

A question about this situation I'm interested in is how high of a 1st round pick is everyone willing to risk on him?

If he were there and I was picking 5th I think I'd take him, but I always take RBs in the 1st 3 rounds so I tend to have depth anyway.

 

[frank_da_tank]

I picked up M. Bennett a couple of weeks ago b4 the holmes thing was announced. I'm still holding Bennett until something comes of this situation. The KC game allows for backs to be productive fantasy wise. Bennett has stated that he feels better then he did last year. K. Smith is still learning. If LJ holds out, Bennett is going to be worth it. Holmes is fluff to get LJ back into camp, he's already begging to go to Dallas.

M.Bennett 220 touches- 1000yds -8 tds if LJ holds out.

 

[Mohawk]

A question about this situation I'm interested in is how high of a 1st round pick is everyone willing to risk on him?

If he were there and I was picking 5th I think I'd take him, but I always take RBs in the 1st 3 rounds so I tend to have depth anyway.

I got LJ at 1.07I could not pass him there, he's just to good.I agree with the NOT handcuffing Kolby or Priest or Bennett.Three other backs, which one to handcuff?Forget it, take other backs and use them as trade bait if LJ signs.As for Priest, I really have serious doubts as to whether he can play or not.Has anyone heard much about him from a medical point of view?

 

[AnonymousBob]

Where's the gamble? Are you willing to bet Priest Holmes is done for? Are you willing to bet Michael Bennett will get hurt? Are you willing to gamble a fifth round rookie won't do much if/when given the opportunity?

I see no way LJ does not play this year. Worse case scenario he comes back just in time for your fantasy playoffs. It's always a matter of you being able to make it that far minus your first round pick. In my league I am fairly confident I would make it into the playoffs with or without him so it's not much of a gamble. I suppose it really depends on whether you need him in order to make the playoffs.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Redraft, Im gambling with him at #4 currently. Heading towards #5.

If Shaun and the Seahawks look good in the preseason and the Chiefs look stinky, it could be #6 soon.

But even though Im not a LJ fan and think KC is weak, he still has a ton of talent.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Holmes in the 7/8th is WAY too early. He's been going in rounds 15-20 in my drafts.

Yah, but it's still relatively early......I think the majority of people out there still think LJ is going to be in camp. The long his holdout continues and the more positive the news is about Priest, he'll climb. I KNOW I wouldn't take Priest Holmes in the 7th round........but if it's Aug. 25th and things have turned kind of nasty on this LJ issue and Priest is taking the contact in practice pretty well......then I'd take Priest Holmes in the 10th round.That's a lot of If's and I don't believe it's going to happen that way. I think LJ will hold out a couple more weeks and get in camp and play football. I don't expect him to put up numbers like he did last year.......I just think the entire KC team is young and will have some growing pains. LJ will be a solid fantasy back but not a super back like he has been in the last couple of years.If you can get LJ anything higher than 5 or 6 consider it a gift.

 

[David Yudkin]

M.Bennett 220 touches- 1000yds -8 tds if LJ holds out.

The tea leaves I'm reading don't show Bennett as the guy that would get all the carries if LJ doesn't play. It would likely be a RBBC if LJ was AWOL.

 

[freelander]

1 keeper league and I have LJ (but could decide to keep Bush or Westbrook as well this year). It is PPR, so if LJ doesn't sign... I may be keeping Bush into the future....maybe not a bad move anyway.

Oh, and I agree with the others on no handcuffing, unless Priest is available as my #4 RB. Otherwise, if I keep LJ, I'm targeting a good #2 and #3 RB versus other positions.