Barber vs. Choice (1 Viewer)

[LawFitz]

What happened with this dynamic at the end of last season?

Looking at the game logs for each player it's clear that Choice was getting the majority of looks. I do recall a Barber injury but I don't recall the details. MBIII did play the games at the end of the season but Choice was clearly the featured guy. Was this because MBIII was still hampered or b/c Choice was playing so well?

I love MBIII as a player but I'm nervous about the Cowboys in general this year and I really question MBIII's value especially at his current ADP if he's gonna be mired in a 3 headed RBBC with TC and Felix.

 

[MAC_32]

Choice is good and MB3 did not play well when trying to play hurt (turf toe?), Choice was correctly given the lion's share of touches because he was the only effective RB on the roster. With MB3 healthy again Choice will be sent back to being his backup but I think will be given a few touches/game because he earned them last year and to keep MB3 fresh.

 

[chidoy]

I"m not sure bout everyone else, but in my ppr league, MB3 was the top 3-4 rb scorer all the way til week 10-12? (Bye week).

He got injured and I believe he was hampered by that the remaining part of the season. When MB3 was healthy, Choice didn't see the field. Felix only touched the ball 32 times in 6 games on 5 touches a game. (yes, I know he got hurt). I believe that if it weren't for that injury, he would have been a top 5 rb in the end.

IMHO, MB3 will get the lion share of the carries again, with Felix coming in to spell him. Choice should get a few looks here and there, but I see it as 65-75%% mb3, 25-30% Felix, and 10-15% choice.

 

[LawFitz]

IMHO, MB3 will get the lion share of the carries again, with Felix coming in to spell him. Choice should get a few looks here and there, but I see it as 65-75%% mb3, 25-30% Felix, and 10-15% choice.

I want to agree with you but I fear that after both rookie backs looked so good when they got opps last year, that this thing will become a full blown RBBC this year with a 50/30/20 split between MBIII/Felix/TC.Early part of last season, the Boys didn't know what TC could do and probably didn't want to even give him a chance to fail. Now they know that he's a more than legit relief guy. And we all know how high they are on Felix.

 

[-baller]

I think barber had a bruised (fractured?) rib.

maybe.....

 

[switz]

I'm not sure bout everyone else, but in my ppr league, MB3 was the top 3-4 rb scorer all the way til week 10-12? (Bye week).

He got injured and I believe he was hampered by that the remaining part of the season. When MB3 was healthy, Choice didn't see the field. Felix only touched the ball 32 times in 6 games on 5 touches a game. (yes, I know he got hurt). I believe that if it weren't for that injury, he would have been a top 5 rb in the end.

IMHO, MB3 will get the lion share of the carries again, with Felix coming in to spell him. Choice should get a few looks here and there, but I see it as 65-75%% mb3, 25-30% Felix, and 10-15% choice.

So, it's hard to look at stats and really see the whole picture. If you were paying attention during the season though, you'd know that the reason Barber saw so many touches early in the season was because Jones struggled to pick up the offense. Garrett wasn't sure how Jones would perform, and held him back a bit. However, their plan was to get Felix more and more touches as the season wore on, and they even began installing specific plays for him.With all that in mind, barring Felix being completely stupid and unable to pick up the offense with a whole season, and two offseasons under his belt, there's really no reason to think Barber will again see the workload he had.

Additionally, when Choice was drafted, it was purely to be Barber's backup for injury. That is why we didn't see him until Barber was injured. However, with the way he performed, it gave the coaches reason to look at him a little differently. In fact, one of the writers was even talking about Choice being the starter, Barber being the closer, and Jones playing the COP back to both.

If word out of the Cowboys camp means anything, they feel Jones' injury was the most impactful on the team. There is every reason to expect that Jones will play a major role in the offense this season.

If I were to break down the RB touches I see:

55% Jones

35% Barber

10% Chioce

I believe what we'll really see is Barber gettign the "start" but only seeing 4-5 carries in the first half. Choice too will probably see 3-4 carries in the first half. Barber will then see maybe 8-9 carries in the second half, for a total of 12-15 for the game. Jones will probably also see 12-15 carries, but I believe he'll also be used a lot in the passing game, maybe 5-6 catches per game.

 

[switz]

I think barber had a bruised (fractured?) rib.maybe.....

Barber bruised his ribs in game 1 of the season, when Jones came in and scored on his first ever NFL touch.Barber came back the next week, but had various minor dings in a few games, until later in the season an OL stepped on his foot. During rehab the injury was worsened, causing him to be starter in name only.He had a couple big games against bad defenses, but without the high number of touches early on he would have been a huge disappointment to his owners. Hopefully the lower workload will allow him to be more effective, like he was 2 seasons ago.

 

[Tyrion]

Barber had a number of things go wrong last season. Nagging injuries, poor line play, injured QB+poor passing game, and then lack of focus on the run. On top of all of this, Garrett showed a real lack of faith in the rookie running backs and since that is all we had backing up Barber it lead to Barber getting few breaks. Sometimes I think they were using the passing game as a way to give Barber a break and that didn't work well at all. By the time Choice was starting Barber really wasn't himself and Choice was the only thing we had left. Not having 2 healthy backs really cost us in the game against the Steelers and the Ravens

Dallas has said that they want to keep Barber fresh so that he can close out the halves and I expect he will get the majority of the goal line touches as well.

My expectations are to see Barber and Choice split 50-60%% of the touches and Felix to get 40-50%. It is my thoughts and hopes that Barber and Choice will do the heavy lifting and let Felix have a Reggie Bush type role.

I wouldn't count on any of the 3 as a week in and week out starter as Dallas tries to keep their horses fresh. Barber should get about 10-12 TDs but I have not idea what kind of rushing numbers he will produce.

In a ppr league Felix is probably the safest bet.

 

[Jello_Biafra]

Barber was effective in the closer role, when Dallas had leads late in the game. Who's to say they will be successful enough to even have use for a closer? What happens when they're playing from behind? It's not a given that Dallas will have many leads going into the 4th quarter.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

If I were to break down the RB touches I see:55% Jones35% Barber10% Chioce

Choice at 10% after the rookie season he put up last year ?I would say closer to 25%.

 

[chook]

If I were to break down the RB touches I see:55% Jones35% Barber10% Chioce

Choice at 10% after the rookie season he put up last year ?I would say closer to 25%.

He's clearly a knowledgeable guy, but sometimes it's best to take any Addai or Jones advice from Switz with a grain of salt.I think you're right, 20-25% seems much more ideal here.

 

[Andy Herron]

Just to clear up the Barber injury towards the tail end of the season, it was a dislocated pinkie toe.

 

[Tyrion]

Barber was effective in the closer role, when Dallas had leads late in the game. Who's to say they will be successful enough to even have use for a closer? What happens when they're playing from behind? It's not a given that Dallas will have many leads going into the 4th quarter.

If you don't expect Dallas to be very good next season, I wouldn't take him. When your sharing the load between 3 runningbacks you better have some sort of faith in their offense if you are going to take one of them.Barber is an excellent reciever and blocker so it won't matter if they are throwing the ball or running it and they want to play him because he shows a different style than the other 2 so he will still get touches. They also think his style of play inspires the offense so they will put him in there even if they are starting off slowly. They want him for finishing off the halves and goal line touches more than just finishing games.

 

[Englishteacher]

Barber 55 %

Jones 35 -40 %

Choice 5- 10 %

That's my take on 2009 assuming all three stay healthy and the Cowboys are good enough that they can run the ball (defense has to be good and the passing game has no breakdowns).

 

[switz]

If I were to break down the RB touches I see:

55% Jones

35% Barber

10% Chioce

Choice at 10% after the rookie season he put up last year ?I would say closer to 25%.

He's clearly a knowledgeable guy, but sometimes it's best to take any Addai or Jones advice from Switz with a grain of salt.I think you're right, 20-25% seems much more ideal here.

Unfortunately, there are only so many carries to go around. The team really really wants to use Felix a lot. They are paying Barber too much for Choice to see more carries than Barber. It's really just a matter of not enough touches to go around. Additionally, between Barber and Choice, I think you'll see Barber have more touches in receptions between the two of them. Believe me, if Barber hadn't missed time, it's unlikely Choice would see much action at all this season.

 

[LawFitz]

Believe me, if Barber hadn't missed time, it's unlikely Choice would see much action at all this season.

I totally agree with this statement but was part of that because TC was an unknown rookie back then? Now that he has shown some ability, will this change?I know Barber is getting paid big bucks but the Cowboys did witness the 3 headed monster in NY the last couple of years. I guess my point is that if Barber ends up in a 3 way split, he is way overvalued in drafts right now.

 

[Garts]

As long as Marion gets the goalline love which I don't see Felix getting, Barber should still be a nice commodity in TD heavy leagues.

 

[switz]

I know Barber is getting paid big bucks but the Cowboys did witness the 3 headed monster in NY the last couple of years. I guess my point is that if Barber ends up in a 3 way split, he is way overvalued in drafts right now.

I agree 100%. And there's no way this isn't a three way split, even if it's not an equal split. Think about it, if the Boy's run the ball 400 times, about what they ran it last season, even IF Barber gets 50%, which I doubt, he gets 200 carries.Last year, the 3 RBs totaled 360 carries and 75 receptions. While I think the overall rushing attempts will go up, I'm hard pressed to see more than 180 carries for Barber.

Assuming, with all three being healthy, the team rushes 20% more of the time, that's 432 carries. For Barber to get 180 carries, he'd need to get 43% of the rotation. Now some may believe that's possible, but I don't think it's realistic. Until Julius Jones quit on the team, Barber was seeing about 130-140 carries.

Total touches by RBs, I expect to be up around 540 (approx 110 receptions, and 430 carries)

Of those, I expect Jones to see 270 touches, about 70 receptions, and 195 carries. Barber was on pace for about 64 receptions last season, and Choice had 21 while starting only 3 games, so it's not unreasonable.

Barber then would get about 180 carries, and 20 receptions.

That leaves Choice with 55 touches.

It likely won't work out exactly that way, in fact, it's quite possible that Barbers and Choice's carries are higher, while Felix's are lower.

If you look at what the Giants did -

Jacobs 219 carries, 6 receptions (225 total)

Ward 182 carries, 41 receptions (223 total)

Bradshaw 67 carries, 5 receptions (72 total)

They gave their three a total of 520 touches. The number 3 RB saw 13% of the touches.

As for the goal line love, I'm not so sure that's something you can depend on with Barber. Sure, three seasons ago he had 14 TDs, but last year he only had 7, about 1 every other game he started. Getting 8 or 9 TDs isn't going to make up for his reduced carries IMO. Plus, Choice isn't too bad at the goalline, and Jones isn't going to dive at the 1 yard line for Barber to punch it in.

Jones and Barber both should be drafted as #2 RBs, Choice for insurance only

 

[BigJim®]

Jones and Barber both should be drafted as #2 RBs, Choice for insurance only

Wow, I would never in a million years rely on Jones as my RB2. RB3 as spot starter and hopeful breakout, maybe.

 

[switz]

Jones and Barber both should be drafted as #2 RBs, Choice for insurance only

Wow, I would never in a million years rely on Jones as my RB2. RB3 as spot starter and hopeful breakout, maybe.

I guess I shouldn't have said "drafted as #2 RBs", rather expected to perform as #2 RBs. I see them finishing very close in numbers this season, with Jones slightly having the edge in regular leagues.Jones doesn't need to be taken as a RB2, but his ADP last time I checked was lower tier RB3. I think he'll outperform that easily.But everyone knows I'm pretty optimistic when it comes to Jones

 

[Ridgelake]

FWIW, I think Switz is generally on target. You're gonna see a return to the JJ/Barber split from several years ago with Felix taking over for JJ. Yes, Barber will nominally be the starter. But he's going back to his closer role. And he'll be back to his 12-15 touches per game where he was very, very effective.

Last year, as Switz mentioned, Felix didnt know the offense well enough. Nor was his pass blocking quite good enough. Both of those aspects should be improved with a year in the system. Point blank. They are going to give the ball to Felix. Probably 50% of the RB touches. He's the most explosive offensive player they have now that TO is gone.

Felix 50%

Barber 40%

Choice 10%

This is baring injury.

Where I disagree slightly with Switz is the number of expected touches by RBs. They had 360 runs and 75 catches last season. I expect more in the area of 400 runs and maybe 90 catches this up coming season. They'll give the ball more to the RBs. Thats for sure. But something tells me Garrett isnt likely to dramatically change his ways overnight. And going to 435 carries would be a dramatic change.

But regardless. Add my voice to Switz's who think Felix is going to be the primary RB for Dallas this upcoming season.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

Believe me, if Barber Bledsoe hadn't missed time, it's unlikely Choice Brady would see much action at all this season.

This means zero.

 

[DropKick]

No matter how you slice it, appears to be one big RBBC.

Felix 30-40%

Barber 30-40%

Choice 20-30%

 

[Ron_Mexico]

No matter how you slice it, appears to be one big RBBC.Felix 30-40%Barber 30-40%Choice 20-30%

I agree with these numbers.I'm sure injury will come into play as well.

 

[Tyrion]

FWIW, I think Switz is generally on target. You're gonna see a return to the JJ/Barber split from several years ago with Felix taking over for JJ. Yes, Barber will nominally be the starter. But he's going back to his closer role. And he'll be back to his 12-15 touches per game where he was very, very effective.Last year, as Switz mentioned, Felix didnt know the offense well enough. Nor was his pass blocking quite good enough. Both of those aspects should be improved with a year in the system. Point blank. They are going to give the ball to Felix. Probably 50% of the RB touches. He's the most explosive offensive player they have now that TO is gone. Felix 50%Barber 40%Choice 10%This is baring injury. Where I disagree slightly with Switz is the number of expected touches by RBs. They had 360 runs and 75 catches last season. I expect more in the area of 400 runs and maybe 90 catches this up coming season. They'll give the ball more to the RBs. Thats for sure. But something tells me Garrett isnt likely to dramatically change his ways overnight. And going to 435 carries would be a dramatic change.But regardless. Add my voice to Switz's who think Felix is going to be the primary RB for Dallas this upcoming season.

Your underrating Choice. He could be the most complete back of all 3 and he is already a vocal leader in the locker room. You don't give a guy who can be a motivating force on your team just 10% of the carries. He isn't flash like Jones or as powerful as Barber but he has a compact shiftyness and feel for where the blocks are going to be that lets him get good yardage on almost every play. I am a Barber proponent and I picked him up in the middle of the first round in two of my leagues last year but he is going to be lucky to get more than 30% of the touches this season. Jones might get 50% if they don't use him in the return game. If they employ him as a returner though they are going to want to limit him a bit so that he stays fresh and explosive.

 

[gonzobill5]

Switz, I think your intuition is right on with just about every point you made.

I see the touches split similarly, maybe slightly more for Barber. People have compared this situation to NY with the "3 headed monster." Bradshaw had about 70 touches last year while Ward and Jacobs had 3 or 4 times that amount. Where does that name (3 headed monster) even come from? Most of those touches were probably blowouts or when Jacobs was out. I wouldn't call him part of any committee.

Likewise, the only way Choice gets significantly more than 10% is if Barber or Jones are injured, and then all bets are off anyway. So, like Switz says, he's an insurance policy with a lot of upside.

I project Felix getting the majority of the touches not only because the Cowboys want him to be the guy, but because the Cowboys are now in dire need of a playmaker - and he is the obvious choice (no pun intended) for that role.

Barber was really a shell of himself last year as the injuries began to mount. Normally he seeks contact, but you could tell he was afraid of getting hit.

Also, I think both backs project as mid RB2 but both have a really high risk/reward. Personally, I'm hoping to land Felix as my RB 3 in ppr's.

Oh, and I hate the Cowboys.

 

[KellysHeroes]

The 16 Mil guaranteed last yr tells me that Barber is getting more than 50% of the carries... quote it

 

[Tyrion]

The 16 Mil guaranteed last yr tells me that Barber is getting more than 50% of the carries... quote it

That $16 million was before both Felix and Choice. It might have had alot to do with why he got the lion's share of the carries early on before they really knew what they had in the 2 rookies but it won't keep those young guys on the bench this season. What would be the point? Does Barber's salary go up if he get's less than 50% of the carries? If anything they will want to keep Barber fresh and healthy so that they get their full value. This won't be about the money. It will be about what gives them the best chance to win.

 

[Garts]

I'd like to see Felix Jones prove HE can stay healthy as well before he is given improved stock...also Marion Barber goes from being a great RB to being pushed for carries from Tashard Choice.

wow-a-wee-ah.

Barber was pretty good until he got hurt....one of the best.

If Dallas wants to win, they will return to the old ways of Felix being the Julius to Barber being the closer and red zone guy.

I can't see Felix outproducing Barber yet.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

The 16 Mil guaranteed last yr tells me that Barber is getting more than 50% of the carries... quote it

Production on the field supersedes money.Choice will be a big part of this RBBC...... quote it.

 

[Ridgelake]

If Dallas wants to win, they will return to the old ways of Felix being the Julius to Barber being the closer and red zone guy.

Thats precisely what they're going to do next year.

 

[switz]

The 16 Mil guaranteed last yr tells me that Barber is getting more than 50% of the carries... quote it

Yeah, and people last year were saying the $16 million would also guarantee Barber saw 300+ carries. Guess what, his body spoke louder than money. And now Choice and Jones' play has spoken louder than money.Next year he's pegged for almost $5 million in salary, and I doubt he sees it. It will cost them about $8 million to cut him, but I believe they'll either trade him or let him go. He's just not worth the money they're paying him, and they already realize it.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I'd like to see Felix Jones prove HE can stay healthy as well before he is given improved stock...also Marion Barber goes from being a great RB to being pushed for carries from Tashard Choice.wow-a-wee-ah.Barber was pretty good until he got hurt....one of the best.If Dallas wants to win, they will return to the old ways of Felix being the Julius to Barber being the closer and red zone guy.I can't see Felix outproducing Barber yet.

I agree with this.

 

[Banger]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...

Barber 225 carries (56%)

Jones 140 carries (35%)

Choice 40 carries (10%)

Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

 

[switz]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...

Barber 225 carries (56%)

Jones 140 carries (35%)

Choice 40 carries (10%)

Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

I agree that people are overrating Choice's role, but I disagree on your assessment of Barber.Barber broke down with 225 carries last season. Sure he had 238 on the season total, but he was pretty much done by week 13. He had 13 more carries on the season after that point, so 225 was the point where he was totally lost. Additionally, outside of the St.Louis and second Washington game, his YPC was hideous after week 3. You're expecting him to average 14 carries per game, but I just don't see it unless you expect the Cowboys to significantly increase the number of carries by their RBs. Barber probably won't see 2007 numbers again, which was 204 carries.

And Barber's issues last season weren't just due to the high workload. As I noted he looked awful after week 3. He really relies on the defense being worn out and tired before he can exploit them.

While we are on a FF board, we need to look at it from an NFL perspective to get a better picture of how Barber will be used. Just because he started with a few big games, and was heavily involved in the passing offense, doesn't mean it will happen again. And just because the team was hesitant to use the rookies doesn't mean they'll sit on the bench this year.

Both Choice (5.81yds, 0.017TD) and Jones (8.62yds, 0.094TDs) outperformed Barber (4.48yds, 0.031TD) on a per-touch basis. There's no way that Barber will have more carries than the two of them combined. It's just not realistic at all. It's also unlikely he ends up with the most touches of the RBs, as Jones is going to be the playmaker for the Cowboys this year and they will have him heavily involved in the offense, no matter if it's in the backfield or not.

 

[KellysHeroes]

The 16 Mil guaranteed last yr tells me that Barber is getting more than 50% of the carries... quote it

Yeah, and people last year were saying the $16 million would also guarantee Barber saw 300+ carries. Guess what, his body spoke louder than money. And now Choice and Jones' play has spoken louder than money.Next year he's pegged for almost $5 million in salary, and I doubt he sees it. It will cost them about $8 million to cut him, but I believe they'll either trade him or let him go. He's just not worth the money they're paying him, and they already realize it.

no way either of those happen...

 

[FunkyPlutos]

I'm not sure how the breakdown of carries will happen, but what I am concerned with is the QUALITY of the carries for these RB's now that TO is gone. I think this offense is going to miss him much more than people realize.

 

[Banger]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...

Barber 225 carries (56%)

Jones 140 carries (35%)

Choice 40 carries (10%)

Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

I agree that people are overrating Choice's role, but I disagree on your assessment of Barber.Barber broke down with 225 carries last season. Sure he had 238 on the season total, but he was pretty much done by week 13. He had 13 more carries on the season after that point, so 225 was the point where he was totally lost. Additionally, outside of the St.Louis and second Washington game, his YPC was hideous after week 3. You're expecting him to average 14 carries per game, but I just don't see it unless you expect the Cowboys to significantly increase the number of carries by their RBs. Barber probably won't see 2007 numbers again, which was 204 carries.

And Barber's issues last season weren't just due to the high workload. As I noted he looked awful after week 3. He really relies on the defense being worn out and tired before he can exploit them.

While we are on a FF board, we need to look at it from an NFL perspective to get a better picture of how Barber will be used. Just because he started with a few big games, and was heavily involved in the passing offense, doesn't mean it will happen again. And just because the team was hesitant to use the rookies doesn't mean they'll sit on the bench this year.

Both Choice (5.81yds, 0.017TD) and Jones (8.62yds, 0.094TDs) outperformed Barber (4.48yds, 0.031TD) on a per-touch basis. There's no way that Barber will have more carries than the two of them combined. It's just not realistic at all. It's also unlikely he ends up with the most touches of the RBs, as Jones is going to be the playmaker for the Cowboys this year and they will have him heavily involved in the offense, no matter if it's in the backfield or not.

Felix broke down after 30 carries so I don't see how you can realistically have him getting MORE carries than Barber. That's a pipe dream IMO at least at this point and time. Barber's a horse and a battering ram that is signed for big money for a few years and they are going to use him.ETA..Switz you're a great poster and I know you are a HUUUGGGE Jones fan and I can respect that but I think that man love is clounding your assessment of the situation a little too much. He will get his carries and more work in the offense but not nearly as fast as you're predicting/hoping IMO.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...Barber 225 carries (56%)Jones 140 carries (35%)Choice 40 carries (10%)Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

So, the most productive back for Dallas last season, Choicewho averaged 5+ yards per carry, will see his workload reduced to 2+ carries per game ?Uhhhhh.....no.

 

[Banger]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...Barber 225 carries (56%)Jones 140 carries (35%)Choice 40 carries (10%)Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

So, the most productive back for Dallas last season, Choicewho averaged 5+ yards per carry, will see his workload reduced to 2+ carries per game ?Uhhhhh.....no.

people argued the same point vehemently with me two seasons ago about Ladell Betts. The same argument could be made for Sproles this year or M. Turner in prior years. They are in different situations but Choice is the backup and Barber is the starter. He got his carries last year because Barber was hurt. If Barber is ineffective or Choice severely outplays him the situation may change but I don't think that will happen.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

I think people are overestimating Choice's role on the team. I think he'll get a few carries but is more of a good, cheap insurance policy in the event Barber gets hurt. I think the Cowboys look to run more this year than last and increase their carries from 360 last year to probably over 400 this year. I guess the breakdown will be...Barber 225 carries (56%)Jones 140 carries (35%)Choice 40 carries (10%)Jones will get the majority of the receptions out of the backfield but Barber will get the majority of the touches.

So, the most productive back for Dallas last season, Choicewho averaged 5+ yards per carry, will see his workload reduced to 2+ carries per game ?Uhhhhh.....no.

people argued the same point vehemently with me two seasons ago about Ladell Betts. The same argument could be made for Sproles this year or M. Turner in prior years. They are in different situations but Choice is the backup and Barber is the starter. He got his carries last year because Barber was hurt. If Barber is ineffective or Choice severely outplays him the situation may change but I don't think that will happen.

I totally agree with this last statement. If Choice was the number 2 guy in this backfield than maybe there coud be some sort of defense for him to be used more. But since he will enter the year as the RB 3 on this team I highly doubt outside of injury that he is used more than Bradshaw has been used with the Giants the last couple of years. Choice took advantage of an opportunity last year and did quite well with that opportunity but entering this year what does he offer to Dallas that is better than Felix or Barber? The answer is nothing. Both Barber and Felix are better than Choice at what he does and therefore barring injury he will have little fantasy impact. This is not a knock to Choice who was productive when given touches, but he offers nothing at this stage that will cause him to have a larger role. That could change throughout the year, but if we are prediciting (guessing really) as to what his role will be it would have to be a limited one as the RB 3 on this team.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

Choice took advantage of an opportunity last year and did quite well with that opportunity but entering this year what does he offer to Dallas that is better than Felix or Barber? The answer is nothing. Both Barber and Felix are better than Choice at what he does and therefore barring injury he will have little fantasy impact. This is not a knock to Choice who was productive when given touches, but he offers nothing at this stage that will cause him to have a larger role. That could change throughout the year, but if we are prediciting (guessing really) as to what his role will be it would have to be a limited one as the RB 3 on this team.

Dude only offered 5+ yards per carry.He actually offered more than Felix or Barber did last year.

A guy like this just doesn't fade away with 2 carries per game

as some on this thread may think.

This will be a 3 headed monster RBBC in 2009,

possibly the best NFL RB setup in the league.

Not as good fantasy wise, imo.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Choice took advantage of an opportunity last year and did quite well with that opportunity but entering this year what does he offer to Dallas that is better than Felix or Barber? The answer is nothing. Both Barber and Felix are better than Choice at what he does and therefore barring injury he will have little fantasy impact. This is not a knock to Choice who was productive when given touches, but he offers nothing at this stage that will cause him to have a larger role. That could change throughout the year, but if we are prediciting (guessing really) as to what his role will be it would have to be a limited one as the RB 3 on this team.

Dude only offered 5+ yards per carry.He actually offered more than Felix or Barber did last year.

A guy like this just doesn't fade away with 2 carries per game

as some on this thread may think.

This will be a 3 headed monster RBBC in 2009,

possibly the best NFL RB setup in the league.

Not as good fantasy wise, imo.

I think you have to evaluate it from a coaching perspective. And it should allow you to see why I think Choice's role will be a smaller one.If you had 25-30 touches (attempts/receptions) to hand out in a game between your RB's and you had Felix/Barber/Choice to utlize those touches what do you think would give you the best formula to win?

Felix had a much better YPC than Choice and Felix is also a much better play maker than Choice. Felix has the ability as much as any other player in the league to take it to the house with the ball in his hands. As a coach you don't want to run your teams best play maker into the ground so you try to maximize the touches without over use. 12-15 touches a game sounds about right for that.



Barber is one of the toughest runners in today's NFL and is a goal line beast and blocks extremely well and will be used to punish defeneses and finish games. The coaches saw him break down last year due to various ailments and will want to limit his touches as to maximizing his ability in the red zone as well as to finish off those games. 12-15 touches

Choice proved that he can run in this league. He had a very nice YPC and did better than most could have imagined as a rookie in his situation. However, he is not the playmaker that Felix is and unless he becomes a beast like Barber where would the coaches find a ton of touches for him barring injury to benefit the team more than the other guys? 2-4 touches

Once again not a knock on Choice but it is who he is playing behind that hurts him.

 

[switz]

Felix broke down after 30 carries so I don't see how you can realistically have him getting MORE carries than Barber. That's a pipe dream IMO at least at this point and time. Barber's a horse and a battering ram that is signed for big money for a few years and they are going to use him.

I think you know that your statement regarding Jones is more than a little delusive. The number of carries Jones had was in no way related to his injury at all. It was a hamstring issue, which many speedy rookies struggle with because of improper stretching. He didn't suffer a single impact related injury.All reports out of the Cowboys have Barber going back to his '06 role, just read the news articles.

ETA..Switz you're a great poster and I know you are a HUUUGGGE Jones fan and I can respect that but I think that man love is clouding your assessment of the situation a little too much. He will get his carries and more work in the offense but not nearly as fast as you're predicting/hoping IMO.

Yeah, I am a huge fan, and admitted that much earlier. I still, stepping outside my feelings on the issue, can only logically predict with the state of the Cowboys as it is, that Jones will be a major major role player in the offense. I have no doubt he'll get the most touches out of the RBs. It's possible Barber sees more carries, but I think it will be very close if that's the case.Oh well... the offseason takes way too long... we'll be speculating about this all offseason, and even after the first four weeks of the season we'll all be wrong.

 

[switz]

He actually offered more than Felix or Barber did last year.A guy like this just doesn't fade away with 2 carries per gameas some on this thread may think.

Actually, if you look at the stats I posted earlier, Jones blew him away in yards per touch and TDs per touch, and Barber blew him away in TDs per touch. I'm not sure you can argue in any way that he was the most productive back of the three. He was easily the least from a statistical point of view.

 

[Banger]

Oh well... the offseason takes way too long... we'll be speculating about this all offseason, and even after the first four weeks of the season we'll all be wrong.

definitely agree on this....

 

[Ron_Mexico]

Choice took advantage of an opportunity last year and did quite well with that opportunity but entering this year what does he offer to Dallas that is better than Felix or Barber? The answer is nothing. Both Barber and Felix are better than Choice at what he does and therefore barring injury he will have little fantasy impact. This is not a knock to Choice who was productive when given touches, but he offers nothing at this stage that will cause him to have a larger role. That could change throughout the year, but if we are prediciting (guessing really) as to what his role will be it would have to be a limited one as the RB 3 on this team.

Dude only offered 5+ yards per carry.He actually offered more than Felix or Barber did last year.

A guy like this just doesn't fade away with 2 carries per game

as some on this thread may think.

This will be a 3 headed monster RBBC in 2009,

possibly the best NFL RB setup in the league.

Not as good fantasy wise, imo.

I think you have to evaluate it from a coaching perspective. And it should allow you to see why I think Choice's role will be a smaller one.If you had 25-30 touches (attempts/receptions) to hand out in a game between your RB's and you had Felix/Barber/Choice to utlize those touches what do you think would give you the best formula to win?

Felix had a much better YPC than Choice and Felix is also a much better play maker than Choice. Felix has the ability as much as any other player in the league to take it to the house with the ball in his hands. As a coach you don't want to run your teams best play maker into the ground so you try to maximize the touches without over use. 12-15 touches a game sounds about right for that.



Barber is one of the toughest runners in today's NFL and is a goal line beast and blocks extremely well and will be used to punish defeneses and finish games. The coaches saw him break down last year due to various ailments and will want to limit his touches as to maximizing his ability in the red zone as well as to finish off those games. 12-15 touches

Choice proved that he can run in this league. He had a very nice YPC and did better than most could have imagined as a rookie in his situation. However, he is not the playmaker that Felix is and unless he becomes a beast like Barber where would the coaches find a ton of touches for him barring injury to benefit the team more than the other guys? 2-4 touches

Once again not a knock on Choice but it is who he is playing behind that hurts him.

I disagree, but definitely a I tend to agree more with the "Dropkick" breakdown.

Felix 30-40%

Barber 30-40%

Choice 20-30%

I think it will be more of an equal split with Choice as the #3 guy.

This split makes more sense due to it may lessen the risk for injury which has hampered the Dallas backfield last year.

 

[trader jake]

If I were to break down the RB touches I see:55% Jones35% Barber10% Chioce

I'll give you some credit Switz...you'll go down with the ship if necessary.You're the Edward John Smith of FBG's.

 

[LawFitz]

After reading all the posts thus far chalk me up for...

Barber: 45%

Felix: 40%

Choice: 15%

This is for all touches including carries and receptions and assuming no major injuries to any of the three. This still makes Barber way overvalued in my eyes in anything other than TD-heavy leagues.

 

[bonesman]

Jones will probably also see 12-15 carries, but I believe he'll also be used a lot in the passing game, maybe 5-6 catches per game.

80 receptions?!? I'll bet the house on the under.