Brian Leonard (1 Viewer)

[Ketamine Dreams]

Just wondering what the thought of Leonard is from here forward. Is he a strong enough player to 'be the guy' if SJax goes down again? Would Pittman or Minor get the bulk of the carries, or would they be shared? I remember him having one good game last year, but not much beyond that. Granted the wheels completely fell off for the Rams last year... Just trying to gauge the handcuff situation in St. Louis and the overall value of Leonard.

 

[thecardiackid]

I think I'm going to drop him when our post rookie draft rosters cut down in August. Not that he wouldn't be involved in some sort of RBBC (if SJax went down for a while), and maybe even the short yardage TD vulture, but IMO Pittman would be the between the 20s guy *and maybe more.

BL is a solid NFL football player - I just don't see him as startable in FF anytime soon. Also, he's healthy, but coming off 2 shoulder operations.

Unless you're carrying 30+ roster spots, or you're hedging bets on the STL handcuff, I can't see how he's rosterable now.

 

[houndirish]

Agreed ... I'm a SJax owner and Leonard barely registers a blip on my radar. Even coming out in the draft I didn't see him as a featureback. If you can move him in a trade I'd go that route.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

In a deep league or if you're betting your fantasy team on SJax's success, he is rosterable.

Antonio Pittman is also a name to watch, as they grabbed him when the Saints cut him last year.

BLeonard can get 100+ yards if he's featured, but the question is if he will be. In a dynasty league he has more value.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Leonard was pretty awful last year even when he did get the starts.

Just to get him in there you need an SJax injury, AND you need him to get the role of feature back while Sjax is gone even though they've added Pittman, yet even if all those stars align he still was hurting people putting him in their starting lineups last year.

I can't foresee any scenario where I would ever start him, and if I'm at that point then my team is probably already dead anyhow.

As an Sjax dynasty owner, I have zero interest in the guy. Even if Sjax got hurt AND Leonard were given the job I still wouldn't start him, so what's the point?

 

[Ketamine Dreams]

So is Pittman the guy between the 20s if SJax goes down then?

 

[Bri]

Leonard was pretty awful last year even when he did get the starts.Just to get him in there you need an SJax injury, AND you need him to get the role of feature back while Sjax is gone even though they've added Pittman, yet even if all those stars align he still was hurting people putting him in their starting lineups last year.I can't foresee any scenario where I would ever start him, and if I'm at that point then my team is probably already dead anyhow.As an Sjax dynasty owner, I have zero interest in the guy. Even if Sjax got hurt AND Leonard were given the job I still wouldn't start him, so what's the point?

he got 102 yards against Arizona when he started, he only started 4 games at RB.As for the others, 12 carries isn't usually enough to judge a RB's performanceHe started 3 at FB.Linehan plans to use Brian in spots where he thinks he'll pose a matchup prob for Ds. He will be playing both RB and FB in 2008 and (as FB) on the field at the same time as Steven Jackson. He is expected to take some weight off of Jackson with his rushing and receiving ability. He was quoted recently saying something like he's excited the O will be throwing more passes to the backs. He's not the greatest blocker(as compared to FBs) so for him to be useful there they have to use him a little bit. The D won't be worried about a guy NOT involved in the O. The occasional carry or swing pass is probably bare minimum here.

 

[Dirty Weasel]

The SJax handcuff is one situation to avoid this year. The only RB worth having on the Rams is SJax. If he goes down, so does the team.

 

[Biabreakable]

While Leonard did not do very well when called upon last year while Jackson was hurt I still see him as he primary handcuff to Jackson worth rostering if you are in a deeper league.

These are the games where he got more than 10 carries:

4 4 Sun Sep 30, 2007 L STL @ DAL 16 58 3.6 rec 1 1 1.0 0

5 5 Sun Oct 7, 2007 L STL ARI 18 102 5.7 rec 5 33 6.6 0

6 6 Sun Oct 14, 2007 L STL @ BAL 12 18 1.5 rec 3 23 7.7 0

7 7 Sun Oct 21, 2007 L STL @ SEA 12 44 3.7 rec 0

8 8 Sun Oct 28, 2007 L STL CLE 15 33 2.2 rec 3 31 10.3 0

He had a very good game against Arizona which indicates he has enough talent to do well in the right situation. DAL BAL SEA were some of he best run defenses last year and he didn't get much work in the passing game. The Cleveland game was bad but at least he made good use of his catch opportunities.

Considering that Bulger and Pace were injured and the Rams did not win any games until late in the season, thats not really an ideal situation by which to judge Leonard by.

I think he is worth the handcuff and I don't see Pittman taking that role over from him. He would be a situational starter based on matchup if Jackson should go down again. Obviously there are beter handcuffs out there. But if your a Jackson owner in a long roster league I think Leonard is decent insurance. He got me through a couple weeks while I was looking for a better replacement to Jackson last year and he didn't cost me a game. I did not use him against the Ravens (anyone who would do this probobly has more problems than Leonard) or any game after that but Leonard was decent enough to help me while I was adjusting.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

If S Jax gets hurt, I believe there will be a RBBC and neither Pittman nor Leonard is going to be worth much.

 

[theedge]

It really depends on your league.

In a 20 team, start 1 RB, I traded for him this off season.