Bush owners, will you sleep okay tonight? (1 Viewer)

[stbugs]

You know, there was this rookie in 2001, had 3.6 ypc and I knew he would not amount to much either.

He (LaDainian Tomlinson) was playing on the worst team in the NFL as the only viable weapon on the team. Bush was playing on the top offense in the league with plenty of weapons diverting attention away from him. Bush should be thankful Houston didn't take him because I think he wouldn't have even done as well as he did last year, averaging 3.6 YPC at that. There is no comparison between the situations in New Orleans now and what Tomlinson had to play in back in '01.

He reminded me of another rookie in 1995 that had 3.9 ypc. I am glad I avoided them later.

I don't know who are you talking about If you meant Marshall Faulk he averaged 4.1 YPC and made the pro-bowl as a rookie on the sad sap Colts' team.

I don't know how much Bush will improve, but he has 167 career carries in the NFL. Tiki Barber averaged 3.8 ypc his rookie year and 3.2 ypc in his second. Did you throw in the towel on him? It wouldn't surprise me if you had. You may end up being correct, but when the consensus was that he was the best player in the 2006 draft, I tend to believe the NFL folks over you. Sorry, but its true. Sure, there are plenty of 1st round RB busts, but I will give Bush a little more time before throwing in the towel because of one bad game, especially when he was a top 10 RB in my leagues' scoring.

I'm not saying he is a bust. He is just overrated. He may be good in a PPR league, just don't expect him to be the Gale Sayers/Marshall Faulk that everyone hyped him up to be. He was outran by Jerious Norwood, Maurice Jones-Drew, Laurence Maroney, Joseph Addai, among fellow rookies. He is basically the Michael Vick of the RB position, sucks as a runner, makes up for it as a receiver.

So LT was playing for one of the worst teams in the league, i.e. SD had the 1st pick in the draft. Well, geewhiz, what pick did New Orleans have in 2006? Oh yeah, it was the 2nd pick. You are right, Reggie Bush went to play for the 2nd worst team in the league and there is a huge difference between the 2nd worst and worst teams in the NFL. Its too bad that Bush probably had nothing to do with the Saints improving and going to the playoffs. It must have been all of the other offensive weapons that made Bush look good.

Listen, I will say that I don't know how good Bush will be, but saying that he is overhyped and he sucks as a runner, sure seems to go against what NFL folks think and is way premature.

You brought up Marshall Faulk. Well his first 3 seasons had ypc of 4.1, 3.7 and 3.0. Not exactly sizzling was it. Note that in Faulk's first "great" 3 seasons ypc-wise, the Colts weren't sad sack. They were 8-8, 9-7 and 9-7. Same reason why annointing Kevan Barlow as a stud was premature is the reason why announcing that Bush sucks as a runner is premature. Barlows first 3 years ypc were much better than Tiki's and Faulk's, but I don't think anyone would say Barlow was a better RB.

By the way, 1990 was Emmitt Smith's rookie year. I messed up the date. Pro-football reference only goes back to 1995 in game by game data and I just typed what I saw without realizing the mistake, especially since I rode Emmitt's great 1995 season to my first FF championship in my first year.

Come on dude, the Saints were a perennial decent-to-playoff team before the Katrina season. They also added a MVP level QB to the team. The Saints had a bad season and improved the most important position on the field...they weren't the average scrub team.

Seriously? Shiver44 mentioned how bad San Diego was before LT got there as his reason why LT had a poor ypc his rookie year. Well in 6 of the 8 seasons before the 1-15 one, which enabled them to draft LT, San Diego was 8-8 or better, including 3 playoff appearances. Sure they had a dismal 2000 and got the first pick, but they were 8-8 in 1999. They sure weren't the recent Colts or Patriots, but they were an OK team.

The Saints were 8-8 or better in 5 of the 8 seasons before the 3-13 one, which enabled them to draft Bush, with 1 playoff appearance. Seems to me that the Saints before Bush resembled the Chargers before LT. They were both middle of the road teams on the edge of the playoffs who both tanked a season and got very high draft picks.

My point was that arguing that LT went to a worse team and thus his 3.6 ypc should be ignored whereas Bush went to an offensive juggernaut so his 3.6 ypc is proof that he sucks as a runner. I hope that makes sense. Please don't mistake me for LHUCKS as I am not a Reggie Bush backer, but it is a bit premature to bury him already.

 

[Marc Levin]

Bush ran substantially better late last season.

Big time understatement here - it was like two completely different fantasy players. In PPR leagues, he averaged something like 24 fantasy PPG from week 9 forward , with three "clunker" games of 8.3, 7.5, and 5.7. Those dissing Bush as an FF player or are ready to pull the trigger on trading him, must not be in PPR leagues. He was simply much more productive in the second half of the year last year and that is the kind of Reggie Bush I expect we will see again this year once he and the rest of the N.O. offense are not facing the Super Bowl champs on enemy grounds.Next week v. a division rival with a suspect run D and the following week when they have their home opener will be the true test of whether you shold look to move Bush.

 

[aerolaw]

Bush ran substantially better late last season.

Big time understatement here - it was like two completely different fantasy players. In PPR leagues, he averaged something like 24 fantasy PPG from week 9 forward , with three "clunker" games of 8.3, 7.5, and 5.7. Those dissing Bush as an FF player or are ready to pull the trigger on trading him, must not be in PPR leagues. He was simply much more productive in the second half of the year last year and that is the kind of Reggie Bush I expect we will see again this year once he and the rest of the N.O. offense are not facing the Super Bowl champs on enemy grounds.Next week v. a division rival with a suspect run D and the following week when they have their home opener will be the true test of whether you shold look to move Bush.

FWIW, i was at the Orlando WCOFF draft today. Bush still went in the 1st round in every single league (7 leagues i think)...consider that the person taking him most likely would have to also start him this week, that is a pretty high endorsment from a very discerning crowd. Made me feel much better about owning him in a few other contests!