Chris givens or Brian quick? (1 Viewer)

[ATSS_0100]

Which player in a PPR redraft? Both are mid to late round picks in most mocks thusfar.

 

[EBF]

Givens was a lot better than Quick last season and I'd give him the edge going forward.

 

[cstu]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

 

[Mario Kart]

I'd say Steve Smith.

 

[saintfool]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Chris Givens is going to be a star whether it's St Louis or the next place. Home run threat, he needs consistent targets. Runs a clean 4.4/40 so he is going to stretch the field. I like Givens a lot and I expect a lot of progression in season 2.

Givens is penciled in as the No 1 right now. I'm sure he knows and Jeff Fisher has told him that this is his time or moment to seize the No 1 position on this team. I expect Givens to get that opportunity early on in the year. He's not a 1 trick pony with just speed, Amendola is gone, expect major things from Givens this year.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

 

[Ministry of Pain]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

 

[kface]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

 

[saintfool]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Yes, Austin is their playmaker - something the Rams have lacked in recent years - in the Harvin mold and will be featured prominently. It doesn't say much of anything about the rest of their roster except they are young and inexperienced.

 

[Sabertooth]

Givens and Austin I think. This offense is being molding into a latter day greatest show on turf to combat the stout defenses used by Seattle and San Fran. I think the smaller faster guys are going to be used a lot against those big corners. It seems to be working as I believe they only had one divisional loss last year (a 7 point loss to Seattle to end the season).

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

In todays NFL spreading offenses out and having multipe receiving threats is becoming quite normal. The Rams do not have anything proven at all on their roster at WR and there is a lot left to be determined.

The pecking order is far from clear. Quick is apparently a slow learner and struggled with the play book as a rookie but he has the build and athleticism of a WR1 in the NFL. Givens flashed some big play potential as a rookie and showed he can make plays.

It seems as tough Quick and Givens will be starting outside and Austin will be a joker type of player. Austin is going to get plenty of opportunity all over the field and has a ton of upside but it does not mean Quick and Givens are going to be worthless.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

How many rookies posted 40+ catches in the last 10 years? How many rookies have caught 25 first downs on 42 catches? How many rookies have 10 different 20+ yd receptions? This guy has more skills than folks are wanting to believe. I understand they took Tavon Austin but that receiver was brought in to take over the Amendola role, I don't see him fringing on GIvens, in fact it helps.

Certainly there is room on this team for 2 receivers to do well. Tavon is a rookie and will take time to develop. I am optimistic for Givens this year. Amendola and Gibson are gone, he already racked up almost 700 yards as a rookie.

 

[kface]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

How many rookies posted 40+ catches in the last 10 years? How many rookies have caught 25 first downs on 42 catches? How many rookies have 10 different 20+ yd receptions? This guy has more skills than folks are wanting to believe. I understand they took Tavon Austin but that receiver was brought in to take over the Amendola role, I don't see him fringing on GIvens, in fact it helps.

Certainly there is room on this team for 2 receivers to do well. Tavon is a rookie and will take time to develop. I am optimistic for Givens this year. Amendola and Gibson are gone, he already racked up almost 700 yards as a rookie.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford only puts up 2500 yds passing...that's just so little to go around. No question I think Givens is very talented and I think Quick is as well

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford only puts up 2500 yds passing...that's just so little to go around. No question I think Givens is very talented and I think Quick is as well

3700/21TD last year with almost nothing at WR and TE to work with...they upgraded at TE(we think) and at WR they have brought in more talent with Austin, Quick, and Givens all developing. Upgrades on the OL in the way of jake Long at LT who will allow bradford to grab an extra half second to find some of these speed guys down the field. You see Bradford going backwards? I would like to hear more about this or maybe like most of us you didn't know he threw for that many yards(I looked it up myself).

 

[kface]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford only puts up 2500 yds passing...that's just so little to go around. No question I think Givens is very talented and I think Quick is as well

3700/21TD last year with almost nothing at WR and TE to work with...they upgraded at TE(we think) and at WR they have brought in more talent with Austin, Quick, and Givens all developing. Upgrades on the OL in the way of jake Long at LT who will allow bradford to grab an extra half second to find some of these speed guys down the field. You see Bradford going backwards? I would like to hear more about this or maybe like most of us you didn't know he threw for that many yards(I looked it up myself).

I am actually shocked he put up that many yards last year!!!

Basically 4 guys with 600 yds each...averages aren't too bad. He really spread the ball around. I'm not sure how that plays out into anyone become a wr1

 

[LarryAllen'sJockstrap]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.

these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

How many rookies posted 40+ catches in the last 10 years? How many rookies have caught 25 first downs on 42 catches? How many rookies have 10 different 20+ yd receptions? This guy has more skills than folks are wanting to believe. I understand they took Tavon Austin but that receiver was brought in to take over the Amendola role, I don't see him fringing on GIvens, in fact it helps.

Certainly there is room on this team for 2 receivers to do well. Tavon is a rookie and will take time to develop. I am optimistic for Givens this year. Amendola and Gibson are gone, he already racked up almost 700 yards as a rookie.

Last year's top 4 rookie WRs in terms of production were:

1. Justin Blackmon - 64 receptions, 865 yds, 5 TDs, 13.5 YPC, 48% catch rate

2. TY Hilton - 50 receptions, 861 yds, 7 TDs, 17.2 YPC, 55% catch rate

3. Josh Gordon - 50 receptions, 805 yds, 5 TDs, 16.1 YPC, 52% catch rate

4. Chris Givens - 42 receptions, 698 yds, 3 TDs, 16.6 YPC, 52% catch rate

In 2011, the top 4 were:

1. AJ Green - 65 receptions, 1057 yds, 7 TDs, 16.3 YPC, 56% catch rate

2. Julio Jones - 54 receptions, 959 yds, 8 TDs, 17.8 YPC, 56% catch rate

3. Torrey Smith - 50 receptions, 841 yds, 7 TDs, 16.8 YPC, 56% catch rate

4. Doug Baldwin - 51 receptions, 788 yds, 4 TDs, 15.4 YPC, 59% catch rate

The NFL has changed a ton in the last decade, especially in the last couple of years in regards to rookie WRs and the impact they are having on teams. With defensive backs basically having to play "hands-off", rookie WRs are adjusting quicker to the NFL game and getting by on speed and athleticism more than ever before.

Looking at a small sample of WR rookies over the last 2 years (top-4 each season), I'm not seeing anything that pops off the stat sheet that screams future stud. His closest comparison from the season before (Doug Baldwin) hardly had any impact in 2012. Different situation and player, so not trying to make an apples to apples comparison, but you can see future stud in guys like Green and Jones, and good upside in Blackmon, Smith, Hlton, Gordon and (before 2012) Baldwin. His rookie stats don't even place in the top 100 all time for rookie fantasy points from a WR (Titus Young and Donnie Avery both do for comparisons sake).

What is it about Givens that puts him above the average WR4/5 for fantasy, or even a viable NFL starter? Once he took over as a starter in the 4th game, he only put up 3 games with more than 3 receptions.

 

[EBF]

What is it about Givens that puts him above the average WR4/5 for fantasy, or even a viable NFL starter?

Speed and quickness. There's a video on YouTube with all of his targets from last season. He can run by pro corners and get open at will.

The issue with him is that he doesn't have a huge catch radius and isn't reliable in possession situations.

I see him as being similar to guys like Lance Moore, Jeremy Maclin, Mike Wallace, and Torrey Smith. He's the best pure WR on the Rams and is probably the favorite to lead the team in receiving yards. However, I think his long term ceiling in FF is probably the WR20-WR30 range.

 

[identikit]

teams dont select a Wr at #8 overall if they have confidence in the WRs on their roster.these guys are WR2 at best on the Rams which isnt worth much

Because guys drafted in the top 10 at WR always pan out...

I don't think that's what he is getting at. What he is getting at is the team clearly does not see these two as good enough to be a wr1

How many rookies posted 40+ catches in the last 10 years? How many rookies have caught 25 first downs on 42 catches? How many rookies have 10 different 20+ yd receptions? This guy has more skills than folks are wanting to believe. I understand they took Tavon Austin but that receiver was brought in to take over the Amendola role, I don't see him fringing on GIvens, in fact it helps. Certainly there is room on this team for 2 receivers to do well. Tavon is a rookie and will take time to develop. I am optimistic for Givens this year. Amendola and Gibson are gone, he already racked up almost 700 yards as a rookie.

Last year's top 4 rookie WRs in terms of production were: 1. Justin Blackmon - 64 receptions, 865 yds, 5 TDs, 13.5 YPC, 48% catch rate2. TY Hilton - 50 receptions, 861 yds, 7 TDs, 17.2 YPC, 55% catch rate3. Josh Gordon - 50 receptions, 805 yds, 5 TDs, 16.1 YPC, 52% catch rate4. Chris Givens - 42 receptions, 698 yds, 3 TDs, 16.6 YPC, 52% catch rate In 2011, the top 4 were: 1. AJ Green - 65 receptions, 1057 yds, 7 TDs, 16.3 YPC, 56% catch rate2. Julio Jones - 54 receptions, 959 yds, 8 TDs, 17.8 YPC, 56% catch rate3. Torrey Smith - 50 receptions, 841 yds, 7 TDs, 16.8 YPC, 56% catch rate4. Doug Baldwin - 51 receptions, 788 yds, 4 TDs, 15.4 YPC, 59% catch rate The NFL has changed a ton in the last decade, especially in the last couple of years in regards to rookie WRs and the impact they are having on teams. With defensive backs basically having to play "hands-off", rookie WRs are adjusting quicker to the NFL game and getting by on speed and athleticism more than ever before. Looking at a small sample of WR rookies over the last 2 years (top-4 each season), I'm not seeing anything that pops off the stat sheet that screams future stud. His closest comparison from the season before (Doug Baldwin) hardly had any impact in 2012. Different situation and player, so not trying to make an apples to apples comparison, but you can see future stud in guys like Green and Jones, and good upside in Blackmon, Smith, Hlton, Gordon and (before 2012) Baldwin. His rookie stats don't even place in the top 100 all time for rookie fantasy points from a WR (Titus Young and Donnie Avery both do for comparisons sake). What is it about Givens that puts him above the average WR4/5 for fantasy, or even a viable NFL starter? Once he took over as a starter in the 4th game, he only put up 3 games with more than 3 receptions.

You mean he only put up 3 games with less than 3 receptions, don't you?

 

[Jedimaster21]

Brian Quick is severely undervalued. He looks the part of a #1 and should progress nicely this year. He can also be had for peanuts.

 

[snichols]

tavon

 

[MoveToSkypager]

Neither. Bailey and Austin are going to gobble up targets.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

What is it about Givens that puts him above the average WR4/5 for fantasy, or even a viable NFL starter?

Speed and quickness. There's a video on YouTube with all of his targets from last season. He can run by pro corners and get open at will.

The issue with him is that he doesn't have a huge catch radius and isn't reliable in possession situations.

I see him as being similar to guys like Lance Moore, Jeremy Maclin, Mike Wallace, and Torrey Smith. He's the best pure WR on the Rams and is probably the favorite to lead the team in receiving yards. However, I think his long term ceiling in FF is probably the WR20-WR30 range.

I have to agree with EBF here. I wanted to post the same thing but figured it would rub some the wrong way. He runs by the corners and is open a lot. I think the rookie Tavon Austin only helps as teams are preoccupied and the next thing you know this kid is 30 yards down the field and open. I like the analogy of a poor man's Mike Wallace. I think he will produce quality WR3 stats for owners this season.

 

[ATSS_0100]

Yes I too prefer Chris givens based on last year, but I do believe quick will open some eyes this year. He was unimpressive last year (they also have a YouTube video of all his 2012 targets), this may have been due to the transition to the nfl from a small college.

Kind of of subject, but I have a hard time not seeing Sam Bradford as a top twelve quarterback when this year is said and done. Cook, quick, givens, Austin, and three young backs. This is a fast team and Bradford has not really been subpar due to bad mechanics, more lack of talent and experience around him.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

I posted this in another thread about many who have seem to write off Brian Quick...

Being a rookie WR in the NFL can take time even for the best rookie WR's no matter who you are.

Some of the best WR's in the NFL from last year and here is what they did in their rookie years

-Brandon Marshall 20 catches 309 yards, 2tds

-Dez Bryant 45 catches 561 yards 6 tds

-Wes Welker 29 catches, 431 yards

-Demaryius Thomas 22 catches, 283 yards 2 tds

-Randal Cobb, 24, 369 yards 1 td

-Erik Decerk 6 catches 106 yards 1 td

-Roddy White 29 catches 446 yards 3 td

-Vincent Jackson 3 catches for 59 yards

-Reggie Wayne 27 catches for 345 yards

-Calvin Johnson 48 catches 756 yards 4 tds

-Brian Quick 11 catches 156 yards 2 tds

Way too early to make up ones mind about Quick at this stage.

 

[FF Ninja]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

When taking price and upside into account, I'm all about Quick. Like this guy, I'm very much looking forward to the preseason reports.

 

[JohnnyU]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

When taking price and upside into account, I'm all about Quick. Like this guy, I'm very much looking forward to the preseason reports.

I thought he looked horrible his rookie year.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I would rank the STL WRs for PPR redraft:

Austin

Givens

Quick

Bailey

Don't be surprised if Bailey pushes his way ahead of Quick this summer. The wildcard here is Jared Cook and how the introduction of his skills will change up the distribution of targets/snaps. STL passcatcher pecking order and in general the design of the STL offense will be a terrific FF story to follow for the next 4 months. Bradford could be a massive sleeper if they go uptempo/spread.

 

[finito]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

When taking price and upside into account, I'm all about Quick. Like this guy, I'm very much looking forward to the preseason reports.

I thought he looked horrible his rookie year.

He did - he could barely get on the field. However, he was raw coming into the league, so that's not really surprising. If he shows growth he has the tools to be a great WR - the fact that he struggled early shouldn't be a shock to anyone who invested in him. This year will be key for his development. If the price is right I would buy and hope he gets it. If he doesn't, there's a lot of competition and he'll fade away, but if he does, he offers a skill set no one else on the team has IMO.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford only puts up 2500 yds passing...that's just so little to go around. No question I think Givens is very talented and I think Quick is as well

3700/21TD last year with almost nothing at WR and TE to work with...they upgraded at TE(we think) and at WR they have brought in more talent with Austin, Quick, and Givens all developing. Upgrades on the OL in the way of jake Long at LT who will allow bradford to grab an extra half second to find some of these speed guys down the field. You see Bradford going backwards? I would like to hear more about this or maybe like most of us you didn't know he threw for that many yards(I looked it up myself).

Not to mention, that in all likihood their running game will be less effective with Jackson gone - which means the team may have to rely on the pass more this season.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I would rank the STL WRs for PPR redraft:

Austin

Givens

Quick

Bailey

Don't be surprised if Bailey pushes his way ahead of Quick this summer. The wildcard here is Jared Cook and how the introduction of his skills will change up the distribution of targets/snaps. STL passcatcher pecking order and in general the design of the STL offense will be a terrific FF story to follow for the next 4 months. Bradford could be a massive sleeper if they go uptempo/spread.

Vs the stud running game they are stacking? I see improvement in the OL but I think it is all set up for Bradford to build on 3,700/21TD of a year ago. Agree with you on potential sleeper.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford only puts up 2500 yds passing...that's just so little to go around. No question I think Givens is very talented and I think Quick is as well

3700/21TD last year with almost nothing at WR and TE to work with...they upgraded at TE(we think) and at WR they have brought in more talent with Austin, Quick, and Givens all developing. Upgrades on the OL in the way of jake Long at LT who will allow bradford to grab an extra half second to find some of these speed guys down the field. You see Bradford going backwards? I would like to hear more about this or maybe like most of us you didn't know he threw for that many yards(I looked it up myself).

Not to mention, that in all likihood their running game will be less effective with Jackson gone - which means the team may have to rely on the pass more this season.

I would rank the STL WRs for PPR redraft:

Austin

Givens

Quick

Bailey

Don't be surprised if Bailey pushes his way ahead of Quick this summer. The wildcard here is Jared Cook and how the introduction of his skills will change up the distribution of targets/snaps. STL passcatcher pecking order and in general the design of the STL offense will be a terrific FF story to follow for the next 4 months. Bradford could be a massive sleeper if they go uptempo/spread.

Vs the stud running game they are stacking? I see improvement in the OL but I think it is all set up for Bradford to build on 3,700/21TD of a year ago. Agree with you on potential sleeper.

Exactly. Like the new avatar Doc

 

[FF Ninja]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

When taking price and upside into account, I'm all about Quick. Like this guy, I'm very much looking forward to the preseason reports.

I thought he looked horrible his rookie year.

Thus the cheap price this year. It seems like people have already written him off. Do I think he is a :IBTL: to actually develop into a worthwhile fantasy WR? Nope. But he's a very cheap gamble.

 

[JohnnyU]

Givens.

I don't own either but I'd like to see Quick succeed. I just didn't see much sign of it happening last year.

I think he's being brought along gradually. I have said this in other other STL Rams discussions but I think he's going to be dynamite in the red zone. He's got all the physical tools to match up well in that situation. I will be *very* interested to read the OTA reports on his development.

When taking price and upside into account, I'm all about Quick. Like this guy, I'm very much looking forward to the preseason reports.

I thought he looked horrible his rookie year.

Thus the cheap price this year. It seems like people have already written him off. Do I think he is a :IBTL: to actually develop into a worthwhile fantasy WR? Nope. But he's a very cheap gamble.

I have to see something before I say anything nice about him. Yes, by all means take a chance on him as your WR #8, but don't get your hopes up. He's not only raw running routes, he doesn't get separation, was slow getting in and out of his breaks, and he hasn't shown enough ball skills to make up for it. Ball skills is his best strength, but he didn't use them enough IMO. Also, he had trouble learning the playbook, which is another red flag.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I think the additions of Cook and Austin mean good things for Givens (and vice versa). Those are three weapons that complement each other very well. Add in Jake Long, and Givens is a definite sleeper.

 

[Xue]

Bailey is the best "pure" WR on the team. Givens is exactly what he is. A one-trick pony.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Here is Les Snead take on Brian Quick from this off season.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

I was curious as to how Quicks season and targets played out from last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFooNPh-ds

Here is what I charted on his 27 targets.

Uncatchable balls: 8

Catchable and caught: 11

Could have been caught: 4

DB made a good play: 4

Tough to gauge much from a raw rookie with only 27 targets.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

Another question to consider is Jared Cook's presence. I have a hunch he is going to pull some of the targets that would normally go the the WRs.

The situation is unavoid for me becuse of so much uncertainty at this point.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

Another question to consider is Jared Cook's presence. I have a hunch he is going to pull some of the targets that would normally go the the WRs.

The situation is unavoid for me becuse of so much uncertainty at this point.

Works both ways re: Cook's targets. I think they'll be pass heavy this season and the top WR's/TE's will be obtained at a discount.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I was curious as to how Quicks season and targets played out from last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFooNPh-ds

Here is what I charted on his 27 targets.

Uncatchable balls: 8

Catchable and caught: 11

Could have been caught: 4

DB made a good play: 4

Tough to gauge much from a raw rookie with only 27 targets.

Better question: why did he only get 27 targets?

 

[FF Ninja]

I was curious as to how Quicks season and targets played out from last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFooNPh-ds

Here is what I charted on his 27 targets.

Uncatchable balls: 8

Catchable and caught: 11

Could have been caught: 4

DB made a good play: 4

Tough to gauge much from a raw rookie with only 27 targets.

Better question: why did he only get 27 targets?

Like the interview said, they expected him to develop slowly and are ok with it:

Here is Les Snead take on Brian Quick from this off season.

 

[bulger2holt]

Don't forget about Kendricks either. He keeps getting better and better. Very underrated player due to some drops his rookie year. Built like a tank, great blocker, and might be forgot about by D's while they try to cover Givens, Quick, Austin, Cook and Bailey. Sam is going to have fun this year with all those toys. The forgotten man Pettis is pretty darn good too. He's like a poor man's Boldin.

 

[Sabertooth]

I think it's Givens. He's been out ahead of Quick from the get-go. I think he stays there. I thinks Givens and Austin are the owns from the Rams but wouldn't like either as anything more then a PPR WR3.

Quick is an in-season add at best. Of all the unlikely candidates to make the jump, I wouldn't count on him. Reuben Randle or Alshon Jeffrey are much better bets IMHO.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Sam Bradford says second-year WR Chris Givens will play a more diverse role after primarily serving as a streak-route runner as a rookie.
"Where last year he primarily played the ‘Z’ for us, now he’s also being asked to play inside," Bradford explained. "He’s being asked to go backside and play ‘X’. He’s a really, really smart football player; he understands our offense and I think by moving him to different spots in our offense, he’ll be able to run more routes." Bradford expects Givens to have a "great" year in 2013.

Source: St Louis Post-Dispatch

 

[UKColt]

Brian Quick is severely undervalued. He looks the part of a #1 and should progress nicely this year. He can also be had for peanuts.

Yeah, his value is ridiculous now. You can basically get him as a throw in on trades.

I have him as my WR5/6 in a couple of leagues, which is well worth it for the upside.

 

[OrangeCurtain]

Brian Quick is severely undervalued. He looks the part of a #1 and should progress nicely this year. He can also be had for peanuts.

Yeah, his value is ridiculous now. You can basically get him as a throw in on trades. I have him as my WR5/6 in a couple of leagues, which is well worth it for the upside.

As a guy who included him as a throw in on a trade to get Torrey Smith and a 2014 1st, I can confirm he is being included as a throw in. Guy I traded with needs to rebuild and I need a solid WR2 now. If quick takes off I'll be bummed but as others have said here, I didn't see enough last year to make him a solid hold.

 

[Faust]

Making the Leap, No. 24: Rams WR Chris Givens

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League Editor

(click on the link to see the related videos)

Around The League will profile the top 40 players we see Making the Leap in 2013. No. 23 on the list: St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens.

Why Givens is on the list
There's track speed and there's football speed. Givens has football speed. The fourth round pick out of Wake Forest opened eyes early last season after breaking a rookie record with a catch of more than 50 yards in five straight games. I watched all of Givens' 78 targets from last season on Game Rewind: His speed continually surprised deep safeties, who took bad angles when trying to cover him. Even some of the best safeties in the game.

It doesn't get much better than beating Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman off the line and then getting behind Earl Thomas deep. More than 30 percent of Givens' targets came on throws 20 or more yards down the field, which is an exceptionally high number. That caused defenses to back off Givens, and he often made them pay with his after-catch ability.

I expected Givens to be a one-trick pony because of his reputation, but his versatility was impressive. So many of his yards came after making defenders miss following short grabs. He ran a lot of double moves. He lined up in a variety of places, including the slot. He ran the football on occasion and was willing to take on defenders despite his size, showing some toughness. He was an effective kick returner. Givens combines good hands and great straight-line speed with the choppy steps and change of direction skills of a return man. That's a dangerous combination.

When Danny Amendola was out of the lineup because of injury, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer started to treat Givens like a No. 1 receiver. The Rams found ways for him to get the ball. He responded very well before a late season rookie fade.

Obstacles
Sam Bradford told Fox Sports during the season that he just throws the ball as far as he can when he throws it to Givens. But even Givens couldn't catch up with too many Bradford passes. A lot of targets thrown to Givens missed by a big margin. There were miscommunications on option routes, but the misfires were more about Bradford's inconsistency problems. Givens and Bradford need to grow together, and Bradford needs time to set up and deliver those deep balls.

The Rams say they will use Givens at both the "Y" and the "X" position more this year. Bradford talked up Givens' intelligence in handling a variety of roles. There is a risk that Givens could take a step back because too much is being thrown at him. Rookie Tavon Austin will have a big role, as will free-agent pickup Jared Cook. The Rams have a lot of numbers at wide receiver, making it tougher for Givens to post big numbers.

2013 ExpectationsI'm past my fantasy football advice dispensing prime, but it's fair to say Givens would be near the top of my "undervalued" list. Austin is going to be a dynamic player, but Givens has better size and a big head start in his development. They aren't such different players in terms of explosiveness.

It wasn't hard to find highlights of Givens because he had so many big plays, but I choose to wrap up this piece with a six-yard reception because it typified what didn't show up in the highlight reels. The play to the right shows Givens reaching back for a poorly thrown Bradford pass to keep a drive going. The Rams finished off their biggest win of the season over the San Francisco 49ers just a few plays later.

These are the plays that win games. Givens made plenty of them as a rookie; he can absolutely top 1,000 yards as the Rams' No. 1 receiver in his second season.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

 

[Willie Mays Hayes]

Givens and Austin I think. This offense is being molding into a latter day greatest show on turf to combat the stout defenses used by Seattle and San Fran. I think the smaller faster guys are going to be used a lot against those big corners. It seems to be working as I believe they only had one divisional loss last year (a 7 point loss to Seattle to end the season).

Sabertooth, this is good posting and I 100% agree with you. As a lot of people try to get a read on where St Louis is going, the best thing you brought up is how they are reacting to what the rest of the division is doing. A common element to their DBs is that are going with "over-sized DBs" from Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson to Eric Reid. Their talent is exceptional and extra size and length allow them to matchup better with the prototype WR1 in the NFL (the 6'3 220-230lb guys). So how do you counter that? Go get shorter guys that have a shorter stride and quick cut ability. I am a WVU fan and followed Austin and Bailey in college. In 2011, they played LSU and faced the likes of Honey Badger, Claiborne and Reid. While the overall talent for LSU was too much to overcome for WVU, Austin had 11 receptions for 187 yards and Bailey had 8 catches for 115 yards and 1 TD. Those two fared quite well and it was because the completions were typically made 3-8 yards off the line of scrimmage where short area quickness matters most. It helps eliminate the size advantage and allows the smaller player to take advantage of his quickness and after the catc ability. This game was in both Audtin and Bailey's junior year and each made improvement as they became seniors.

Austin vs. LSU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd8Y-PLYi7M

Bailey vs. LSU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJFx52Bccfg

HWS guys like Brian Quick play to the strengths of defensive back fields in SF, SEA and ARZ. Players like Givens, Austin and Bailey will stand out more because they offer the "anti-matchup" when they take the field for divisional games.

 

[Beerguzzler]

I have a hard time taking any WR on this team this upcoming season (in redraft leagues). I actually think the most consistent receiving threat will be Jared Cook. My biggest issue projecting a WR this season is the offense in general. It's just not very explosive and I don't see it changing that much. It's conservative by nature because of the coaching. I do think it will be more productive this season with the additions, but it won't suddenly turn into a juggernaut. I suspect various WR's will get some decent numbers this season, with none really standing out.

Cook should be the guy with the most consistent amount of targets, followed I suspect by Austin in the slot. The outside guys can all get b/t 500-800 yards a piece. Bye Week replacements at best IMO.