Dwyer fell in the draft because of a couple reasons I think (1 Viewer)

[jacobo_moses]

I just drafted J. Dwyer in a 32 dynasty team league with pick 19. I know its a little bit of reach.

But he is only 20

Has 2 great proven seasons. Has good size and decent enough speed for his size.

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.

1) He was considered the next tier of RB's

2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

At any rate. I think his talent will come out in the next 1-3 yrs. So at pick 19 after all the good RB's and WR's are gone. His risk is worth the possibl reward at pick 19. Does anyone else agree??

 

[spider321]

Dwyer is a great pick at 19. but I think this is a VERY weak fantasy rookie draft year.

 

[Unwrittenlaw]

He couldn't have had a worse combine ever... Was he injured? who knows..Out of shape/unmotivated? Most definitely

4.64 40 time

15 bench rep - even Best/Spiller/McKnight had more

2.69 20 time slowest

08'11" broad jump HORRIBLE

4.67 shuttle HORRIBLE ALSO

7.56 Cone same as the broad jump/shuttle

Jacob: you make excellent points. This was a very heavy defensive draft - he was definitely considered in the next tier after the big 3 and that's partly why he fell. Other teams felt the need to pick up WR's/Defensive players - also, since the league is transitioning to a RBBC, RB's just aren't that valuable anymore unless they're elite.

 

[thecardiackid]

i think your post = buyer's remorse.

that said, you're only a Mendy ACL away from something (though what that is we all need to see on the field).

another UGA RB fell to the 6th round, but he was drafted by skeletor and was injured his sr. season. maybe there's some hidden karma there.

 

[jacobo_moses]

I think Dwyer still has a high ceiling. He is only 20 and still learning. I think give him 2-3 yrs and he will be a top 25- 30 rb EASY.

 

[jacobo_moses]

This Post in the Steelers Offseason thread gives me hope also.

Jonathan Dwyer

War Room analysis

Inside running: Excels in this area, especially having played fullback in Tech's option offense. Shows decisiveness and aggressiveness attacking the hole. Has an explosive burst to get through the hole and the speed to outrun the defense. Absorbs hard hits and keeps on going, and runs through arm tackles easily. Gets shoulders down to deliver violent blows to would-be tacklers. Has the athleticism to change directions quickly to make tacklers miss in close quarters. Changes directions in a flash when middle is clogged. Grade: 9.0

Outside running: Has little experience as a perimeter runner; only ran outside on option pitches in college. At times will fight the pitch a bit and have to slow down to secure ball. Makes sharp cutbacks against the grain, and shows the burst to shoot through hole. Must practice taking handoffs on outside runs, and must learn patience to follow blockers on outside runs. Grade: 6.0

Blocking: Lowers shoulders to deliver violent blows. Is a decent cut-blocker in pass protection but must be more consistent. Doesn't always work hard. Sometimes uses bad technique, staying upright and thus allowing his man to pressure the QB. Grade: 4.5

Hands/routes: Lacks experience, but did catch passes well in limited chances. Must work on route-running skills. Grade: 5.5

Durability: Is tough, trying to play through injuries in '09. Did miss some playing time, a concern because of his aggressive style. Grade: 6.5

Bottom line: There is little doubt about Dwyer's elite physical talent, but, after playing in Tech's option offense, he must develop NFL skills. We love his aggressive and physical style, gaining yardage after contact and making big plays. For Dwyer to become a three-down back, he must compete harder and use better technique in pass protection and improve his route-running. Most prospects who played fullback in an option offense usually scare us, Dwyer's rare physical talent, excellent strength and exceptional inside running skills make us confident he can become an elite NFL back.

 

[jacobo_moses]

I mean yeah he has some things to work on but look at what they say about him at the end of this analysis. His strengths give us hope he can still be an elite back. I think there is enough upside to warrant taking him in the 18-25 range in rookie drafts.

 

[loose circuits]

he may have his work cut out for him beating out Redman

 

[FreeBaGeL]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd. Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

 

[Highway Robbery]

i think your post = buyer's remorse.that said, you're only a Mendy ACL away from something (though what that is we all need to see on the field).another UGA RB fell to the 6th round, but he was drafted by skeletor and was injured his sr. season. maybe there's some hidden karma there.

Dwyer went to Tech. UGA sucks.

 

[thecardiackid]

i think your post = buyer's remorse.that said, you're only a Mendy ACL away from something (though what that is we all need to see on the field).another UGA RB fell to the 6th round, but he was drafted by skeletor and was injured his sr. season. maybe there's some hidden karma there.

Dwyer went to Tech. UGA sucks.

mea culpa.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd. Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

NE picked a punter instead of Dwyer in the 5th. Think about that. 5th round comes up, Dwyer still on the board, and NE without hesitation drafts a punter. In the 6th with Dwyer on the board, they took running back Karim Deji. There simply is no good way to spin this.

 

[apalmer]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.

1) He was considered the next tier of RB's

2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

NE picked a punter instead of Dwyer in the 5th. Think about that. 5th round comes up, Dwyer still on the board, and NE without hesitation drafts a punter. In the 6th with Dwyer on the board, they took running back Karim Deji. There simply is no good way to spin this.

Really? Without hesitation? Were you in on the discussion? Did you have their phone bugged? How do you know it was "without hesitation"?

 

[jacobo_moses]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd. Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

You realize that at this point in the draft they had Leon Washington, Lendale White, and Justin Forsett and Julius Jones on their rosters right? Seattle had far greater needs then adding a 5th RB to the mix.

 

[jacobo_moses]

Someone explain to me why Sigmund Bloom has Dwyer in his top 20 then.?? You know the Post 100 article that is on the site.?? Just curious if he is so bad why is he even in the top 20 OR 50 for that matter.

 

[identikit]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.

1) He was considered the next tier of RB's

2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

NE picked a punter instead of Dwyer in the 5th. Think about that. 5th round comes up, Dwyer still on the board, and NE without hesitation drafts a punter. In the 6th with Dwyer on the board, they took running back Karim Deji. There simply is no good way to spin this.

Deji Karim was selected by Jacksonville, not New England. Though I would have preferred NE.

 

[Happy Ragnarok]

Just in the past few years, James Davis, Bernard Scott, Peyton Hillis, Justin Forsett, Le'Ron McClain, Ahmad Bradshaw, Marion Barber, Brandon Jacobs, and Darren Sproles have all been drafted after punters fell off the board.

I don't have a whole lot of hope Dwyer will turn into anything, but I don't think we can use the punter metric to determine whether every RB drafted after it happens will be worthless in the NFL.

 

[Sabertooth]

I just drafted J. Dwyer in a 32 dynasty team league with pick 19. I know its a little bit of reach.But he is only 20Has 2 great proven seasons. Has good size and decent enough speed for his size. THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd. Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd. At any rate. I think his talent will come out in the next 1-3 yrs. So at pick 19 after all the good RB's and WR's are gone. His risk is worth the possibl reward at pick 19. Does anyone else agree??

He looks like he's running in quicksand. That gets you by in college, but the pros will eat him up. He'll be a fullback if he can learn to block. I wouldn't be surprised to see him out of the league in 3 years.

 

[GreatLakesMike]

Slow first step and no lateral agility. Good long speed for a guy his size though.

 

[Warhogs]

I'm not sure how well his talent will translate to the NFL but I do know he has Mendenhall ahead of him and probably Moore ahead of him for this year anyway. He could prove to be a nice pick but I suspect he won't get an opportunity for a couple of years anyway.

In my book it's a bit rough having to wait a couple years before you even find out if his talent will translate to being a fantasy football contributer.

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

Slow first step and no lateral agility. Good long speed for a guy his size though.

It's interesting how almost nobody pointed this out before his terrible workout, even though it was obvious watching tape of him that he took forever to get going.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd. Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

You realize that at this point in the draft they had Leon Washington, Lendale White, and Justin Forsett and Julius Jones on their rosters right? Seattle had far greater needs then adding a 5th RB to the mix.

Didn't Seattle pass on Dwyer several times before making the trades for Washington and White?

 

[GreatLakesMike]

Slow first step and no lateral agility. Good long speed for a guy his size though.

It's interesting how almost nobody pointed this out before his terrible workout, even though it was obvious watching tape of him that he took forever to get going.

I agree.

 

[offdee]

Copied and pasted the below from a post I made in a different Dwyer thread. To add one add'l note on previous comments of teams bypassing him multiple times, one of the bullets below talks about a report that multiple teams had Dwyer completely removed from their draft boards due to "medical concerns"..that could've been the case with the Patriots.

------------------------------------

I'll admit that I was a big Dwyer backer over the past year and am still a little dumbfounded about his major drop in the draft. But, I'm trying to be realistic here and look at facts of the situation to see if there's something I can deduce to the happenings of his drop to make some sense of it.

Below are some of my findings of why NFL GM's could've been scared off...

- He suffered a toe injury in his final game (Bowl game vs. Iowa in early Jan.). Due to this, his pre-combine training suffered which would partly give some credence to the slow 40 time, bad jump numbers and looking out of shape. (on the other hand, he ran better, 4.52, at his Pro-Day and looked more fluid in drills per those in attendance)

- Gimmicky option offense hard to evaluate vision, initial burst, etc. (although he produced as a true Freshman backing up Tashard Choice in a pro-style offense..82 attempts, 436 yds, 9TDs)

- Late report of a positive drug test (although it came out it was for ADD meds he's been taking his entire life....no illegal drugs)

- Poor pass blocking skills (this one is what it is, and due to the amount of passes GT has per game I'm sure pass blocking wasn't something extensively worked on for GT RB's unfortunately)

- Adam Schefter reported many teams took him off their boards due to "medical concerns", but it's never been reported what those medical concerns were. Was it the ADD? Was it the toe injury? Matt Waldman said he played all year with a shoulder injury which was the first I heard of. As far as I know he never really missed any time in college or sustained a major injury throughout his career so I have no idea what this is all about.

Am I still confused and in denial of him dropping to the 6th round and drafted behind guys like Anthony Dixon and Deji Karim...yes. Do I fully realize that the odds of him flaming out and doing absolutely nothing are now a distinct possibility...yes. Do I think he's still a solid talent that can thrive in the NFL...yes.

 

[Happy Ragnarok]

Anyway, as a Steeler backer, all I'm really hoping for is that he proves to have strong legs and no fumble problems. A capable change of pace back who can punch it in from the red zone when Spinderella can't, and has some chance in hell of occasionally breaking a long one if he comes in for a series or two would be all I could hope for, here.

If he can't do that, we wasted nothing but a 6th rounder. If he can, we got a steal. If he proves able to do more than that, it's a pleasant surprise and a grand theft larceny.

 

[Cripster]

I think the Steelers got some good value. A GA Tech fan I know told me his shoulder got screwed up during the year and word got out to the NFL scouts. Also, he probably doesn't know how to pass protect etc. By coming in as a reserve, he can heal up and learn the game. The Steelers will need him at some point.

Also, he is considered a little undisciplined like Anthony Dixon . Neither are bad kids, just immature. Both arev6 round picks playing behind established backs. What to you have to lose.

 

[cstu]

Someone explain to me why Sigmund Bloom has Dwyer in his top 20 then.?? You know the Post 100 article that is on the site.?? Just curious if he is so bad why is he even in the top 20 OR 50 for that matter.

Sometimes even Bloom is wrong. He's a good power RB and tough to bring down, but I think he lacks the vision to be an NFL back. Bloom isn't the only one enamored with the way he bowls through people.

 

[Garts]

TJ Duckett

 

[rabidfireweasel]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.

1) He was considered the next tier of RB's

2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

NE picked a punter instead of Dwyer in the 5th. Think about that. 5th round comes up, Dwyer still on the board, and NE without hesitation drafts a punter. In the 6th with Dwyer on the board, they took running back Karim Deji. There simply is no good way to spin this.

Deji Karim was selected by Jacksonville, not New England. Though I would have preferred NE.

Correct. I meant to write that JaX- who has little after MJD, selected Karim.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.

1) He was considered the next tier of RB's

2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

Correct me if I'm wrong but besides A Dixon. Did anyone else really get drafted at RB in rnds 3-5. I don't think any good ones did. Besides McNight, or was he a low 2nd.

Seattle passing on him like 4 times in that span was pretty telling though.

NE picked a punter instead of Dwyer in the 5th. Think about that. 5th round comes up, Dwyer still on the board, and NE without hesitation drafts a punter. In the 6th with Dwyer on the board, they took running back Karim Deji. There simply is no good way to spin this.

Really? Without hesitation? Were you in on the discussion? Did you have their phone bugged? How do you know it was "without hesitation"?

Cute reply there, Mr Snarky. I know because of several reasons. First, I was watching the draft and they made the selection extremely quickly. Often NE is in trade discussions and waits for a bit with a pick to see if they can trade down. In this case, they did not. Later, when I watched clips of the NE warrom, (I posted a link for this here), they not only talked about targeting Zoltan in round 5, but they feared that GB (who was selected 5 picks later) would take Mesko.

 

[cstu]

TJ Duckett

I think you mean a slow TJ Duckett.

 

[Steelfan7]

he may have his work cut out for him beating out Redman

ThisRedman is said to be in very good shape in minicamps. That is what held him back last yr. Tomlin was not very pleased with his physical conditioning last yr.

 

[jacobo_moses]

So it sounds like this Dwyer kid pretty much sucks from what the majority of you are saying. If Mendenhall got hurt Mewelde Moore and Redman would spilt the carries and shoulder the load huh? Ok I got ya guys. He is a slow TJ Duckett. (Boy am I glad I drafted him.)

 

[jacobo_moses]

This was a coment from the Steelers Director.

"This kid's had 1,300 yards in each of the last two years," said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations. "He's a big kid, with deceptive speed and productivity. And again as a junior you still think he hasn't reached his full potential yet."

Maybe I'm wrong but I think this kid could still improve to be fantasy relevant.

 

[jacobo_moses]

Any Pittsburgh homers want to chime in. There are reports with Santonio gone now and Big Ben out for a little while, that Pitt is going to run a lot more. That would give Dwyer some value this year.

 

[Balco]

TJ Duckett

Interested to hear your take on the comparison.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

So it sounds like this Dwyer kid pretty much sucks from what the majority of you are saying. If Mendenhall got hurt Mewelde Moore and Redman would spilt the carries and shoulder the load huh? Ok I got ya guys. He is a slow TJ Duckett. (Boy am I glad I drafted him.)

No one is saying he can't be good. He is definitely worth taking at some point in a rookie draft. 19 is close to where would take him. However, I have very tempered expectations. Most people who are down on his prospects simply believe that there is more to his drop than your initial reasoning of:

THese are the two main reasons I think he fell in the draft besides he was not great at the combine and a little heavier.1) He was considered the next tier of RB's2) And the teams that needed an RB grabbed them in the 1st and 2nd.

 

[jacobo_moses]

Copied and pasted the below from a post I made in a different Dwyer thread. To add one add'l note on previous comments of teams bypassing him multiple times, one of the bullets below talks about a report that multiple teams had Dwyer completely removed from their draft boards due to "medical concerns"..that could've been the case with the Patriots.------------------------------------I'll admit that I was a big Dwyer backer over the past year and am still a little dumbfounded about his major drop in the draft. But, I'm trying to be realistic here and look at facts of the situation to see if there's something I can deduce to the happenings of his drop to make some sense of it.Below are some of my findings of why NFL GM's could've been scared off...- He suffered a toe injury in his final game (Bowl game vs. Iowa in early Jan.). Due to this, his pre-combine training suffered which would partly give some credence to the slow 40 time, bad jump numbers and looking out of shape. (on the other hand, he ran better, 4.52, at his Pro-Day and looked more fluid in drills per those in attendance)- Gimmicky option offense hard to evaluate vision, initial burst, etc. (although he produced as a true Freshman backing up Tashard Choice in a pro-style offense..82 attempts, 436 yds, 9TDs)- Late report of a positive drug test (although it came out it was for ADD meds he's been taking his entire life....no illegal drugs)- Poor pass blocking skills (this one is what it is, and due to the amount of passes GT has per game I'm sure pass blocking wasn't something extensively worked on for GT RB's unfortunately)- Adam Schefter reported many teams took him off their boards due to "medical concerns", but it's never been reported what those medical concerns were. Was it the ADD? Was it the toe injury? Matt Waldman said he played all year with a shoulder injury which was the first I heard of. As far as I know he never really missed any time in college or sustained a major injury throughout his career so I have no idea what this is all about.Am I still confused and in denial of him dropping to the 6th round and drafted behind guys like Anthony Dixon and Deji Karim...yes. Do I fully realize that the odds of him flaming out and doing absolutely nothing are now a distinct possibility...yes. Do I think he's still a solid talent that can thrive in the NFL...yes.

Good post

 

[jacobo_moses]

I don't buy it that he is really slow and more like a TJ Duckett. Otherwise he woudnlt of had 1300 yards in each of the last 2 seasons. On top of that. People tend to read too much into the Scouting combine. Anquan Boldin was projected to be a not 3 overall pick when he was drafted. he had a so so combine and he fell to the middle or bottom of the 2nd rnd. Dwyer was projected to be a 2nd or 3rd rnd pick. He then had a so so combine and then tested for drugs (which were for ADD, he had been taking since he was a child) So I think Dwyer has the skill set to succeed, and he is still young.

 

[thecardiackid]

This was a coment from the Steelers Director. "This kid's had 1,300 yards in each of the last two years," said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations. "He's a big kid, with deceptive speed and productivity. And again as a junior you still think he hasn't reached his full potential yet."Maybe I'm wrong but I think this kid could still improve to be fantasy relevant.

OK, but seriously, what's the guy who just drafted him supposed to say? Probably not "well he's probably a turd, but why not? Every other NFL team passed him over till the 6th round - taking the gimmic RBs (slot, wildcat, returner guys) - and I guess we need to figure out how to replace FWP's roster spot somehow. Plus I wanted to get home to the family after the 3 day event."Barring a serious injury to Mendy, I can't see this guy becoming relevant. Maybe if Mendy was 29 yrs old. And I doubt getting stuck on the kickoff or punt cover team will do much for his motivation, especially if he couldn't get motivated for the biggest inverview/combine (and subsequent payday) of his entire life.

 

[jacobo_moses]

I guess seeing this post gave me some hope. Granted I don't agree with all of it. I think he gets a little carried away in this write up. But if even half of it is true then I'm happy with taking him at 19 in a rookie draft.

Jonathan Dwyer is starting to become one of my favorite rookie running backs coming out of the 2010 NFL Draft. He could very well end up being one of the biggest 2010 draft day steals when all is said and done. I know a lot of Rashard Mendenhall owners don't want to hear this -- And believe me, I was one of Mendy's biggest supporters during his rookie campaign -- But things change in the NFL and they change fast. Fantasy owners can either observe and react, or they get left behind. Am I suggesting that Mendy dynasty owners jump ship? No. Don't sell-low, but if you own Mendy right now, I advise that you either entertain selling high, or be sure to draft Jonathan Dwyer in your upcoming rookie draft at almost any cost. Jump on our FFX forums if you need to toss out those scenarios! Ok, so it's confession time... Coming out of college, I had Mendy pegged to be the next top 5-10 fantasy back -- then a shoulder injury struck. Mendy did bounce-back during his sophomore campaign and he started to show signs of brilliance. In 2009, he ended up rushing the ball 242 times for 1,108 yards (4.6) and 7TDs. He also added 25 receptions for 261 yards and a score. That's a fantastic sophomore season! After having such a productive sophomore season, Mendy was looking like a top 10RB lock heading into the early 2010 off-season -- That was until the Steelers struck gold and landed Jonathan Dwyer in the sixth-round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Georgia Tech product has definitely walked into a back-up role to kick things off, but I see huge opportunity for Dwyer over in Pittsburgh... and there is almost no risk for those looking to invest (redraft or dynasty). Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that Rashard Mendenhall will just hand the starting job over to Dwyer, nor am I suggesting that Mendenhall still can't be a top 10 overall talent himself... Mendy still has a shot at being that guy, but Dwyer is a force and he just complicated Mendy's chances of a permanent starting gig in Pittsburgh. I'm sorry Mendy owners, but it's true. The odds of Mendy dominating just got worse. The thing is, Dwyer is a beast-of-a-runner and was considered a first-round talent for much of the early 2010 NFL off-season. For some reason, Dwyer dropped on every team's draft board. Why? From what I can tell, the drop in draft stock can be attributed mainly to Dwyer testing positive for amphetamines at the NFL scouting combine, but as we have reported numerous times already on FFX, sources suggest that the positive test was the result of a medication that he takes for attention deficit disorder. While there could be some other mysterious medical issue we don't know about -- And believe me we're searching for it -- It appears that the Steelers stole Dwyer away from every other team in the NFL. Dwyer had no business falling to pick 188 in the 2010 NFL Draft. Again, Mendy is going to get his chance to lead that Steelers rushing attack in 2010, but make no mistake... Mendy will be looking over his shoulder the entire season. If he falters at all, or gets banged up early on in 2010, Dwyer might get shoved into the line-up and he may never let go of the starting gig once he gets it. In most cases, stud runners don't lose their job to injury, and they don't lose their job if they start off the year in slow fashion... Well, that won't be the case here. Dwyer, before the mysterious drop in draft value, was about as big a college prospect as Mendy ever was. Dwyer is not your typical back-up and the Steelers won't hesitate to stay with Dwyer if he steps in and succeeds. While Mendy has the size to be a between-the-tackles runner, and that's what Pittsburgh wants most of all, Dwyer might just fit into that role even better than Mendy. Dwyer is 6-1, 235 pounds and scored 27 total touchdowns in his final two college seasons. He also averaged 6.4 yards-per-carry during that span and ran for 1,395 yards in each of those final two campaigns. Dwyer could be the between-the-tackles runner the Steelers have been longing for since the Jerome Bettis days. Mendy can still be that top 15 overall back, but again, Dwyer's presence lessen the odds, that's all. In 2010 redraft leagues, I'm going to let someone else invest in Mendy and I'm going to be that owner that snags Jonathan Dwyer in the middle-to-late rounds... and in dynasty formats, I recommend selling high on Mendy if you still can, or as I said, draft Jonathan Dwyer in your upcoming rookie draft at almost any cost -- Landing Dwyer with Mendy will solve all of your problems if you're a Mendy dynasty owner.

 

[jacobo_moses]

This is the link to the write up by the way.

http://www.fantasyfootballxtreme.com/fanta...yer-spotlights/

 

[rabidfireweasel]

I don't buy it that he is really slow and more like a TJ Duckett. Otherwise he woudnlt of had 1300 yards in each of the last 2 seasons.

TJ Duckett had a 1350 yard season followed by a 1400 yard season.

 

[jacobo_moses]

Was TJ Duckett also in the top 8 for RB's coming out in the draft like Dwyer was ???

I doubt it.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

Was TJ Duckett also in the top 8 for RB's coming out in the draft like Dwyer was ???I doubt it.

He was a first round pick.

 

[spider321]

Chill jacob.

Most would agree that Dwyer was a good pick at 19.

Why are you so worried about who you got at pick 19 anyway?

 

[PhD]

This was a coment from the Steelers Director. "This kid's had 1,300 yards in each of the last two years," said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations. "He's a big kid, with deceptive speed and productivity. And again as a junior you still think he hasn't reached his full potential yet."Maybe I'm wrong but I think this kid could still improve to be fantasy relevant.

OK, but seriously, what's the guy who just drafted him supposed to say? Probably not "well he's probably a turd, but why not? Every other NFL team passed him over till the 6th round - taking the gimmic RBs (slot, wildcat, returner guys) - and I guess we need to figure out how to replace FWP's roster spot somehow. Plus I wanted to get home to the family after the 3 day event."Barring a serious injury to Mendy, I can't see this guy becoming relevant. Maybe if Mendy was 29 yrs old. And I doubt getting stuck on the kickoff or punt cover team will do much for his motivation, especially if he couldn't get motivated for the biggest inverview/combine (and subsequent payday) of his entire life.

Any chance your disdain for this kid jumped up a couple notches after he was drafted by Pitt?Seriously, it' not like the Steelers are shouting from the mountaintops that they stole this guy. Colbert simply said that he has some things going for him that are "deceptive" and that they expect that he hasn't reached his peak yet. It sounds like they are willing to watch him develop. If he was hurt he will heal. If he got no blocking lessons he will get them. He was in a "gimmick" offense and yet impressed people with inside running and breaking tackles. It doesn't sound like he is going to be ready this year, but next year or maybe another year he might just be. If you have a 6th rnder and patience then this is the guy for you.

 

[Unwrittenlaw]

Was TJ Duckett also in the top 8 for RB's coming out in the draft like Dwyer was ???I doubt it.

ROFL??he was actually the #1 RB prospect in his class2002 RB class:# T.J. Duckett, Michigan St.# DeShaun Foster, U.C.L.A.# William Green, Boston College# Clinton Portis, Miami (FL)# Adrian Peterson, Georgia Southern# Jonathan Wells, Ohio St.# Luke Staley, B.Y.U.# Ladell Betts, Iowa# Maurice Morris, Oregon

 

[Wasabi]

This was a coment from the Steelers Director. "This kid's had 1,300 yards in each of the last two years," said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations. "He's a big kid, with deceptive speed and productivity. And again as a junior you still think he hasn't reached his full potential yet."Maybe I'm wrong but I think this kid could still improve to be fantasy relevant.

OK, but seriously, what's the guy who just drafted him supposed to say? Probably not "well he's probably a turd, but why not? Every other NFL team passed him over till the 6th round - taking the gimmic RBs (slot, wildcat, returner guys) - and I guess we need to figure out how to replace FWP's roster spot somehow. Plus I wanted to get home to the family after the 3 day event."Barring a serious injury to Mendy, I can't see this guy becoming relevant. Maybe if Mendy was 29 yrs old. And I doubt getting stuck on the kickoff or punt cover team will do much for his motivation, especially if he couldn't get motivated for the biggest inverview/combine (and subsequent payday) of his entire life.

Any chance your disdain for this kid jumped up a couple notches after he was drafted by Pitt?Seriously, it' not like the Steelers are shouting from the mountaintops that they stole this guy. Colbert simply said that he has some things going for him that are "deceptive" and that they expect that he hasn't reached his peak yet. It sounds like they are willing to watch him develop. If he was hurt he will heal. If he got no blocking lessons he will get them. He was in a "gimmick" offense and yet impressed people with inside running and breaking tackles. It doesn't sound like he is going to be ready this year, but next year or maybe another year he might just be. If you have a 6th rnder and patience then this is the guy for you.

 

[H8fulHuck]

Not having a bull dozer hurt the Steelers' production last season. Chances are good that either Red or Dwyer will suit up as the short yardage back in 2010.

Honestly, Dwyer might have a hard time earning much PT this season unless he is highly motivated and learns to block. You don't trust your franchise QB's ribs to a rookie that can't pick up a blitz. His rushing ability would have to be ADP like to overcome poor blocking technique.