miqws
Footballguy
Agreed - have to adjust for your own league. RBs are a premium in my league, predict 3 RBs go in the top five for my particular situation.
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[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Xue
- Start date
Catbird
Footballguy
Sitting with the 1.06, I hope like hell that 3 RBs go in the top 5, but I think that'd be a little bit crazy. The WRs this year are just a big cut above the RBs. At least 4 (I think at least 5) WRs are going to be better fantasy players than anyone you can rely on among the RBs. I understand the importance of stud RBs as there become fewer and fewer workhorses, but you can't make silk purses out of sows.
I suppose landing in TEN or with the Giants could make Hyde or Mason look like a starting RB before long, but I don't see the likelihood of early picks on RBs this year producing nearly what the early WRs will, short term or long.
I suppose landing in TEN or with the Giants could make Hyde or Mason look like a starting RB before long, but I don't see the likelihood of early picks on RBs this year producing nearly what the early WRs will, short term or long.
EBF
Footballguy
Two inches and ten pounds is not an insignificant difference, but you also have to look at how they play. Blackmon was more physical on the field by some distance. I'd say he's a possession/YAC guy in the mold of Bowe, Boldin, and Crabtree. Beckham plays like more of a speed/finesse guy. He's not that strong on the field. He also only did 7 reps on the bench at the combine, if you put any stock into that particular drill.Willie Mays Hayes said:
BoltzNBrew
Footballguy
I have 1.02,1.08 and 1.03,1.09 and also hope RB's go early. All these rankings will change drastically after the NFL draft.Catbird said:
BigTex
Don't mess with Texas
I too have the 1.02 pick via trade from last year and I've never been so unsure of whom I want in a draft before at this point. I already have Seastrunk and Lee from last year so I just may grab Gurley with the #2 pick which includes vets, rookies and college players. I also have the #5 and #11 pick so Ebron might be my guy since TEs are a premium in my league and with an aging Gates I'm in need of a TE and a WR with #11 pick..............we'll see how the draft goes first.
BigTex
Don't mess with Texas
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Sankey knows running back position has less value in today’s NFL
Posted by Mike Florio on April 19, 2014, 1:22 PM EDT
AP
The ongoing devaluation of the running back position could prompt highly-talented athletes to gravitate toward other positions. Until then, highly-talented athletes who have chosen to play running back will be relegated to making chicken salad out of their NFL prospects.
Washington running back Bishop Sankey realizes that the game is changing. But he still embraces the challenge of playing running back at the NFL level.
“Obviously last year with there being no running back going in the first round, I think there has just been a bigger emphasis on the pass in the NFL and maybe I’m biased but I feel like running back are just as valuable as anybody else on the field especially on the offense,” Sankey told NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk this week. “We not only contribute on the ground but we also pass protect, protect the quarterback and we can also be used as an asset out of the backfield catching the ball.
“Not only that I think a lot of running backs contribute a lot on special teams as well with kick returns, punt returns. Not even being a returner but also blocking for those guys and it’s kind of the direction the league’s going in now, but for me it’s just like I want to go out there every time I get a chance and eliminate all the questions that the NFL coaches have and really just try and put my best foot forward to give me a good opportunity come draft day.”
This year, there likely will be no running backs taken in round one. If given the choice between being a first-round pick or the first running back taken, Sankey would take being the first running back selected.
“I think it just speaks high if you’re the first guy to go at your position,” Sankey said. “It speaks high of what teams think about you and the work that you’ve put in up to this point.”
While it’s highly unlikely any running back will go in the first round, Sankey has a good shot of being the first running back whose name is called. And then he’ll get a fair chance to show what he can do in September, when his number is called.
Posted by Mike Florio on April 19, 2014, 1:22 PM EDT
AP
The ongoing devaluation of the running back position could prompt highly-talented athletes to gravitate toward other positions. Until then, highly-talented athletes who have chosen to play running back will be relegated to making chicken salad out of their NFL prospects.
Washington running back Bishop Sankey realizes that the game is changing. But he still embraces the challenge of playing running back at the NFL level.
“Obviously last year with there being no running back going in the first round, I think there has just been a bigger emphasis on the pass in the NFL and maybe I’m biased but I feel like running back are just as valuable as anybody else on the field especially on the offense,” Sankey told NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk this week. “We not only contribute on the ground but we also pass protect, protect the quarterback and we can also be used as an asset out of the backfield catching the ball.
“Not only that I think a lot of running backs contribute a lot on special teams as well with kick returns, punt returns. Not even being a returner but also blocking for those guys and it’s kind of the direction the league’s going in now, but for me it’s just like I want to go out there every time I get a chance and eliminate all the questions that the NFL coaches have and really just try and put my best foot forward to give me a good opportunity come draft day.”
This year, there likely will be no running backs taken in round one. If given the choice between being a first-round pick or the first running back taken, Sankey would take being the first running back selected.
“I think it just speaks high if you’re the first guy to go at your position,” Sankey said. “It speaks high of what teams think about you and the work that you’ve put in up to this point.”
While it’s highly unlikely any running back will go in the first round, Sankey has a good shot of being the first running back whose name is called. And then he’ll get a fair chance to show what he can do in September, when his number is called.
Biabreakable
Footballguy
I was just looking at Rob Rang's recent mock draft http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft/expert/rob-rang
In the second round he has some interesting picks-
10. TENNESSEE TITANS
(7-9) Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: Jettisoning Chris Johnson will look like less of a gamble once the Titans take their pick of the running back class here.
11. NY GIANTS
(7-9) Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington: Tom Coughlin will appreciate Sankey's no-nonsense approach and three-down reliability.
12. ST. LOUIS RAMS
(7-9) Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State: The run on backs continues with Jeff Fisher getting the draft's most physical back to complete St. Louis' refurbished offense.
If these RB were drafted in the top half of the 2nd round how would you feel about holding the 2nd or 3rd overall picks in dynasty?
I cannot say these fits make a lot of sense besides the Titans. But that Rang has these RB being drafted this high tells a different story than how he has them ranked on his big board.
In the second round he has some interesting picks-
10. TENNESSEE TITANS
(7-9) Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: Jettisoning Chris Johnson will look like less of a gamble once the Titans take their pick of the running back class here.
11. NY GIANTS
(7-9) Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington: Tom Coughlin will appreciate Sankey's no-nonsense approach and three-down reliability.
12. ST. LOUIS RAMS
(7-9) Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State: The run on backs continues with Jeff Fisher getting the draft's most physical back to complete St. Louis' refurbished offense.
If these RB were drafted in the top half of the 2nd round how would you feel about holding the 2nd or 3rd overall picks in dynasty?
I cannot say these fits make a lot of sense besides the Titans. But that Rang has these RB being drafted this high tells a different story than how he has them ranked on his big board.
Yet, when you compare the heights of a 6' 1" WR and a 6' 3" WR there's less than a 3% difference in their overall heights.
Considering the entire range for WR heights is only around 8-9", two represents almost 25% of that.
jurb26
Footballguy
What about their catch radius? Big WR are valued because of their catch radius more than anything. Just talking about height doesn't real mean much IMO.Yet, when you compare the heights of a 6' 1" WR and a 6' 3" WR there's less than a 3% difference in their overall heights.
Considering the entire range for WR heights is only around 8-9", two represents almost 25% of that.
One More Rep
Footballguy
Especially when it's possible the shorter WR could have bigger hands and longer arms.What about their catch radius? Big WR are valued because of their catch radius more than anything. Just talking about height doesn't real mean much IMO.Yet, when you compare the heights of a 6' 1" WR and a 6' 3" WR there's less than a 3% difference in their overall heights.
Considering the entire range for WR heights is only around 8-9", two represents almost 25% of that.
EBF
Footballguy
It's pretty much inevitable that some of those backs are going to end up in weird spots. We were pretty fortunate last year to see Bernard, Bell, Lacy, and Ball all go to teams with weak RB groups. There just aren't as many wide open situations right now. So I think you'll see some weird fits like Michael in Seattle, Knile in KC, or Pierce in Baltimore that don't really excite rookie drafters.
Running backs in draft could be hurt as teams place less value on position
April 20
BY TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star
The running back is becoming less and less valuable in today’s NFL, and if anyone knows it, it’s the incoming rookies who play the position, like Arizona star Ka’Deem Carey.
NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah considers LSU’s Jeremy Hill and Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde (pictured) to be the best backs in the draft, but said the diminishing value of the position could make it tough for a team to spend a first-round pick on either of them.
“I don’t like that,” said the 5-foot-9, 207-pound Carey, who is projected to be a midround pick. “I feel like they think the running-back spot is going extinct for some reason.”
Carey, who was wildly productive last season, rushing 349 times for 1,885 yards and 19 touchdowns, was then asked if he would have changed positions years ago had he known that running backs’ value would soon plummet.
“Tell me about it,” Carey said. “Nowadays, they’re like you’ve got to go second, third round. I’m like, ‘Why in the hell didn’t you tell me this a couple of years ago, that running backs are going extinct?’ ”
Carey was obviously joking, but this newfound struggle for running backs is no laughing matter.
Running backs have notoriously short shelf lives, anyway, and rookies are locked into club-friendly deals for at least four years. By the time a good running back hits free-agency in his mid-to-late 20s, the wear and tear on his body will likely prevent teams from investing heavily.
Consider the cases of Knowshon Moreno and Ben Tate. Both hit free-agency this year after productive seasons. Moreno rushed 241 times for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns in Denver while Tate rushed 181 times for 771 yards and four touchdown.
Both, however, failed to get big dollars on the open market, as Tate reportedly signed a two-year, $6.2 million contract and Moreno reportedly signed a one-year, $1.975 million contract. They aren’t the only ones, either, as Toby Gerhart (Jaguars), LeGarrette Blount (Steelers), Maurice Jones-Drew (Raiders) and several others all agreed to relatively small deals.
The financial realities of the situation means that it behooves college running backs to get into the league as soon as possible so they can get their free-agency clock started. Carey, who left school after his junior season, said several people advised him to leave school early.
“They definitely were in my ear, saying you have a limited numbers of hits and running backs, you need to go while you have the chance,” Carey said. “I know that I could have come back and played another year, got bigger and stronger and dominated at that level. But my decision was I was ready for the league. I felt like I was ready a year ago but I just couldn’t leave. I stayed consistent this year and really proved to me that I was ready to provide for my family.”
That may be true, but it remains to be seen how high he ― or the other running backs ― will go. NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah considers LSU’s Jeremy Hill and Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde to be the best backs in the draft, but said the diminishing value of the position could make it tough for a team to spend a first-round pick on either of them.
“When you look at the running backs, I think it’s a pretty good group, and I think there’s a lot of depth there,” Jeremiah said. “In past years, (Hyde and Hill), they’d be first-round picks, but now, (we’re) talking about the position being devalued.”
However, there is hope for the top backs, according to Jeremiah.
“A team I’d keep an eye on is the Patriots because the Patriots are always kind of one step ahead of the curve and trying to be creative,” Jeremiah said of New England, which picks No. 29 overall. “I wouldn’t be shocked if they just sit there and said, ‘OK, everybody else wants to pass on all these running backs ― Carlos Hyde is a really good player. LeGarrette Blount is not here anymore, we’re going to pluck him, and we’ve got ourselves a back of the future.’ ”
Indeed, in a copycat league like the NFL, all it takes a respected mind like Patriots coach Bill Belichick to invest a first-round pick in a running back to help the tide turn the other way and instigate a run on the position.
This would be a good thing for Carey and his fellow backs, all of whom know that the earlier they’re taken, the more guaranteed money they’ll make.
For his part, Carey is eager to prove he’s worth the investment. He does have a few question marks ―including a middling 40-yard-dash time of 4.70 and two off-the-field transgressions that led to a one-game suspension this season ― but his productivity and versatility could be attractive.
“I’m definitely going to make sure they know that when I step on the field, they made a good pick and running backs aren’t going extinct,” Carey said.
Top 10 prospects for the Chiefs
Player School Ht. Wt. Evaluation*
1. Carlos Hyde Ohio State 6-0 230 Does not have elite breakaway speed or elusiveness, but he’s a big, strong, productive back who runs hard, often falls forward and is good in pass protection. OK hands.
2. Jeremy Hill LSU 6-1 233 Another big, strong back with good feet who runs hard in a zone-blocking scheme. Decent hands, must improve as a blocker. Off-field issues could hurt his stock.
3. Tre Mason Auburn 5-8 207 Competitive, hard runner who was incredibly productive in a run-heavy offense. OK hands, willing blocker, a three-down player. Fits a zone-blocking scheme.
4. Bishop Sankey Washington 5-9 209 Has experience in a zone-blocking scheme and was very productive with a big workload. Has good vision. Struggles some in pass protection. Decent receiver.
5. Devonta Freeman Florida State 5-8 206 Short but is a great competitor and a hard worker who is reliable in pass protection and durable. OK receiver with good agility, acceleration. Showed good vision as a zone runner.
6. Ka’Deem Carey Arizona 5-9 207 Hard, competitive runner who doesn’t go down easily and was productive in a zone-blocking scheme. Isn’t a breakaway threat and has had off-the-field issues. Good receiver, willing blocker.
7. Terrence West Towson 5-9 225 Carried a huge workload and is built for it, despite his height. Runs hard and displays good vision but isn’t going to run away from people. Must improve as a blocker but is willing and is also a decent receiver.
8. De’Anthony Thomas Oregon 5-9 174 Is tiny and certainly not an every-down back, but there’s no doubting his explosiveness. Has sprinter speed and lots of experience as a receiver. Isn’t a blocker. Can be factor on special teams.
9. Charles Sims West Virginia 6-0 214 Hard worker who is an excellent receiver. A jack-of-all-trades type who has a lot of traits you want in a backup. Not a great blocker but is willing.
10. Storm Johnson Central Fla. 6-0 209 Big-play back with elusiveness and strength with experience as a zone runner. Needs to block and protect the ball better but is a good receiver.
April 20
BY TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star
The running back is becoming less and less valuable in today’s NFL, and if anyone knows it, it’s the incoming rookies who play the position, like Arizona star Ka’Deem Carey.
NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah considers LSU’s Jeremy Hill and Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde (pictured) to be the best backs in the draft, but said the diminishing value of the position could make it tough for a team to spend a first-round pick on either of them.
“I don’t like that,” said the 5-foot-9, 207-pound Carey, who is projected to be a midround pick. “I feel like they think the running-back spot is going extinct for some reason.”
Carey, who was wildly productive last season, rushing 349 times for 1,885 yards and 19 touchdowns, was then asked if he would have changed positions years ago had he known that running backs’ value would soon plummet.
“Tell me about it,” Carey said. “Nowadays, they’re like you’ve got to go second, third round. I’m like, ‘Why in the hell didn’t you tell me this a couple of years ago, that running backs are going extinct?’ ”
Carey was obviously joking, but this newfound struggle for running backs is no laughing matter.
Running backs have notoriously short shelf lives, anyway, and rookies are locked into club-friendly deals for at least four years. By the time a good running back hits free-agency in his mid-to-late 20s, the wear and tear on his body will likely prevent teams from investing heavily.
Consider the cases of Knowshon Moreno and Ben Tate. Both hit free-agency this year after productive seasons. Moreno rushed 241 times for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns in Denver while Tate rushed 181 times for 771 yards and four touchdown.
Both, however, failed to get big dollars on the open market, as Tate reportedly signed a two-year, $6.2 million contract and Moreno reportedly signed a one-year, $1.975 million contract. They aren’t the only ones, either, as Toby Gerhart (Jaguars), LeGarrette Blount (Steelers), Maurice Jones-Drew (Raiders) and several others all agreed to relatively small deals.
The financial realities of the situation means that it behooves college running backs to get into the league as soon as possible so they can get their free-agency clock started. Carey, who left school after his junior season, said several people advised him to leave school early.
“They definitely were in my ear, saying you have a limited numbers of hits and running backs, you need to go while you have the chance,” Carey said. “I know that I could have come back and played another year, got bigger and stronger and dominated at that level. But my decision was I was ready for the league. I felt like I was ready a year ago but I just couldn’t leave. I stayed consistent this year and really proved to me that I was ready to provide for my family.”
That may be true, but it remains to be seen how high he ― or the other running backs ― will go. NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah considers LSU’s Jeremy Hill and Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde to be the best backs in the draft, but said the diminishing value of the position could make it tough for a team to spend a first-round pick on either of them.
“When you look at the running backs, I think it’s a pretty good group, and I think there’s a lot of depth there,” Jeremiah said. “In past years, (Hyde and Hill), they’d be first-round picks, but now, (we’re) talking about the position being devalued.”
However, there is hope for the top backs, according to Jeremiah.
“A team I’d keep an eye on is the Patriots because the Patriots are always kind of one step ahead of the curve and trying to be creative,” Jeremiah said of New England, which picks No. 29 overall. “I wouldn’t be shocked if they just sit there and said, ‘OK, everybody else wants to pass on all these running backs ― Carlos Hyde is a really good player. LeGarrette Blount is not here anymore, we’re going to pluck him, and we’ve got ourselves a back of the future.’ ”
Indeed, in a copycat league like the NFL, all it takes a respected mind like Patriots coach Bill Belichick to invest a first-round pick in a running back to help the tide turn the other way and instigate a run on the position.
This would be a good thing for Carey and his fellow backs, all of whom know that the earlier they’re taken, the more guaranteed money they’ll make.
For his part, Carey is eager to prove he’s worth the investment. He does have a few question marks ―including a middling 40-yard-dash time of 4.70 and two off-the-field transgressions that led to a one-game suspension this season ― but his productivity and versatility could be attractive.
“I’m definitely going to make sure they know that when I step on the field, they made a good pick and running backs aren’t going extinct,” Carey said.
Top 10 prospects for the Chiefs
Player School Ht. Wt. Evaluation*
1. Carlos Hyde Ohio State 6-0 230 Does not have elite breakaway speed or elusiveness, but he’s a big, strong, productive back who runs hard, often falls forward and is good in pass protection. OK hands.
2. Jeremy Hill LSU 6-1 233 Another big, strong back with good feet who runs hard in a zone-blocking scheme. Decent hands, must improve as a blocker. Off-field issues could hurt his stock.
3. Tre Mason Auburn 5-8 207 Competitive, hard runner who was incredibly productive in a run-heavy offense. OK hands, willing blocker, a three-down player. Fits a zone-blocking scheme.
4. Bishop Sankey Washington 5-9 209 Has experience in a zone-blocking scheme and was very productive with a big workload. Has good vision. Struggles some in pass protection. Decent receiver.
5. Devonta Freeman Florida State 5-8 206 Short but is a great competitor and a hard worker who is reliable in pass protection and durable. OK receiver with good agility, acceleration. Showed good vision as a zone runner.
6. Ka’Deem Carey Arizona 5-9 207 Hard, competitive runner who doesn’t go down easily and was productive in a zone-blocking scheme. Isn’t a breakaway threat and has had off-the-field issues. Good receiver, willing blocker.
7. Terrence West Towson 5-9 225 Carried a huge workload and is built for it, despite his height. Runs hard and displays good vision but isn’t going to run away from people. Must improve as a blocker but is willing and is also a decent receiver.
8. De’Anthony Thomas Oregon 5-9 174 Is tiny and certainly not an every-down back, but there’s no doubting his explosiveness. Has sprinter speed and lots of experience as a receiver. Isn’t a blocker. Can be factor on special teams.
9. Charles Sims West Virginia 6-0 214 Hard worker who is an excellent receiver. A jack-of-all-trades type who has a lot of traits you want in a backup. Not a great blocker but is willing.
10. Storm Johnson Central Fla. 6-0 209 Big-play back with elusiveness and strength with experience as a zone runner. Needs to block and protect the ball better but is a good receiver.
Xue
Footballguy
Davante Adams is hands down the best dunker in this WR class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN-TuQs-oyA
ConnSKINS26
Footballguy
Adams I think is one of the more underrated guys on this board right now, he's really getting lost in the shuffle with all these talented WR's considering he's possibly the best equipped to dominate the redzone after Evans (and maybe Benjamin if you're a fan).
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The part I don't like with Adams is he isn't really tall or fast and Carr placed a ton of passes in great spots for him.
Rhythmdoctor
Footballguy
I was really high on Adams back in February and then let him slip on my board for awhile. Now he is climbing back up. One of the things I noticed that made me bump him down, as you mentioned, Carr dropped some pinpoint passes right in the bucket. But now as we approach the draft, I have to assume an NFL starting QB will have the same touch. Plus, Adams simply dominates in the red zone and had phenomenal numbers as a starter. He's climbing back up my board. He's a guy I really want to land and will consider drafting him earlier than I should to ensure I get him.
E2A: When you see his dunks from the above link and realize he's only 6-1, yet he's finishing dunks that former dunk champ, Vince Carter invented and VC is what? 6-6? I'm pretty sure Adams is going to be a beast in the NFL.
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jurb26
Footballguy
I think you're giving Carr too much credit here and I like Carr. Adams makes great adjustments to the ball in the air and tracks it about as well as anyone in the class. It's one of the things I love about him. Carr is accurate, but Adams helped him more than he helped Adams IMO.
Bishop Sankey, Carlos Hyde top of heap at devalued position
CARSON, Calif. — The call was "Sucker," and it hadn't been in the Washington playbook for more than a week or two before Bishop Sankey made it a signature highlight.
The Huskies trailed eighth-ranked Stanford 13-3. They faced fourth-and-1 from their 39-yard line. They didn't block it correctly, but Sankey burst through the line and made three defenders miss on a 61-yard touchdown run that sparked Washington to a 17-13 upset win Sept. 27, 2012.
Plays like that showed Sankey, who ran for 3,496 yards and scored 38 TDs over three college seasons, could be a difference-maker. But 2½ weeks before the draft, it remains to be seen how highly NFL teams will value his skills at what's becoming the league's most fungible position.
"Honestly, I wish it was different. I wish it was like how it used to be," Sankey told USA TODAY Sports recently after a workout at Exos training center. "Maybe I'm biased, but I think running back is a very valuable position."
Last year marked the first time since the common draft began in 1967 that no running back was selected in Round 1. The two drafts before that saw one back taken in the first 27 picks: Trent Richardson, whom the Cleveland Browns traded 17 months after taking him third overall.
The trend figures to continue next month, with the backs considered this draft's best — starting with Sankey and Ohio State's Carlos Hyde — considered late-first-round picks at best and more likely to come off the board in the second round.
"I don't really understand why everybody is bringing up this devaluing of the running back position," Hyde told USA TODAY Sports by phone.
The strong rookie seasons of the Cincinnati Bengals' Giovani Bernard (drafted 37th overall last year) and the Green Bay Packers' Eddie Lacy (drafted 61st) should help this year's top backs, said Hyde, who ran for 3,198 yards and scored 41 touchdowns over four college seasons.
Marshawn Lynch's role in the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl run can't be underestimated either. It remains possible to build the offense of a championship team around a featured back. But the way the league is trending is obvious even to those who intend to make a career running the ball.
"The league has become way more pass-oriented. I can't change that," Sankey said. "The league values passing the ball. A lot of times, there's not a lot of old-school running plays or old-school formations that they used to run back when they used to run way more."
Teams are figuring out they can stockpile backfield options later in the draft and supplement their draft chart through bargain free agents, including some high draft picks who ran out of opportunities with their old teams for one reason or another.
"They say the NFL is a pass-happy league now. I do a great job of catching, a great job of picking up blitzers, recognizing defenses," Hyde said. "I feel like I'm a complete running back. I definitely feel like I'm a first-round talent."
But possessing the talent might not be enough anymore. The Atlanta Falcons, who worked out Hyde last week and will host him on a visit Wednesday, surely aren't taking him at No. 6 but could be interested with their second-round pick (No. 37).
Sankey wouldn't reveal the two teams he worked out for but said he wasn't concerned about how far he might fall. His goal will be to make any team that passes on him look like a sucker, too.
"Having a running back, especially later on in the season, is very important. Every time I step on the field, I'm just trying to put my best foot forward," he said. "And wherever I end up going, I'll be happy to go."
TEAMS IN NEED
Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice's diminished play in 2013 — he ran for 660 yards on a paltry 3.1 yards per carry — cast doubt on his future even before an offseason arrest and indictment on aggravated assault charges.
The rest of the depth chart for now: Bernard Pierce, Justin Forsett and Cierre Wood.
Atlanta Falcons: The addition of Steven Jackson was a disappointment last season. His 543rushing yards were the fewest of his 10-year career. Diminutive Jacquizz Rodgers does most of his damage in the passing game. They need a new featured runner sooner than later.
Oakland Raiders: Jackonville Jaguars castoff Maurice Jones-Drew's three-year deal contained just $1.2 million guaranteed. And often-injured Darren McFadden doesn't appear nearly as explosive as he once was. He returned on a one-year pact after managing 3.3 yards a carry for the second consecutive season. Neither projects as the long-term answer.
New York Giants: They signed Rashad Jennings to a four-year, $10 million deal, brought back Peyton Hillis and might have David Wilson, depending on his recovery from neck surgery. But considering how things unraveled in 2013, they can't amass enough options.
New England Patriots: Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden are entering contract years. Last year's late-season star, LaGarrette Blount, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. Bill Belichick always is thinking ahead.
Minnesota Vikings: Top backup Toby Gerhart left for Jacksonville, leaving a hole behind star Adrian Peterson, who had another offseason surgery and has no guaranteed money left on his contract. They need a new insurance policy in case Peterson starts to show he can't carry the load all day.
CREAM OF THE CROP
Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
Height: 6-0. Weight: 230.
Scouting report: Physical, highly productive back who racked up 3,469 yards from scrimmage and 41 TDs over four college seasons. Played with renewed fire and made a difference last season after returning from a three-game ban for a bar incident that didn't result in charges.
Insider's take: "Excellent after-contact runner – that's where his bread and butter is. He's not going to be a dynamic (receiver), but catches it well enough. I don't think that's a strong suit of his. He's going to be more of a first-, second-down (back) and then obviously in the four-minute drill, that's where he's going to make his money." – NFC area scout
Projected round: Late 1-2.
Bishop Sankey, Washington
Height: 5-8. Weight: 207.
Scouting report: Smart, efficient back who ran for 3,496 yards and scored 38 TDs over three college seasons. Military kid known for his work ethic and football IQ. Among combine's top performers in several tests, including the 20-yard shuttle (4 seconds) and bench press (26 reps).
Insider's take: "Bishop Sankey is built well, but he's a smaller, compact guy who can do a few more things (than the draft's other top backs), maybe catching the football and doing that." – NFL Network analyst Charles Davis
Projected round: 2.
Jeremy Hill, LSU
Height: 6-1. Weight: 233.
Scouting report: Straight-line, downhill runner who rushed for 2,156 yards and 18 TDs on 345 carries (6.2 average) over two college seasons. Drew extra scrutiny from teams during pre-draft process for two arrests, which aren't expected to have a major impact on his stock.
Insider's take: "The only thing I don't like about him is he's not a natural, nifty runner. You better have a clean point of entry. He needs the initial hole blocked well, and he's going to get going. He's not a quick-footed, pick-his-way (back). If that hole's not there, penetration will kill him." — NFC scout
Projected round: 2.
Tre Mason, Auburn
Height: 5-8. Weight: 207.
Scouting report: Quick, though not extremely fast back who ran for 2,979 yards, including a school-record 1,816 and 23 TDs as a true junior in 2013. Heisman Trophy finalist. Excellent athlete with jump-cut ability, elusiveness and knack for seeing things develop at the second level.
Insider's take: "You would like him to be a little bigger to be a three-down back. You do question the top-end speed a little bit. But he is a guy that has very good vision, very good feel for the inside-zone play. He can see the hole well. He is one of the more instinctive backs in this draft." — NFC scout
Projected round: 2.
SLEEPER PICK
Henry Josey, Missouri
Height: 5-8. Weight: 194.
Many bring up Darren Sproles when speaking with Josey, who thinks he can be an every-down NFL back. "I can catch out of the backfield just like (Sproles) can, and then I definitely feel like I'm faster," Josey told USA TODAY Sports. He missed the 2012 season after two surgeries to reconstruct his left knee — anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, patellar tendon and meniscus — but thought he was better than ever in 2013, rushing for 1,166 yards and scoring 17 TDs.
Father to a 3-year-old son, Josey turned pro even though the advisory board projected him as a fourth- to seventh-round pick. In Josey's mind, he controlled his own destiny — and Sproles (5-6, 190) has already shown the impact a fourth-round back can make, size notwithstanding. "You know how everybody pumps it up – 'he's not this big,'" Josey said. "But I'm running like I'm that big. If they watch me on film, I think that says it all".
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2014/04/21/nfl-draft-running-backs/7988579/
CARSON, Calif. — The call was "Sucker," and it hadn't been in the Washington playbook for more than a week or two before Bishop Sankey made it a signature highlight.
The Huskies trailed eighth-ranked Stanford 13-3. They faced fourth-and-1 from their 39-yard line. They didn't block it correctly, but Sankey burst through the line and made three defenders miss on a 61-yard touchdown run that sparked Washington to a 17-13 upset win Sept. 27, 2012.
Plays like that showed Sankey, who ran for 3,496 yards and scored 38 TDs over three college seasons, could be a difference-maker. But 2½ weeks before the draft, it remains to be seen how highly NFL teams will value his skills at what's becoming the league's most fungible position.
"Honestly, I wish it was different. I wish it was like how it used to be," Sankey told USA TODAY Sports recently after a workout at Exos training center. "Maybe I'm biased, but I think running back is a very valuable position."
Last year marked the first time since the common draft began in 1967 that no running back was selected in Round 1. The two drafts before that saw one back taken in the first 27 picks: Trent Richardson, whom the Cleveland Browns traded 17 months after taking him third overall.
The trend figures to continue next month, with the backs considered this draft's best — starting with Sankey and Ohio State's Carlos Hyde — considered late-first-round picks at best and more likely to come off the board in the second round.
"I don't really understand why everybody is bringing up this devaluing of the running back position," Hyde told USA TODAY Sports by phone.
The strong rookie seasons of the Cincinnati Bengals' Giovani Bernard (drafted 37th overall last year) and the Green Bay Packers' Eddie Lacy (drafted 61st) should help this year's top backs, said Hyde, who ran for 3,198 yards and scored 41 touchdowns over four college seasons.
Marshawn Lynch's role in the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl run can't be underestimated either. It remains possible to build the offense of a championship team around a featured back. But the way the league is trending is obvious even to those who intend to make a career running the ball.
"The league has become way more pass-oriented. I can't change that," Sankey said. "The league values passing the ball. A lot of times, there's not a lot of old-school running plays or old-school formations that they used to run back when they used to run way more."
Teams are figuring out they can stockpile backfield options later in the draft and supplement their draft chart through bargain free agents, including some high draft picks who ran out of opportunities with their old teams for one reason or another.
"They say the NFL is a pass-happy league now. I do a great job of catching, a great job of picking up blitzers, recognizing defenses," Hyde said. "I feel like I'm a complete running back. I definitely feel like I'm a first-round talent."
But possessing the talent might not be enough anymore. The Atlanta Falcons, who worked out Hyde last week and will host him on a visit Wednesday, surely aren't taking him at No. 6 but could be interested with their second-round pick (No. 37).
Sankey wouldn't reveal the two teams he worked out for but said he wasn't concerned about how far he might fall. His goal will be to make any team that passes on him look like a sucker, too.
"Having a running back, especially later on in the season, is very important. Every time I step on the field, I'm just trying to put my best foot forward," he said. "And wherever I end up going, I'll be happy to go."
TEAMS IN NEED
Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice's diminished play in 2013 — he ran for 660 yards on a paltry 3.1 yards per carry — cast doubt on his future even before an offseason arrest and indictment on aggravated assault charges.
The rest of the depth chart for now: Bernard Pierce, Justin Forsett and Cierre Wood.
Atlanta Falcons: The addition of Steven Jackson was a disappointment last season. His 543rushing yards were the fewest of his 10-year career. Diminutive Jacquizz Rodgers does most of his damage in the passing game. They need a new featured runner sooner than later.
Oakland Raiders: Jackonville Jaguars castoff Maurice Jones-Drew's three-year deal contained just $1.2 million guaranteed. And often-injured Darren McFadden doesn't appear nearly as explosive as he once was. He returned on a one-year pact after managing 3.3 yards a carry for the second consecutive season. Neither projects as the long-term answer.
New York Giants: They signed Rashad Jennings to a four-year, $10 million deal, brought back Peyton Hillis and might have David Wilson, depending on his recovery from neck surgery. But considering how things unraveled in 2013, they can't amass enough options.
New England Patriots: Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden are entering contract years. Last year's late-season star, LaGarrette Blount, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. Bill Belichick always is thinking ahead.
Minnesota Vikings: Top backup Toby Gerhart left for Jacksonville, leaving a hole behind star Adrian Peterson, who had another offseason surgery and has no guaranteed money left on his contract. They need a new insurance policy in case Peterson starts to show he can't carry the load all day.
CREAM OF THE CROP
Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
Height: 6-0. Weight: 230.
Scouting report: Physical, highly productive back who racked up 3,469 yards from scrimmage and 41 TDs over four college seasons. Played with renewed fire and made a difference last season after returning from a three-game ban for a bar incident that didn't result in charges.
Insider's take: "Excellent after-contact runner – that's where his bread and butter is. He's not going to be a dynamic (receiver), but catches it well enough. I don't think that's a strong suit of his. He's going to be more of a first-, second-down (back) and then obviously in the four-minute drill, that's where he's going to make his money." – NFC area scout
Projected round: Late 1-2.
Bishop Sankey, Washington
Height: 5-8. Weight: 207.
Scouting report: Smart, efficient back who ran for 3,496 yards and scored 38 TDs over three college seasons. Military kid known for his work ethic and football IQ. Among combine's top performers in several tests, including the 20-yard shuttle (4 seconds) and bench press (26 reps).
Insider's take: "Bishop Sankey is built well, but he's a smaller, compact guy who can do a few more things (than the draft's other top backs), maybe catching the football and doing that." – NFL Network analyst Charles Davis
Projected round: 2.
Jeremy Hill, LSU
Height: 6-1. Weight: 233.
Scouting report: Straight-line, downhill runner who rushed for 2,156 yards and 18 TDs on 345 carries (6.2 average) over two college seasons. Drew extra scrutiny from teams during pre-draft process for two arrests, which aren't expected to have a major impact on his stock.
Insider's take: "The only thing I don't like about him is he's not a natural, nifty runner. You better have a clean point of entry. He needs the initial hole blocked well, and he's going to get going. He's not a quick-footed, pick-his-way (back). If that hole's not there, penetration will kill him." — NFC scout
Projected round: 2.
Tre Mason, Auburn
Height: 5-8. Weight: 207.
Scouting report: Quick, though not extremely fast back who ran for 2,979 yards, including a school-record 1,816 and 23 TDs as a true junior in 2013. Heisman Trophy finalist. Excellent athlete with jump-cut ability, elusiveness and knack for seeing things develop at the second level.
Insider's take: "You would like him to be a little bigger to be a three-down back. You do question the top-end speed a little bit. But he is a guy that has very good vision, very good feel for the inside-zone play. He can see the hole well. He is one of the more instinctive backs in this draft." — NFC scout
Projected round: 2.
SLEEPER PICK
Henry Josey, Missouri
Height: 5-8. Weight: 194.
Many bring up Darren Sproles when speaking with Josey, who thinks he can be an every-down NFL back. "I can catch out of the backfield just like (Sproles) can, and then I definitely feel like I'm faster," Josey told USA TODAY Sports. He missed the 2012 season after two surgeries to reconstruct his left knee — anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, patellar tendon and meniscus — but thought he was better than ever in 2013, rushing for 1,166 yards and scoring 17 TDs.
Father to a 3-year-old son, Josey turned pro even though the advisory board projected him as a fourth- to seventh-round pick. In Josey's mind, he controlled his own destiny — and Sproles (5-6, 190) has already shown the impact a fourth-round back can make, size notwithstanding. "You know how everybody pumps it up – 'he's not this big,'" Josey said. "But I'm running like I'm that big. If they watch me on film, I think that says it all".
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2014/04/21/nfl-draft-running-backs/7988579/
ILUVBEER99
Footballguy
Next time we get a couple drafts in a row without wr's going high I'm going to write articles about the devaluation of WR position.
This parroting by writers is getting laughable.
This parroting by writers is getting laughable.
ILUVBEER99
Footballguy
In 2006 there was 1 wr drafted in the first round, in 2008 there were 0 wrs drafted in the 1st round.
Was it due to the devaluation of the wr position or was it because there weren't 1st round quality prospects?
The rb position may be slightly devalued, but not near to the extent lazy writers are making it out to be.
Next year if we get 2-3 1st round rbs then what would that mean?
There haven't been 1st round quality rbs in the past couple drafts, that's why none are getting drafted in the 1st, not due to some devaluation that all of a sudden happened before the 2013 draft.
werdnoynek
Footballguy
Opinions aren't. Tell us something we don't know...
Five, ah-ah-ah...
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Running backs might be passed over in first round of NFL draft
This year could mark the second in a row that a running back isn't selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
In 2013, the first running back off the board was Giovani Bernard, taken in the second round - 37th overall by Cincinnati. It marked the first time since 1963 that a running back was not selected in the opening round.
Five backs were drafted in the second round last year, including Green Bay's Eddie Lacy, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The best prospects this year should start to fall in the second round and might last into the fourth: Carlos Hyde, Tre Mason, Bishop Sankey, Jeremy Hill, Lache Seastrunk, Andre Williams, Ka'Deem Carey, Charles Sims and Terrance West.
One or more could turn out to be special, but none is expected to be taken in the first round.
Many in the NFL believe the running back position is being devalued and that a lot of teams prefer the running back-by-committee approach.
"People who say that see the length of time running backs play, and they only last six or seven years," former Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. "Some teams have two or three guys they think can make the stats one guy can make. Some years, there'll be some difference makers out there."
Rare finds
Among those difference makers is the Texans' Arian Foster, a three-down back who can run, catch and block and needs only to leave the field for rest.
"In today's game, you want somebody that never has to come off the field, like Foster, who's right up there with the best. But there aren't a lot like him, so coaches do what they have to do," Phillips said.
Colleges haven't been producing backs like former No. 1 picks Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson, all of whom are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The last consistently productive back drafted in the first round was Tennessee's Chris Johnson in 2008. He had six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before signing with the New York Jets last week.
The last great back selected in the first round was Minnesota's Adrian Peterson in 2007, the same year Buffalo took Marshawn Lynch in the same round. Lynch helped Seattle win the Super Bowl in February.
The last time a back was taken among the top eight picks was 2012, when Cleveland traded up to get Trent Richardson at No. 3. The Browns were so disappointed in Richardson they dealt him to Indianapolis last year for a first-round pick this year.
Injuries a concern
Backs who stay on the field take a beating. From 2010-2012, Foster touched the ball more than any other back in the league. Last year, he suffered calf and back injuries, the latter requiring surgery.
"You want guys who can do everything," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "It makes you more flexible as a play caller. It makes your offense better. It makes your quarterback better.
"The easiest completions for a quarterback are the ones right in front of him. You have running backs who can win right in front of you coming off pass protection responsibility, (and) it equates to a higher completion percentage."
But Foster, Peterson and Lynch might be a dying breed, at least in the short term.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Running-backs-might-be-passed-over-in-first-round-5419512.php
This year could mark the second in a row that a running back isn't selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
In 2013, the first running back off the board was Giovani Bernard, taken in the second round - 37th overall by Cincinnati. It marked the first time since 1963 that a running back was not selected in the opening round.
Five backs were drafted in the second round last year, including Green Bay's Eddie Lacy, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The best prospects this year should start to fall in the second round and might last into the fourth: Carlos Hyde, Tre Mason, Bishop Sankey, Jeremy Hill, Lache Seastrunk, Andre Williams, Ka'Deem Carey, Charles Sims and Terrance West.
One or more could turn out to be special, but none is expected to be taken in the first round.
Many in the NFL believe the running back position is being devalued and that a lot of teams prefer the running back-by-committee approach.
"People who say that see the length of time running backs play, and they only last six or seven years," former Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. "Some teams have two or three guys they think can make the stats one guy can make. Some years, there'll be some difference makers out there."
Rare finds
Among those difference makers is the Texans' Arian Foster, a three-down back who can run, catch and block and needs only to leave the field for rest.
"In today's game, you want somebody that never has to come off the field, like Foster, who's right up there with the best. But there aren't a lot like him, so coaches do what they have to do," Phillips said.
Colleges haven't been producing backs like former No. 1 picks Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson, all of whom are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The last consistently productive back drafted in the first round was Tennessee's Chris Johnson in 2008. He had six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before signing with the New York Jets last week.
The last great back selected in the first round was Minnesota's Adrian Peterson in 2007, the same year Buffalo took Marshawn Lynch in the same round. Lynch helped Seattle win the Super Bowl in February.
The last time a back was taken among the top eight picks was 2012, when Cleveland traded up to get Trent Richardson at No. 3. The Browns were so disappointed in Richardson they dealt him to Indianapolis last year for a first-round pick this year.
Injuries a concern
Backs who stay on the field take a beating. From 2010-2012, Foster touched the ball more than any other back in the league. Last year, he suffered calf and back injuries, the latter requiring surgery.
"You want guys who can do everything," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "It makes you more flexible as a play caller. It makes your offense better. It makes your quarterback better.
"The easiest completions for a quarterback are the ones right in front of him. You have running backs who can win right in front of you coming off pass protection responsibility, (and) it equates to a higher completion percentage."
But Foster, Peterson and Lynch might be a dying breed, at least in the short term.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Running-backs-might-be-passed-over-in-first-round-5419512.php
Sabertooth
Footballguy
I like any of the three in the 2 or 3 spot in dynasty. Running backs like Gio, Lacy and Leveon are just as valuable as Keenan Allen this year heading in. They retain value, hell look at the David Wilson hype heading into last year. And if they do hit, you have a potential top 5 dynasty prospect. Doug Martin was considered this going into last year.
If Hyde went to the Rams, he'd have the potential to carry the ball 300 times. I think Zac Stacy would be a fantasy footnote in short order. Same if he went to the Titan or Giants. If somebody makes it into the top 60 you have to look at them. With all these wideouts looking to be great they are actually kind of a crap shoot.
werdnoynek
Footballguy
This thread has turned into a complete circle jerk.
Where is that ignore function again?
Where is that ignore function again?
Xue
Footballguy
Allen Robinson's turn to join the dunk party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GnJV2P-tDE
Nice power and hang time, but not as graceful and smooth as Davante Adams.
Nice power and hang time, but not as graceful and smooth as Davante Adams.
Concept Coop
Footballguy
9 of these in a row?! Thanks, technology!
"This post is hidden because you have chosen to ignore posts by Brewtown. View it anyway?"
"This post is hidden because you have chosen to ignore posts by Brewtown. View it anyway?"
werdnoynek
Footballguy
werdnoynek
Footballguy
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
...and the "funny" part is that the gist of what you missed was him counting from 1-9 to try and make some kind of point.
Xue
Footballguy
It's shows leaping ability and body control in a vacuum. But it doesn't show if the same level of ability can be achieved with a defender draped on them.
You're gone for a couple of days. If you come back, be way cooler and stop ruining threads like this. This is not your playpen. This is a football message board where the community is trying to have discussions on players and strategy.
If you're unable to see that you're ruining threads, then please don't come back.
J
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Rhythmdoctor
Footballguy
The one thing Allen Robinson didn't put much on display was an end zone prowess. Everything I've seen has been of the RAC variety and his elite vision. It's nice to see him be able to show some hops. He sure dunks more with authority. If Davante Adams is MJ or VC, then Allen Robinson is Dominique Wilkins. Thanks for posting.Xue said:
