[DYNASTY] Darren Sproles, Future Stud (1 Viewer)

[Sigmund Bloom]

This has already been discussed in the "what are you getting for Sproles?" thread, and I also wrote up Sproles in Dynasty Watch and Buy Low, Sell High (coming later today), but I thought it deserved it's own thread.

Sproles absolutely blew my mind last week. His lateral agility, balance, initial burst, fifth gear, and killer instinct are all top notch. He showed the rare ability to set up defenders at the second level, load up the move to leave them in dust, and begin focusing on the third level before he even juked the defender he had lined up. Talent wise, he sure looks like he's in the class of MJD and Bush to me.

He also had a 40+ yard run called back by a penalty. That means we were this close to Sproles having a 160+ total yard day on 10 touches! As it was, he had 125 on 9 touches, plus a 103 yard kickoff return.

You think last week was a fluke? Please tell me why, because I can't for the life of me think of a reason Sproles is not for real. Maybe he wears down faster because of his size, but before that happens, I think he'll continue to make defenses look as bad as he did on Sunday. If you're wondering about his ability to run inside, check out his Kansas State tape, he has legit inside running ability, and they grow DTs BIG in the Big XII.

ETA: Sproles is a UFA next year, in 2009 he's free.

 

[EBF]

Darren Sproles BMI: 30.1

Brian Westbrook BMI: 30.1

 

[EBF]

Seriously though, the guy was a stud in college and he looks pretty damn good in the NFL so far. Lightning in a bottle. I missed the boat on him in most of my leagues, but was able to scoop him off waivers in one dynasty after his impressive preseason showing. His talent was obscured by LT, Turner, and injuries. Now the secret's out. I think he has a chance to become a Warrick Dunn type of contributor.

 

[valhallan]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

 

[Bob Lee Swagger]

Some stats on him from Wiki:

Darren Sproles attended Rolling Ridge Elementary, then Oregon Trail Junior High, followed by Olathe North High School all in Olathe, Kansas and was a star in football, earning the name "Tank". In football, for two consecutive years, he was an All-Sunflower League honoree, All-Metro honoree, and an All-State selection, and he was twice named The Kansas City Star Player of the Year, and as a senior, he was the Kansas Hall of Fame Player of the Year and the USA Today Kansas Player of the year. In his days at Olathe North High School he racked up two Kansas 6A State titles. In his three short years, he is recognized as one of the most distinguished smaller players in the history of the NFL.

Darren Sproles played college football at Kansas State University from 2000 to 2004, starting all games in his last two seasons and setting 23 school football records. He finished 11th on the all-time college rushing yards list, with the 6th most all-purpose yards in NCAA history. He led all Division I-A teams in rushing yards in 2003 with 1,986. He also led Kansas State University to its first Big 12 Conference championship in 2003, and a win over #1 ranked Oklahoma, 35-7. That same year he finished 5th in the Heisman voting.

Sproles' Wiki PageHe's certainly gotten it done every time he's had the chance.

Also, if you haven't yet, check out some of his K-State highlights.

 

[Chunky Soup]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

 

[BigJim®]

Meh, I'll pass. He's dynamic obviously, but so was Quentin Griffin. I just have a hard time seeing this diminutive player withstand what it takes to accumulate 200 carries in the NFL, which to me is minimum carries for dynasty consideration. It may seem like he'll never be touched after 9 carries, but make no mistake he will be touched, hard, at some point. He seems like a perfect return guy, but I can't imagine San Diego would ever commit to someone of this size as a primary ball carrier. Time will tell.

 

[Scooby1974]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

I worked a deal for LT + Sproles in the offseason. After watching those K-State Highlights I am pretty excited about the "throw in" I got.Sure he is "small", but guys like Westbrook and Sanders and and were so quick that they were able to avoid many of the punishing hits other backs like Marion Barber are forced to absorb due to a lack of shiftiness. With those quicks, he is likely to be arm tackled as opposed to taking on huge hits.

 

[NeverEnough]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

I worked a deal for LT + Sproles in the offseason. After watching those K-State Highlights I am pretty excited about the "throw in" I got.Sure he is "small", but guys like Westbrook and Sanders and and were so quick that they were able to avoid many of the punishing hits other backs like Marion Barber are forced to absorb due to a lack of shiftiness. With those quicks, he is likely to be arm tackled as opposed to taking on huge hits.

He's going to get hit regardless. They all do.I just traded Sproles away. I'm not sold on him being able to carry the load in the NFL. How about he handles something even close to the load before we call him a stud huh?

 

[valhallan]

How about he handles something even close to the load before we call him a stud huh?

Sure but if we wait until then, it'll be too late to get him. Now might be the last chance to have a discussion and make a decision before his value changes even more dramatically.

 

[littletank]

Meh, I'll pass. He's dynamic obviously, but so was Quentin Griffin. I just have a hard time seeing this diminutive player withstand what it takes to accumulate 200 carries in the NFL, which to me is minimum carries for dynasty consideration. It may seem like he'll never be touched after 9 carries, but make no mistake he will be touched, hard, at some point. He seems like a perfect return guy, but I can't imagine San Diego would ever commit to someone of this size as a primary ball carrier. Time will tell.

Quentin was no where nere as good as Sproles. Anyone who thinks he was has no football knowledge what so-ever.

 

[J R]

I'm also worried that he would end up pulled at the goal-line even if was the #1.

But IIRC, Jacob Hester wasn't exactly lights-out in that role in the preseason.

 

[LILB811]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

I'm on board also. I think what most impresses me is his lateral quickness. Being able to shift to avoid tackles and still keep such a high speed is a very, very valuable asset. That's why he's perfect for returns.As far as carrying the load, that remains to be seen but the potential is there.

 

[qimqam]

I see him as a poor mans MJD ... Better situation but less power

I doubt he will ever establish himself as a goal line back ... at 185 lbs he is smaller than most WRs, S, and CBs

His short (no pun intended) history seems to indicate all or nothing back ... his per game AVGs range from .5 to over 10 yds per carry.

If he were ever to become a featured back he would most likely lose the Kick Returns ... take that away and he just doesn't seem quite as good.

 

[BoulderBob]

He'll never get goal-line touches, but that shouldn't matter if he can handle 20+ carries per game(which I seriously doubt). An obvious comparison is MJD, and I think Sproles is a tad bit more explosive, but the odds are always stacked against a guy who could pass for a midget. He is worth a spot on your dynasty roster, but I wouldn't count on him being anything more than a nice weapon that touches the ball 10-15 times per game(which is exactly how Turner wants to use him, imo)...

 

[NorrisB]

I just dont see the talent there. He looks too small to be anything more than a chance of pace back, Bloom always falls in love with these type of small little jitter bug guys like Jerome Harrison, Lorenzo Booker and Im pretty sure he'll follow in their path.

 

[littletank]

I see him as a poor mans MJD ... Better situation but less power I doubt he will ever establish himself as a goal line back ... at 185 lbs he is smaller than most WRs, S, and CBsHis short (no pun intended) history seems to indicate all or nothing back ... his per game AVGs range from .5 to over 10 yds per carry.If he were ever to become a featured back he would most likely lose the Kick Returns ... take that away and he just doesn't seem quite as good.

Actually Sproles size could possibly make him a better bet at the goal line. He hits the line so fast and is so small that he often can find a small crease to get in. He absolutely loves running between the tackles as that is what he was required to do as a kid. He scored everytime he took the ball to the outside the league required that he must run between tackles. He still took the ball to the house more often then not.

 

[BoulderBob]

I just dont see the talent there. He looks to small to be anything more than a chance of pace back, Bloom always falls in love with these type of small little guys like Jerome Harrison, Lorenzo Booker and Im pretty sure they'll in his path.

Difference is Sproles is in a different league, athletically speaking, than those cats...the things he can do will make your jaw drop. Check the Kansas State-Oklahoma Big12 championship game from a few years ago for evidence. With that being said, still think the guy is simply too small to handle a full load, and imo, it would be in the Chargers' best interests to limit his touches to a reasonable level.EDIT: In response to the above post, it's a possibility, but I think the Chargers would be better off using a bruiser in those situations...if they lack one, then yeah, Sproles wouldn't be a horrible choice for the role.

 

[sholditch]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

:X Get this kid now.

I worked a deal for LT + Sproles in the offseason. After watching those K-State Highlights I am pretty excited about the "throw in" I got.Sure he is "small", but guys like Westbrook and Sanders and and were so quick that they were able to avoid many of the punishing hits other backs like Marion Barber are forced to absorb due to a lack of shiftiness. With those quicks, he is likely to be arm tackled as opposed to taking on huge hits.

He's going to get hit regardless. They all do.I just traded Sproles away. I'm not sold on him being able to carry the load in the NFL. How about he handles something even close to the load before we call him a stud huh?

 

[NorrisB]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

I worked a deal for LT + Sproles in the offseason. After watching those K-State Highlights I am pretty excited about the "throw in" I got.Sure he is "small", but guys like Westbrook and Sanders and and were so quick that they were able to avoid many of the punishing hits other backs like Marion Barber are forced to absorb due to a lack of shiftiness. With those quicks, he is likely to be arm tackled as opposed to taking on huge hits.

He's going to get hit regardless. They all do.I just traded Sproles away. I'm not sold on him being able to carry the load in the NFL. How about he handles something even close to the load before we call him a stud huh?

I agree with what he's saying but you have to move quick, if you let him show he can carry a load he will be too expensive.

 

[BigJim®]

Quentin was no where nere as good as Sproles. Anyone who thinks he was has no football knowledge what so-ever.

No football knowledge, whatsoever? The hyperbole on this board is completely out of control, and the respect for differing opinions almost obsolete.

 

[NeverEnough]

I don't see anything not to like either. Seems like he was an afterthought for dynasty leaguers because of his size, but clearly that's not going to matter if no one can touch him.

Get this kid now.

I worked a deal for LT + Sproles in the offseason. After watching those K-State Highlights I am pretty excited about the "throw in" I got.Sure he is "small", but guys like Westbrook and Sanders and and were so quick that they were able to avoid many of the punishing hits other backs like Marion Barber are forced to absorb due to a lack of shiftiness. With those quicks, he is likely to be arm tackled as opposed to taking on huge hits.

He's going to get hit regardless. They all do.I just traded Sproles away. I'm not sold on him being able to carry the load in the NFL. How about he handles something even close to the load before we call him a stud huh?

I agree with what he's saying but you have to move quick, if you let him show he can carry a load he will be too expensive.

I think I did ok even if Sproles does become something. I got Randy Moss for Sproles & Holt

 

[NeverEnough]

Quentin was no where nere as good as Sproles. Anyone who thinks he was has no football knowledge what so-ever.

No football knowledge, whatsoever? The hyperbole on this board is completely out of control, and the respect for differing opinions almost obsolete.

 

[Arnold. S]

Sproles definitely looks VERY explosive in the few times I've seen him in game action. In the Chargers preseason game shown on national TV (forgot which game), like Bloom said, he set up his blockers very nicely and his lateral speed and straight ahead acceleration was unbelievble. I'm not sure if I buy into the 'he's too small' talk. He's build compact, he runs smart, he's elusive. I'm definitely interested in seeing him take on a full load for a few games.

 

[ImTheScientist]

He has 54 rushes in over 2 years in the NFL. Way too early to call him a "Future Stud". It must be a slow FF day today

 

[sholditch]

5-6 181.

Has there ever been a back this small that was successful? This guy makes Warrick Dunn look big.

 

[Bermuda_Chub]

Sproles looked like he was spinning at 45 while the the Broncos were at 33. Then again, that was the Broncos sieve of a run D, which explains my hesitation. I hope they give Tomlinson a few weeks off to rest so we see what this kid can do.

 

[TitusIII]

Guy is as talented as a RB can possibly be, but will his size hold him back? Time will tell...one thing is for sure, the guy is fun to watch!

I'm in the camp that doesn't think it's in the Chargers' best interests to make Sproles the feature back if/when Tomlinson goes down/retires, but watch this video if you aren't sold on his talent.

 

[Chunky Soup]

5-6 181.Has there ever been a back this small that was successful? This guy makes Warrick Dunn look big.

His BMI is higher than Dunn's

 

[fruity pebbles]

5-6 181.Has there ever been a back this small that was successful? This guy makes Warrick Dunn look big.

Off the top of my headJames Brooks 5'10 177Warrick Dunn 5'8 180Joe Morris 5'7 190

 

[Moe Green]

Picked him up in both ***BIG MONEY LEAGUES*** this week. I fully expect 140 yds rushing/8 rec, 110 yds receiving/3 TDs.... (by halftime).

 

[King of the Jungle]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

 

[SayWhat?]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

I wouldn't be all that sick dealing Sproles away based on Bloom's rankings. But hopefully you got as much for Bloom's 31st ranked Darren Sproles as you could've gotten for his 30th ranked Larry Johnson. That has to be a joke, right? Come on Sig, no way you can honestly feel those two players hold virtually the same dynasty value can you?

 

[kylechoffman]

I got A Gonzalez for sproles - probably got robbed but needed a youthful talent at wideout. Im sure his value is all over the board at this point.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

I wouldn't be all that sick dealing Sproles away based on Bloom's rankings. But hopefully you got as much for Bloom's 31st ranked Darren Sproles as you could've gotten for his 30th ranked Larry Johnson. That has to be a joke, right? Come on Sig, no way you can honestly feel those two players hold virtually the same dynasty value can you?

LJ is a falling knife. Unless he gets traded, I'm not sure he'll ever be a good fantasy back again. He's about where Shaun Alexander was at this time last year in my mind.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I got A Gonzalez for sproles - probably got robbed but needed a youthful talent at wideout. Im sure his value is all over the board at this point.

I actually like that deal, I think AGonz has turned into 1A for the Colts, but people haven't realized it yet.

 

[EBF]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

187 pounds is pretty heavy for a 5'6" man. I agree that he'll probably never be a workhorse, but he can potentially become a valuable part of a RBBC.

 

[littletank]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

187 pounds is pretty heavy for a 5'6" man. I agree that he'll probably never be a workhorse, but he can potentially become a valuable part of a RBBC.

Barry Sanders was 5'8 and 200# and was not looked at by many colleges because of his size. We all know how that turned out.

 

[SayWhat?]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

I wouldn't be all that sick dealing Sproles away based on Bloom's rankings. But hopefully you got as much for Bloom's 31st ranked Darren Sproles as you could've gotten for his 30th ranked Larry Johnson. That has to be a joke, right? Come on Sig, no way you can honestly feel those two players hold virtually the same dynasty value can you?

LJ is a falling knife. Unless he gets traded, I'm not sure he'll ever be a good fantasy back again. He's about where Shaun Alexander was at this time last year in my mind.

Any average game against a stout Patriots D, and the Chiefs abandoning the run against the Raiders now puts Larry Johnson in Shaun Alexander territory? Oh Lord. Apologies for the , but .

 

[EBF]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

I wouldn't be all that sick dealing Sproles away based on Bloom's rankings. But hopefully you got as much for Bloom's 31st ranked Darren Sproles as you could've gotten for his 30th ranked Larry Johnson. That has to be a joke, right? Come on Sig, no way you can honestly feel those two players hold virtually the same dynasty value can you?

LJ is a falling knife. Unless he gets traded, I'm not sure he'll ever be a good fantasy back again. He's about where Shaun Alexander was at this time last year in my mind.

Any average game against a stout Patriots D, and the Chiefs abandoning the run against the Raiders now puts Larry Johnson in Shaun Alexander territory? Oh Lord. Apologies for the , but .

He also only averaged 3.5 YPC last season. Alexander might be a stretch since LJ is still young enough to rebound, but there's no debating that his production has been slipping considerably.

 

[thriftyrocker]

Even if LT drops off the face of the earth, it just means he'd split with Hester. He did the same thing last year in small doses. Why would they draft 2 RBs if they thought he could be a long term full timer?

 

[Scooby1974]

Geez Bloom...your making me sick. I just traded him away last night. Couldn't have started this thread yesterday?

I wouldn't be all that sick dealing Sproles away based on Bloom's rankings. But hopefully you got as much for Bloom's 31st ranked Darren Sproles as you could've gotten for his 30th ranked Larry Johnson. That has to be a joke, right? Come on Sig, no way you can honestly feel those two players hold virtually the same dynasty value can you?

LJ is a falling knife. Unless he gets traded, I'm not sure he'll ever be a good fantasy back again. He's about where Shaun Alexander was at this time last year in my mind.

Ditto on LJ, he has ZERO value to the LJ owner in our league. At least Sproles is young and plays for a good offensive team.

 

[Doug B]

5-6 181.Has there ever been a back this small that was successful? This guy makes Warrick Dunn look big.

Off the top of my headJames Brooks 5'10 177Warrick Dunn 5'8 180Joe Morris 5'7 190

One more -- admittedly from a different era -- was Walter Payton, who came out of college at 5'10" and 185 lbs. He added another 15 lbs during his first few years, though.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

187 pounds is pretty heavy for a 5'6" man. I agree that he'll probably never be a workhorse, but he can potentially become a valuable part of a RBBC.

Barry Sanders was 5'8 and 200# and was not looked at by many colleges because of his size. We all know how that turned out.

I'm sorry but Barry Sanders' right leg is probably bigger than Sproles. The dude is 5'6" and could dance in a teacup. Small is not the new big in the NFL. He's too small. At best he ends up as part of a RBBC and gets 50% of the carries. He could definitely have fantasy value in that type of situation.

 

[stevegamer]

I'm a big beleiver in Sproles, have had him rostered in dynasty for a while waiting for him to take over for Turner - feels nice to have some roster spots to stash RB's for a change. He's good out of the backfield, quick, and runs well, and with power for somone his size. I thought he had the chance to be a starter, or at worst a very nice part of a RBBC in the league. In a PPR, nice value, as he's good catching the ball.

 

[littletank]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

187 pounds is pretty heavy for a 5'6" man. I agree that he'll probably never be a workhorse, but he can potentially become a valuable part of a RBBC.

Barry Sanders was 5'8 and 200# and was not looked at by many colleges because of his size. We all know how that turned out.

I'm sorry but Barry Sanders' right leg is probably bigger than Sproles. The dude is 5'6" and could dance in a teacup. Small is not the new big in the NFL. He's too small. At best he ends up as part of a RBBC and gets 50% of the carries. He could definitely have fantasy value in that type of situation.

Are you serious? The height to weight ratio is about the same between 5'6 185 and 5'8 and 200. Here are some comparable weight lifting numbers from the combine. You may be a little surprisedDarren SprolesBench Press: 411 lbsSafe Squat: 836 lbsPower Clean: 320 lbsShawne Merriman Bench Press: 385 lbs Safe Squat: 590 lbs Power Clean: 335 lbs

 

[PewterFan]

Most people would agree that MJD is a quality RB to have in both redraft and dynasty play. With that said what's the difference between him and Sproles? I'm sure there's an answer, but I honestly don't know it.

 

[thriftyrocker]

Most people would agree that MJD is a quality RB to have in both redraft and dynasty play. With that said what's the difference between him and Sproles? I'm sure there's an answer, but I honestly don't know it.

About 25 lbs.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Sproles is electric, no doubt about it. But he's super small. Some are comparing him to Westbrook or MJD. But I say he is more Daunte Hall than Westy or MJD. And Daunte Hall is actually bigger. Due to his size, I just don't see a way where Sproles ends up being a long term feature back in the NFL.

187 pounds is pretty heavy for a 5'6" man. I agree that he'll probably never be a workhorse, but he can potentially become a valuable part of a RBBC.

Barry Sanders was 5'8 and 200# and was not looked at by many colleges because of his size. We all know how that turned out.

I'm sorry but Barry Sanders' right leg is probably bigger than Sproles. The dude is 5'6" and could dance in a teacup. Small is not the new big in the NFL. He's too small. At best he ends up as part of a RBBC and gets 50% of the carries. He could definitely have fantasy value in that type of situation.

Are you serious? The height to weight ratio is about the same between 5'6 185 and 5'8 and 200. Here are some comparable weight lifting numbers from the combine. You may be a little surprisedDarren SprolesBench Press: 411 lbsSafe Squat: 836 lbsPower Clean: 320 lbsShawne Merriman Bench Press: 385 lbs Safe Squat: 590 lbs Power Clean: 335 lbs

Yes and 5'0 - 175lb is also the same height/weight ratio as 5'8 - 200lb. So is 4'0 - 140lb. I just think Sproles is too small to be a feature back although anything is possible and I hope he proves me wrong.Also the weight lifting numbers are what you would expect from a strong guy with short arms and legs. Short, compact guys can usually powerlift and squat more weight due to the shorter, more compact range of motion.