Dynasty Rankings (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Pasquino]

Now that Free Agency is settling down, I can take this on.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.



I will discuss a little, but for the most part I'll be going over this in an article and/or post soon.

Dynasty Rankings

 

[wannabee]

thanks, Jeff

 

[Orgazmo]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason.

Any particular reason for this hope?

 

[NorrisB]

Now that Free Agency is settling down, I can take this on.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.



I will discuss a little, but for the most part I'll be going over this in an article and/or post soon.

Dynasty Rankings

Jeff I love your rankings.

Couple questions, Matt Jones was rated around #22 in a pts/game bases towards the end of the season, which is amazing considering the QB play, dont you think you have him kind of low?

Earlier you had Brandon Marshall, kind of where other sites had him rated, whats made you change your mind? I really like these kinds of gutsy rankings because it allows us to take advantage of these up and coming guys.

Chris Henry imo is a top ten talent at WR, and although he does have character issues, dont you think he's a bargain where you have him?

 

[Burning Sensation]

Not sure why DeAngelo Williams and Jones-Drew are ahead of Addai. Joseph Addai is the starter with little compeition playing on the best offense in football, while the other two guys are arguably not even starters.

 

[NorrisB]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason. Any particular reason for this hope?

He's a very talented WR

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason. Any particular reason for this hope?

Rankings are subject to change without notice.he should probably go downward, but what else is in SF?

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Not sure why DeAngelo Williams and Jones-Drew are ahead of Addai. Joseph Addai is the starter with little compeition playing on the best offense in football, while the other two guys are arguably not even starters.

I think Addai is a good back in a good situation. I think MJD is a better back in a worse short term situation, but will outperform Addai over time.DeW is the best talent of the 3, and has the biggest upside. Once he is the true feature back, possibly as soon as September, watch out.

 

[Beaumont]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason. Any particular reason for this hope?

Rankings are subject to change without notice.he should probably go downward, but what else is in SF?

But he is not in SF. He got cut?

 

[NorrisB]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason. Any particular reason for this hope?

Rankings are subject to change without notice.he should probably go downward, but what else is in SF?

But he is not in SF. He got cut?

poor jeff he must be really tired of course jeff knows he got cut

 

[Beaumont]

That's a pretty gung-ho ranking of Antonio Bryant, given his offseason. Any particular reason for this hope?

Rankings are subject to change without notice.he should probably go downward, but what else is in SF?

But he is not in SF. He got cut?

poor jeff he must be really tired of course jeff knows he got cut

I think they might look at Bryant in KC or Hou. I think there is a problem in Tenn and Minn in that they are tired of problem players. KC and Hou are a bit starved for WR talent ...KC and Hou are also much better landing places for Bryant ...ETA: If I am SD I look at him too ...

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Now that Free Agency is settling down, I can take this on.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.



I will discuss a little, but for the most part I'll be going over this in an article and/or post soon.

Dynasty Rankings

Jeff I love your rankings.

Couple questions, Matt Jones was rated around #22 in a pts/game bases towards the end of the season, which is amazing considering the QB play, dont you think you have him kind of low?

Never been a big fan of any of the WRs (actually I liked Wilford the most, and he's on the outs - I'd like to see him in a new city) in Jax. QB is always a concern, and I think HC Del Rio loves a Parcells style of run 40x and play D. That doesn't lend itself well to a group of WRs - only an elite WR (like Jimmy Smith) can put up good numbers.I also see Jax drafting a WR early - I'm projecting Dwayne Bowe in Round 1 - which knocks everyone down a step.

Earlier you had Brandon Marshall, kind of where other sites had him rated, whats made you change your mind? I really like these kinds of gutsy rankings because it allows us to take advantage of these up and coming guys.

I think I moved Marshall up about 5-8 spots, something like that. The reason is that (A) Rod's gone for intents and purposes - loved him, but he's having hip surgery - not good. Then (B) Cutler is getting better, as a 2nd year QB should, and © Travis Henry. Huh? Well, with a consistent RB and one guy to rely on, the defense will be held honest. Also, Marshall will benefit by playing oppo Walker, so no one can get extra coverage. All this lends well to improved performance by Bloom's favoritEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WR.

Chris Henry imo is a top ten talent at WR, and although he does have character issues, dont you think he's a bargain where you have him?

I agree, but you can't catch TDs in a jail cell. Maybe STDs, but not TDs.His ranking is based on projected 4-yr output, and I think he may be put out of the NFL before 4 years are up.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Regarding Bryant - yes I know he was cut on 3/1 (misspoke, sorry - like 1:30AM here), but I would expect him to go back to SF. Again, where else? He'd be the #1 there. He was cut because of $ (possibly also discipline), but overall his ranking should be dropped.

Let me see where he is.

 

[Orgazmo]

I think they might look at Bryant in KC or Hou. I think there is a problem in Tenn and Minn in that they are tired of problem players. KC and Hou are a bit starved for WR talent ...KC and Hou are also much better landing places for Bryant ...ETA: If I am SD I look at him too ...

Teams are increasingly image conscious, and Bryant is looking at a 4 game suspension. It will be interesting to see who overlooks that to have a talented athlete.

 

[Beaumont]

I think they might look at Bryant in KC or Hou. I think there is a problem in Tenn and Minn in that they are tired of problem players. KC and Hou are a bit starved for WR talent ...KC and Hou are also much better landing places for Bryant ...ETA: If I am SD I look at him too ...

Teams are increasingly image conscious, and Bryant is looking at a 4 game suspension. It will be interesting to see who overlooks that to have a talented athlete.

Yep. Two games down, two to go ...A few games with an aging Eddie Kennison and inconsistent Samie Parker should loosen up the Chiefs' purse strings ...

 

[wannabee]

I think they might look at Bryant in KC or Hou. I think there is a problem in Tenn and Minn in that they are tired of problem players. KC and Hou are a bit starved for WR talent ...KC and Hou are also much better landing places for Bryant ...ETA: If I am SD I look at him too ...

Teams are increasingly image conscious, and Bryant is looking at a 4 game suspension. It will be interesting to see who overlooks that to have a talented athlete.

I think he has two games left on the suspension .....

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Nice catch on AB. I had him too high and frankly forgot about his team status (still drinking Kevin Curtis Kool-Aid, it's quite good). I remembered the 2 games, but just assumed a return to SF.

Thanks for the assist and making the rankings that much better. He dropped about 10 spots.

Probably a good time to say that these are rather unlikely to change much between now and April 28th (Draft Day). Many players will be off of these lists by then as 250+ new guys come into the NFL. For example, A-Train and Vernand Morency are good backs, but I don't expect them to have an uncontested shot at the #1 RB spot in Buffalo or GB.

 

[Orgazmo]

I think he has two games left on the suspension .....

Confirmed. Well, that's a little easier for a team's PR department to justify.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Enjoy the rankings. I'll be back tomorrow night.

 

[Beaumont]

Nice catch on AB. I had him too high and frankly forgot about his team status (still drinking Kevin Curtis Kool-Aid, it's quite good). I remembered the 2 games, but just assumed a return to SF.Thanks for the assist and making the rankings that much better. He dropped about 10 spots.Probably a good time to say that these are rather unlikely to change much between now and April 28th (Draft Day). Many players will be off of these lists by then as 250+ new guys come into the NFL. For example, A-Train and Vernand Morency are good backs, but I don't expect them to have an uncontested shot at the #1 RB spot in Buffalo or GB.

I still beleive in Bryant's talent. I think its a great time to buy low on him.Of course, I stick with certain guys to a fault. I have been buying myself some Bryant, Lelie, Roddy White and Givens for relative pennies recently ...

 

[EBF]

Quick RB thoughts:

Too High

Shaun Alexander - He'll be 30 years old on opening day next season. At best, he has 2 more elite seasons in the tank. These older guys sink like a stone in value once they hit the wall (see: Dillon, James, Faulk, Holmes). In another year, you might not get a top 15 RB for him.

Ronnie Brown - Overhyped since the moment Tagliabue called his name. Career bests of 5 TDs and 1,008 rushing yards don't inspire much confidence. He'll do a little better if he plays 16 games, but he's no stud and his team stinks. Not a chance I'd take him over Maroney or Bush in a dynasty. In fact, there's not a chance I'd take him in a dynasty.

DeAngelo Williams - Tough to justify him over Drew, Addai, Caddy, Henry, and others until he actually proves he can be the bell cow. Potential is there, but I don't like him quite so high.

Edgerrin James - Maybe he bounces back, but it's tough to justify ranking him ahead of guys like Cadillac Williams, Cedric Benson, Joseph Addai, and LenDale White. If those guys pan out, you might be looking at 3-6 solid seasons, whereas James is near the end of his rope.

Willis McGahee - He's always had plenty of talent, but Baltimore hasn't yielded an elite FF RB in a few years. I'd probably rather roll the dice on someone like Drew or Addai. To me, McGahee is comparable to Carnell Williams. Both are solid prospects who have underperformed in the FF world.

Too Low

Travis Henry - If you're going to rank Alexander #5, then you almost have to rank Henry in the top 10 (unless you expect RBBC). He has a very good chance to string together 1-2 strong years.

Thomas Jones - Very underrated player right now. I think he's due for a solid year in New York. Could be a surprise top 10 guy next season. I'd draft him before Ronnie Brown, Willis McGahee, DeAngelo Williams, Edgerrin James, Marion Barber, and possibly a few other guys you have listed before him.

Chris Perry - Looking like a great dynasty buy low right now (below Sammy Morris, Greg Jones, Correll Buckhalter, and Anthony Thomas, etc. = ) :. Has plenty of talent. Gotta think he's gonna get his chance sooner or later. Betts, M. Smith, Fargas, Morency, and others eventually did (at least for a few games). Could be a consensus top 20 type in the future. Little downside this low. I value him at about RB30.

Nice

Chester Taylor - Glad you're not buying the hype. He's overrated by most, but #22 seems like a fair spot.

LenDale White - 25 is a fair spot given the risk.

Brandon Jacobs - 32 seems fair. I don't like him and have been appalled by some of the lofty rankings others have given him.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Quick RB thoughts:

Too High

Shaun Alexander - He'll be 30 years old on opening day next season. At best, he has 2 more elite seasons in the tank. These older guys sink like a stone in value once they hit the wall (see: Dillon, James, Faulk, Holmes). In another year, you might not get a top 15 RB for him.

Ronnie Brown - Overhyped since the moment Tagliabue called his name. Career bests of 5 TDs and 1,008 rushing yards don't inspire much confidence. He'll do a little better if he plays 16 games, but he's no stud and his team stinks. Not a chance I'd take him over Maroney or Bush in a dynasty. In fact, there's not a chance I'd take him in a dynasty.

DeAngelo Williams - Tough to justify him over Drew, Addai, Caddy, Henry, and others until he actually proves he can be the bell cow. Potential is there, but I don't like him quite so high.

Edgerrin James - Maybe he bounces back, but it's tough to justify ranking him ahead of guys like Cadillac Williams, Cedric Benson, Joseph Addai, and LenDale White. If those guys pan out, you might be looking at 3-6 solid seasons, whereas James is near the end of his rope.

Willis McGahee - He's always had plenty of talent, but Baltimore hasn't yielded an elite FF RB in a few years. I'd probably rather roll the dice on someone like Drew or Addai. To me, McGahee is comparable to Carnell Williams. Both are solid prospects who have underperformed in the FF world.

Too Low

Travis Henry - If you're going to rank Alexander #5, then you almost have to rank Henry in the top 10 (unless you expect RBBC). He has a very good chance to string together 1-2 strong years.

Thomas Jones - Very underrated player right now. I think he's due for a solid year in New York. Could be a surprise top 10 guy next season. I'd draft him before Ronnie Brown, Willis McGahee, DeAngelo Williams, Edgerrin James, Marion Barber, and possibly a few other guys you have listed before him.

Chris Perry - Looking like a great dynasty buy low right now (below Sammy Morris, Greg Jones, Correll Buckhalter, and Anthony Thomas, etc. = ) :. Has plenty of talent. Gotta think he's gonna get his chance sooner or later. Betts, M. Smith, Fargas, Morency, and others eventually did (at least for a few games). Could be a consensus top 20 type in the future. Little downside this low. I value him at about RB30.

Nice

Chester Taylor - Glad you're not buying the hype. He's overrated by most, but #22 seems like a fair spot.

LenDale White - 25 is a fair spot given the risk.

Brandon Jacobs - 32 seems fair. I don't like him and have been appalled by some of the lofty rankings others have given him.

Hi EBF,We're never going to 100% agree (actually no two people's ranks ever would), but let's talk a little about the few you singled out.

I'll skip the 3 "nice" ones.

Too High

Shaun Alexander - Arguable. Yes he'll be 30, and I think you're taking into consideration the lack of trade value when he's done. I think he can put up 2-3 more elite-to-good years, and for me that offsets the lack of value when he's done. He could be a few places lower. I'll think on that.

Ronnie Brown - At least he's a feature back with no challenger. Ricky Williams? Not likely. Cameron's new offense is a big ol' question for now. I would agree I'd take a few other backs ahead of him. Look for Brown to be a borderline #1 RB next time.

DeAngelo Williams - I don't have an issue with ranking DeW above Caddy or Henry at all. DeW is all about upside and opportunity. Caddy's struggling and that may not change any time soon. DeW looks to me like the next Westbrook. As for over Addai - again, he's a better talent but not in a better situation. I'll wait on Henry for a minute.

Edgerrin James - Arizona is making a commitment to run the ball and the O-line is getting better. Benson and LenDale White are unproven as feature backs, and Edge has handled that role. He's also just turning 29 entering the season, so he's still on the right side of 30.

Willis McGahee - Baltimore wants to run. They need to run. McNair needs time in the backfield. Billick has already said that he wants to use Willis in space more with short passes to the flat and screens. McGahee is certainly better than Caddy, IMO.

Too Low

Travis Henry - Hace you seen a Shanahan team? His middle name is RBBC. Henry will be the #1, but don't be surprised to see carries going to someone else (and not necessarily Mike Bell).

Thomas Jones - Everyone loves him right now - SELL. I like TJones, but I'm telling everyone I can - there will be a RBBC for the Jets. Jones will be less productive. He will get 10-15 carries a game and do less. Sorry Jones owners and supporters. I don't give him a shot at anything above a RB2 in fantasy.

Chris Perry - The same Chris Perry who's had shots taken at him by Cincy all offseason? I'd almost take (Kenny) Watson over Perry. No links right now, but I think you'll find plenty of material in the blogger. They don't believe in Perry, so why should anyone else?

Good commentary. I'll be back later this evening.

 

[Silver & Black]

Big time posting this in the forum when non-members can't gain access.

I feel so.....unsatisfied. :rounders:

 

[Family Matters]

Are these rankings based on PPR? Seeing Westbrook at 4 makes me think so. I know FBG's usally does not use PPR. Just looking for clarification.

 

[Ned]

mcallister = value

 

[Yitbos69]

Big time posting this in the forum when non-members can't gain access. I feel so.....unsatisfied. :rounders:

I agree I think they should have members only section in the forum for postings like this so that paying members can discuss ranking and other pay content without upsetting non-paying forum members!

 

[nygiants56]

Now that Free Agency is settling down, I can take this on.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.



I will discuss a little, but for the most part I'll be going over this in an article and/or post soon.

Dynasty Rankings

A few things:why is DeAngelo Williams ranked higher than Carson Palmer?!?!? Williams did NOTHING as a rookie, he's stuck in a RBBC, while Palmer is looking at a potentially HUGE bounce back season in 2007. Palmer is arguable the #2 fantasy QB, second only to Manning...

AJ's ranking is SO low, it's laughable. dude led the NFL in catches, with David Carr throwing to him!! David CARR!..you don't see a more competent QB coming to Houston, someone who can actually play the position?!

Cadilliac Williams is about 30 spots higher than he should be. What's he done since entering the NFL, aside from one fluff season as a rookie? he's been a complete and absolute BUST. you ranked him higher than Cutler, not just a bit higher, but 26 spots higher ? is Caddy really worth 26 positions more than Cutler? not on his BEST day! For that matter, why is Cutler SO LOW?!

just a reminder, TJ plays for NYJ, not Chicago!

SA was too low, even if he is 30, the guy is very productive and is money in the bank every season. He ran well last year, despite missing most of the season with an injury...I can see LJ, Sjax, LT2 as the top 3, but Gore, Portis and Westbrook ahead of SA , I can't buy in to...all three have a 'yeah,but...', Westy is an injury risk and doesn't run the ball often enough, Portis is in a full-blown RBBC with Betts,and is coming off major surgery ( shoulder surgery for a hard-hitting RB like Portis could be a death sentence for him), and it remains to be seen what becomes of Gore without Norv Turner calling plays in SF. Gore's numbers could take a serious nose dive ( without Turner) and, he's one big injury just waiting to happen, and his lofty stats from last season were directly a result of Norv Turner's play calling. I'm just not sure the new OC, Jim Hostler, can live up to the task of running that offense. He has ZERO experience as an NFL offensive coordinator. How this will affect Alex Smith's progression, remains to be seen. Turner really got him on the right track last season, let's hope it continues with Hostler.

 

[Family Matters]

I wanted to chime in on the Jones-Drew, D.Wills and Addai debate. As to who will have the best fantasy career can be debated on a number of fronts. When I apply my criteria (talent, opportunity, motivation) to them they are all very talented and there's no debate in that. I do not think there is any real issue with motivation either. I can't see any of these guys having issues with wanting to be the man or any of them having character problems that might limit them in any way. In fact, what coach wouldn't want them?

Opportunity is the one area that we might find some differences. This has nothing to do with the players themselves but rather the chances of them getting touches.

Jones-Drew: Currently he is sharing time with Taylor. Taylor is 31 and just signed a deal that should allow him to finish his career in Jax which should be in 1-3 years from now. Once he's out of the way Drew-Jones can take over. But that may take another 2 years and that's a long time in the life of a RB. He had 166 carries in his rookie year and will likely see under 190 again this year unless Taylor gets injured and misses a few games. There is still some concern that he can handle the load with his size. It's 1 thing to carry the ball 166 times. It's another to carry it 300. He looked good last year with his 5.7 YPC but you have expect that to come down quite a bit. Even Taylor had an unusually high 5.0 YPC which is a carrer high. Is that an anomoly or what we can expect? I would suggest an anomaly for a team that can't pass effectively. Jones-Drew is a great change of pace back but could he be a feature guy?

Williams: While a rookie he was unable to unseat the ineffective Foster. He carried the ball 121 times compared to Foster's 227. While neither did anyting to establish themselves over the other they had nearly identical YPC's of 4.0 and 4.1. This is not the tupe of performance that suggests greatness. Eventually Williams will probably take over but I have not seen the type of numbers that suggest he's going to be great. Better than Foster? Likely. Top 10 tpye? Not so sure. I also believe that he is a victim of this offense. While they are decent they are not a great rushing team. They have been inconsisteant at best. I don't think either Williams or Foster is built to excel in this offense. Lastly, it concerns me that he wasn't able to seperate himself from Foster whom we all agree has underacheived.

Addai: I think he's already proven what he is capable of. He outperformed many experts expectations. Some of this is talent but alot of his success is because of playing in Indy and with Manning. So while no one would suggest he's more talented than the other two, he's clearly in a better situation and therefore more likely to succeed. At least for the next few years anyway. While sharing carries with Rhodes in his rookie year, Addai had 302 carries for 1375 yards and 9 TDS along with 62 recps. His ypc was 4.5 and that was against some very good defenses in the playoffs. Now that Rhodes is gone Addai should benefit with more carries in the regular season.

So I would rank them in a 12 team PPR league as follows:

1. Addai-mid first rounder in redraft and early-mid first dynasty. He will have a 2-3 year head start on the other two.

2. Jones-Drew-early 2nd round dynasty, early 3rd redraft.

3. Williams-late early 2nd dynasty and 3rd-4th rounder redraft.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Are these rankings based on PPR? Seeing Westbrook at 4 makes me think so. I know FBG's usally does not use PPR. Just looking for clarification.

Not PPR.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Big time :X posting this in the forum when non-members can't gain access. I feel so.....unsatisfied. :rounders:

I agree I think they should have members only section in the forum for postings like this so that paying members can discuss ranking and other pay content without upsetting non-paying forum members!

This isn't a new practice - you guys have both been here awhile.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Now that Free Agency is settling down, I can take this on.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.



I will discuss a little, but for the most part I'll be going over this in an article and/or post soon.

Dynasty Rankings

A few things:why is DeAngelo Williams ranked higher than Carson Palmer?!?!? Williams did NOTHING as a rookie, he's stuck in a RBBC, while Palmer is looking at a potentially HUGE bounce back season in 2007. Palmer is arguable the #2 fantasy QB, second only to Manning...

AJ's ranking is SO low, it's laughable. dude led the NFL in catches, with David Carr throwing to him!! David CARR!..you don't see a more competent QB coming to Houston, someone who can actually play the position?!

Cadilliac Williams is about 30 spots higher than he should be. What's he done since entering the NFL, aside from one fluff season as a rookie? he's been a complete and absolute BUST. you ranked him higher than Cutler, not just a bit higher, but 26 spots higher ? is Caddy really worth 26 positions more than Cutler? not on his BEST day! For that matter, why is Cutler SO LOW?!

just a reminder, TJ plays for NYJ, not Chicago! :X

SA was too low, even if he is 30, the guy is very productive and is money in the bank every season. He ran well last year, despite missing most of the season with an injury...I can see LJ, Sjax, LT2 as the top 3, but Gore, Portis and Westbrook ahead of SA , I can't buy in to...all three have a 'yeah,but...', Westy is an injury risk and doesn't run the ball often enough, Portis is in a full-blown RBBC with Betts,and is coming off major surgery ( shoulder surgery for a hard-hitting RB like Portis could be a death sentence for him), and it remains to be seen what becomes of Gore without Norv Turner calling plays in SF. Gore's numbers could take a serious nose dive ( without Turner) and, he's one big injury just waiting to happen, and his lofty stats from last season were directly a result of Norv Turner's play calling. I'm just not sure the new OC, Jim Hostler, can live up to the task of running that offense. He has ZERO experience as an NFL offensive coordinator. How this will affect Alex Smith's progression, remains to be seen. Turner really got him on the right track last season, let's hope it continues with Hostler.

nygiants56,Try to have an opinion - I really can't tell where you come down on some of your points.

QBs are low in general because in a 12-team, start 1 QB league, QBs are a commodity. There's always enough to go around. In 16 teams with deep benches, not true.

Instability at QB and in Houston in general holds AJ down. A solid corner can hold him down as the Texans offer no other elite targets nor a decent run game - yet. If that changes, AJ goes up. A top WR2 is hardly a slight.

This is a Dynasty ranking. Your reaction to SA at 5 is remarkable, and not in a good way. I also don't have Gore or Portis ahead of him.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

I wanted to chime in on the Jones-Drew, D.Wills and Addai debate. As to who will have the best fantasy career can be debated on a number of fronts. When I apply my criteria (talent, opportunity, motivation) to them they are all very talented and there's no debate in that. I do not think there is any real issue with motivation either. I can't see any of these guys having issues with wanting to be the man or any of them having character problems that might limit them in any way. In fact, what coach wouldn't want them?Opportunity is the one area that we might find some differences. This has nothing to do with the players themselves but rather the chances of them getting touches.Jones-Drew: Currently he is sharing time with Taylor. Taylor is 31 and just signed a deal that should allow him to finish his career in Jax which should be in 1-3 years from now. Once he's out of the way Drew-Jones can take over. But that may take another 2 years and that's a long time in the life of a RB. He had 166 carries in his rookie year and will likely see under 190 again this year unless Taylor gets injured and misses a few games. There is still some concern that he can handle the load with his size. It's 1 thing to carry the ball 166 times. It's another to carry it 300. He looked good last year with his 5.7 YPC but you have expect that to come down quite a bit. Even Taylor had an unusually high 5.0 YPC which is a carrer high. Is that an anomoly or what we can expect? I would suggest an anomaly for a team that can't pass effectively. Jones-Drew is a great change of pace back but could he be a feature guy?Williams: While a rookie he was unable to unseat the ineffective Foster. He carried the ball 121 times compared to Foster's 227. While neither did anyting to establish themselves over the other they had nearly identical YPC's of 4.0 and 4.1. This is not the tupe of performance that suggests greatness. Eventually Williams will probably take over but I have not seen the type of numbers that suggest he's going to be great. Better than Foster? Likely. Top 10 tpye? Not so sure. I also believe that he is a victim of this offense. While they are decent they are not a great rushing team. They have been inconsisteant at best. I don't think either Williams or Foster is built to excel in this offense. Lastly, it concerns me that he wasn't able to seperate himself from Foster whom we all agree has underacheived.Addai: I think he's already proven what he is capable of. He outperformed many experts expectations. Some of this is talent but alot of his success is because of playing in Indy and with Manning. So while no one would suggest he's more talented than the other two, he's clearly in a better situation and therefore more likely to succeed. At least for the next few years anyway. While sharing carries with Rhodes in his rookie year, Addai had 302 carries for 1375 yards and 9 TDS along with 62 recps. His ypc was 4.5 and that was against some very good defenses in the playoffs. Now that Rhodes is gone Addai should benefit with more carries in the regular season.So I would rank them in a 12 team PPR league as follows:1. Addai-mid first rounder in redraft and early-mid first dynasty. He will have a 2-3 year head start on the other two.2. Jones-Drew-early 2nd round dynasty, early 3rd redraft.3. Williams-late early 2nd dynasty and 3rd-4th rounder redraft.

I can't really argue with these points. Understand that the FBG Dynasty rankings are non-PPR. MJD goes up as does Addai in PPR consideration.

 

[EBF]

Edgerrin James - Arizona is making a commitment to run the ball and the O-line is getting better. Benson and LenDale White are unproven as feature backs, and Edge has handled that role. He's also just turning 29 entering the season, so he's still on the right side of 30.

The problem I have with him is that even if he bounces back, his value will still be limited because his shelf life appears limited. He has tons of mileage. I'd compare his value to Dillon after he left the Bengals, except he doesn't have the luxury of playing on the Patriots. A decent RB2 for the next 2 years, but expecting anything more is wishful thinking, IMO.

Willis McGahee - Baltimore wants to run. They need to run. McNair needs time in the backfield. Billick has already said that he wants to use Willis in space more with short passes to the flat and screens. McGahee is certainly better than Caddy, IMO.

Yea, maybe I was a little harsh on him. He seems like a decent option.

Travis Henry - Hace you seen a Shanahan team? His middle name is RBBC. Henry will be the #1, but don't be surprised to see carries going to someone else (and not necessarily Mike Bell).

Shanahan only uses RBBC when he doesn't have a franchise RB. Mike Bell, Tatum Bell, and Mike Anderson are not the kind of players you use as a workhorse. Travis Henry is. He's better than every rookie RB in this draft not named Peterson or Lynch. The threat to him at this point would appear minimal. He'll be the main guy and he'll have a strong season.

Thomas Jones - Everyone loves him right now - SELL. I like TJones, but I'm telling everyone I can - there will be a RBBC for the Jets. Jones will be less productive. He will get 10-15 carries a game and do less. Sorry Jones owners and supporters. I don't give him a shot at anything above a RB2 in fantasy.

I think you're dead wrong here. This guy is one of the top 10-15 RBs in the NFL. You really only expect him to get 200 carries next season? I actually think his carries will go up. He kept Cedric Benson on the bench and he'll keep Leon Washington on the bench. I think he'll be in the neighborhood of 300 carries. NYJ has a pretty good line and supporting cast, so I look for 2007 to be the best FF year of TJ's career.

Chris Perry - The same Chris Perry who's had shots taken at him by Cincy all offseason? I'd almost take (Kenny) Watson over Perry. No links right now, but I think you'll find plenty of material in the blogger. They don't believe in Perry, so why should anyone else?

He has more talent than almost all of the guys listed between RB30-60. The reason he's a great value right now is because people have soured on him. It reminds me a lot of what happened with Larry Johnson and LaMont Jordan after people got impatient with them. If DeShaun Foster can eventually get his shot, then so can Perry. There's not a chance in the world I'd trade him for journeymen and retreads like Dunn, Taylor, Rhodes, Droughns, Bell, A. Thomas, Calhoun, Dillon, Washington, M. Bell, Buckhalter, and G. Jones.

 

[salmonstud]

A quick note regarding EBF's bashing of Ronnie B & Alexander. I hope he is very wrong, since I traded for both in one of my dynasty leagues this offseason. I agree that Jeff has Alexander a little high. I would rank him below Gore, Portis, Bush, and Maroney. However, higher than several backs EBF has over him (Rudi J, W.Parker). Some people forget that Alexander really has only 6 years of full time service due to sitting behind Ricky W in Seattle his rookie season. Alexander has 300 less career touches than the consensus #1 pick (Tomlinson).

I'm in the camp that believes Ronnie Brown does have the skills to be top 10 back with a better supporting cast. #9 might be a tad high, but I would not take him out of the top 12.

The dynasty rankings is something that I check the most on the site for weekly updates. Keep up the good work Jeff & EBF!

 

[Blackjacks]

? for you Jeff. With Fitz being #1 and Boldin #5, I was alitte surprised to see you put Leinart @ #9. With both those guys being young and Leinart definetly should be the man there for a very long time I would think he should be a couple spots higher. I have him about #5 or #6 for dynasty. What is your thoughts? I saw you say in an earlier post you think they are really going to try to ride James this year and run the ball alot more. Sometimes the more balanced a team is helps them, what do you think?

 

[salmonstud]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

 

[EBF]

On to the WRs....

Too High

Marvin Harrison - He's a fantastic player and he's shown no signs of slowing down, but he's older than Isaac Bruce, Eddie Kennison, and Terry Glenn. No one can outrun father time. I agree that Harrison is a very solid option if you're in "win now" mode, but I couldn't take him over a premier young player like Lee Evans or Andre Johnson. I'd bump him down a few spots.

Reggie Brown - He's not flagrantly overrated, but I'd rather have Laveranues Coles and Mark Clayton. Brown is really in the same boat as Clayton, but with slightly tougher long-term competition (Curtis), IMO.

Brandon Marshall - He's popular around here and he showed some real flashes last year, but he wasn't a high draft pick and his short-term upside is the WR2 on the Broncos. I don't like the risk/reward equation as WR33.

Too Low

Santonio Holmes - Had a very strong rookie year and is in excellent position to excel. I'd put him at about WR24-25. I wouldn't trade him for Cotchery, Bennett, Jennings, Glenn, Marshall, Muhammad, Galloway, Henderson, Furrey, B. Jones, Henry, Jackson, Battle, M. Jones, Bryant, Branch, and probably not even Chambers. Hugely underrated on your list.

Kevin Curtis - I know he doesn't have any great seasons in his career, but with the move to a starting spot in Philly, I think he jumps out into the late 30's at least. This guy can play football and will be a nice WR3 or WR4 for the next few years with an off chance to emerge as a top 15 guy ala Furrey and Houshmandzadeh.

Michael Clayton - He's been atrocious for two years running, but you don't get taken in the top 15 and post 1,100 receiving yards without a little bit of talent. I wouldn't use an early pick on Clayton, but I have to think he carries more value than guys like Muhammad, Kennison, Mason, and Crayton simply because he's young and he could eventually bounce back. It reminds me of when people wrote off Eddie Kennison and Terry Glenn after they hit some roadblacks. I wouldn't bump Clayton up a ton, but mid 40's seems appropriate.

Reggie Williams - Has quietly improved every year in the lague, and he's still only 23 years old. I'd bump him up into the 40's. I think he could surprise people and have a better season than Matt Jones next year. And while he hasn't yet justified the top 10 pick that Jacksonville used on him, he's starting to look like a decent player.

 

[EBF]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

Perry is the kind of player that I won't write off until he's out of the league. There's a recent trend of disappointing RBs emerging later in their careers. Guys like LaMont Jordan, Larry Johnson, and Thomas Jones come to mind. All of them were the butt of jokes at one point or another. The thing is, the risk/reward is off the charts for Perry beyond RB40. If he happens to earn a starting role and stay healthy, then he can be a top 15 back. He holds the Michigan career record for rushing attempts, so it's not like he's been a walking injury his entire football career (like Foster, who was always hurt even in college).

I think the point people need to understand about Perry is that all it will take is a handful of games for his value to skyrocket (at which point you can trade him if you don't like him).

 

[Silver & Black]

Big time posting this in the forum when non-members can't gain access. I feel so.....unsatisfied. :rounders:

I agree I think they should have members only section in the forum for postings like this so that paying members can discuss ranking and other pay content without upsetting non-paying forum members!

This isn't a new practice - you guys have both been here awhile.

I guess you're right. Only, I don't recall seeing a post by a mod talking about rankings in the past. Usually, you start a thread and everybody chimes in with their rankings etc. by position, even non-members for use in the FBG rankings. It was early, kids were sleeping and my coffee was brewing so I was just a little bummed when I couldn't gain access.For what its worth, I am an old school fantasy baller who still refuses to pay for fantasy info. Even from here, which is one of only a very few sites I frequent regularly. Maybe this is the year I suck it up and pay the 25 something bucks, if for no other reason than payment for so many years of most excellent service and access to one of the best message boards I have seen.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

Perry is the kind of player that I won't write off until he's out of the league. There's a recent trend of disappointing RBs emerging later in their careers. Guys like LaMont Jordan, Larry Johnson, and Thomas Jones come to mind. All of them were the butt of jokes at one point or another. The thing is, the risk/reward is off the charts for Perry beyond RB40. If he happens to earn a starting role and stay healthy, then he can be a top 15 back. He holds the Michigan career record for rushing attempts, so it's not like he's been a walking injury his entire football career (like Foster, who was always hurt even in college).

I think the point people need to understand about Perry is that all it will take is a handful of games for his value to skyrocket (at which point you can trade him if you don't like him).

I agree. I do currently have him bumped down slightly until I find out if his leg injury is going to completely heal. According to Perry:

"I kept on working out, and it kept on hurting. I had to get something done to it. The second opinion confirmed what I thought — that it was more than what they were saying. If they would have told me about (needing surgery) in February, it would have happened in February. I knew it was hurt, but to the extent that it was, I had no clue. So then I went and got a second opinion and found out how hurt I really was."

That's a red flag to me, that he was working out on an injured leg that required surgery for months, and then once he had the surgery, he still wasn't ready to play 8 months later.Once he returns to the practice field and holds up for a stretch, ill bump him up at least a few notches. He was sensational when he got to touch the ball in 2005, looked as good as DeAngelo or Maroney looked last year.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Brandon Marshall - He's popular around here and he showed some real flashes last year, but he wasn't a high draft pick and his short-term upside is the WR2 on the Broncos. I don't like the risk/reward equation as WR33.

The part of the picture that I think you're missing (and maybe i'm just off and it's not really there) is that Marshall has the profile of a #1 WR in the passing offense, perhaps moreso than Walker. I see his short term upside as WR1. Consider:1) He's bigger and more rugged than Walker, making him a better target for key 3rd down intermediate routes and red zone throws (and any other throws in close coverage)2) He's a YAC threat on every catch, with a combo of RB like physicality and deceptive speed3) Cutler has more chemistry and timing with him because they've worked together a lot more. Walker had 28 targets in the last 4 games, Marshall 25, and Marshall is only going to get better.You mentioned risk/reward. Tell us what you think the risk is.

 

[Yitbos69]

Big time posting this in the forum when non-members can't gain access. I feel so.....unsatisfied. :rounders:

I agree I think they should have members only section in the forum for postings like this so that paying members can discuss ranking and other pay content without upsetting non-paying forum members!

This isn't a new practice - you guys have both been here awhile.

This was my failed attempt at . There is so much great free info given out on this board by Staff and Members that it's kind of funny when someone gets upset when they are the ones who are too cheap to pony up the 25 beans for the pay content

 

[EBF]

Brandon Marshall - He's popular around here and he showed some real flashes last year, but he wasn't a high draft pick and his short-term upside is the WR2 on the Broncos. I don't like the risk/reward equation as WR33.

The part of the picture that I think you're missing (and maybe i'm just off and it's not really there) is that Marshall has the profile of a #1 WR in the passing offense, perhaps moreso than Walker. I see his short term upside as WR1. Consider:1) He's bigger and more rugged than Walker, making him a better target for key 3rd down intermediate routes and red zone throws (and any other throws in close coverage)2) He's a YAC threat on every catch, with a combo of RB like physicality and deceptive speed3) Cutler has more chemistry and timing with him because they've worked together a lot more. Walker had 28 targets in the last 4 games, Marshall 25, and Marshall is only going to get better.You mentioned risk/reward. Tell us what you think the risk is.

To me, he's just another rookie WR who showed some flashes. 20 catches for 309 yards and 2 scores doesn't place him head-and-shoulders above the likes of Demetrius Williams, Greg Jennings, and Derek Hagan at this point. I think the risk is that he'll never amount to more than a #2 or #3 WR. Ernest Wilford is the same size. He was drafted higher than Marshall and he had a very similar rookie year. He's failed to establish himself. Now maybe Marshall is a better player and a better athlete, but all I see right now is a lot of hype for an unimpressive predigree and relatively limited production. That doesn't mean he doesn't have potential, but I can't justify ranking him in the top 35 dynasty WRs. You guys both have him ranked ahead of Santonio Holmes, which makes zero sense to me. And while I'm not necessarily excited about the prospects of Brandon Jones and Vincent Jackson, I don't view them as being obviously inferior to Marshall.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Now maybe Marshall is a better player and a better athlete, but all I see right now is a lot of hype for an unimpressive pedigree and relatively limited production.

I see his leading his team in tackles as a safety as a junior, then being their leading receiver as a senior as anything but unimpressive. He also peaked as his senior season progressed, telling me that something "clicked" about the move to WR.It seems like your arguments are based on season end stats (yes, Marshall did not beat out Rod Smith to start as a rookie, but I wont hold that against him) more than watching him play. If you had, you would not compare him to Wilford, he doesn't have the hands problems (at least not yet) or sluggishness of Wilford, the two things that have held him back the most.

I am pondering bumping Holmes because the Steelers offense is going to open up. I just don't know how prominent 4 WR sets are going to be, which would lower Holmes short term ceiling. I just don't see Holmes having the potential to be the go-to guy later in his career (that's Ward even if he did), where I see Marshall possibly settling into that role.

 

[Jene Bramel]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

Perry is the kind of player that I won't write off until he's out of the league. There's a recent trend of disappointing RBs emerging later in their careers. Guys like LaMont Jordan, Larry Johnson, and Thomas Jones come to mind. All of them were the butt of jokes at one point or another. The thing is, the risk/reward is off the charts for Perry beyond RB40. If he happens to earn a starting role and stay healthy, then he can be a top 15 back. He holds the Michigan career record for rushing attempts, so it's not like he's been a walking injury his entire football career (like Foster, who was always hurt even in college).

I think the point people need to understand about Perry is that all it will take is a handful of games for his value to skyrocket (at which point you can trade him if you don't like him).

I agree. I do currently have him bumped down slightly until I find out if his leg injury is going to completely heal. According to Perry:

"I kept on working out, and it kept on hurting. I had to get something done to it. The second opinion confirmed what I thought — that it was more than what they were saying. If they would have told me about (needing surgery) in February, it would have happened in February. I knew it was hurt, but to the extent that it was, I had no clue. So then I went and got a second opinion and found out how hurt I really was."

That's a red flag to me, that he was working out on an injured leg that required surgery for months, and then once he had the surgery, he still wasn't ready to play 8 months later.Once he returns to the practice field and holds up for a stretch, ill bump him up at least a few notches. He was sensational when he got to touch the ball in 2005, looked as good as DeAngelo or Maroney looked last year.

Bengal homer perspective on Perry. I'm with Sig.The Bengals are not down on him. They're very frustrated at the the past two seasons of injury -- neither of which should mark him as injury prone because of the nature of each injury -- but would very much like him as a regular contributor.

The 2005 injury was a very serious ankle injury -- one that ended up in a contentious situation in which Perry was vocally frustrated with what he perceived to be a misdiagnosis and delay in a need for surgery -- that's the quote Sig noted above. Last year's injury was a fluke -- anyone who had their leg landed on at that angle would've sustained a severe injury. I'm with Sig on waiting to see how this rehab progresses, but Perry will be a big part of this offense if/when healthy.

He's a major part of the third down packages and change of pace downs, especially in the passing game. A healthy Perry in 2004 was targeted 62 times (51 catches) in limited time and had seven or more carries in four games. Kenny Watson is a nice player, but he was re-signed as a special teams guy and continued insurance.

What would be much more telling about whether the Bengals feel Perry can return to form would be spending a third or fourth round pick on a similar running back in this draft.

 

[EBF]

Now maybe Marshall is a better player and a better athlete, but all I see right now is a lot of hype for an unimpressive pedigree and relatively limited production.

I see his leading his team in tackles as a safety as a junior, then being their leading receiver as a senior as anything but unimpressive. He also peaked as his senior season progressed, telling me that something "clicked" about the move to WR.It seems like your arguments are based on season end stats (yes, Marshall did not beat out Rod Smith to start as a rookie, but I wont hold that against him) more than watching him play. If you had, you would not compare him to Wilford, he doesn't have the hands problems (at least not yet) or sluggishness of Wilford, the two things that have held him back the most.

I am pondering bumping Holmes because the Steelers offense is going to open up. I just don't know how prominent 4 WR sets are going to be, which would lower Holmes short term ceiling. I just don't see Holmes having the potential to be the go-to guy later in his career (that's Ward even if he did), where I see Marshall possibly settling into that role.

He's a good athlete. If he wasn't, then he wouldn't have been drafted. But that doesn't mean he's destined for superstardom. It takes a rare player to become a consistent star in the NFL. From where I stand, nothing about Marshall obviously indicates that he's going to be one of the select few. That's my real contention here. A 4th round pick with common physical skills and a relatively average rookie year doesn't jump out at me as an obvious future star.

Does that mean he's worthless? Not at all. It's quite possible that he'll have 800 yards next year and 1,200 yards the year after that. But that's not guaranteed.

When I'm looking at young players, I consider where they were drafted and what they've done with their opportunities. In this regard, Marshall doesn't really stand out from guys like Demetrius Williams and Derek Hagan. He was a reasonably high pick who made a handful of special plays. The same thing is true of Williams and Hagan. That's why I wouldn't value him substantially higher than those two.

As for Holmes, he was the first WR drafted last year. He had 824 receiving yards and over 500 in the last eight games. He may not have the flashy physical skills of someone like Randy Moss, but I see no reason why he can't become a productive WR in the mold of former Buckeyes Terry Glenn and Joey Galloway. And while it would be presumptuous to compare him to Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, and Marvin Harrison, those guys have had fine careers with comparable physical tools.

 

[EBF]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

Perry is the kind of player that I won't write off until he's out of the league. There's a recent trend of disappointing RBs emerging later in their careers. Guys like LaMont Jordan, Larry Johnson, and Thomas Jones come to mind. All of them were the butt of jokes at one point or another. The thing is, the risk/reward is off the charts for Perry beyond RB40. If he happens to earn a starting role and stay healthy, then he can be a top 15 back. He holds the Michigan career record for rushing attempts, so it's not like he's been a walking injury his entire football career (like Foster, who was always hurt even in college).

I think the point people need to understand about Perry is that all it will take is a handful of games for his value to skyrocket (at which point you can trade him if you don't like him).

I agree. I do currently have him bumped down slightly until I find out if his leg injury is going to completely heal. According to Perry:

"I kept on working out, and it kept on hurting. I had to get something done to it. The second opinion confirmed what I thought — that it was more than what they were saying. If they would have told me about (needing surgery) in February, it would have happened in February. I knew it was hurt, but to the extent that it was, I had no clue. So then I went and got a second opinion and found out how hurt I really was."

That's a red flag to me, that he was working out on an injured leg that required surgery for months, and then once he had the surgery, he still wasn't ready to play 8 months later.Once he returns to the practice field and holds up for a stretch, ill bump him up at least a few notches. He was sensational when he got to touch the ball in 2005, looked as good as DeAngelo or Maroney looked last year.

Bengal homer perspective on Perry. I'm with Sig.The Bengals are not down on him. They're very frustrated at the the past two seasons of injury -- neither of which should mark him as injury prone because of the nature of each injury -- but would very much like him as a regular contributor.

The 2005 injury was a very serious ankle injury -- one that ended up in a contentious situation in which Perry was vocally frustrated with what he perceived to be a misdiagnosis and delay in a need for surgery -- that's the quote Sig noted above. Last year's injury was a fluke -- anyone who had their leg landed on at that angle would've sustained a severe injury. I'm with Sig on waiting to see how this rehab progresses, but Perry will be a big part of this offense if/when healthy.

He's a major part of the third down packages and change of pace downs, especially in the passing game. A healthy Perry in 2004 was targeted 62 times (51 catches) in limited time and had seven or more carries in four games. Kenny Watson is a nice player, but he was re-signed as a special teams guy and continued insurance.

What would be much more telling about whether the Bengals feel Perry can return to form would be spending a third or fourth round pick on a similar running back in this draft.

Even if the Bengals send him packing, that wouldn't spell the end of his career. In fact, it might even be a good thing. Bottom line is that the guy's a first round talent with plenty of time to prove himself. You're not going to find many of those on the cheap in dynasty leagues, so he's a great buy.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Now maybe Marshall is a better player and a better athlete, but all I see right now is a lot of hype for an unimpressive pedigree and relatively limited production.

I see his leading his team in tackles as a safety as a junior, then being their leading receiver as a senior as anything but unimpressive. He also peaked as his senior season progressed, telling me that something "clicked" about the move to WR.It seems like your arguments are based on season end stats (yes, Marshall did not beat out Rod Smith to start as a rookie, but I wont hold that against him) more than watching him play. If you had, you would not compare him to Wilford, he doesn't have the hands problems (at least not yet) or sluggishness of Wilford, the two things that have held him back the most.

I am pondering bumping Holmes because the Steelers offense is going to open up. I just don't know how prominent 4 WR sets are going to be, which would lower Holmes short term ceiling. I just don't see Holmes having the potential to be the go-to guy later in his career (that's Ward even if he did), where I see Marshall possibly settling into that role.

He's a good athlete. If he wasn't, then he wouldn't have been drafted. But that doesn't mean he's destined for superstardom. It takes a rare player to become a consistent star in the NFL. From where I stand, nothing about Marshall obviously indicates that he's going to be one of the select few. That's my real contention here. A 4th round pick with common physical skills and a relatively average rookie year doesn't jump out at me as an obvious future star.

Does that mean he's worthless? Not at all. It's quite possible that he'll have 800 yards next year and 1,200 yards the year after that. But that's not guaranteed.

When I'm looking at young players, I consider where they were drafted and what they've done with their opportunities. In this regard, Marshall doesn't really stand out from guys like Demetrius Williams and Derek Hagan. He was a reasonably high pick who made a handful of special plays. The same thing is true of Williams and Hagan. That's why I wouldn't value him substantially higher than those two.

As for Holmes, he was the first WR drafted last year. He had 824 receiving yards and over 500 in the last eight games. He may not have the flashy physical skills of someone like Randy Moss, but I see no reason why he can't become a productive WR in the mold of former Buckeyes Terry Glenn and Joey Galloway. And while it would be presumptuous to compare him to Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, and Marvin Harrison, those guys have had fine careers with comparable physical tools.

You are underestimating Marshall's physical ability - a 6'4" 230 guy as agile and fast as he is that still uses his size and bulk to his advantage is rare.Also on his draft stock - I've been trying to get to the bottom of this for a while, like Champ Bailey, I never understood why he fell to the second day. The most common answer I've gotten is that he's a got a strange personality. I think from a pure tools standpoint, he was a 2nd rounder.

Alas, we shall just have to agree to disagree and watch this one play out on the field. I am spending too much time defending my possibly misguided euphoric optimism about Marshall and Vince Young. I need to chill and just wait for the season to write the next chapter.

 

[salmonstud]

EBF,

Still holding a torch for Chris Perry? My little sister once beat him up in on the playground. He is more fragile than fine china.

Perry is the kind of player that I won't write off until he's out of the league. There's a recent trend of disappointing RBs emerging later in their careers. Guys like LaMont Jordan, Larry Johnson, and Thomas Jones come to mind. All of them were the butt of jokes at one point or another. The thing is, the risk/reward is off the charts for Perry beyond RB40. If he happens to earn a starting role and stay healthy, then he can be a top 15 back. He holds the Michigan career record for rushing attempts, so it's not like he's been a walking injury his entire football career (like Foster, who was always hurt even in college).

I think the point people need to understand about Perry is that all it will take is a handful of games for his value to skyrocket (at which point you can trade him if you don't like him).

I agree. I do currently have him bumped down slightly until I find out if his leg injury is going to completely heal. According to Perry:

"I kept on working out, and it kept on hurting. I had to get something done to it. The second opinion confirmed what I thought — that it was more than what they were saying. If they would have told me about (needing surgery) in February, it would have happened in February. I knew it was hurt, but to the extent that it was, I had no clue. So then I went and got a second opinion and found out how hurt I really was."

That's a red flag to me, that he was working out on an injured leg that required surgery for months, and then once he had the surgery, he still wasn't ready to play 8 months later.Once he returns to the practice field and holds up for a stretch, ill bump him up at least a few notches. He was sensational when he got to touch the ball in 2005, looked as good as DeAngelo or Maroney looked last year.

Bengal homer perspective on Perry. I'm with Sig.The Bengals are not down on him. They're very frustrated at the the past two seasons of injury -- neither of which should mark him as injury prone because of the nature of each injury -- but would very much like him as a regular contributor.

The 2005 injury was a very serious ankle injury -- one that ended up in a contentious situation in which Perry was vocally frustrated with what he perceived to be a misdiagnosis and delay in a need for surgery -- that's the quote Sig noted above. Last year's injury was a fluke -- anyone who had their leg landed on at that angle would've sustained a severe injury. I'm with Sig on waiting to see how this rehab progresses, but Perry will be a big part of this offense if/when healthy.

He's a major part of the third down packages and change of pace downs, especially in the passing game. A healthy Perry in 2004 was targeted 62 times (51 catches) in limited time and had seven or more carries in four games. Kenny Watson is a nice player, but he was re-signed as a special teams guy and continued insurance.

What would be much more telling about whether the Bengals feel Perry can return to form would be spending a third or fourth round pick on a similar running back in this draft.

I played poker at a casino about a year ago and happened to be at the table as one of the current Bengals lineman (won't name names). After he took a good size pot off of me, I jokingly said you should at least give me a little bit of insider information for my fantasy football team....I asked him if he thought Perry would overtake Johnson as the lead back if healthy? He said that Perry has a very poor work ethic and attitude and doubted that he would unseat a Rudi. He was serious when he said it.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Not sure why DeAngelo Williams and Jones-Drew are ahead of Addai. Joseph Addai is the starter with little compeition playing on the best offense in football, while the other two guys are arguably not even starters.

I think Addai is a good back in a good situation. I think MJD is a better back in a worse short term situation, but will outperform Addai over time.DeW is the best talent of the 3, and has the biggest upside. Once he is the true feature back, possibly as soon as September, watch out.

What makes you think Williams is a better back than Addai, or Drew for that matter?