For those still drafting: Where are you talking Bell/Conner? (1 Viewer)

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Bell went at fourth overall in tonight's FBG draft, Conner went in the tenth by the non-Bell owner

Yep - that’s right about where I’d grab him if he has a ~12th ADP if I were to beat out the rest. High for a non-bell team maybe, but it’s the shark move if you’re certain Bell will moss multiple games, or (and this is key) if you think you can flip him to the Bell team manager for something better than what was there in the 10th. 

Guaranteed the closer it gets to game time the more desperate that manager will be. 

 

[Elevencents]

I agree. It sounds weird to say it in the first round, but I do think your goal should be minimizing risk. Busting on your first-rounder can be a league loser (not if you play the WW, of course).

I'm just saying that if you do have the stomach for risk and get a Top 5 talent outside the Top 5, the rewards can be big (ie, the guy upthread who got Bell and Zeke last year).

100%. I see round 1 as safe plug and play points. Save the other rounds for upside. 

 

[Ray Barboni]

Bell fell to me at the 1.05 last night in our draft. Took Conner in the 10th.

10 team, 2 keeper, non PPR with 3 flex and 3 IDP.

 

[buck naked]

I was in a FFPC $2500 VP league last night. Bell went 4th. The #1 ranked fantasy player according to ScoutFantasy's rankings took Conner at 8.03 overall. 

 

[rockaction]

Bell fell to me at the 1.05 last night in our draft. Took Conner in the 10th.

10 team, 2 keeper, non PPR with 3 flex and 3 IDP.

See, this I like. You might have taken a risk on Bell and gone a round early on Conner, but you've got a guy -- Conner -- whom the Steelers firmly feel comfortable with, by all actions and appearances, as a bell cow in the making. We don't know that for sure, but it's a pretty good, educated guess. You just got floor out of the 1.05 and 10.09, and potentially great ceiling to beat out of your 1.05. 

Good work. 

 

[rockaction]

I was in a FFPC $2500 VP league last night. Bell went 4th. The #1 ranked fantasy player according to ScoutFantasy's rankings took Conner at 8.03 overall. 

Dang. I thought the tenth was early. This makes more sense to be given how volatile Bell and the Steelers' situation is with each other.  

 

[ROCKET]

Have Connor in all three leagues I'm in and not a Bell owner. Got him in the 11th or later in all three. I was actually targeting Connor as a late round flyer even before Bell's hold out.

I think Bell has a decent chance of missing significant time after sitting out as how many times have we seen that scenario unfold? JC has as much upside as anyone you are reaching for at the end of most drafts.

 

[TLEF316]

Bell  went 1.2 last night. I snagged Connor at 11.10 as my RB5. Seemed like a really good gamble at that point.

 

[Saboo]

According to reports L.Bell is not at practice today (9/5) this has disaster written all over it for Bell owners.

 

[Don't Noonan]

Our 10 man PPR last night.  I had pick 2.

Djohnson, Gurley, ABrown, Bell, Barkley, Elliot

I picked up Connor in 15th round.

 

[Interseptopus]

So false alarm in some ways. I forgot the consolation winner of our league gets 1.1, so I am picking 5th. I ran home at lunch to do a few mocks now that keepers are final and I found that I am still looking at Bell at 1.5, but can pass him up for CMC or Barkley. Probably CMC because I would be looking at Mixion round 2 and they share a bye. PPR league so I think CMC could be a monster. I'm surprised he wasn't kept. Kamara is being kept very cheap, so he's not an option which I like because I didn't want to be tempted. 

 

[Don't Noonan]

With today's news I think Bell should go around round 2-3 in a 12 team

 

[TheCommish]

I took Bell 5th overall last night, and Conner in the 15th round.  No chance I would get Conner that late after today.

 

[FGITLOTR]

With today's news I think Bell should go around round 2-3 in a 12 team

that high after missing a possible 9 games? no thx

 

[fantasycurse42]

Bell 16th round

Conner 8th round

 

[zftcg]

Bell 16th round

Conner 8th round

I mean, I get the logic but 

The roller coaster ride over the past couple days has been insane. Imagine if he turns around and signs tomorrow.

 

[shadyridr]

Connor has to be like a 4th rounder now. Heck Bell might be too. 

 

[TartanLion]

Hilarious. Guy picking 2nd turns up to the draft five mins late to find he's autodrafted Bell. From the 11 hole, I went WR/WR/RB/WR/WR then threw RB darts including Conner in the 7th

 

[kyoun1e]

Conner has to be considered at least by round 8.

 

[jps]

My draft was last night I took Bell 4th and picked up Conner in the 14th round.  I can live with either one starting for the steelers. Of course I prefer Bell to be that player.  Or who knows maybe they end up with a bell trade during the season and I have two starters.  All I knew I wasn't letting the teams on the back side of the first round pick up the high end risk/reward that is Bell and also have a better high quality 2nd round pick.  I feel I have more than enough quality to survive until this all shakes out.  A 1st round and a 14th round pick is cheap to lock up the high scoring steeler backfeild. Just my 2 cents worth

 

[dschuler]

Who would possibly take Bell right now in the first round when you could get Fournette Hunt or Cook and expect RB1 production? There is a good chance he won’t play until week 10, if at all right now.  Why risk it for a couple extra points potentially per week?  You can’t win a league in round 1, but you can damn sure kiss it good bye. Bell is a huge risk at this point.  

James Conner will put up top 12 RB numbers if healthy while Bell is out. 

 

[Mongidig]

Bell seems to be going pick 3-5 in my 12 team ppr league. Conner is going middle 8th as of now. I have the 5th pick. If he is there do I take him? or go Antonio Brown and not worry about it? The other 4 RBs will be gone.

 

[VaTerp]

Took Bell in auction before realizing how much of a risk he represented.

Will not be touching him tonight in my snake and would only take Conner at value.  Only in 2 leagues these days and want no part of this drama in at least one of em.

 

[Nucker101]

One last auction tonight.

Will most likely avoid both since I don't want to be caught in a position where the other owners know that I need Connor after I draft Bell. 

 

[msudaisy26]

Waivers just opened up in our local league. I am thinking about dropping Jamaal Williams and picking up Connor. Am I nuts? We can only carry 4 backs on our roster and I already have D.J., Melvin Gordon, and Ingram

 

[avoiding injuries]

I won Conner yesterday with 10% of my FAB. Draft was over the weekend. 

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

Waivers just opened up in our local league. I am thinking about dropping Jamaal Williams and picking up Connor. Am I nuts? We can only carry 4 backs on our roster and I already have D.J., Melvin Gordon, and Ingram

He is worth way more the Williams

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

The problem with drafting Conner is that you are getting a player you don't expect to be in the playoffs, but as soon as you are into backups his value is huge.

I am drafting 12th in a FFPC draft and I hope he goes in front of me.

 

[Interseptopus]

Bell went 1.2 tonight. Conner round 12. 

 

[zftcg]

Bell went 1.2 tonight. Conner round 12. 

Someone in your league has stones of  solid brass 

 

[BassNBrew]

Bell went at pick 11 in the FBG MBSL (ppr).  I passed on him at 9 for Fournette.  The 11th spot timed out so he was an auto pick based on rankings otherwise he may have fallen further.

 

[Interseptopus]

Someone in your league has stones of  solid brass 

His RBs are Bell, Burkhead, CJ Anderson

I gobbled up all the RBs. Trying to trade Barber for Allen Robinson. 

 

[QuizGuy66]

Bell owner picked him up (It's an 8-team so deeper pool of FAs)

-QG

 

[Morton Muffley]

Drafted tonight.  10 team 2 QB league and I grabbed Conner at 9.08 s the 30th RB off the board.  I did not draft Bell as he went mid second round to the worst drafter in our 20+ year leaque

 

[anguskahn]

Bell went 1.3 tonight.  I got Conner at pick 98.

 

[wlwiles]

Just finished a 12 team PPR Dynasty startup draft about an hour ago.  Bell went 2.05, and Conner went mid-7th by a different owner.   I debated Bell vs. CMC down to the last second at 2.03, ultimately just chose to avoid the situation and I didn't want to be dependent on having to take Conner too early.  

 

[steelers1080]

took Bell 2nd overall in a 12 team ppr redraft and picked up Connor in the 12th.

No regrets. He'll report and be the stud that he is.

Still confident?

 

[steelers1080]

Bell seems to be going pick 3-5 in my 12 team ppr league. Conner is going middle 8th as of now. I have the 5th pick. If he is there do I take him? or go Antonio Brown and not worry about it? The other 4 RBs will be gone.

AB. Over the last 16 games without Bell, Brown put up over 2000 yards. He could feast even more than usual this year, especially if something crazy happens and Bell sits all year or is traded. 

 

[Fat Nick]

I managed to draft Conner in the 2nd to last round in a league that drafted on Tuesday PM after I heard some rumblings re. Bell holding out longer.  I also picked Conner up as a FA in my other league yesterday.  

This situation keeps getting uglier and uglier.  Bell's reason for not wanting to report (workload) is a tough one to argue.  The Steelers as an organization are also more of a Belichick/Pats organization that isn't afraid to let stars go if they feel they're overvalued than they are a team that will open the wallet to keep a guy.  Knowing the mentality of the organization with past "challenging situations," (Plaxico, Bryant, etc.) they're usually OK going ahead with plan B.  I can't help but feel like this will be a similar situation.  I think Bell may report at some point, but he has little motivation to do so before he absolutely has to - his goal is to minimize the impact on his body, and then sign what he thinks will be a big contract...clearly it's not to be a team player.

 

[zftcg]

I managed to draft Conner in the 2nd to last round in a league that drafted on Tuesday PM after I heard some rumblings re. Bell holding out longer.  I also picked Conner up as a FA in my other league yesterday.  

This situation keeps getting uglier and uglier.  Bell's reason for not wanting to report (workload) is a tough one to argue.  The Steelers as an organization are also more of a Belichick/Pats organization that isn't afraid to let stars go if they feel they're overvalued than they are a team that will open the wallet to keep a guy.  Knowing the mentality of the organization with past "challenging situations," (Plaxico, Bryant, etc.) they're usually OK going ahead with plan B.  I can't help but feel like this will be a similar situation.  I think Bell may report at some point, but he has little motivation to do so before he absolutely has to - his goal is to minimize the impact on his body, and then sign what he thinks will be a big contract...clearly it's not to be a team player.

More importantly, there's really nothing the Steelers can do. His two big issues are the money and his potential workload. They can't do anything about the former, and the most they could do about the latter is make a non-specific promise not to run him into the ground. I suppose they could also rescind his franchise tag, but they would have nothing to gain from that other than maybe earning a compensatory pick a year earlier.