It seems as if Ahman Green will open as the starter, follwed by Chris Brown. I figure both can he had on the cheap. The Texans have brought in the former Denver O-Line coach (his name escapes me at the moment), have the potential with Schaub, A. Johnson, Daniels, etc.. to turn into an upper half NFL offense. The defense also seems to be on the rise. What is the shark pool consensus, as I'm going to bid for both Green and Brown at my auction? Does anyone feel that either RB can turn into a top 15 guy?
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.
Houston Texans RB Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ack88
- Start date
Craig_MiamiFL
Footballguy
Would have no problem drafting either as my RB4 & hope for RB3 type results. Sure value is there. I've seen a # of NFL backup RB's going before either Green/Brown so there's some value there.
GregR_2
Footballguy
They were upper half last year with Ron Dayne carrying the rock and Andre Johnson missing about 1/3 of a season. 14th in yards and 12th in scoring.I think either RB if healthy and the other isn't, could be in the top 15. But if both are healthy I think the ball will be spread around too much to have an expectation that either of them will make the top 15.Ack88 said:
Ketamine Dreams
Footballguy
The problem is it will take a shotgun approach ala Denver to have the 'starter'. I don't see true value in the Texans backfield.
How can the 32nd starting RB in most drafts not be value in Green and than grabbing Brown. In fact Green goes about RB35 in most drafts and that is value. I know I rather have him than alot of guys if healthy as I feel the Texans are not the 32nd best running team in the league. I leave that for the Bears. And Forte goes 5th round in most drafts.
Kubiak and his system bode well for any RB. Chris Brown and Ahman Green's durability does not. This will be a dicey situation regardless of how it pans out in training camp.
I'm leaning toward Brown because apparently I've caught each of his exceptional games so I just wind up thinking a bit higher of him than most. I believe Green is "the man" as of this moment.
I'm leaning toward Brown because apparently I've caught each of his exceptional games so I just wind up thinking a bit higher of him than most. I believe Green is "the man" as of this moment.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
I think could be a very situation for either Green or Brown (not Mr. Pink - sorry, I just typed Brown and Green and thought of Reservior Dogs). They will have a pretty dam good passing game to keep the stacked fronts infrequent. Clearly though there is a lot of risk - both are health risks and they may share carries. They also have Slayton that will hoard a few carries and passes but I think he will not have a huge impact this year.
As we all do, I like a lead RB that is likely to get 20 or more carries and is the guy at the goaline. At rounds 11 and up - I may well try to get both of them. Not a bad payoff for that late in the draft. I plan to keep up on how things are going and see if one if more likely than another. Good news for Green for instance and he drops down to 7th and below - think Rudi. I like him too but it is aggravating to see him starting to drop into the 4th too often. Same deal there - wait to hear more.
As we all do, I like a lead RB that is likely to get 20 or more carries and is the guy at the goaline. At rounds 11 and up - I may well try to get both of them. Not a bad payoff for that late in the draft. I plan to keep up on how things are going and see if one if more likely than another. Good news for Green for instance and he drops down to 7th and below - think Rudi. I like him too but it is aggravating to see him starting to drop into the 4th too often. Same deal there - wait to hear more.
GregR_2
Footballguy
I only saw Chris Taylor in on one play today at the morning practice, and that was later in the practice and he got a rush on it.
Otherwise, Ahman Green, Darius Walker, and Steve Slaton all looked good today. Chris Brown didn't have nearly as good of a day. Yesterday it was Slaton that didn't look as good as the other 4 but he did better today.
(Take with appropriate amount of salt that this is commentary on 2 practices of the 40-50 that they'll have before the season starts.)
Otherwise, Ahman Green, Darius Walker, and Steve Slaton all looked good today. Chris Brown didn't have nearly as good of a day. Yesterday it was Slaton that didn't look as good as the other 4 but he did better today.
(Take with appropriate amount of salt that this is commentary on 2 practices of the 40-50 that they'll have before the season starts.)
Anthony Borbely
Footballguy
It does not matter if they are or aren't the 32nd best rushing team. What matters is whether any of their RBs can be counted on. Even if they were middle of the pack, who knows which of the RBs will be putting up the numbers? I think Green and Brown are both injury risks, but Brown has some solid upside if he can stay healthy. I think Green is nearing the end. I would not take either in the top 35 RBs right now.
Ozymandias
Footballguy
Green is 31, Brown is 27. Maybe Green will be the starter over the killer first few games, but I'm betting that Brown will replace him and if so, Brown should have some solid stats with the revamped o-line.
Counting out Green is almost like counting out Curtis Martin before he led the league in rushing at 32. Or was that 33
I do like the combo of Green/Brown and dont think you see games played on who will be the RB each and every game. Not going to be RBBC as much as some situations. You would not take him at RB35 but a guy like Mendenhall who is a backup and may not even see top 70 numbers on the year goes before him. Rookies start off slow or hit a wall in most situations. Happens all the time but they seem to go early all the time/
I dont mind loading up on WR's while others take there Fortes, Mendenhalls, Stewarts etc and give the Houston RB duo a chance for 9th and 12th round picks.
I do like the combo of Green/Brown and dont think you see games played on who will be the RB each and every game. Not going to be RBBC as much as some situations. You would not take him at RB35 but a guy like Mendenhall who is a backup and may not even see top 70 numbers on the year goes before him. Rookies start off slow or hit a wall in most situations. Happens all the time but they seem to go early all the time/
I dont mind loading up on WR's while others take there Fortes, Mendenhalls, Stewarts etc and give the Houston RB duo a chance for 9th and 12th round picks.
BigRed
Footballguy
LMAOThat's funny.If Green costs more than a buck in our auction, he won't be on my team. In fact he still might not be on my team even if he's a buck.
FantasyTrader
Footballguy
Which is really the definition of value. A lot of people are with you on this line of thinking. In most auctions, you can acquire Green, Brown and Slaton (assuming rosters deep enough to carry all of them) for about 6%-7% budget.
pollardsvision
Footballguy
here's what needs to happen for darius walker to have a breakout, semi-out of nowhere, solid RB2 type of season:
1. ahman green needs to get hurt: 80% chance of happening
2. chris brown needs to get hurt: 70% chance of happening
3. he needs to be effective enough when he gets his shot: 75%
4. steve slaton needs to be 3rd down material only: 98%
.8 X .7 X .75 X .98= darius walker has a 41.16% chance of going from the waiver-wire to the starting lineups of fantasy teams during the playoffs.
1. ahman green needs to get hurt: 80% chance of happening
2. chris brown needs to get hurt: 70% chance of happening
3. he needs to be effective enough when he gets his shot: 75%
4. steve slaton needs to be 3rd down material only: 98%
.8 X .7 X .75 X .98= darius walker has a 41.16% chance of going from the waiver-wire to the starting lineups of fantasy teams during the playoffs.
Tau837
Footballguy
So you're giving Walker a 100% chance of beating out Taylor? And you're giving Walker a 100% chance of staying healthy himself?
pollardsvision
Footballguy
thank you. my equation was incomplete. (i went to the liberal arts school 25 miles down the road, so i'm not as thorough with my figures as you state guys)i don't know that much about chris taylor, but if he's really playing some fullback just to try to help himself have a better shot of making the team, i'll say walker has 70% chance of staying ahead of taylor on the depth chart. that puts us at 28.8%.since it might be mid-season before green and brown bow out, walker would have a nice shot at staying healthy for the duration: i'll call it 85%.so, a hair under a 25% chance. i'll pay $1 for that.
Last edited by a moderator:
BigSteelThrill
Footballguy
#3. A good spot for him and his chances.
Couch Potato
Footballguy
Darius Rucker sings better than Darius Walker.
I'm a big help, huh?
OK, also there's this --
John McClain, the HOU beat writer, had this to say on his blog on 7/19:
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2008/07/lets_an...ans_enteri.html
I'm a big help, huh?
OK, also there's this --
John McClain, the HOU beat writer, had this to say on his blog on 7/19:
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2008/07/lets_an...ans_enteri.html
EBF
Footballguy
Talk about a mess. I don't think they have a true franchise RB on the roster right now. Ahman Green was a great player in his prime, but he seems to have deteriorated. Slaton is a change of pace back and Walker is a scrub. Chris Brown might be my pick to lead this team in rushing next year. I think they'll look hard at RBs in the 2009 draft.
I'll be surprised if this situation yields a good, reliable FF back in 2008.
I'll be surprised if this situation yields a good, reliable FF back in 2008.
EBF
Footballguy
It seems like every RB under 5'11" gets compared to Westbrook these days. Slaton is fast, but he's not a powerful runner and he isn't as shifty. I'll be pretty surprised if he ends up as more than a change of pace back. Probably the best case scenario I can envision is him getting an opportunity and stringing together a few decent games ala Selvin Young, but I don't think he'll ever be a long term answer as a team's starting RB.
Burning Sensation
Footballguy
Actually i was going to compare him to MJD. I recently read Slaton was up to 207 lbs. At 5'9" that makes him one inch taller and 1 lb heavier than MJD. They both run 4.4 forties. I am not saying he is as good as MJD, but they have similar measurements. Lets us not forget, before his junior year he was considered a top 10-15 NFL draft pick. I think he is a slightly more talenteed version of Dominick Davis, who played pretty well for the Texans just a few years ago. I love his upside in the Texans offense, and with only Green/Brown in front of him, i think he gets a shot to show his stuff this year. He is definetly worth a 2nd round rookie pick, or late round flyer in a redraft.
EBF
Footballguy
MJD is actually 5'6.6" and 207 pounds, which gives him a very high BMI. He has one of the higher BMI scores of any relevant NFL RB. I think that partially explains his absurd power and his ability to get second chance yards.
Steve Slaton was exactly 2.5" inches taller and ten pounds lighter at the combine. It bodes well for his chances if he's packed on some weight, but my opinion is as much qualitative as it is quantitative. He just doesn't look like a starting caliber NFL back to me. He has a narrow base. He doesn't run with much power. He doesn't flash a lot of quickness and lateral movement for a "speed" type back. Anything can happen, but I'm definitely a skeptic.
Steve Slaton was exactly 2.5" inches taller and ten pounds lighter at the combine. It bodes well for his chances if he's packed on some weight, but my opinion is as much qualitative as it is quantitative. He just doesn't look like a starting caliber NFL back to me. He has a narrow base. He doesn't run with much power. He doesn't flash a lot of quickness and lateral movement for a "speed" type back. Anything can happen, but I'm definitely a skeptic.
Burning Sensation
Footballguy
MJD is listed at 5'8", although i am sure youre right, he definetly looks shorter than that. Did you consider MJD a starting caliber NFL back after he was drafted?EBF said:
edited to add an "e" to "your".
Last edited by a moderator:
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Where did you see Slaton listed at 207? I saw that he bumped from 197 to 201, but have been watching and haven't seen anything else.
207/8 would make him a much more intriguing prospect.
207/8 would make him a much more intriguing prospect.
Burning Sensation
Footballguy
Someone linked it here at FBG, i just dont remember.
EBF
Footballguy
His combine height was 5'6.6". Listed heights on NFL.com and ESPN are not usually accurate.
Definitely not. Back then I was like a lot other people who thought short = small = undersized. I've learned a lot from the success of MJD and the moderate failure of Reggie Bush. Those two guys are part of the reason why I'm such a BMI junkie when it comes to RB prospects. I have a better understanding of what the job entails and what type of runners can succeed in the NFL than I did 2-3 years ago. That's why I feel comfortable speaking with conviction when I rip guys like Charles, Slaton, C. Johnson, and McFadden.
Last edited by a moderator:
Not to make things even more murky, but Mike Bell just signed with Houston. Honestly, I don't think that Green or Brown will make much a fantasy impact this year. Green is clearly past his prime and Brown can't seem to stay healthy. It may take several weeks into shake things out, but I think Houston's primary RB will emerge from further down the depth chart. Will it be Bell? Slaton? Taylor? or someone not yet on our radar? Every year it seems that some unknown RB gets a chance and ends up being a top 10 or 15 fantasy RB. Last year; it was Ryan Grant. Five years ago it was Rudi Johnson; and so on. Houston is a perfect situation (solid o-line and passing game) for a relative unknown to excel in 08. I might take a flyer on a Houston RB at some point, but I won't waste a mid-round pick on Green or Brown.
Last edited by a moderator:
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
I think that Taylor's the one to own in dynasties. He probably won't hit it big, but I like him better than the others at this point.
The Jacket
Footballguy
Targetting Green in the 18th round (!) of a dynasty start-up and he'll be anything between my RB4 and RB6.
Cleat Spike
Footballguy
Bell now has a hamstring pull, so this experiment doesn't seem to be going too well....Bell suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice session, the Texans' official site reports.
Analysis: Bell, who was recently signed on Thursday, is behind the rest of the team in terms of conditioning and it shows. "He’s got a little hamstring problem. To be honest with you, he's not in the shape the rest of our football team is and we found that out real fast. He got gassed the first night he was out here. He got gassed earlier today (Saturday), and he's not up with our team. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you bring guys in the middle of camp or stuff. If they’re not in excellent shape, they get exposed in a way very, very quick. I just don't think he was in very good condition," said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak.
Cleat Spike
Footballguy
I think we just have to wait and see. Having watched just about all his games at WVU I think he will face a bit of an uphill battle against stout NFL players, but there's a reason he's in HOU. HOU would probably be the closest to the WVU run game as there is in the NFL, so what else can you ask for really. He was mentioned in the same sentences as McFadden/Stewart his soph year, then his stock took a huge hit, rightfully so. Most thought he'd go later than the 3rd even, after a down Jr year. But one teams targets him in the 3rd still? He doesn't need but a 12" hole or a nice edge seal and you'll see a different gear than what anyone saw in Indy. It's going to be tough as this is a different league but the chance is there and it seems he landed with the right team. With this RB crew, 16 weeks is a long time, he's going to see a bunch of time IMO.EBF said:
AngryGorilla
Footballguy
anyone know the latest on the situation in Houston?
Is Green holding it down? Is Slaton gonna be given a shot? having trouble finding some current info
thx
Is Green holding it down? Is Slaton gonna be given a shot? having trouble finding some current info
thx
The SHIPP has arrived. Ahman Green could miss the next two weeks, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The Texans felt the need to sign Marcel Shipp Sunday, which makes you wonder. Green is owed $4.5 million this season and the fact that he didn't survive one preseason play without getting hurt is a concern. We don't think he's a lock to make the team.
Source: Houston Chronicle
Rookie Steve Slaton will begin taking some first-team carries in the Texans' third preseason game Friday at Dallas.
Slaton is probably too undersized to ever be a full-time back, but he's the team's most explosive option and climbing the depth chart. "I think he’s earned the right to get some reps with the first group," coach Gary Kubiak said. "He played pretty darn well. He’s getting better every time we go out. He was better in protections. It’s obvious he can be a big help to us offensively."
Source: Houston Chronicle
Jerry Lawler
Footballguy
I like to check Kubiak's quotes here:
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Transcriptions.asp
Basically, Green's got a groin injury and may be out for a couple more weeks. Brown recently returned from injury and would be the starter if the season started today. However, Kubiak recently stated that Slaton had earned some first team reps too. Chris Taylor had been playing ahead of Slaton but came out of the last game with muscle cramps.
Any reaction from Texans fans to the Marcel Shipp signing. I'm guessing he will be competing with Darius Walker for the 5th HB spot behind Green/Brown/Slaton/Taylor, but with the injuries the way they are, the 5th HB spot might actually be relevant.
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Transcriptions.asp
Basically, Green's got a groin injury and may be out for a couple more weeks. Brown recently returned from injury and would be the starter if the season started today. However, Kubiak recently stated that Slaton had earned some first team reps too. Chris Taylor had been playing ahead of Slaton but came out of the last game with muscle cramps.
Any reaction from Texans fans to the Marcel Shipp signing. I'm guessing he will be competing with Darius Walker for the 5th HB spot behind Green/Brown/Slaton/Taylor, but with the injuries the way they are, the 5th HB spot might actually be relevant.
GregR_2
Footballguy
:X
Banger
Footballguy
why?Ahman...enjoy retirement. I expect him to be cut before the season starts.
Slaton is the guy I'm intrigued by here. I like what Kubiak is saying about him. This upcoming preseason game will be telling for him.
J
J
Bizkiteer
Footballguy
Injury prone, over the hill, and has higher salary. This year, he got hurt after one play in pre-season and yet to return to the field. I think they move on...why?Ahman...enjoy retirement. I expect him to be cut before the season starts.
Banger
Footballguy
but they have no one behind him. Yes, Slaton will fill that role while Green is injured/out but Green is clearly better than anyone else on the roster when healthy. I understand that thats a big if but I don't think there's even a remote chance they cut him.Injury prone, over the hill, and has higher salary. This year, he got hurt after one play in pre-season and yet to return to the field. I think they move on...why?
saintfool
Dead sexy
i tend to agree. he was reported to look good in camp before the injury too. perhaps if he was looking rusty then it might be a possibility.
Lobary
Footballguy
I'm not so sure. If they think they can find a serviceable back after the roster cuts, I could see them dumping Ahman Green for his salary and his uncertain health. I agree that he's good when healthy, but he's been injured since day two. Kubiak is sick of the headache, and he's intimated as much. The team cannot afford another year of "is he or isn't he playing" every freakin week.but they have no one behind him. Yes, Slaton will fill that role while Green is injured/out but Green is clearly better than anyone else on the roster when healthy. I understand that thats a big if but I don't think there's even a remote chance they cut him.Injury prone, over the hill, and has higher salary. This year, he got hurt after one play in pre-season and yet to return to the field. I think they move on...why?Ahman...enjoy retirement. I expect him to be cut before the season starts.
Holy Schneikes
Footballguy
I'm not sure they would have signed Chris Brown if they were THAT worried about week-to-week injury concerns. Not saying they like it, but they must have at least a reasonable threshold for it, or they would have gone in a different direction for a FA RB.I'm not so sure. If they think they can find a serviceable back after the roster cuts, I could see them dumping Ahman Green for his salary and his uncertain health. I agree that he's good when healthy, but he's been injured since day two. Kubiak is sick of the headache, and he's intimated as much. The team cannot afford another year of "is he or isn't he playing" every freakin week.but they have no one behind him. Yes, Slaton will fill that role while Green is injured/out but Green is clearly better than anyone else on the roster when healthy. I understand that thats a big if but I don't think there's even a remote chance they cut him.Injury prone, over the hill, and has higher salary. This year, he got hurt after one play in pre-season and yet to return to the field. I think they move on...why?Ahman...enjoy retirement. I expect him to be cut before the season starts.
PatsWillWin
Footballguy
Linkbut they have no one behind him. Yes, Slaton will fill that role while Green is injured/out but Green is clearly better than anyone else on the roster when healthy. I understand that thats a big if but I don't think there's even a remote chance they cut him.Injury prone, over the hill, and has higher salary. This year, he got hurt after one play in pre-season and yet to return to the field. I think they move on...why?
I expect him to be cut before the season starts.
Just a column from a Houston beat writer.
