How's Slaton looking now? (1 Viewer)

[resko99]

I know they picked up a couple of undrafted rookie RB, but this has to put him top 15 with upside. Especially in dynasty or ppr?

 

[Routilla]

I know they picked up a couple of undrafted rookie RB, but this has to put him top 15 with upside. Especially in dynasty or ppr?

I think he showed what he can do as a rookie. I'm all over this guy in my draft.

 

[GregR_2]

I know they picked up a couple of undrafted rookie RB, but this has to put him top 15 with upside. Especially in dynasty or ppr?

I don't think that their plans for how they WANT to use him have changed. They'll be looking to Chris Brown or Foster to fill the pounder and goal line back role.Whether those two actually do stay healthy/make the team/etc is definitely uncertain, and I could see bumping him up a bit for that. But I wouldn't assume he'll get 75% of the RB touches because they didn't get a RB in the draft.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Maybe they are just waiting to see what Denver cuts bait with or several other teams.

I always think it is a bad idea to just try and hope for duplicate numbers from year to year but you have to like the upside of the PPR aspect for Slaton.

 

[travdogg]

I know they picked up a couple of undrafted rookie RB, but this has to put him top 15 with upside. Especially in dynasty or ppr?

I doubt very much that they are done adding RB's. Maybe they'll pick up one of Denver's guys, maybe Edge, maybe Brown will actually make it through the preseason healthy this year. As of now Slaton looks like a good RB2 to me, with some upside. But I still think he'll be over drafted, he should go no higher than late 2nd round in my opinion. I just don't see his ceiling being much higher than what he got last year, and that was really down year for RB's.

 

[Tanner9919]

Maybe they are just waiting to see what Denver cuts bait with or several other teams.

I always think it is a bad idea to just try and hope for duplicate numbers from year to year but you have to like the upside of the PPR aspect for Slaton.

Kubiak has never been a RBBC guy,either...he puts in one RB and leaves it that way..

Houston's defense took a big leap forward with this draft,and I'd expect their offensive time of possession to rise as a result.they'll simply have more time on offense now that their defense will be able to stop opponents more frequently than in previous seasons.

Slaton is legit..he ran for 100+ yards in each of his two games against the Tenn defense..

20-92-1 against Chicago.

26-120 against GB.

ran for 249 yards and 3 tds in 2 games v. Indy..

21-130-2 in one div game against Jax..

he tore up his division!

had two 100+ yard games in final 4 weeks of the season, the 4 weeks in which Shaub was back in action..

the kid is the real deal..I guess Houston believes it, they didn't draft a RB..

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Maybe they are just waiting to see what Denver cuts bait with or several other teams.I always think it is a bad idea to just try and hope for duplicate numbers from year to year but you have to like the upside of the PPR aspect for Slaton.

Really? what does denver have to cut that would even cut into Slaton's production? your just jealous I grabbed him in SSL1

 

[deadstick]

Houston did sign 2 UDFA RBs in Jeremiah Johnson and Arian Foster. I saw Johnson on top-10 pre-draft boards, and both of these guys are big physical types that would compliment Slaton's style of play.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Houston did sign 2 UDFA RBs in Jeremiah Johnson and Arian Foster. I saw Johnson on top-10 pre-draft boards, and both of these guys are big physical types that would compliment Slaton's style of play.

Jeremiah Johnson is 5’9” 198 lbs.Foster is the big back (232 lbs.) that could compliment Slaton if Chris Brown is not up to the task however.

 

[MAC_32]

Houston did sign 2 UDFA RBs in Jeremiah Johnson and Arian Foster. I saw Johnson on top-10 pre-draft boards, and both of these guys are big physical types that would compliment Slaton's style of play.

Jeremiah Johnson is 5’9” 198 lbs.Foster is the big back (232 lbs.) that could compliment Slaton if Chris Brown is not up to the task however.

If Foster's fumblitis isn't magically cured he won't make the team, let alone vulture carries. I think Johnson makes the team, kid would be a solid #3. I think Houston's going to give Edge a serious look when he becomes available, another RB's going to be added at some point for sure, it's just a matter of whether it's a vet like Edge or a journeyman like Buckhalter.

 

[GregR_2]

...Kubiak has never been a RBBC guy,either...he puts in one RB and leaves it that way.....

I don't believe that is an accurate statement. Since he's been head coach and the one with the final say, he's favored using two running backs. There are other Steve Slaton threads from earlier in the offseason where this is detailed that when he had Slaton and Green both healthy they split carries. He's also expressed that they want a bigger RB for change of pace and short yardage situations.If nothing else, Slaton's not being that great on short yardage situations last year and at the goal line make it a need to have someone else in there. Last year he was very much below average in those situations.

 

[lyon812]

If nothing else, Slaton's not being that great on short yardage situations last year and at the goal line make it a need to have someone else in there. Last year he was very much below average in those situations.

"Much below average" is completely wrong. We've already dispelled the "Slaton got worn down at the end of the year" and "can't handle a full load" myths in earlier threads. Let's take a look at his short-yardage capability. On short-yardage carries (3rd/4th down, 1-2 yards to go), minimum 10 rushes:

NAME				POS	 YR	 RSH   RSHYD	 YD/RSH   FD   RSHTD  CONV%  RANKBY%		Lousaka Polite	  rb	  2008	11	  23	  2.09	10	  0   90.91%	  1Kevin Smith		 rb	  2008	12	  97	  8.08	10	  0   83.33%	  2Adrian Peterson	 rb	  2008	22	  138	 6.27	18	  3   81.82%	  3LaDainian Tomlinson rb	  2008	16	  86	  5.38	13	  1   81.25%	  4T.J. Duckett		rb	  2008	20	  43	  2.15	16	  1   80.00%	  5Ryan Grant		  rb	  2008	15	  77	  5.13	12	  0   80.00%	  6LeRon McClain	   rb	  2008	15	  52	  3.47	12	  1   80.00%	  7Earnest Graham	  rb	  2008	13	  41	  3.15	10	  0   76.92%	  8Ronnie Brown		rb	  2008	17	  62	  3.65	13	  2   76.47%	  9Sammy Morris		rb	  2008	15	  63	  4.2	 11	  3   73.33%	  10Joseph Addai		rb	  2008	18	  72	  4	   13	  2   72.22%	  11Michael Pittman	 rb	  2008	14	  55	  3.93	10	  1   71.43%	  12Marshawn Lynch	  rb	  2008	14	  52	  3.71	10	  2   71.43%	  13Michael Turner	  rb	  2008	17	  65	  3.82	12	  2   70.59%	  14Steve Slaton		rb	  2008	20	  191	 9.55	14	  2   70.00%	  15Gary Russell		rb	  2008	10	  29	  2.9	  7	  0   70.00%	  16Clinton Portis	  rb	  2008	23	  110	 4.78	16	  1   69.57%	  17Tim Hightower	   rb	  2008	16	  38	  2.38	11	  3   68.75%	  18Marion Barber	   rb	  2008	15	  32	  2.13	10	  1   66.67%	  19BenJarvus Green-Ell rb	  2008	11	  31	  2.82	7	   2   63.64%	  20Steven Jackson	  rb	  2008	19	  49	  2.58	12	  1   63.16%	  21LenDale White	   rb	  2008	19	  25	  1.32	12	  4   63.16%	  22Larry Johnson	   rb	  2008	18	  36	  2	   11	  0   61.11%	  23Matt Forte		  rb	  2008	25	  48	  1.92	15	  1   60.00%	  24Pierre Thomas	   rb	  2008	15	  48	  3.2	  9	  0   60.00%	  25Maurice Jones-Drew  rb	  2008	19	  70	  3.68	11	  0   57.89%	  26Frank Gore		  rb	  2008	11	  25	  2.27	 6	  1   54.55%	  27Justin Fargas	   rb	  2008	11	  24	  2.18	 6	  0   54.55%	  28Thomas Jones		rb	  2008	11	  12	  1.09	 6	  0   54.55%	  29Dominic Rhodes	  rb	  2008	13	  36	  2.77	 7	  0   53.85%	  30Brandon Jacobs	  rb	  2008	12	  18	  1.5	  6	  0   50.00%	  31Chris Perry		 rb	  2008	10	  17	  1.7	  3	  1   30.00%	  32

Average: 15.53 attempts, 10.59 first downs, 68.21% conversion rate.Slaton: 70.00% conversion rate, good for 15th out of 32, or slightly above average.Not only that, but he's better than backs such as Johnson, MJD, Gore, Jacobs, White, Jackson, Barber....etc.

 

[GregR_2]

If nothing else, Slaton's not being that great on short yardage situations last year and at the goal line make it a need to have someone else in there. Last year he was very much below average in those situations.

"Much below average" is completely wrong. We've already dispelled the "Slaton got worn down at the end of the year" and "can't handle a full load" myths in earlier threads. Let's take a look at his short-yardage capability. On short-yardage carries (3rd/4th down, 1-2 yards to go), minimum 10 rushes:

NAME				POS	 YR	 RSH   RSHYD	 YD/RSH   FD   RSHTD  CONV%  RANKBY%		Lousaka Polite	  rb	  2008	11	  23	  2.09	10	  0   90.91%	  1Kevin Smith		 rb	  2008	12	  97	  8.08	10	  0   83.33%	  2Adrian Peterson	 rb	  2008	22	  138	 6.27	18	  3   81.82%	  3LaDainian Tomlinson rb	  2008	16	  86	  5.38	13	  1   81.25%	  4T.J. Duckett		rb	  2008	20	  43	  2.15	16	  1   80.00%	  5Ryan Grant		  rb	  2008	15	  77	  5.13	12	  0   80.00%	  6LeRon McClain	   rb	  2008	15	  52	  3.47	12	  1   80.00%	  7Earnest Graham	  rb	  2008	13	  41	  3.15	10	  0   76.92%	  8Ronnie Brown		rb	  2008	17	  62	  3.65	13	  2   76.47%	  9Sammy Morris		rb	  2008	15	  63	  4.2	 11	  3   73.33%	  10Joseph Addai		rb	  2008	18	  72	  4	   13	  2   72.22%	  11Michael Pittman	 rb	  2008	14	  55	  3.93	10	  1   71.43%	  12Marshawn Lynch	  rb	  2008	14	  52	  3.71	10	  2   71.43%	  13Michael Turner	  rb	  2008	17	  65	  3.82	12	  2   70.59%	  14Steve Slaton		rb	  2008	20	  191	 9.55	14	  2   70.00%	  15Gary Russell		rb	  2008	10	  29	  2.9	  7	  0   70.00%	  16Clinton Portis	  rb	  2008	23	  110	 4.78	16	  1   69.57%	  17Tim Hightower	   rb	  2008	16	  38	  2.38	11	  3   68.75%	  18Marion Barber	   rb	  2008	15	  32	  2.13	10	  1   66.67%	  19BenJarvus Green-Ell rb	  2008	11	  31	  2.82	7	   2   63.64%	  20Steven Jackson	  rb	  2008	19	  49	  2.58	12	  1   63.16%	  21LenDale White	   rb	  2008	19	  25	  1.32	12	  4   63.16%	  22Larry Johnson	   rb	  2008	18	  36	  2	   11	  0   61.11%	  23Matt Forte		  rb	  2008	25	  48	  1.92	15	  1   60.00%	  24Pierre Thomas	   rb	  2008	15	  48	  3.2	  9	  0   60.00%	  25Maurice Jones-Drew  rb	  2008	19	  70	  3.68	11	  0   57.89%	  26Frank Gore		  rb	  2008	11	  25	  2.27	 6	  1   54.55%	  27Justin Fargas	   rb	  2008	11	  24	  2.18	 6	  0   54.55%	  28Thomas Jones		rb	  2008	11	  12	  1.09	 6	  0   54.55%	  29Dominic Rhodes	  rb	  2008	13	  36	  2.77	 7	  0   53.85%	  30Brandon Jacobs	  rb	  2008	12	  18	  1.5	  6	  0   50.00%	  31Chris Perry		 rb	  2008	10	  17	  1.7	  3	  1   30.00%	  32

Average: 15.53 attempts, 10.59 first downs, 68.21% conversion rate.Slaton: 70.00% conversion rate, good for 15th out of 32, or slightly above average.Not only that, but he's better than backs such as Johnson, MJD, Gore, Jacobs, White, Jackson, Barber....etc.

Check where he ranks in goal line carries. It's been a few weeks since I look but I want to say he ranked in the 45 to 50 range in TD and in TD or 1st down percentage.There's a definite reason that Houston's coaching staff and most of the fans think there is a need for a big back. He may have been average in 3rd and 1 but he was very below average at the goal line.