Is Maroney now THE MAN in NE? (1 Viewer)

[Fantasy Man]

I know Maroney looked GREAT today, emphasis on GREAT (and good for me too as a Maroney owner), but I think the Maroney owners got some blinders on too, because Dillon to me looked very good in his role as the hammer. Dillon was looking flat out punishing on some of his runs. He's not going to hit the homeruns like Maroney will, but he's still a force. Can't see him being phased out in favor of Maroney at all this year.

 

[LHUCKS]

He'll be inconsistent as a fantasy producer until he is not splitting carries.

 

[oukurt]

Lets all relax and realize he was playing Cincy. He will also split carries with Dillon if Dillon is healthy.

Maroney has looked every game.

Maybe you missed the Denver game

What back besides LT doesn't have a few clunkers? Maroney just broke into the top 10 of fantasy running backs in scoring. Pretty impressive for a guy splitting carries.

 

[mojorizin]

Important thing for me right now is to have another sollid guy I can put in there and expect production in a bye week/injury/matchup situation. I'm not going to complain as anything this kid gets me at this point is gravy.

 

[shredhead]

Important thing for me right now is to have another sollid guy I can put in there and expect production in a bye week/injury/matchup situation. I'm not going to complain as anything this kid gets me at this point is gravy.

He filled in nicely for Shaun Alexander this week.

 

[tombonneau]

Important thing for me right now is to have another sollid guy I can put in there and expect production in a bye week/injury/matchup situation. I'm not going to complain as anything this kid gets me at this point is gravy.

Exactly. Most people prob. drafted LM as a RB3/4, so his production to this point is all gravy as you'll likely only need to play him during a bye week or injury.If I wasn't such a Pats homer and didn't love watching LM play, I'd prob. try to sell him high after this game. But he just looks like such a bonafide STUD out there I can't bring myself to do it.

 

[Hendo]

too little too late to even sniff this guy cheap in a dynasty league. this guy is looking like a stud

 

[urbanhack]

Will he finally be ranked ahead of Dillon on this week's offical cheatsheet?

 

[bostonfred]

I'd love to believe that Maroney is now an every week RB2 (I could really use him in one league), but until he starts to get 60-75% of the carries I don't see it. If matchups, a bye week, or an injury forces your hand, he's a GREAT guy to have to stick in there. However, assuming equal matchups, I'd still play a guy like Kevin Jones over him. You know KJ will get the majority of touches, where as you're relying on Maroney to continue to make the most out of splitting time.

I agree. But I would consider Kevin Jones one of the top RB2s in fantasy football, and maybe a #1. Maroney has probably moved into the bottom/middle of the RB2s in the league right now, but should still sit behind some of the others.

Agreed, although a lot depends on the league format/size.

I don't see how it does unless you are in 8 team league. Every other league, be it start 2 rb or start 1 and a flex (to go with 2 or 3 Wr's) and Maroney is a legitimate starter. He may not start on every team (so spare me roster lists about why is on your team's bench), but he is no worse than an average rb2. And no, I don't have him in any leagues.

I think there's a difference between YTD stats and expected future performance. A lot of guys would rather start LaMont Jordan or Cadillac Williams than Maroney, because they don't share carries. A guy like Thomas Jones who also exploded this week may be worth starting ahead of Maroney, too. Right now, the Maroney-is-a-weak-RB2 argument goes, Maroney is getting 1/2 the carries for a team that has won three games, that happens to be running for about 175 yards a game when they win and about 75 yards a game when they lose, and that the Patriots would have to go at best 7-5 the rest of the season to meet their preseason expectations of 10-6 or worse. Maroney doesn't catch many balls (0, 0, 5 and 1 catch through four games) and he's gotten about half the goal line carries. And so far, the running game has been used as a crutch to protect a receiving corps that is one of the thinnest in the NFL. In other words, people may feel he's scored more so far than what he would average by the end of the year barring a change in the workload distribution. The pro-Maroney argument, of course, is that we seem to be seeing that change. That the reason the Patriots are winning is an effect of Maroney's success, not the other way around. That Maroney's improving, with more receptions and TDs in his last two games than his first two. And that a rising tide lifts all boats - as the passing game improves, the running game will, too. I tend to agree with this argument, but I'm a homer and a Maroney owner. Still, here's a list of players I can see someone reasonably starting ahead of Maroney. Which of these would you bump down to make room for Maroney?TomlinsonLarry JohnsonRudi JohnsonTiki BarberBrian WestbrookClinton PortisSteven JacksonRonnie BrownKevin JonesTatum BellWarrick DunnShaun AlexanderWillie ParkerWillis McGaheeChester TaylorEdgerrin JamesAhman Green Frank GoreJulius JonesCadillac WilliamsLamont JordanThomas JonesDeshaun Foster

Several of those guys share some carries:Julius JonesDeShaun FosterThomas JonesI would start Maroney in front of Foster and Thomas Jones.A couple have just looked terribleCadillacLamontEdgeI would start Maroney in front of all of these guys until the prove they are no longer sucking.Gore has had some fumbling problems and may lose goal line looks. Dunn may lose looks to Norwood.I would not start Maroney in fron of them yet, but I would monitor those situations closely.If I had Maroney, I would not trade him fo Ahman Green.

I agree, this is not a list of players I would trade Maroney for. These are guys who a fantasy owner might reasonably start instead of Maroney on any given week. I named about 23 of them. You said you'd start Maroney ahead of 5 of those. That means we agree that Maroney is a mid/bottom RB2 right now, since it sounds like you'd put him around 19th on this list. That's not to say he won't finish higher, or that I'd trade him for any of the 18 guys ahead of him whether it's redraft or keeper. It's just that, right now, Maroney is a #2 RB, and an average to below-average RB2 at that. The next question is, will he improve throughout the year. And that's a tough one - will Dillon get reduced to 5-10 carries to make room for Maroney getting 15-20? Will Dillon eventually get hurt or outright replaced? Will the total number of carries for the Patriots continue to stay high or even go up? Will Maroney be more efficient with his carries? It's hard to predict him improving on a 4.9 YPC, but maybe. It's hard to predict that the Pats will average more than their current pace of 30-35 carries a game, but maybe. I'm just saying, right now, it's hard to call Maroney much more than a #2 - but he's a great #2.

 

[pantagrapher]

Will he finally be ranked ahead of Dillon on this week's offical cheatsheet?

Last week's ranking was a head-scratcher. I'm glad I started him.

 

[jdoggydogg]

I know Maroney looked GREAT today, emphasis on GREAT (and good for me too as a Maroney owner), but I think the Maroney owners got some blinders on too, because Dillon to me looked very good in his role as the hammer. Dillon was looking flat out punishing on some of his runs. He's not going to hit the homeruns like Maroney will, but he's still a force. Can't see him being phased out in favor of Maroney at all this year.

I agree. I own Maroney in my Dynasty league, but I think Dillon looked great Sunday. I think we'll continue to see these guys share the carries equally unless Dillon gets hurt or slows down - which is certainly possible.

 

[jdoggydogg]

At 1.1, I drafted Maroney OVER Bush in my dynasty league. Felt strongly about it then and feel even better about it now. Anyone else?

I am in a $100 salary cap Dynasty league. There are some sharks and some more casual owners. While big rookie names often go for too high, many of the lesser-known rookies are always a bargain. Bush went for $29, which I thought was a bit high considering I nabbed Maroney for only $10.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

I've been starting Maroney over Thomas Jones since week 2.

 

[One]

I've been starting Maroney over Thomas Jones since week 2.

Maroney's replacing Bush from here on out for me until RB proves he's viable and consistent.

 

[Scrap Iron]

In my 10-teamer, we carry 5 RBs and start 3.

My 5 are:

SJax

Bush

Droughns

A. Green

Maroney

Right now I've got a serious guessing game playing match-ups for RB2 and RB3 each week. I'm hoping Maroney supplants Dillon one way or another and starts getting 20 carries. That would make my life a lot easier.

By the way ... I guessed wrong this week with Bush & Droughns.