Official Bishop Sankey - Best RB in the 2014 Draft (1 Viewer)

[Brewtown]

Top 40 Fantasy RBs: Where Does Bishop Sankey Rank?

The 2014-15 NFL season is just a few months away, and with it comes the fantasy football season. Player rankings and mock drafts are already swirling around the web. And with NFL rosters around the league finally taking shape, I thought now would be a good time to unveil my early, personal fantasy football rankings. We’ll start with the running back group.

Where will new Tennessee Titans RB Bishop Sankey land on the list? Could he crack the top 20? Being a Tennessee Titans fan, it’s safe to assume that I am quite optimistic when it comes to Sankey’s rookie year potential.

Let’s start off with my top 10 running backs:

1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

3. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

5. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

6. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

7. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Montee Ball, Denver Broncos

9. Arian Foster, Houston Texans

10. Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams

- I ranked LeSean McCoy ahead of both Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles, but you can’t go wrong with any of those three RB’s. Quite frankly, I’d rather pick third when compared to first for this reason.

- Ranking Eddie Lacy in front of Marshawn Lynch might surprise some, but Eddie has relatively fresh legs and playing with QB Aaron Rodgers should really open things up for him. Lynch is a risk. His heavy workload in each of the last three seasons is worrisome.

- I expect a bounce back season for Doug Martin, who could go in the late second, early third round in some drafts.

- Montee Ball is an interesting study. He has very little experience, but the feature running back in a Peyton Manning-led offense will produce numbers. Remember the fact that Knowshon Moreno was a top-five fantasy RB last season for the Broncos. If Ball becomes the bell cow for Denver, than he could become one of the steals of the draft.

- The addition of RB Tre Mason in St. Louis didn’t change my view on Zac Stacy. Even if Mason gets 10-plus touches a game, there will be more than enough work for Stacy. We all know that former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher likes to pound the rock.

On to 11-20:

11. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

12. Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

13. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals

14. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins

*****15. Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans*****

16. Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

17. Reggie Bush, Detroit Lions

18. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

19. Ben Tate, Cleveland Browns

20. Shane Vereen, New England Patriots

- I wanted to rank DeMarco Murray higher. I like his offensive environment and his 5.2 yards per carry last season was impressive. I just can’t get past his injury history. He is a risk/reward type of player.

- Le’Veon Bell should get a ton of touches in Pittsburgh and is connected to a decent offense. I just wish he was more effective with all that volume. A 3.5 yards per carry average is uninspiring. Overall, he should be very consistent, but his ceiling is not through the roof.

- Giovani Bernard is basically the opposite of Bell. He might not get a heavy workload, but he is explosive when he does get the ball. New Bengals RB Jeremy Hill might vulture some touchdowns from Giovani, but I still expect him to get more work than he did last season.

- As you can see, I am a believer in Bishop Sankey. Yes, he is unproven. It remains to be seen if he can handle a large amount of touches in the NFL. But after watching some of his tape, I came away quite impressed. He is versatile, elusive, and is tough for his size. Another reason why I have him ranked so highly is because the RB depth chart in Tennessee beyond Sankey is underwhelming. As long as he can hold onto the football, he will see a ton of playing time. The success of last season’s rookie running back class only makes the Sankey ranking that much more valid. I would not be surprised one bit if Bishop Sankey breaks out in his rookie year.

- Arizona doesn’t have a great history of producing quality fantasy running backs, but Andre Ellington might be the exception. He is a home-run hitter, plus there is not a lot of competition in the Cardinals backfield outside or Ellington.

- Shane Vereen is just a couple Stevan Ridley fumbles away from becoming a strong No. 2 RB.

We’re entering flex territory now, here’s 21-30

21. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

22. Rashad Jennings, New York Giants

23. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

24. Joique Bell, Detroit Lions

25. Trent Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

26. Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville Jaguars

27. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots

28. Chris Johnson, New York Jets

29. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

30. Steven Jackson, Atlanta Falcons

- Ryan Mathews had a nice 2013-14 campaign, but he is a major risk due to his proneness to injury. You’ve been warned.

- Frank Gore refuses to back down. The guy just churns out 1,000-yard seasons year after year. But now at the age of 31, one must wonder how much he has left in the tank. I would rather be a year too early on dismissing a player than a year too late.

- For a 220 pound RB, Joique Bell is really versatile. He has had at least 50 catches in each of the last two seasons. He should get enough touches to be a good flex option, and if Reggie Bush goes down, Bell vaults to high RB2 status

- I’m probably not going to own Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, or Steven Jackson this year. All 3 have question marks to varying degrees. I would say that Johnson has the best chance of cracking the top 20, and that Rice has the best chance of falling outside the top 40.

Backups galore, 31-40:

31. Knowshon Moreno, Miami Dolphins

32. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints

33. Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland Raiders

34. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore Ravens

35. Terrence West, Cleveland Browns

36. Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles

37. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills

38. Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

39. Khiry Robinson, New Orleans Saints

40. Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers

- Knowshon Moreno leaves Denver and is now in Miami. Unfortunately, he left most of his fantasy value back in Denver.

- One of the Saints RB’s is going to have value after the departure of Darren Sproles. Figuring out who to draft out of Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, and Mark Ingram is a feat within itself.

- Terrance West is a name to keep an eye on. Browns starting RB Ben Tate has had trouble staying healthy, and new offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s offense can get production from the running back position.

- I don’t know how many touches we can expect from Sproles in Philadelphia, but you know HC Chip Kelly will find a way to get him on the field.

- I’d rather take a chance on someone like Carlos Hyde compared to a veteran RB at this point in the rankings. If something happens to Gore in San Francisco, Hyde could be fantasy gold.

There it is, my top 40 fantasy running backs for the 2014-15 season. What positional group should I rank next? Quarterbacks? Wide Receivers? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

Was just yanking your chain. Look at my name... I mean... reeeeally look at it.

I need a hint. :whoosh:

I'm in a league with Mr. Billy and frequent another board where he's quite active. I've been known to goose him for a thing or two. All in good fun and I certainly respect his opinon (even though it's usually wrong).

Oh, ok. I thought your user name was some sort of Rebus puzzle. I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure it out.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

I don't get the bias aginst Sankey. 'Sharks' are making this play, but I figured 'average joe' would catch on eventually and he'd challenge Watkins for 1.01 in rookie drafts. If I missed out on Watkins there is like 3-5+ WR I'd feel good about. If I miss out out on Sankey there is no other rookie RBs who's talent/situation could possibly lead to 15+ touches out the gate. That's the textbook definition of scarcity.

Textbook definition of drafting situation over talent.

Some factors are out of our control. Unless you talent is somewhere in the Calvin Johnson stratosphere, situation is almost everything in FF.

stop Shahbucks or these "sharks" may finally catch on.

 

[nirad3]

Was just yanking your chain. Look at my name... I mean... reeeeally look at it.

I need a hint. :whoosh:

I'm in a league with Mr. Billy and frequent another board where he's quite active. I've been known to goose him for a thing or two. All in good fun and I certainly respect his opinon (even though it's usually wrong).

Oh, ok. I thought your user name was some sort of Rebus puzzle. I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure it out.

Sorry to disappoint you.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Was just yanking your chain. Look at my name... I mean... reeeeally look at it.

I need a hint. :whoosh:

I'm in a league with Mr. Billy and frequent another board where he's quite active. I've been known to goose him for a thing or two. All in good fun and I certainly respect his opinon (even though it's usually wrong).

Oh, ok. I thought your user name was some sort of Rebus puzzle. I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure it out.

Sorry to disappoint you.

I laughed. Good to be on the inside of an inside joke.

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

Was just yanking your chain. Look at my name... I mean... reeeeally look at it.

I need a hint. :whoosh:

I'm in a league with Mr. Billy and frequent another board where he's quite active. I've been known to goose him for a thing or two. All in good fun and I certainly respect his opinon (even though it's usually wrong).

Oh, ok. I thought your user name was some sort of Rebus puzzle. I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure it out.

Sorry to disappoint you.

I laughed. Good to be on the inside of an inside joke.

It's ok guys. In the future, please use the 'inside joke' emoticon...

I have no idea what that emoticon means.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

Top 40 Fantasy RBs: Where Does Bishop Sankey Rank?

The 2014-15 NFL season is just a few months away, and with it comes the fantasy football season. Player rankings and mock drafts are already swirling around the web. And with NFL rosters around the league finally taking shape, I thought now would be a good time to unveil my early, personal fantasy football rankings. We’ll start with the running back group.

Where will new Tennessee Titans RB Bishop Sankey land on the list? Could he crack the top 20? Being a Tennessee Titans fan, it’s safe to assume that I am quite optimistic when it comes to Sankey’s rookie year potential.

Let’s start off with my top 10 running backs:

1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

3. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

5. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

6. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

7. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Montee Ball, Denver Broncos

9. Arian Foster, Houston Texans

10. Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams

- I ranked LeSean McCoy ahead of both Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles, but you can’t go wrong with any of those three RB’s. Quite frankly, I’d rather pick third when compared to first for this reason.

- Ranking Eddie Lacy in front of Marshawn Lynch might surprise some, but Eddie has relatively fresh legs and playing with QB Aaron Rodgers should really open things up for him. Lynch is a risk. His heavy workload in each of the last three seasons is worrisome.

- I expect a bounce back season for Doug Martin, who could go in the late second, early third round in some drafts.

- Montee Ball is an interesting study. He has very little experience, but the feature running back in a Peyton Manning-led offense will produce numbers. Remember the fact that Knowshon Moreno was a top-five fantasy RB last season for the Broncos. If Ball becomes the bell cow for Denver, than he could become one of the steals of the draft.

- The addition of RB Tre Mason in St. Louis didn’t change my view on Zac Stacy. Even if Mason gets 10-plus touches a game, there will be more than enough work for Stacy. We all know that former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher likes to pound the rock.

On to 11-20:

11. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

12. Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

13. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals

14. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins

*****15. Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans*****

16. Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

17. Reggie Bush, Detroit Lions

18. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

19. Ben Tate, Cleveland Browns

20. Shane Vereen, New England Patriots

- I wanted to rank DeMarco Murray higher. I like his offensive environment and his 5.2 yards per carry last season was impressive. I just can’t get past his injury history. He is a risk/reward type of player.

- Le’Veon Bell should get a ton of touches in Pittsburgh and is connected to a decent offense. I just wish he was more effective with all that volume. A 3.5 yards per carry average is uninspiring. Overall, he should be very consistent, but his ceiling is not through the roof.

- Giovani Bernard is basically the opposite of Bell. He might not get a heavy workload, but he is explosive when he does get the ball. New Bengals RB Jeremy Hill might vulture some touchdowns from Giovani, but I still expect him to get more work than he did last season.

- As you can see, I am a believer in Bishop Sankey. Yes, he is unproven. It remains to be seen if he can handle a large amount of touches in the NFL. But after watching some of his tape, I came away quite impressed. He is versatile, elusive, and is tough for his size. Another reason why I have him ranked so highly is because the RB depth chart in Tennessee beyond Sankey is underwhelming. As long as he can hold onto the football, he will see a ton of playing time. The success of last season’s rookie running back class only makes the Sankey ranking that much more valid. I would not be surprised one bit if Bishop Sankey breaks out in his rookie year.

- Arizona doesn’t have a great history of producing quality fantasy running backs, but Andre Ellington might be the exception. He is a home-run hitter, plus there is not a lot of competition in the Cardinals backfield outside or Ellington.

- Shane Vereen is just a couple Stevan Ridley fumbles away from becoming a strong No. 2 RB.

We’re entering flex territory now, here’s 21-30

21. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

22. Rashad Jennings, New York Giants

23. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

24. Joique Bell, Detroit Lions

25. Trent Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

26. Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville Jaguars

27. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots

28. Chris Johnson, New York Jets

29. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

30. Steven Jackson, Atlanta Falcons

- Ryan Mathews had a nice 2013-14 campaign, but he is a major risk due to his proneness to injury. You’ve been warned.

- Frank Gore refuses to back down. The guy just churns out 1,000-yard seasons year after year. But now at the age of 31, one must wonder how much he has left in the tank. I would rather be a year too early on dismissing a player than a year too late.

- For a 220 pound RB, Joique Bell is really versatile. He has had at least 50 catches in each of the last two seasons. He should get enough touches to be a good flex option, and if Reggie Bush goes down, Bell vaults to high RB2 status

- I’m probably not going to own Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, or Steven Jackson this year. All 3 have question marks to varying degrees. I would say that Johnson has the best chance of cracking the top 20, and that Rice has the best chance of falling outside the top 40.

Backups galore, 31-40:

31. Knowshon Moreno, Miami Dolphins

32. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints

33. Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland Raiders

34. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore Ravens

35. Terrence West, Cleveland Browns

36. Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles

37. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills

38. Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

39. Khiry Robinson, New Orleans Saints

40. Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers

- Knowshon Moreno leaves Denver and is now in Miami. Unfortunately, he left most of his fantasy value back in Denver.

- One of the Saints RB’s is going to have value after the departure of Darren Sproles. Figuring out who to draft out of Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, and Mark Ingram is a feat within itself.

- Terrance West is a name to keep an eye on. Browns starting RB Ben Tate has had trouble staying healthy, and new offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s offense can get production from the running back position.

- I don’t know how many touches we can expect from Sproles in Philadelphia, but you know HC Chip Kelly will find a way to get him on the field.

- I’d rather take a chance on someone like Carlos Hyde compared to a veteran RB at this point in the rankings. If something happens to Gore in San Francisco, Hyde could be fantasy gold.

There it is, my top 40 fantasy running backs for the 2014-15 season. What positional group should I rank next? Quarterbacks? Wide Receivers? Let us know in the comments section below.

Nice write up. The thing I can't get past is the trend of a 60% turnover in the top 12 RBs, on average, over the past 5 years (ppr). I see 6 in your current list. Gotta drop two down if your a believer in trends. My only quibble is Reggie a few spots higher. He consistently hovers near the top 12.

I love Sankey's situation and betting he will be at minimum a viable RB2 this season as his floor.

 

[Bamac]

In the future, please use the 'inside joke' emoticon...

I have no idea what that emoticon means.

It means you support full rights for gay Teletubbies.

 

[nirad3]

In the future, please use the 'inside joke' emoticon...



I have no idea what that emoticon means.

It means you support full rights for gay Teletubbies.

In that case, it certainly applies.... at least to the Bronco Billy side of the equation.

I finally figured out what the dude with the Thor hammer (can't find it in the list ) means. I considered that a small personal victory.

And, to just add something topical here... I think the Woodhead/McCluster portion of the argument for/against Sankey may have less importance than we may think. I simply don't see McCluster being as efficient from the RB spot than Woodhead was for the Bolt offense. Sankey should catch 45+ balls this year.

 

[Brewtown]

Finding the Fits: Bishop Sankey will soon be a star for Titans

Four years removed from the electric 2009 season in which he became just the sixth player in NFL history to ever eclipse the 2,000 rushing yard mark in a single season, the Titans released Chris Johnson.

In the second round of the 2014 draft, general manager Ruston Webster and new head coach Ken Whisenhunt drafted his replacement in Sankey, a player whose style on and off the field couldn't be more different than the phenom once known as CJ2K.

Whereas the 5-foot-11, 203-pound Johnson looked and broke away from defenders like a wide receiver, the Sankey's success has less to do with his speed (a very respectable 4.49 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine) and more to do with vision, burst and surprising power to fight through would-be tacklers. He runs with good forward lean and determination and spins off of contact, rarely take a direct shot. Sankey has natural hands, showing the ability to pluck outside of his frame as well as track over his shoulder. Due to his experience in former Washington (and current Southern Cal) head coach Steve Sarkisian's pro-style attack, Sankey is also well-versed in pass protection, showing awareness and the toughness to take on hard-charging defenders. Sankey was impressive at the Combine and his Pro Day workout, as well.

Johnson's flashiness on the field was matched by a flamboyant personality off it. Sankey, on the other hand, is a no-nonsense son of an Air Force technical sergeant who is quick to credit teammates for his success.

All in all, it is easy to see why the Titans made Sankey the first running back selected in the 2014 draft. And given that investment, as well as the shrinking career expectancy of runners in today's NFL, don't expect Whisenhunt to take long to feature the rookie. Sankey's reliable all-around game should earn him plenty of playing time pushing the journeymen specialists otherwise dotting the Titans' roster at running back, like the bulldozing 5-foot-11, 233 pound Shonn Greene, kick returner extraordinaire Leon Washington or jitterbug Dexter McCluster into complementary roles.

I expect Sankey to take over as the lead back in Tennessee early and ultimately enjoy a similar rookie season as the back I compared him to in January - Giovani Bernard. Registering 1,209 all-purpose yards, eight touchdowns and helping push his squad into the playoffs (as Bernard did last year for the Bengals) would put Sankey in the running as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Given his pro-ready game and mentality, Sankey may, in fact, be the favorite heading into the season for this award.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24585988/finding-the-fits-bishop-sankey-will-soon-be-a-star-for-titans

 

[Brewtown]

Rookie running back Bishop Sankey done with college exams, finally reports to work with Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bishop Sankey's time in NFL rookie exile finally is over.

The running back stayed away from the Tennessee Titans this offseason until he finished the academic quarter at Washington except for a rookie minicamp. That meant he missed all but one of the Titans' organized team activities, but finally rejoined the team Thursday. The Titans conclude the offseason program with a three-day minicamp next week.

Sankey said it was a little strange being a pro player and a student, with NFL rules requiring him to stay away from the team until finishing out the quarter. He was allowed only to take part in a rookie minicamp after the draft.

"It's one of the rules you've got to stay there and knock out your classes until your school gets out for that year," Sankey said. "But it's just a blessing at the same time to be able to knock those classes out and still be a part of the NFL chasing your dreams."

Not that he was on campus at Washington. He finished his history of mass media and mass media law classes for his communications major while training in Los Angeles. He took his final exam Tuesday before flying to Tennessee on Wednesday, and the Titans had him on the field Thursday with Shonn Greene recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

"It's pretty apparent watching him today in practice he's a good runner, he's got a good feel," coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

"You can see that with the way he moves. He's in good shape. It's just the mental part of it. I guess the best way to say it is mentally he's in good shape, but when you get on the field and things start moving quickly the normal thing to do is have a little bit of hesitation, and you see that."

The Titans need the second-round draft pick to produce — and quickly. They released Chris Johnson in April, and Greene missed five games last season running for 295 yards on 77 carries in the first season of a three-year contract.

Sankey ran for 1,870 yards as a junior at Washington. He averaged 5.72 yards per carry with 20 touchdowns, and he also caught 28 passes for 304 yards.

To help him keep up with the more than 600 plays the Titans installed during the organized team sessions, he had an iPad with the playbook and was able to monitor film. He also said he talked almost every other day with running backs coach Sylvester Croom to learn as much as possible.

Still, studying alone and practicing with the team that's busy working a couple thousand miles away isn't easy. Sankey, who's been given Johnson's old locker, said he feels like he's in football shape. He slipped a few times Thursday and also got a couple plays wrong coming out of the huddle.

"I think that'll be corrected easily with time and more reps I get," Sankey said.

Whisenhunt isn't worried about Sankey catching up by training camp. The coaches will have players for 10 hours daily Tuesday through Thursday next week in the mandatory minicamp, up from the six hours allowed per day during the organized team workouts. That means coaches can put them through practice and walk-throughs with extra meetings to correct mistakes.

Receiver Nate Washington is just one of the veterans interested in seeing what Sankey brings to the offense. Washington was so curious he watched film of the rookie minicamp to check out Sankey.

"He's a lot faster than I thought he was," Washington said. "It surprised me, so I'm excited about that opportunity to get that speed on the field and do some stretching with his ability to catch."

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2014/06/12/rookie-running-back-bishop-sankey-done-with-college-exams-finally-reports-to/

 

[Bronco Billy]

Best exam taker in the NFL draft this year.

 

[Brewtown]

Tennessee Titans 2014 Draft: Bishop Sankey for Rookie of the Year?

The Tennessee Titans haven’t made much of a splash in the last two drafts in terms of their first round picks. Having a top 10 selection in 2013 and then pick #11 in 2014 is not exactly ideal for a franchise that feels like it’s good enough to be ‘winning now,’ but the Titans have got something going right now, something brewing that could shake up the AFC South a bit.

When you look at the Titans’ roster, it’s clearly being built to be tough in the trenches. Specifically on the offensive and defensive lines, Tennessee has invested three first round picks, a second round pick, a couple of third round picks, and a heck of a lot of money to upgrade their lines.

In the last two seasons, they have used their top picks on left guard Chance Warmack and offensive tackle Taylor Lewan to fortify the offensive front. They also signed guard Andy Levitre away from the Buffalo Bills last year, making him one of the richest guards this league has ever seen.

The Titans’ defensive front seven as a whole is going to see a lot of change this year, mainly because of a switch to the 3-4 base alignment. They are going to try and use guys like Akeem Ayers, Shaun Phillips, and Kamerion Wimbley off the edge and other players like Zaviar Gooden, Zach Brown, and newly acquired Wesley Woodyard and Avery Williamson from those inside linebacker spots.

And those players all have versatility to move around the formation as well.

What I really like about the Titans is that they are supplementing those selections and free agent pickups by going after talented offensive and defensive ‘skill’ players with their other high picks. In 2013, they took Justin Hunter, a receiver out of Tennessee with their second round pick and this year they may have come away with the offensive rookie of the year.

The running back position is not glamorous like it once was in the NFL. Backs are not being phased out of the game, they are just no longer the focal point so drafting a player like Washington’s Bishop Sankey is a lot like the Packers drafting Eddie Lacy last year in the second round in the fact that it’s gone a bit too far overlooked at this point.

Sankey was a beast at Washington, and a lot of fun to watch. He’s a back that can really do it all in terms of carrying a full load and catching passes out of the backfield. He also has very solid straight line speed, vision, and durability.

Even being the 54th overall player selected in the draft, Sankey was this year’s first running back off the board, and the circumstances are in his favor with the Titans to be not only an instant contributor, but a guy who can rack up a big number of carries immediately and be a rookie of the year candidate.

The Titans let go of Chris Johnson knowing there would be some changes at the running back position, and obviously Sankey was plan ‘A’. Their plan worked to perfection. They were able to land a ‘steal’ in Taylor Lewan with the 11th overall pick, and another one with Sankey at 54.

Getting this type of playmaker for their offense is huge, especially since the Titans are counting on a bunch of other former high picks on offense to finally start figuring things out, namely Jake Locker and Kendall Hunter.

What can get this team back into playoff contention? Young players stepping up and making plays. Sankey is about to lead that charge.

 

[Brewtown]

Why Titans' Rookie Bishop Sankey Is the Next Big Thing at RB

There may not have been a running back taken in the first round of this year's NFL draft, but Tennessee Titans rookie running back Bishop Sankey will be playing like one before it's all said and done in 2014.

As the first running back selected at No. 54 overall in the second round, Sankey won't have the burden of expectations that greet most first-round picks heading into their rookie season.

But based on some of the comparisons being thrown around, Sankey will have plenty of eyes on him early in his rookie season, via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.

The Titans view him as a versatile three-down back who can run inside and out, catch passes and be reliable in pass protection. He said he has been compared to Giovani Bernard, LeSean McCoy and even Emmitt Smith. Titans area scout Marv Sunderland said Sankey runs like Tiki Barber did, without the fumbling issue.

Standing at just 5'9" and 209 pounds, Sankey may not have the physical prowess to run through tackles within the box very often, but don't let the former Washington Husky's smallish stature fool you.

Sankey runs well behind his pads and always seems to fall forward after initial contact. This ability to stay low and use his size to his advantage will serve him well. He'll break tackles at the second level on defensive backs, and while he doesn't overpower defenders upon initial contact, that doesn't mean he's easy to take down.

Sankey has the lower-body strength to run through arm tackles, and he uses his size and frame well when "sorting through the trash." He displays good vision, knowing when to break runs to the outside, and he moves well laterally out in space.

Last season at Washington, Sankey became the school's all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns with 38, and he also broke the school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,870.

Currently, the Titans are looking at a depth chart in the backfield with Shonn Greene, Dexter McCluster and now Sankey, as the top three running backs heading into training camp.

By the numbers - Shonn Green and Dexter McCluster

Player RUSH ATT RUSH YDS AVG TDS REC REC YDS REC TDS

Shonn Green 899 3,718 4.21 22 71 521 0

Dexter McCluster 152 662 4.4 1 172 1,500 5

ESPN.com

There's a reason many fantasy football experts believe Sankey is a rookie worth keeping an eye on as we approach the start of the season.

Sankey has the feet, vision and overall skill set to play early and often for the Titans as a rookie.

He catches the ball well out of the backfield but will need to improve in pass protection before being considered a three-down back.

McCluster, the former Kansas City Chief who signed a three-year deal with the Titans, would seem to fit the role of a change-of-pace back well. He would seem to slide into the third-down role at first glance.

Here's a look at one of Sankey's plays from last season against California.

Draft Breakdown - BJ Kissel

Sankey initially uses his lateral quickness to get away from the defensive lineman in pursuit in the backfield.

After establishing a lane to the outside, Sankey accelerates "through the trash" and is able to use that speed to break into the open field. Sankey's quickness causes the safety to take a poor angle, and the result is a huge gain for the Washington offense.

This play is equal parts vision and lateral agility, explosion and patience.

One very underrated but critical part of Sankey's skill set is the body control he demonstrates when making cuts and changing speed. Nobody will mistake him for a Darren Sproles or De'Anthony Thomas, but Sankey has quick and nimble feet, which allow him to change direction in traffic and fall forward to get additional yardage.

Here's a video from DraftBreakdown.com which shows all of Sankey's plays against BYU from last season. (Here's a link to all of Sankey's videos at DraftBreakdown.com)

Bleacher Report's Lead NFL Draft Writer, Matt Miller, had this to say about Sankey before the draft.

He does most of his damage running off-tackle and in space, where he does show a willingness to lower his shoulder and take on tacklers. His between-the-tackles power is average, though, and he needs a lane opened for him to attack the defense in the trenches. Sankey has the physical tools to become a more powerful runner.

His secondary vision is also good, as he makes easy, smooth cuts in the open field. Sankey knows how to read his blocks, and he shows good patience when letting plays develop.

It doesn't happen often that you can find a player who excels both at the power running game between the tackles and at using his athleticism and fluidity as a runner to bounce plays outside and to get into space. Sankey isn't elite at either of these skills, but he possesses just enough strength and just enough speed that the Titans' coaches shouldn't limit Sankey in the Tennessee offense.

That balance in and of itself makes him a more valuable, complete player than someone who might excel at one of those particular traits but not the other.

There won't be any easy reads with Sankey on the field for the Titans, and the fact that he's a good receiver out of the backfield just makes him that much more versatile.

The other positive for Sankey fans out there is that neither Greene nor McCluster can be legitimately seen as the No. 1 back right now, at least not in terms of holding a firm grasp on the position.

Chris Johnson was the workhorse at running back for the Titans last year. He left for the New York Jets as a free agent this offseason. Johnson carried the ball 279 times last season compared to just 77 for Greene.

Just for comparisons sake, Sankey carried the ball 327 times last season at Washington. Granted it wasn't the NFL, but in terms of being "the man," Sankey has occupied the role of the featured running back more recently than has Greene.

Greene didn't look to be the same player last year we all saw a couple of seasons ago when he had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Jets.

When asked whether or not Johnson would be a tough act to follow at running back in Tennessee, Sankey gave the kind of answer you'd see from an established NFL veteran, via TitansOnline.com.

I definitely think he is a tough act to follow. We’ll see, only time will tell. No one really knows what tomorrow is going to bring.

It’s up to us to prepare the day for whatever situation we’re put in. That’s something that I’m going to do—just worry about myself and control what I can control and be the best football player that I can be.

If Sankey picks things up as quickly on the football field as he does with talking to the media, Titans fans are going to understand why he is the next big thing at running back.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2095763-why-titans-rookie-bishop-sankey-is-the-next-big-thing-at-rb

 

[Brewtown]

Could Sankey be offensive rookie of year?

The Tennessee Titans had their choice of every running back in the NFL draft, and their selection was Bishop Sankey.

As they move into life after Chris Johnson, they wanted a guy who they felt was an all-around back, even as they have other guys they will feature at times and in certain matchups.

I fully expect Sankey will wind up with the most touches even as Shonn Greene (with Jackie Battle as an alternate rugged back) and Dexter McCluster (with Leon Washington behind him) get work.

Rob Rang of CBS Sports is very high on Sankey, going so far as to suggest he could wind up the top offensive rookie in the class of 2014.

“I expect Sankey to take over as the lead back in Tennessee early and ultimately enjoy a similar rookie season as the back I compared him to in January -- Giovani Bernard. Registering 1,209 all-purpose yards, eight touchdowns and helping push his squad into the playoffs (as Bernard did last year for the Bengals) would put Sankey in the running as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Given his pro-ready game and mentality, Sankey may, in fact, be the favorite heading into the season for this award."

If the Titans get that sort of production from their second-round draft pick, they’ll be ecstatic. And it’ll say a lot for their potential to make big improvements from the 7-9 2013 season that resulted in a coaching overhaul.

 

[nirad3]

Could Bishop Sankey Be Any More Bishop Sankey?

Bishop Sankey, in all of his Bishop Sankey-ness, has us all Bishop Sankey. Last year, Bishop Sankey was actually Bishop Sankey. Then, Bishop Sankey was drafted by Bishop Sankey and now he's on pace to be Bishop Sankey. Bishop Sankey has all the intangibles found in Bishop Sankeys: Bishop, Sankey, and most importantly... Bishop Sankey.

Bishop Sankey, of Bishop Sankey, says "Bishop Sankey should be one heck of a Bishop Sankey". Bishop Sankey agrees.

After the season, we'll see if Bishop Sankey is really Bishop Sankey.

http://bishopsankey.bishopsankey

 

[Noah Davis]

Could Bishop Sankey Be Any More Bishop Sankey?

Bishop Sankey, in all of his Bishop Sankey-ness, has us all Bishop Sankey. Last year, Bishop Sankey was actually Bishop Sankey. Then, Bishop Sankey was drafted by Bishop Sankey and now he's on pace to be Bishop Sankey. Bishop Sankey has all the intangibles found in Bishop Sankeys: Bishop, Sankey, and most importantly... Bishop Sankey.

Bishop Sankey, of Bishop Sankey, says "Bishop Sankey should be one heck of a Bishop Sankey". Bishop Sankey agrees.

After the season, we'll see if Bishop Sankey is really Bishop Sankey.

http://bishopsankey.bishopsankey

Best post I've seen. Bravo!

 

[Bob Magaw]

Could Bishop Sankey Be Any More Bishop Sankey?

Bishop Sankey, in all of his Bishop Sankey-ness, has us all Bishop Sankey. Last year, Bishop Sankey was actually Bishop Sankey. Then, Bishop Sankey was drafted by Bishop Sankey and now he's on pace to be Bishop Sankey. Bishop Sankey has all the intangibles found in Bishop Sankeys: Bishop, Sankey, and most importantly... Bishop Sankey.

Bishop Sankey, of Bishop Sankey, says "Bishop Sankey should be one heck of a Bishop Sankey". Bishop Sankey agrees.

After the season, we'll see if Bishop Sankey is really Bishop Sankey.

http://bishopsankey.bishopsankey

A couple good comps are Bishop Sankey and Bishop Sankey.

 

[Mingooch]

I hear Bishop Sankey isn't as good as Bishop Sankey, but is more agile than Bishop Sankey with better hands.

 

[Brewtown]

Titans sign Bishop Sankey

Posted by Josh Alper on June 17, 2014, 4:19 PM EDT

AP

We’re down to 12 unsigned picks from the 2014 draft.

Running back Bishop Sankey is the latest player to cross over to the ranks of the signed with the Titans announcing that he has agreed to a four-year deal with the team. Sankey was a second-round pick last month and first-round tackle Taylor Lewan is the only member of the team’s draft class still without a contract.

Sankey was the first running back selected in this year’s draft after running for 3,496 yards and 37 touchdowns during his career at Washington. Sankey should have a good shot at moving ahead of Shonn Greene in the pecking order at running back with the Titans, although he didn’t get much of a chance to make an impression this offseason thanks to NFL rules that bar rookies from practicing with their teams under most circumstances until their schools have completed their academic years.

Greene has also been sidelined by a knee injury, though, so it’s not like the veteran has locked things down heading into camp.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.
Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

 

[Bronco Billy]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

 

[rdrouyn]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

This can't be right. I've heard he's the next Brian Westbrook.

 

[werdnoynek]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

This can't be right. I've heard he's the next Brian Westbrook.

Wrong Eagle. He's a McCoy clone...

 

[jurb26]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

If Sankey gets traded to a "rival" I guess we can start to care about this. As it stands, he plays for the Titans and this means nothing.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

If Sankey gets traded to a "rival" I guess we can start to care about this. As it stands, he plays for the Titans and this means nothing.

That's a very good point. If Sankey is a sure fire featured bellcow RB, a team whose predraft scouting report said he was only a CoP RB would only use him as a CoP RB. Thank all the heavens that TEN drafted him.

 

[jurb26]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

If Sankey gets traded to a "rival" I guess we can start to care about this. As it stands, he plays for the Titans and this means nothing.

That's a very good point. If Sankey is a sure fire featured bellcow RB, a team whose predraft scouting report said he was only a CoP RB would only use him as a CoP RB. Thank all the heavens that TEN drafted him.

Fist of all, Caplan's "report" has no substance to it at all. He nor any of us know what teams feel Sankey is a COP RB and useless speculation like most everything else. Second, all I care about is what Tenn will do with Sankey. Not what these other hypothetical teams who may or may not think he's a COP RB would so with him. Nothing thus far has indicated that Tenn views him as a COP RB or that they will use him that way. He may lose GL or short yardage touches but we really don't even know that. Again, you guys are letting you distaste for one poster cloud your judgement on this player. I feel many of you would rather Brewtown got this wrong than you playing the situation right.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

If Sankey gets traded to a "rival" I guess we can start to care about this. As it stands, he plays for the Titans and this means nothing.

That's a very good point. If Sankey is a sure fire featured bellcow RB, a team whose predraft scouting report said he was only a CoP RB would only use him as a CoP RB. Thank all the heavens that TEN drafted him.

Fist of all, Caplan's "report" has no substance to it at all. He nor any of us know what teams feel Sankey is a COP RB nits useless speculation like most everything else. Second, all I care about is what Tenn will do with Sankey. Not what these other hypothetical teams who may or may not think he's a COP RB would so with him. Nothing thus far has indicated that Tenn views him as a COP RB or that they will use him that way. He may lose GL or short yardage touches but we really don't even know that. Again, you guys are letting you distaste for one poster cloud your judgement on this player.

My judgment had been consistent to this point. I see Sankey as a Giovanni type 1a RBBC RB who is likely a RB2 in a ppr league. That hasn't waivered at any time. So my like or dislike of the tactics of another poster are completely divorced from my opinion of Sankey. It's admirable in a Captain Queeg kind of way that the Sankey fan club chairman keeps posting blurb after blurb from articles that prop up his opinion as the defacto consensus. It's just like the hard lefties using MSNBC and CNN as their sources or the hard right using Fox News. They need the echo chamber to know that everything is okay.

 

[Biabreakable]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.
Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Someone tell Adam Caplan that all rookies have bust potential.

I think the tape watching community is completely off base in their criticisms of Sankey that are often biased. I have gone back and looked at some what some analysts have said about him, and look for those things myself. While there are examples of him doing what they say, there are too many other examples (usually from the same game as their criticism comes from) of him not having that weakness, that somehow the person watching does not see or give positive comment on, thus proving in my eyes their bias.

For example Matt Waldman heavily criticizes Sankeys vision and ability to see LB and DBs as he sets up his runs. He even takes this criticism to the extreme saying that other good RB can do this but Sankey cannot. He was talking about the Stanford game as an example.

In that same Sanford game Sankey sets up the FS and LB on a 4th and 1 run. He runs the ball inside (giving the defense the look that he will be going for a dive play to get the 1st down). This causes the LB and FS to cheat to the inside and possibly prevent him from getting the 1st down. What Sankey does is at the last moment he makes a great jump cut to the outside and the corner misses the tackle, leading to a long TD.

So for me this shows clear bias. When a person watching a game will go so far as to say a players does not have an ability that the player strongly displays in the same game? It makes me wonder how they missed such a big play? Did they watch the whole game? Or are they only going to see what they want to see?

I have learned over the years that if someone (including myself) focuses too much on the negatives in their criticisms without also discussing the positives (pro/con) that the person I am listening to is biased. Because all players have pros/cons to them.

Another example is Greg Cosell saying he does not think Sankey can be a 'foundation' RB after 2 seasons of carrying the ball 289 (33 receptions) and 327 (28 receptions) in the last 2 seasons.

The best argument against Sankey is the lower yards after contact that he had compared to other rookie RB who came out in 2014. That is actually rational. Most of the other arguments do not stand up to scrutiny or reason.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Someone tell Adam Caplan that all rookies have bust potential.

I think the tape watching community is completely off base in their criticisms of Sankey that are often biased. I have gone back and looked at some what some analysts have said about him, and look for those things myself. While there are examples of him doing what they say, there are too many other examples (usually from the same game as their criticism comes from) of him not having that weakness, that somehow the person watching does not see or give positive comment on, thus proving in my eyes their bias.

For example Matt Waldman heavily criticizes Sankeys vision and ability to see LB and DBs as he sets up his runs. He even takes this criticism to the extreme saying that other good RB can do this but Sankey cannot. He was talking about the Stanford game as an example.

In that same Sanford game Sankey sets up the FS and LB on a 4th and 1 run. He runs the ball inside (giving the defense the look that he will be going for a dive play to get the 1st down). This causes the LB and FS to cheat to the inside and possibly prevent him from getting the 1st down. What Sankey does is at the last moment he makes a great jump cut to the outside and the corner misses the tackle, leading to a long TD.

So for me this shows clear bias. When a person watching a game will go so far as to say a players does not have an ability that the player strongly displays in the same game? It makes me wonder how they missed such a big play? Did they watch the whole game? Or are they only going to see what they want to see?

I have learned over the years that if someone (including myself) focuses too much on the negatives in their criticisms without also discussing the positives (pro/con) that the person I am listening to is biased. Because all players have pros/cons to them.

Another example is Greg Cosell saying he does not think Sankey can be a 'foundation' RB after 2 seasons of carrying the ball 289 (33 receptions) and 327 (28 receptions) in the last 2 seasons.

The best argument against Sankey is the lower yards after contact that he had compared to other rookie RB who came out in 2014. That is actually rational. Most of the other arguments do not stand up to scrutiny or reason.

To what end would people have a bias in that they pretend a flaw is there that in actuality does not exist? Critics here have absolutely nothing to gain from it, and professional scouting departments and management would be actively damaging their teams. Where does the bias come from that they would make these kinds of things up? Hatred of the color purple? Closet PETA activists that detest the use of animal names for mascots?

 

[Biabreakable]

I have no idea Billy but it isn't a balanced critique.

The play I was referring to for Sankey was not the Stanford game but in the game against the Beavers.

 

[Bronco Billy]

I have no idea Billy but it isn't a balanced critique.

The play I was referring to for Sankey was not the Stanford game but in the game against the Beavers.

Well, I saw the same things the critics did so I guess I'm biased too. I wonder what I'll gain from that?

I saw Sankey get positively stoned by LSU and ASU. Against LSU the Huskies actually gave up on him it was so bad, and they needed him in that game to keep the O on the field and slow the Tigers down.

When Hyde had his bad day against Penn St they still kept going to him, and he created at least something for himself. Against LSU and ASU Sankey did almost literally nothing. Bellcow RBs ought to be able to make at least a little something running in a really bad situation.

I also agree that Sankey misses a lot of yards at the second level when there are yards to be gained. He doesn't have great vision and he isn't explosive. That's a bad combination for a 209 lb NFL RB. He can get jittery waiting for a seam to open and runs a little too much East & West than I like to see. He doesn't play to his timed speed.

That said, I do think he had enough talent, lateral agility, and receiving ability that he can be effective in a RBBC format. He runs with decent lean and good pad level. He's not afraid of a strong workload and doesn't fade late in games. He'll stick his nose in on a blitzing LB. There's enough there that he can be a quality RB.

 

[Biabreakable]

I was reading about the Washington LSU game and it is an example of how much better LSU is as a team compared to the Huskies or most other college teams. As they dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball all game long. This is nothing new as LSU has been a recruiting power house for quite some time. A game like this is an example of why I dislike college football. The lack of parity between competition.

As far as the assessment of poor vision I think that is perhaps the thing that we should be looking for most when watching games. It is a subjective thing. How do you know what the RB can see? If you think the RB missed opportunities for a better rushing lane, do you not also see this with all RB? At the pro and college level? Because all players leave yards on the field, when the standard is in hindsight.

I can see some of those things, but I see all players not making the best choice. Yet I have not read this criticism of other players very often.

So from that perspective I am glad it is being talked about. Right or wrong. Such a criticism would have been helpful in the case of Trent Richardson recently for example. I think this is one of the really goods thing that people who watch a lot of football can bring to the conversation I think and should be talked about more often than it is. At the same time I think it is difficult to assess without being subjective.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Richardson's lack of vision was disguised by how good the Alabama line was. Now that his seams are substantially smaller and are open in a much smaller time frame it has leapt to the forefront.

If you feel a RB's vision can't be judged I'd disagree. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that.

 

[Biabreakable]

I am not saying a RBs vision cannot be judged. What I am saying is that I think that judgement is pretty subjective, and because it is subjective that can lead to bias.

I do not feel confident in anyones ability to assess a RB vision without some way of structuring that into categories that could be compared objectively.

If an analyst would comment about a RBs vision, good and bad for ALL RB then you could make a relative comparison. But for the most part it is not something you will see much comment about at all. Or if you do see a comment about it, the comment is more of a buzz word or like a pass fail if the RB has good enough vision or not.

So even though I disagree with the criticism on this aspect of Sankey's game. I do appreciate it being brought up for discussion. I would like to see more attention given to this area of all RBs.

eta- I think a RB vision is one of the most important things one should be looking for when they watch a RB. But if you cannot asses the RB vision because of good blocking, compared to another RB who does not always get good blocking, then you are not really comparing those players under the same circumstances. A player who is getting blocking to the second level of the defense more often than another will have more opportunity for you to assess their vision in a circumstance where they actually have reliable blocks for them to get timing with, in setting up players at the second level.

So you could break this into 2 categories.

RB vision/ability to make defenders miss in the backfield due to poor blocking.

RB vision/ability to make defenders miss at the second level due to good blocking.

Then you would be comparing similar plays/circumstances and how the players do in those situations.

Some players would have more plays of the above than another. That in itself would be useful information I think. And a more apples to apples comparison would then be possible.

To me it seems like Sankey is under a microscope that other players are not being subjected to with this. I can recall reading some things questioning Ellington's vision as a prospect last season. But for the most part vision seems to be a non issue for evaluators with most of the RB prospects.

Last season I took what I read about Ellington as a red flag against him. Because I had not read much negative criticism of the other RBs from his draft class like this. The comment stood out.

This season it seems much the same here with Sankey being the only RB I am aware of who has been harshly criticized for their vision from the 2014 draft class.

If the issue were not so passed over in typical evaluation for the majority of RBs then this criticism would not stand out as much as biased. So in fairness to Matt Waldman, perhaps he does do this for all RB? If so then I think that is valuable information. Because I have not read much detail about many RB in regards to their vision as a comparable skill to all other players at their position.

Here are Ryan Lownes vision ratings for RB in 2014-

Tre Mason 8
Devonta Freeman 8
Isaiah Crowell 8
Marion Grice 8
Kadeem Carey 8
Carlos Hyde 7
Lache Seastrunk 7
James White 7
DeAnthony Thomas 7
Kerick McKinnon 7
Tyler Gaffney 6
Bishop Sankey 6
Storm Johnson 6
Terrance West 6
Jeremy Hill 6
Charles Sims 6

On a 1-10 scale I cannot get too much from this as all of them have a 6-8 rating but he seems to think Sankey is on the lower end of this spectrum as well.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Uh oh. This may not end well.

If Sankey gets traded to a "rival" I guess we can start to care about this. As it stands, he plays for the Titans and this means nothing.

That's a very good point. If Sankey is a sure fire featured bellcow RB, a team whose predraft scouting report said he was only a CoP RB would only use him as a CoP RB. Thank all the heavens that TEN drafted him.

Fist of all, Caplan's "report" has no substance to it at all. He nor any of us know what teams feel Sankey is a COP RB and useless speculation like most everything else. Second, all I care about is what Tenn will do with Sankey. Not what these other hypothetical teams who may or may not think he's a COP RB would so with him. Nothing thus far has indicated that Tenn views him as a COP RB or that they will use him that way. He may lose GL or short yardage touches but we really don't even know that. Again, you guys are letting you distaste for one poster cloud your judgement on this player. I feel many of you would rather Brewtown got this wrong than you playing the situation right.

At this point, all that matters is what he does on the field once he gets his chance. He will either prove Tenn correct or these "rivals" correct. No one should really change their viewpoint on Sankey at this point - for all we know many "rivals" loved him as well.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

The thing that elevated Sankey is how awesome his combine was. Sankey had amazing college stats, but as we all know you have to take those with a grain of salt. The thing that was impressive to me is he verified those stats by showing he is the real deal. He is obviously an extremely hard worker as you don't bench 225 pounds 26 times and run a 4.49 forty without putting in the work.

Sankey also displayed great hands and his 3 cone drill was great as well. The kid is very talented, has his head on straight and works extremely hard. I don't know what the criticts really have to go on. No way can you take a couple of games and say "well he did not produce against this team" etc. This just in, running backs every where have bad games. Adrian Peterson has had some stinkers remember.

This COP crap is ridiculous. Sankey is 205 lbs and has already proven to handle a large workload in college. People keep comparing him to Bernard. Cincy is using Bernanrd in a time share role as he was used in college as well. I do think Bernard is capable of handeling a larger role but regardless who cares what is happening with Bernard in Cincy. Sankey is with the Titans and will get the lion share of carries.

 

[Bronco Billy]

The NFL defenses ain't the PAC 12

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

The NFL defenses ain't the PAC 12

Agreed, but are you completely ignoring how good his combine was?

 

[Bronco Billy]

The NFL defenses ain't the PAC 12

Agreed, but are you completely ignoring how good his combine was?

As I've stated in other threads, the combine to me is about red flags. Sankey didn't have any.

Look, I'm not saying he's going to fail. I just doubt based upon what I've seen that he's a bellcow RB. I think he could handle the workload, but I question whether a team will want the ball in his hands that much - because from what I have seen there are flaws that won't translate well at the NFL level. But I don't think he's a special teamer either.

 

[maf005]

Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, Titans second-round RB Bishop Sankey is "widely viewed" as a change-of-pace back by rival personnel executives.

Sankey is expected to do more than simply change plodder Shonn Greene's pace, but his college film painted a murky picture of his feature-back potential. Sankey is a certifiable stud in pad-less practices, but tended to underwhelm on game tape. It sounds like many of Tennessee's rivals saw the same thing. Sankey's apparent role makes him an intriguing RB2 in re-draft leagues, but there's bust potential.

Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

Someone tell Adam Caplan that all rookies have bust potential.

I think the tape watching community is completely off base in their criticisms of Sankey that are often biased. I have gone back and looked at some what some analysts have said about him, and look for those things myself. While there are examples of him doing what they say, there are too many other examples (usually from the same game as their criticism comes from) of him not having that weakness, that somehow the person watching does not see or give positive comment on, thus proving in my eyes their bias.

For example Matt Waldman heavily criticizes Sankeys vision and ability to see LB and DBs as he sets up his runs. He even takes this criticism to the extreme saying that other good RB can do this but Sankey cannot. He was talking about the Stanford game as an example.

In that same Sanford game Sankey sets up the FS and LB on a 4th and 1 run. He runs the ball inside (giving the defense the look that he will be going for a dive play to get the 1st down). This causes the LB and FS to cheat to the inside and possibly prevent him from getting the 1st down. What Sankey does is at the last moment he makes a great jump cut to the outside and the corner misses the tackle, leading to a long TD.

So for me this shows clear bias. When a person watching a game will go so far as to say a players does not have an ability that the player strongly displays in the same game? It makes me wonder how they missed such a big play? Did they watch the whole game? Or are they only going to see what they want to see?

I have learned over the years that if someone (including myself) focuses too much on the negatives in their criticisms without also discussing the positives (pro/con) that the person I am listening to is biased. Because all players have pros/cons to them.

Another example is Greg Cosell saying he does not think Sankey can be a 'foundation' RB after 2 seasons of carrying the ball 289 (33 receptions) and 327 (28 receptions) in the last 2 seasons.

The best argument against Sankey is the lower yards after contact that he had compared to other rookie RB who came out in 2014. That is actually rational. Most of the other arguments do not stand up to scrutiny or reason.

To what end would people have a bias in that they pretend a flaw is there that in actuality does not exist? Critics here have absolutely nothing to gain from it, and professional scouting departments and management would be actively damaging their teams.Where does the bias come from that they would make these kinds of things up? Hatred of the color purple? Closet PETA activists that detest the use of animal names for mascots?

Not to take sides but you're wrong if you don't think pro scouts or fantasy analysts aren't biased. The moment they pick a side (which they MUST do early) they have a stake and therefore a bias.

It's the same reason a certain ESPN analyst wouldn't rank Keenan Allen as a WR2 in the 2nd half of last year, or why a FBG staffer continually wrote off Chris Johnson week after week. Or why the Trent Richardson thread is 50+ pages long

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

The NFL defenses ain't the PAC 12

Agreed, but are you completely ignoring how good his combine was?

As I've stated in other threads, the combine to me is about red flags. Sankey didn't have any.

Look, I'm not saying he's going to fail. I just doubt based upon what I've seen that he's a bellcow RB. I think he could handle the workload, but I question whether a team will want the ball in his hands that much - because from what I have seen there are flaws that won't translate well at the NFL level. But I don't think he's a special teamer either.

I may have missed earlier in the thread what these flaws were? This is where we would agree to disagree.

There are just not a ton of flaws in his game. The one flaw in most young RB's is pass blocking in which I am sure Sankey will have to work on. But he undoubtedly has the srength to be an adequate pass blocker at the pro level.

I liken Sankey to Shady and see a ton of resembelance in their games. Will Sankey be as good as Shady? That is obviously a lot to ask, but he definitely has the ability. They are exact same size, similar college stats however, Sankey actually had better combine numbers. They were taken one pick apart in the NFL draft. There was obvioulsy questions for Shady coming into the NFL as well.

The truth is there are no big flaws in Sankey's game.

 

[Xue]

Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles were also supposedly COP backs.

Vision is something that's probably often misevaluated and overquantified. Lots of RBs are probably slightly above average. Very few really possess elite vision. I always felt Adrian Peterson didn't have great vision coming into the league. But you watch what he did in 2012 and it seemd like he made the right cut on nearly every play. Guys have "off" years and then they have one of those magical season where they put everything together (some good blocking helps, too). Also, see: DeAngelo Williams in 2008.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Yeah, and I can point to Reggie Bush or any numbers of other RB whose pro performance did not come close to expectations based upon his college career and then combine numbers that supposedly confirmed, in Bush's case that he was worthy of the first pick in the draft.

Not sure what he or the other RBs you mention have to do with Sankey.

My position is there. I'm willing to wait until the pads go on and the regular season starts to see whose projection is better rather than rehashing the same stuff repeatedly.

 

[Touchdown There]

Please do.

 

[Brewtown]

Bishop Sankey is going to be a stud.

He passes the eye test!

The combine test!

The NFL Draft test!

Haters gonna hate.....

 

[Brewtown]

I read an article today that quoted new Washington Huskies coach Chris Peterson talking about Bishop Sankey. It quoted him saying the following : "Bishop Sankey was tremendous. You put that tape on and study him, its like, wow. He has tremendous vision. We played against him twice and we thought the world of him."

In watching Sankey the past two years the following comes to mind:

GREAT VISION

NORTH/SOUTH RUNNER

GREAT BURST

SPEED

TOUGH RUNNER

GREAT CUTTING ABILITY

WILL BE A GOOD ONE CUT RUNNER

GREAT HANDS

ATHLETICISM

DOESN'T GO DOWN EASY

A NOSE FOR THE END ZONE

He is an every down back that had great production in a great conference versus big-time competition and he lit up the combine. He is very talented and he is going to play a huge role on some teams offense for many years.

I think that he is the best and most complete running back to come out of the NCAA in the last two years, and is the best running back in this years draft.

Yup!

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Yeah, and I can point to Reggie Bush or any numbers of other RB whose pro performance did not come close to expectations based upon his college career and then combine numbers that supposedly confirmed, in Bush's case that he was worthy of the first pick in the draft.

and

Not sure what he or the other RBs you mention have to do with Sankey.

My position is there. I'm willing to wait until the pads go on and the regular season starts to see whose projection is better rather than rehashing the same stuff repeatedly.

I don't want to beat a dead horse but I still don't know what flaws you see? Vision? It is the only one that is subjective enough that he may not meet someone's criteria. Although I don't know how anyone can claim to fault someones vision when they had 644 rush attempts in college and managed to have a 5.4 ypc. Once again had he come to the combine and ran a 4.6 and or was able to muster up 11 on bench press etc than maybe you are onto something. But the numbers, film etc have not shown any flaws. He then just gets drafted to a team that cut a good RB to clear way for him and was the first rb taken in the draft. I really don't see flaws. I think you are letting brewton's love for Sankey cloud your judgement.

 

[Brewtown]

Yeah, and I can point to Reggie Bush or any numbers of other RB whose pro performance did not come close to expectations based upon his college career and then combine numbers that supposedly confirmed, in Bush's case that he was worthy of the first pick in the draft.

and

Not sure what he or the other RBs you mention have to do with Sankey.

My position is there. I'm willing to wait until the pads go on and the regular season starts to see whose projection is better rather than rehashing the same stuff repeatedly.

I don't want to beat a dead horse but I still don't know what flaws you see? Vision? It is the only one that is subjective enough that he may not meet someone's criteria. Although I don't know how anyone can claim to fault someones vision when they had 644 rush attempts in college and managed to have a 5.4 ypc. Once again had he come to the combine and ran a 4.6 and or was able to muster up 11 on bench press etc than maybe you are onto something. But the numbers, film etc have not shown any flaws. He then just gets drafted to a team that cut a good RB to clear way for him and was the first rb taken in the draft. I really don't see flaws. I think you are letting brewton's love for Sankey cloud your judgement.

Don't be so hard on Bronco Billy - Matt Waldman, Bloom and Lammey don't like Sankey either.....

 

[rdrouyn]

People keep repeating that his combine numbers are great like some type of mantra. Yes his 40 yard time is good but why is everyone ignoring his 10 yard dash numbers?. His 10 yard dash is 1.59 which is worse than Tre Mason (1.50), Isiah Crowell (1.55), Charles Sims (1.57), Jeremy Hill (1.56), Jerrick McKinnon (1.46) and the same as Devonta Freeman and Terrance West.

There are a few talent evaluators that swear by the 10 yard dash being one of the most accurate measures of speed for a running back, since they very rarely carry for more than 10 yards in the NFL. Everyone has their own metrics but this one makes a lot of sense to me.