"breakaway speed" is the most overrated skill for a rb. balance, strenght, vision are all far more important. turning a 0 yd gain into a 4 yd gain repeatedly is more important than the few times a rb gets a step on the defense and takes it all the way. mainly bc the short gains happen far far far more often.
some rbs without "breakaway speed." edge after his knee injury. portis the last few years. emmit smith. curtis martin.
when comparing wells to tim freakin hightower i think the last aspect we should count against wells is breakaway speed.
fwiw, the player wells most reminds me off is larry johnson.
Well, when people project him for 4.7 yards per carry, he either needs to have breakaway speed to break off some long runs or an exceptional run blocking OL. He has neither. He also doesn't have exceptional balance, quickness, strength or vision. He's good in all those areas, but he is not exceptional in any of them.
That means he's a RB highly dependent on his situation.
Even if you believe that this (bolded) statement is true, tell me what is there not to like about his situation? Run-blocking is one of the easiest tasks for o-linemen to do. If you don't know this, then you don't know much about football. Bad o-lines are usually bad because they can't pass block adequately, not due to run blocking. If teams aren't very good in run blocking, then they either have very poor coaching as the #1 factor, or as a secondary consideration, a lack of talent most likely due to injuries taking down their starters and testing their depth along the line. I don't know if you've ever heard of Russ Grimm, but in case you haven't, o-line coaching will not be the problem for AZ. Additionally, do you also understand the type of space (i.e., running lanes) that Beanie will enjoy due to the fact that AZ has an ultra-dynamic passing attack? Personally, I know that these are glaring facts regarding his situation that tip the scales heavily towards the 'positive' side for Beanie, and it appears that your analysis has not given these facts consideration. If you think that Beanie Wells was just 'AVERAGE', as you put it, in his debut. Then yes, I'd also have to say that you don't have a good read on running back talent. My analysis and evaluations have been done well before any preseason action, and Wells' debut only solidified my original thinking and projection. And yes, I am the guy who projects 4.7 per carry.
And on the topic of breakaway speed, if he didn't have it before, Wells has it now. If you don't understand what better training and conditioning resulting in a lighter, leaner, frame can do for a RB of his ability, then just sit back and watch as it will be illustrated to you and all of the other non-believers.
I've already bought my ticket, sometime you gotta know and trust what you see.......before it happens.
Wow, so many inaccuracies, I'll try to address them all.Run blocking at the NFL level is not an easy task. Very few teams just try to push hat on hat, and even if you do, technique, leverage and footwork are very important. Certain players and certain lines have skill sets that translate into better pass protection than run blocking. Additionally, when teams focus on the passing game, their run blocking offen suffers due to a lack of game speed reps.
Russ Grimm and Whisenhunt are entering their third year in AZ. Since they replaced the C last year and will have the same line this year. The only significant difference between this year and last year for the OL is that Grimm got promoted to co-coordinator with the WR coach, but they're unlikely to suddenly become a run heavy team with the best WR tandem in the league, a QB they just signed to a lucrative two year extension and a team that almost won the Super Bowl. This is nearly the same situation as last year and the year before when the AZ running game was anemic. Yet somehow, with all these things the same the situation for Wells will magically become a positive?
You might want to take a reading comprehension class. I said an average
starting RB.
My evaluations are never done, more data allows for a better estimation of a player's true talent level.
I saw quicker feet than he had in college, likely due to the weight loss. Still not exceptional, but
an improvement none the less. As for the breakaway speed, there was nothing on that tape to show a faster top gear.
It may be there, but he did not have an opportunity to show it in that game.
You are right about one thing. I am a non-believer. Im a skeptic. I don't take things on faith or other people's evaluations. I trust my own eyes and my own evaluations. And nothing I've seen makes me like Wells as a borderline RB1.
Doh! You're right....
excellent post, almost word for word what I was thinking to myself when reading this thread...just more succinct and well put. Saved me a bunch of time replying, thanks
God bless fantasy goggles.
We were watching different guys, apparently.
