Rank Top 5 Rookie RBs - REVISITED (1 Viewer)

[King of the Jungle]

Long-term careers, who will we remember?

1. Reggie Bush - I want to start by saying I think that this group is close in ranking. Bush is not head-and-shoulders above. But he does have god-given talents that we have not seen in a prospect since mike vick....then randy moss (IMO).

2. Lendale White - White is down to 235, at least that is showing an effort. He said that he has a 31 team chip on his shoulder, I like guess who run angry.

3. Deangelo Williams - He may not be in a great situation, but I think he is the best "natural" runner in the group.

4. Laurence Maroney - Nothing about him makes me say "Wow!". Nevertheless, he seems above average in most categories. He is in a good situation.

5. Joseph Addai - If he was drafted by any of the above teams, I wouldn't even consider him. But he lands on the gol' darn Colts. Thoughts of Edge race through FFers heads. I think he is the least talented of the group (not by a enormous margin though), but he enough talent to excell with the Colts. Is it enough to fend off RBBC though?

 

[EBF]

1. Bush - The only lock in this class. Some say it's close between him and the rest of these guys. I don't. Bush is vastly superior, IMO. He will make an immediate impact. Forget all the nonsense about his game not translating to the NFL. Since when do speed, burst, balance, and instincts not translate? Bush will succeed unless he gets injured. Take it to the bank.

2. Maroney - Maroney might not be as talented as White, but he was the second back chosen and the Patriots have a pretty good track record of identifying guys who will be effective in their system. Could start in the second half of 2006 and will probably be the opening day starter in 2007. Should eventually become a solid RB2 for fantasy purposes, though his upside may be limited.

3. White - Could start as early as next season and has a realistic chance at RoY. Lacks great quickness and burst, but has quick feet and should be successful in a power running attack if he commits himself. Maybe another Stephen Davis.

4. Addai - Appears to lack great instincts and may be nothing more than a workout warrior. Nevertheless, he has a very good chance to start from day one and he could end up being one of the real surprises of this class. Also comes with some bust risk and could end up being a major flop.

5. Williams - There's a lot to like about him, but he just doesn't stand out to me as NFL starter material. He looks small, plays small, and doesn't quite seem to have the skills needed to make up for it. He was a great college player and I think he has a chance to be an effective pro, but I don't ever see him being a great fantasy option. He strikes me as a career RBBC type.

 

[Tom Servo]

Fantasy impact (2006 redraft)

1. Bush -- RBBC, but will get the most out of his touches

2. White -- slowly moves into full-time role and excels

3. Maroney -- Dillon has enough in the tank to keep LW's touches down

4. Williams -- *if* Foster gets hurt, he moves up to 3

5. Addai -- pure RBBC with Rhodes

-- worth something less than that

 

[ILoveMyLions]

Long Term Dynasty Rankings for Rookie RBs

1. Reggie Bush - The obvious choice for the #1 ranked rookie back. The only question I have is his ability to handle the load near the goaline as he was untested in that area due to White.

2. Laurence Maroney - I had him ranked 3rd coming into the draft, but NE is a near perfect spot for him; Denver was the only place that may have better suited him. He is a hard worker and should be the man by 2007 while getting his feet wet this year. I think his ability to run inside, outside and catch, along with having Brady at QB, separates him from the other three backs ranked below.

3. DeAngelo Williams - Some around here seem to be down on him and call him a third down or change of pace back. I think he will be a poor man's LT who can do it all on the field. The question is when he will see serious playing time with Foster in front of him. I think it will be some point next year, but Foster's injury probability could change all of that.

4. LenDale White - Has the size, talent and situation in his favor over the next year. He's beast at the goaline and that bodes well for fantasy owners. Henry likely is not back next year and Brown may be at the end of his rope in TEN as well. White could come in and take the job over the course of this year, but that's up to his willingness to commit to the NFL. IMO, this is what separates good players in college who fail in the pros and those that succeed. That's a big ? to answer and to put him higher than 4 is foolish IMO.

5. Joesph Addai - I just don't think he's the answer. I know many like him and his do everything ability. I just don't see him as a difference maker. He didn't dominate in college the way he should have and he seemed to be hurt a lot. He clearly is the 5th best as Calhoun and Norwood don't have his upside being in IND; but I'd take the other 4 before him and not blink an eye.

 

[Chaos Commish]

5. Williams - There's a lot to like about him, but he just doesn't stand out to me as NFL starter material. He looks small, plays small, and doesn't quite seem to have the skills needed to make up for it. He was a great college player and I think he has a chance to be an effective pro, but I don't ever see him being a great fantasy option. He strikes me as a career RBBC type.

This is the only assessment I disagree with. There's a lot to like about him. A LOT. There's a bit to dislike too. He has a history of getting dinged, sometimes seriously. It is probably a product of him having so many miles on him so young, which is another caveat. Addai, Maroney and White have all sufferred injuries too. He does look small (short), but I think he plays big-- powerful, sleek, slick, shifty. He boasts about running over LBs. He just has much much better moves than the others and knows when to use them. He has great vision, and he zips through the smallest holes. He has a skillset unrivaled by all but Bush in this draft. He is more powerful than Maroney and Addai-- they'll all play within four or five pounds of each other, and DeAngelo may just bring the beefiest rookie package to the field. He was 214 last I checked (Addai 211 and Maroney 217). He blows those guys away in the weightroom, and physical strength, while often criticised is very important. You certainly could be right about him. It'll be interesting to watch develop. Could be only Bush has an impact in this class, but I think Williams has the next best chance.

 

[MLBrandow]

Long-Term Value:

1) LenDale White - to me, the only home-run every-down back. Should be in "stud" status in 2 seasons max, and will be there for a long time.

2) Reggie Bush - He'll never be a feature back, but his ability as both a WR2 and a red-zone threat plus PR/KR makes him a sneaky value for consistent RB2 production when his coaches maximize his value. This is a lower yardage, higher TD guy who's numbers won't look great until you lump them all together.

3) DeAngelo Williams - LT #2? Perhaps, but I'm not as convinced he can reach that stud status. He'll get very close, but may not reach it. Bush definitely won't, but because he has a higher floor, I have DWill a notch lower.

All three of these backs should produce for years to come.

4) Maurice Drew - I think he may earn the starting job in JAX by midseason, if not sooner. I expect solid production from him if/when he emerges as a feature back.

5) Leon Washington - He'll have to wait his turn, but when Curtis Martin concedes the feature back role in two years, It will be Leon Washington that assumes his throne. Perhaps not an RB1, but he'll be a consistent RB2 producer IMO, and has potential for that tier 2 RB1 status.

 

[EBF]

This is the only assessment I disagree with. There's a lot to like about him. A LOT. There's a bit to dislike too. He has a history of getting dinged, sometimes seriously. It is probably a product of him having so many miles on him so young, which is another caveat. Addai, Maroney and White have all sufferred injuries too. He does look small (short), but I think he plays big-- powerful, sleek, slick, shifty. He boasts about running over LBs.

Not all of these guys are going to succeed and if I had to pick which ones stand out the least in their highlights, I'd say it's Williams and Addai.

He just has much much better moves than the others and knows when to use them. He has great vision, and he zips through the smallest holes. He has a skillset unrivaled by all but Bush in this draft.

I don't really agree with you there. He does have fluid hips, but I don't think he's in Bush's league as a player or athlete. He doesn't really jump out to me in the same way and I don't really think he's THAT much better than guys like Calhoun and Harrison (who put up similar statistics last season). He breaks long runs, but he doesn't make a lot of "wow" plays.

DeAngelo may just bring the beefiest rookie package to the field.

While I'm sure that will help with the groupies, I don't quite see how it will benefit his performance on the football field.

He was 214 last I checked (Addai 211 and Maroney 217).

He was heavy at the combine, but I think he only weighed 207 or 209 at his pro day (when he actually had to perform). Weight isn't really the issue though. He's heavy enough to play RB in the NFL. My real concern is that he looks small and easy to tackle on film. His success at the Senior Bowl was encouraging and he put up monster numbers at his workout, but I still can't help but feel that something's missing here. I view him as a somewhat superior version of JJ Arrington. He has a chance to be a contributor and perhaps even a solid starter, but I'll be very surprised if he ever reaches standout status.

 

[Chaos Commish]

EBF -- Fair enough. We've disagreed on him all along. No change here, but just a point of clarification. My wording was poor. I said "a skillset unrivaled by all but Bush." I should have added and Bush is on another level. And I agree with on size, but you brought up the "small" thing. To me it matters little. It's just about how good they are. Big guys seem to go down as often and have shorter careers anyway, take a bigger pounding based on simple physics.

Brandow -- Think you're probably way off on Bush. Of course he'll be a feature back. If he has good health, he'll become fantasy stud. The guy is off the charts. He is basically the same size as LT when he came into the league, bigger than Portis was, and he's stronger and faster than both of them were at the time. He's very young, with little mileage on him and phenomenal skills, up the middle, between the tackles, he was more productive than LenDale White.

 

[Bob_Magaw]

as to questions about williams' size, i heard he was mismeasured and is 5'9"... if he is closer to 210 than 215, isn't that about the size of emmit in his prime? he has tree trunk thighs and a massive lower body like emmit... unlike emmit, he supposedly broke his state record in the 100 m and is much faster & has a more electric burst... on some of his runs that i viewed (not sure if we are all looking at same ones... i checked out ones at yahoo), his vision, instincts, cutting ability, burst and elusiveness look to me like he is a special RB...

i think after some of the guys around 30 retire or slow down, he has the ability to be one of the top 5-10 RBs in the league... caddy might be a good comp... williams is smaller but probably more explosive...

 

[ProdigyofParcells]

I love this RB class. I see all of them potentially hitting the 1k mark. But the old fantasy adage talent + opportunity= numbers come into my equations.

1. Addai- Its obvious that Rhodes isnt viewed as an everydown back taking Addai first. Addai is physically similar to Edge and the system has spit out numbers regardless of carrier of the rock. I see Addais ability to handle the load giving him the starters job.

2. Maroney- I love this guy and I am praying that Dillon wins the job in camp so I can swoop in the middle rounds on this guy. Dillon is garbage and his constant looking over his shoulder in the media indicates he is very scared of losing his job. When he does, dont look back.

3. Bush- He is going to get touches and he is going to score. If I were NO though I wouldnt have him return punts. A gamebreaker.

4. White- Brown has been very productive when healthy so I see him holding the job until he gets hurt. I think once White gets the job, it will be his for keeps.

5. Williams- Foster will get hurt and Williams will produce when given the opportunity. I just dont know if he is built for the Carolina ground game.

 

[ILoveMyLions]

Long-Term Value:

1) LenDale White - to me, the only home-run every-down back. Should be in "stud" status in 2 seasons max, and will be there for a long time.

2) Reggie Bush - He'll never be a feature back, but his ability as both a WR2 and a red-zone threat plus PR/KR makes him a sneaky value for consistent RB2 production when his coaches maximize his value. This is a lower yardage, higher TD guy who's numbers won't look great until you lump them all together.

3) DeAngelo Williams - LT #2? Perhaps, but I'm not as convinced he can reach that stud status. He'll get very close, but may not reach it. Bush definitely won't, but because he has a higher floor, I have DWill a notch lower.

All three of these backs should produce for years to come.

4) Maurice Drew - I think he may earn the starting job in JAX by midseason, if not sooner. I expect solid production from him if/when he emerges as a feature back.

5) Leon Washington - He'll have to wait his turn, but when Curtis Martin concedes the feature back role in two years, It will be Leon Washington that assumes his throne. Perhaps not an RB1, but he'll be a consistent RB2 producer IMO, and has potential for that tier 2 RB1 status.

I understand you may not be as high on Maroney as some, but to put Washington or Drew over them is almost laughable. Let's say for the sake of arguement that it's your pick and the following players have gone in front of you: Bush, D. Williams, White, Leinart, Addai, C. Jackson, V. Davis, Young, Cutler...it's now your pick at #10 and you need a RB. Are you really going to take Drew or Washington over Maroney at that point?