Rate the Sleeper Rookie LBs (1 Viewer)

[KellysHeroes]

Black vs Barnes vs Nicholas

Haven't been hearing too much of these 3.... camps is half way done... so which one is looking like the better sleeper pick.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

I think Black is a much better long term prospect than the other two. I think he will get first shot at WLB whenever Brooks is done. He may even get a chance to play MLB depending on how Ruud does.

Nicholas is an interesting player. I really haven't heard much about him since camp. I don't think he is as well rounded as Black.

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Granted Nicholas is one of the guys I hyped early so...

But, reading reports from the three camps, it sounds like Nicholas is having the best go of it. He has been running with the starters until Demorrio is ready, and he has been receiving a lot of praise in the process. I'll disagree with Anthony about who is more well-rounded.

Black is raw, athletic and explosive. He's looking to get some snaps with his hand down in the pass rush. Nicholas, who I watched many times, is a pure football player. A poor man's DeMeco Ryans. Not the greatest measureables, but superb instincts and production. He can cover some, pass rush some, play on either side or in the middle. He was really impressive in college. He's also a top character character, and the Falcons have praised him early in that regard too.

If Black gets it, he has the most upside. If Nicholas gets Demorrio's spot, he'll put up similar numbers.

eta: agree on Barnes, and he was carted off the field with another ankle injury yesterday.

 

[ATRAIN56]

Barnes and its not close

 

[Chaos Commish]

Barnes and its not close

Nah, he's not going to produce much fantasy wise. The Ravens are calling him a situational pass rusher and special teams stand out. He's an awesome athlete but he doesn't have the IDP upside. Here's some news. Keiaho is too "hyper" at WLB and they're trying to settle him down. Clint Session is making some big hits and... heads up.

 

[chook]

Barnes and its not close

Nah, he's not going to produce much fantasy wise. The Ravens are calling him a situational pass rusher and special teams stand out. He's an awesome athlete but he doesn't have the IDP upside.

Here's some news. Keiaho is too "hyper" at WLB and they're trying to settle him down. Clint Session is making some big hits and... heads up.

Exactly what CC said. I guess Barnes could be more of a fantasy factor were they to bring in a stat category 'Cheap shots at Aussie punters who would beat the pants off you in a fair fight'.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

Disagree a bit with this. Throw out what you usually think of with positions (specifically LB) in the Ravens D. Ryan moves those LBs all over the field. Last year, at any given time, Bart Scott could be playing MLB, Lewis could be blitzing next to Suggs, & Thomas would be covering Hines Ward. Now mix 'em all up & repeat. I'm not saying Barnes will amount to anything close to those three, but don't get hung up on IDP truisms with the Ravens D.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Barnes and its not close

Nah, he's not going to produce much fantasy wise. The Ravens are calling him a situational pass rusher and special teams stand out. He's an awesome athlete but he doesn't have the IDP upside.

In deep leagues, Barnes is worth a flyer IMO. Remember, Bart Scott was a special teamer too. Thomas' vacant LB spot is by no means a done deal. I think Barnes (provided his ankle isn't bad) has as good a shot as anyone on the roster for it.

 

[Jene Bramel]

For this season? Probably none of the above. Barnes may have been in line for the most playing time until the injury yesterday. Nicholas has looked okay in camp, but Williams was running ahead of him in non-contact drills and is now running with the first teamers in pads. He might play in this weekend's preseason action. Black is stuck on the second team for the foreseeable future as well.

Long term, it's probably Black, who as has been said, should earn a starting role next year. Nicholas and Barnes could find themselves in a full time role in 2008, but the path isn't as clear. Barnes needs seasoning and he'll have to earn the role that made Adalius Thomas so valuable. Williams is a RFA and anything could happen, but a healthy and productive Williams could put Nicholas into the role Williams himself was in over the past two years -- very nice player without a role if the other LBs are healthy.

 

[Warpig]

Barnes is now out for the season with a leg injury (FBG News). Bump him down.

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

Barnes is now out for the season with a leg injury (FBG News). Bump him down.

??this is the last I heard

 

[Chaos Commish]

Barnes and its not close

Nah, he's not going to produce much fantasy wise. The Ravens are calling him a situational pass rusher and special teams stand out. He's an awesome athlete but he doesn't have the IDP upside.

In deep leagues, Barnes is worth a flyer IMO. Remember, Bart Scott was a special teamer too. Thomas' vacant LB spot is by no means a done deal. I think Barnes (provided his ankle isn't bad) has as good a shot as anyone on the roster for it.

I agree with all the points your making about Barnes, but they don't elevate him above the other two, imo.

 

[Warpig]

Barnes is now out for the season with a leg injury (FBG News). Bump him down.

??this is the last I heard

My bad. I misread the article. He's not out for the season.Here's the FBG article:

August 16, 2007, 01:43

Ravens :: LB

Ravens LB Barnes Carted Off Field With Ankle Injury

Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun - [Full Article]

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Antwan Barnes was carted off the practice field on Wednesday for the second time in two weeks with a right ankle injury. However, the injury is not currently believed to be serious, and Barnes was later seen walking in the team hotel with his ankle heavily taped.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Nicholas has looked okay in camp...

Why do you say okay? I haven't followed daily, but I have heard nothing but high praise. He was singled out for praise with the likes of Abraham and Brooking. I admit I am high on him from the way he played in college and that includes all the personal comments about the guy during the games he regularly dominated, but I haven't heard the word "okay" associated with him... ever. Only high praise allowed for this guy.

 

[KellysHeroes]

Barnes is now out for the season with a leg injury (FBG News). Bump him down.

You scared me too... I own Both Barnes and Black in a league which y I was curious to hear everyones opinion.Ravens LB Antwan Barnes was carted off the practice field Wednesday with an apparent injury to his ankle.

The rookie had been having a stellar camp and made highlight reels for a hit in the preseason opener. Barnes' status is unknown for this weekend.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Barnes and its not close

Nah, he's not going to produce much fantasy wise. The Ravens are calling him a situational pass rusher and special teams stand out. He's an awesome athlete but he doesn't have the IDP upside.

In deep leagues, Barnes is worth a flyer IMO. Remember, Bart Scott was a special teamer too. Thomas' vacant LB spot is by no means a done deal. I think Barnes (provided his ankle isn't bad) has as good a shot as anyone on the roster for it.

I agree with all the points your making about Barnes, but they don't elevate him above the other two, imo.

He very well may not (& if he keeps hurting his friggin ankle every week, he won't be elevated above me). I just think he's going to have a good shot at the opportunity to win a spot that has produced some pretty good fantasy numbers. He appears to have thr athleticism to pull it off; whether he has the rest of the package remains to be seen.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Nicholas has looked okay in camp...

Why do you say okay? I haven't followed daily, but I have heard nothing but high praise. He was singled out for praise with the likes of Abraham and Brooking. I admit I am high on him from the way he played in college and that includes all the personal comments about the guy during the games he regularly dominated, but I haven't heard the word "okay" associated with him... ever. Only high praise allowed for this guy.

Sorry. Didn't mean to imply that he was "just" okay. Only that, praise aside, he hasn't been impressive enough to bump Williams from the first team.

 

[Kirby]

Black

Nicholas

Barnes... I don't even like him over Burgess.

 

[Keg]

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

Disagree a bit with this. Throw out what you usually think of with positions (specifically LB) in the Ravens D. Ryan moves those LBs all over the field. Last year, at any given time, Bart Scott could be playing MLB, Lewis could be blitzing next to Suggs, & Thomas would be covering Hines Ward. Now mix 'em all up & repeat. I'm not saying Barnes will amount to anything close to those three, but don't get hung up on IDP truisms with the Ravens D.

in the 46 both OLBs are usually lined up next to each otherLink to IMAGE

 

[bcr8f]

If Demarrio gets hurt Nicholas has a chance but I doubt if any if the three do much this year.

Any news about Buster Davis?

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

Disagree a bit with this. Throw out what you usually think of with positions (specifically LB) in the Ravens D. Ryan moves those LBs all over the field. Last year, at any given time, Bart Scott could be playing MLB, Lewis could be blitzing next to Suggs, & Thomas would be covering Hines Ward. Now mix 'em all up & repeat. I'm not saying Barnes will amount to anything close to those three, but don't get hung up on IDP truisms with the Ravens D.

in the 46 both OLBs are usually lined up next to each otherLink to IMAGE

I can't run that file for some reason, but in watching all of the Ravens' games last year I can tell you that Ryan moved those guys all over the place. Maybe the "46" isn't the best way to describe the D they play....

 

[Jene Bramel]

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

Disagree a bit with this. Throw out what you usually think of with positions (specifically LB) in the Ravens D. Ryan moves those LBs all over the field. Last year, at any given time, Bart Scott could be playing MLB, Lewis could be blitzing next to Suggs, & Thomas would be covering Hines Ward. Now mix 'em all up & repeat. I'm not saying Barnes will amount to anything close to those three, but don't get hung up on IDP truisms with the Ravens D.

in the 46 both OLBs are usually lined up next to each otherLink to IMAGE

I can't run that file for some reason, but in watching all of the Ravens' games last year I can tell you that Ryan moved those guys all over the place. Maybe the "46" isn't the best way to describe the D they play....

It probably isn't. The Ravens are more of a mulitple front defense than any other team in the league, even the Patriots. I modified the scheme thread a couple of months ago to reflect that. The 46 diagrams I posted about the Ravens last year reflect only one subpackage Ryan likes to run. His playbooks have always been complex to the point of being too much. A PDF document of his 1996 University of Cincinnati playbook is 716 pages long. That's not a typo. It's pretty difficult to pigeonhole the Ravens into any one base defense so I left them as "46" in the scheme thread since it reflects the aggressive but selective pressure style as well as anything else.For those of you who can't see the image Keg posted (I can't either), the diagram probably looks similar to the one in this post.

 

[Toads]

"recorded two tackles and a sack.....running with the first team defense on passing downs"....that's from the linked article recounting Antwan Barnes' upside as a "situational and special teams player".

This guy Barnes is cut from the same cloth as Robert Mathias.....he's the same bio, same smal school backround.

Barnes has a relentess motor and a good future. He's finding a place with the first team DEF on a team that needs to replace a key lost player.

That's not too bad for a Rookie in his first month of camp, fellas.

 

[Keg]

Barnes is limited in value playing OLB in the 3-4. He is one who will be a better football player than fantasy LB.

Disagree a bit with this. Throw out what you usually think of with positions (specifically LB) in the Ravens D. Ryan moves those LBs all over the field. Last year, at any given time, Bart Scott could be playing MLB, Lewis could be blitzing next to Suggs, & Thomas would be covering Hines Ward. Now mix 'em all up & repeat. I'm not saying Barnes will amount to anything close to those three, but don't get hung up on IDP truisms with the Ravens D.

in the 46 both OLBs are usually lined up next to each otherLink to IMAGE

I can't run that file for some reason, but in watching all of the Ravens' games last year I can tell you that Ryan moved those guys all over the place. Maybe the "46" isn't the best way to describe the D they play....

It probably isn't. The Ravens are more of a mulitple front defense than any other team in the league, even the Patriots. I modified the scheme thread a couple of months ago to reflect that. The 46 diagrams I posted about the Ravens last year reflect only one subpackage Ryan likes to run. His playbooks have always been complex to the point of being too much. A PDF document of his 1996 University of Cincinnati playbook is 716 pages long. That's not a typo. It's pretty difficult to pigeonhole the Ravens into any one base defense so I left them as "46" in the scheme thread since it reflects the aggressive but selective pressure style as well as anything else.For those of you who can't see the image Keg posted (I can't either), the diagram probably looks similar to the one in this post.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/46_defenseits not as large but it is the same image, hopefully you can see it this time

 

[gregjcross]

I have thought since the draft that Buster Davis, despite his leadership attributes at FSU, is too small and not athletic enough to be an impact LB at this level. I dont think he is going to play this year, but we'll see.

If Demarrio gets hurt Nicholas has a chance but I doubt if any if the three do much this year. Any news about Buster Davis?

 

[Chaos Commish]

Nicholas looked pretty good again last night, particularly in coverage where he smothered Losman's check downs twice, held a player short of the first, and he was the primary reason for two of Buffalo's first half three and outs. Losman really stunk it up though. I guess the job is Demorrio's, but if Atlanta starts struggling on defense, which is reasonably likely, I think Nicholas has to be one of the first guys looked to to shake things up. I think he's a better all around LB than Demorrio Williams right now. He looks just like he did in college, and that's very sharp. He does not have Demorrio's explosiveness though.

 

[Chaos Commish]

And in fairness both Barnes and Black accounted of themselves nicely this weekend.

 

[Lightning-in-a-Bottle]

And in fairness both Barnes and Black accounted of themselves nicely this weekend.

Barnes hasn't played yet. They play this evening at 8pm.

 

[Chaos Commish]

And in fairness both Barnes and Black accounted of themselves nicely this weekend.

Barnes hasn't played yet. They play this evening at 8pm.

Anything I posted last night needs to be fact checked. I was exhausted. Still am.