RB Willis McGahee is STILL Overrated (1 Viewer)

[packersfan]

I will now concede that Willis McGahee was indeed overrated this year.

good call by JoeT and others.

The bigger question now is did the Bills over-rate McGahee and do they need to be worried about their RB situation?

I still think he's a talented player who will do much better with improved blocking up front. The offensive line play of the Bills this year has probably been in the bottom 5 of the league.I still feel pretty good about having him as the Bills RB for the future. If they make a coaching change this offseason, I hope whoever they brings in rides him a lot more than Mularkey has been willing to do lately. He's still a workhorse who you can rely on for 20-25 carries every week.

For about 50 yards.

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year.

I disagree. I would say the following RBs would find a way to be MUCH more productive than McGahee has been this season -- especially the last several weeks:LT

Edge

Alexander

Barber

Larry Johnson

Clinton Portis

Corey Dillon

Rudi Johnson

That group without question and I would be willing to bet these RBs would also be more productive:

Thomas Jones

Domanick Davis

Reuben Droughns

Cadillac Williams

McGahee has become nothing more than an average starting RB - and that's probably being kind. He runs with no power, no aggressiveness and no authority. He's as a big a problem as Mularkey or the line or Losman or anything else going on with the Bills right now.

 

[davaco]

I will now concede that Willis McGahee was indeed overrated this year.

good call by JoeT and others.

The bigger question now is did the Bills over-rate McGahee and do they need to be worried about their RB situation?

I still think he's a talented player who will do much better with improved blocking up front. The offensive line play of the Bills this year has probably been in the bottom 5 of the league.I still feel pretty good about having him as the Bills RB for the future. If they make a coaching change this offseason, I hope whoever they brings in rides him a lot more than Mularkey has been willing to do lately. He's still a workhorse who you can rely on for 20-25 carries every week.

yea, i agree.talent wise, he isnt overrated. FF wise he was. Running backs not named lt2 dont do very well playing on bad teams.

 

[Gravity]

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

But I thought the pick for McGahee was that he was in that top 10%....Guess not.

Still feel it was a "Great" pick?

 

[Buckna]

Wasn't a big fan in the offseason. Here

He still doesn't catch passes and we are definitely looking at a reversion to the mean on his TD totals this season. Granted, a lot has to do with a rookie QB and injuries to their dominant defense from last year, but anyone that took him high shouldn't of been surprised to see him not justify his draft position.

 

[packersfan]

Wasn't a big fan in the offseason. Here

He still doesn't catch passes and we are definitely looking at a reversion to the mean on his TD totals this season. Granted, a lot has to do with a rookie QB and injuries to their dominant defense from last year, but anyone that took him high shouldn't of been surprised to see him not justify his draft position.

It's one thing to fall short of expectations; it's another to be one of the worst starting RBs in the NFL. I can't believe too many folks were predicting that for McGahee this season. But that's what he has become. Outside of the train wrecks in San Francisco and Arizona, there aren't too many starting RBs who aren't doing better than McGahee right now.

 

[Buckna]

Wasn't a big fan in the offseason. Here

He still doesn't catch passes and we are definitely looking at a reversion to the mean on his TD totals this season. Granted, a lot has to do with a rookie QB and injuries to their dominant defense from last year, but anyone that took him high shouldn't of been surprised to see him not justify his draft position.

It's one thing to fall short of expectations; it's another to be one of the worst starting RBs in the NFL. I can't believe too many folks were predicting that for McGahee this season. But that's what he has become. Outside of the train wrecks in San Francisco and Arizona, there aren't too many starting RBs who aren't doing better than McGahee right now.

I agree with you for the most part, I consider myself one of the lucky ones who got this particular call right and avoided him this year.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

But I thought the pick for McGahee was that he was in that top 10%....Guess not.

Still feel it was a "Great" pick?

absolutely

 

[BigJim®]

I will now concede that Willis McGahee was indeed overrated this year.

good call by JoeT and others.

The bigger question now is did the Bills over-rate McGahee and do they need to be worried about their RB situation?

I still think he's a talented player who will do much better with improved blocking up front. The offensive line play of the Bills this year has probably been in the bottom 5 of the league.I still feel pretty good about having him as the Bills RB for the future. If they make a coaching change this offseason, I hope whoever they brings in rides him a lot more than Mularkey has been willing to do lately. He's still a workhorse who you can rely on for 20-25 carries every week.

For about 50 yards.

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

At the risk of revisiting Henry vs. McGahee, Henry had the same gripe (horrid OLine), was actually more productive, and was castigated by Buffalo fans who claimed McGahee was their hero. This whole thing has simply come full circle in a way that I'm enjoying more than I probably should.

 

[BigJim®]

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

But I thought the pick for McGahee was that he was in that top 10%....Guess not.

Still feel it was a "Great" pick?

absolutely

To me this is pure delusion but you'll never catch a Buffalo fan doubting that pick. I know, I know, Buffalo had no other weaknesses. No need to remind me.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

But I thought the pick for McGahee was that he was in that top 10%....Guess not.

Still feel it was a "Great" pick?

absolutely

To me this is pure delusion but you'll never catch a Buffalo fan doubting that pick. I know, I know, Buffalo had no other weaknesses. No need to remind me.

I never said they had no other weaknesses. I just wasn't crazy about the other players available at that spot, so taking a chance on a guy who could turn out to be an elite talent was worth the risk. I think people who want to believe the McGahee we've seen in recent weeks is what he's going to be for the next 5 years are kidding themselves. He'll bounce back.

 

[BigJim®]

I think 90+% of NFL RBs would struggle behind the Bills offensive line of this year. He was often hit in the backfield and was rarely able to run downhill.

But I thought the pick for McGahee was that he was in that top 10%....Guess not.

Still feel it was a "Great" pick?

absolutely

To me this is pure delusion but you'll never catch a Buffalo fan doubting that pick. I know, I know, Buffalo had no other weaknesses. No need to remind me.

I never said they had no other weaknesses. I just wasn't crazy about the other players available at that spot, so taking a chance on a guy who could turn out to be an elite talent was worth the risk. I think people who want to believe the McGahee we've seen in recent weeks is what he's going to be for the next 5 years are kidding themselves. He'll bounce back.

Well, as I've done with a thousand other Bills fans, I'll agree to disagree with you. I felt Henry was just fine as a reliable 20-25 attempt RB, McGahee should never have been presumed "elite" when the reality is the Bills needed to wait 18 months to see if he was even mediocre, and there were certainly other weaknesses that might have been addressed... beginning with the pick of any offensive lineman who was better than garbage, which is all he'd have to be to improve the existing Bills OL.

 

[packersfan]

Given what we now know about Travis Henry (and what the Bills already knew) I think we can make a case the Bills are better off at RB now with McGahee than they would have been had they stuck with Henry and never drafted McGahee. However, given McGahee's massive fall from grace and his tumble to the depths of the league's worst starting RBs, you can also begin to make an argument that the Bills are going to need to upgrade their RB position with another player at some point very soon unless McGahee undergoes a significant transformation.

 

[mcd]

I still believe McGahee is a top 10 type RB. The Bills have pretty much packed it in the last month or so & McGahee, it seems, has lost the faith of his coach. For an 8 week period McGahee was averaging around 15 points a game, over the last 5 weeks he has averaged 4 points. the whole team has quit & putting Losman back in probably didn't help team morale (except maybe Evans). I would expect the coach & GM to be replaced at the end of the year & the team concentrating on building an O-line to feature McGahee behind.

 

[ZJilla]

I will now concede that Willis McGahee was indeed overrated this year.

good call by JoeT and others.

 

[Stinger Ray]

I will now concede that Willis McGahee was indeed overrated this year.

good call by JoeT and others.

 

[wilked]

Rude Dude - you ready to pay up? I will PM paypal address, subject to refund if McGahee scores 8 TDs this weekend

 

[Kiddnets]

Know its early but where does Willis rank in your lists for next year? Is he still in the top 20? Is he even a solid #2 RB going on your team going into next year? Thought I had him for a great price in a keeper league but now it looks like I overpaid!

 

[jurb26]

Know its early but where does Willis rank in your lists for next year? Is he still in the top 20? Is he even a solid #2 RB going on your team going into next year?

Thought I had him for a great price in a keeper league but now it looks like I overpaid!

From the early rankings that I have seem thus far, yes he is top 20 and closer to top 10 still. I would put him around 12-15 I think, just going off the top of my head.

 

[MyAwesomePrizeAlias]

Rude Dude - you ready to pay up? I will PM paypal address, subject to refund if McGahee scores 8 TDs this weekend

LOLwhat was the bet? I can't remember...

Please tell me we don't have another Chase Smoouart on staff.

 

[MyAwesomePrizeAlias]

Know its early but where does Willis rank in your lists for next year? Is he still in the top 20? Is he even a solid #2 RB going on your team going into next year?

Thought I had him for a great price in a keeper league but now it looks like I overpaid!

I'd put him about where I had him this year.#16 overall.

 

[bagger.]

Rude Dude - you ready to pay up?  I will PM paypal address, subject to refund if McGahee scores 8 TDs this weekend

LOLwhat was the bet? I can't remember...

Please tell me we don't have another Chase Smoouart on staff.

 

[Bri]

I don't think 2004 was WYSIWYG nor was 2005.2004 he was maybe too good for a first year back.In 2005, the offense was horrible in so many ways. There are times I saw the Bills and felt like the D just needed to be on the field and they'd stop their own drives. Really awful, reminded me of Kotite's Jets and my Pats back just before Parcells. In 06, they have skill position players. They have talent on the line(like Mike Williams) but don't get the results that talent should equal(like Mike Williams). The QB COULD just be a ball control guy and doesn't need to throw for 4k yards. I'm not sure what Losman is capable of. QBs usually show their true colors their second year starting not their first IMO. They just need a coach to give the O a certain direction/philosophy and start that up front with the line. McGahee is still one of the more talented backs in the NFL. Many said there were some highlight moves flashed in preseason+TC that I don't think he could have done in 2004. Aside from Barry, I can't recall a great back doing great behind a junky OL. I think it is simple in that if they put a decent OL in front of him, he will succeed. He seems that talented to me.

 

[wilked]

ill also toss out there that mcgahee scored once in 4th vs. arizona when the game was completely out of hand, and twice in the 4th vs. seattle when the game was completely out of hand - points in the game when the bills were up at least 21. As the season went on, the bills realized that they needed to protect willis - pulling him in garbage time - shaud williams scored twice in garbage time in the last 4 games. Another reason that his TD total from last year is deceiving.

so, you are predicting that the Bills will never win any games by a large margin in 2005? I don't see why people are discounting a player for scoring TDs. That's exactly what I look for from a RB1.If the over/under on McGahee's TD total in 2005 is 12, I'm betting the over. There are no other RBs outside of the top-4 that I would say that about.

I'll take that bet. O/U 12, 12 is a push. Name your price

$20, with the stipulation that he plays at least 12 games.

:brushingteeth:

 

[packersfan]

Know its early but where does Willis rank in your lists for next year? Is he still in the top 20? Is he even a solid #2 RB going on your team going into next year?

w it looks like I overpaid!

As of today I'd rank him in the 20-25 range and maybe lower. I'd only want him as a RB3. Hard to rank a guy any higher who has no heart and runs likes a p***y near the goal line.

 

[wilked]

For the second year in a row, McGahee is awful in terms of converting rushing attempts inside the 10 into TDs. Here are the numbers from this year, minimum of 25 rushing attempts within the 5

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6831/graph8jx.jpg

 

[tommyGunZ]

man, i was way off w/re to McGahee this year.Call me stubborn, but I'll be happy to grab him in the late 2nd next year to pair with LT, LJ, or SA and take my chances. I think 2006 McGahee will be closer to 2004 than 2005.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

For the second year in a row, McGahee is awful in terms of converting rushing attempts inside the 10 into TDs. Here are the numbers from this year, minimum of 25 rushing attempts within the 5

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6831/graph8jx.jpg

my boy Lamont does extremely well considering that his O-line has been supsect at best this season.

 

[packersfan]

For the second year in a row, McGahee is awful in terms of converting rushing attempts inside the 10 into TDs. Here are the numbers from this year, minimum of 25 rushing attempts within the 5

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6831/graph8jx.jpg

I lost count of the number of shots he had to score from inside the 5 last Sunday against the Bengals. The guy is pathetic near the goal line.

 

[Bri]

For the second year in a row, McGahee is awful in terms of converting rushing attempts inside the 10 into TDs. Here are the numbers from this year, minimum of 25 rushing attempts within the 5

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6831/graph8jx.jpg

is that right? Barber III has as many as Jordan?

 

[wilked]

For the record, rude dude has paid up

 

[CravenM]

Behind a pretty bad offensive line with a young below-average QB and bad defense, McGahee had 325 carries 1247 yards on the ground (#10 in the league), 5 TDs, caught 28 passes for 178 yards, started in all 16 games and had only 1 fumble. He's a major dynasty workhorse for years to come.

 

[packersfan]

Behind a pretty bad offensive line with a young below-average QB and bad defense, McGahee had 325 carries 1247 yards on the ground (#10 in the league), 5 TDs, caught 28 passes for 178 yards, started in all 16 games and had only 1 fumble.

He's a major dynasty workhorse for years to come.

He also had six games (nearly half the season) with under 55 yards rushing and showed a complete inability to punch the ball into the end zone from inside the 5. He is a major question mark for fantasy owners next season and the Bills may be forced to add a designated short-yardage RB to the mix due to McGahee's incompetence, thus adding further questions to his fantasy value.Nice to see him get over 100 yards today but it was a little too late for the fantasy owners he destroyed with his pitiful second-half production this season.

 

[CravenM]

He also had six games (nearly half the season) with under 55 yards rushing and showed a complete inability to punch the ball into the end zone from inside the 5. He is a major question mark for fantasy owners next season and the Bills may be forced to add a designated short-yardage RB to the mix due to McGahee's incompetence, thus adding further questions to his fantasy value.

Nice to see him get over 100 yards today but it was a little too late for the fantasy owners he destroyed with his pitiful second-half production this season.

McGahee on the Chiefs, Colts or Seahawks would have 1800 yards and 20 TDs.He'll get better and so will the Bills. They need offensive linemen and a healthy Takeo Spikes, not a "short-yardage RB"

 

[packersfan]

He also had six games (nearly half the season) with under 55 yards rushing and showed a complete inability to punch the ball into the end zone from inside the 5. He is a major question mark for fantasy owners next season and the Bills may be forced to add a designated short-yardage RB to the mix due to McGahee's incompetence, thus adding further questions to his fantasy value.

Nice to see him get over 100 yards today but it was a little too late for the fantasy owners he destroyed with his pitiful second-half production this season.

McGahee on the Chiefs, Colts or Seahawks would have 1800 yards and 20 TDs.He'll get better and so will the Bills. They need offensive linemen and a healthy Takeo Spikes, not a "short-yardage RB"

They'll need a short-yardage RB if McGahee continues to run like a p***y inside the 5. And given how putrid he was for most of the second half of this season it wouldn't take much for him to get better. But that doesn't change the fact he's a major fantasy question mark for next season.

 

[CravenM]

They'll need a short-yardage RB if McGahee continues to run like a p***y inside the 5. And given how putrid he was for most of the second half of this season it wouldn't take much for him to get better.

But that doesn't change the fact he's a major fantasy question mark for next season.

To paraphrase: You're an angry elf! If by question mark, you mean should he be taken in the first or second round, I can see that.

I think he's got as much speed, strength and overall talent as Edge, Alexander, and LJ - now he needs the surrounding cast.

 

[packersfan]

They'll need a short-yardage RB if McGahee continues to run like a p***y inside the 5. And given how putrid he was for most of the second half of this season it wouldn't take much for him to get better.

But that doesn't change the fact he's a major fantasy question mark for next season.

To paraphrase: You're an angry elf!

]I admit I'm a little bitter because I really believed in him this season and he was an absolute dog for most of the second half of the season. So yeah, I'm a little irked at McGahee.

If by question mark, you mean should he be taken in the first or second round, I can see that.

I think he's a major question mark to be ranked inside the Top 20 RBs. At this point in time he's no better than a decent RB3 in my opinion and even that might be a generous ranking. His complete lack of TDs cannot be ignored nor can the fact that nearly half of his games this season produced putrid rushing numbers.

I think he's got as much speed, strength and overall talent as Edge, Alexander, and LJ - now he needs the surrounding cast.

That's what I thought after last season. Now I'm not so sure. I didn't see the same fire with McGahee running the ball that I saw last season which makes me wonder how motivated he is. He talks big, but doesn't back it up. Yes he needs more help but great RBs make the talent around them better and McGahee absolutely failed to do that this season. It's a cop-out to say it was everyone else's fault but his. I think he deserves the lion's share of the blame for his pathetic second-half production. I've begun to question his heart and that makes him a huge fantasy question mark for next season.

 

[Joe T]

He also had six games (nearly half the season) with under 55 yards rushing and showed a complete inability to punch the ball into the end zone from inside the 5. He is a major question mark for fantasy owners next season and the Bills may be forced to add a designated short-yardage RB to the mix due to McGahee's incompetence, thus adding further questions to his fantasy value.

Nice to see him get over 100 yards today but it was a little too late for the fantasy owners he destroyed with his pitiful second-half production this season.

McGahee on the Chiefs, Colts or Seahawks would have 1800 yards and 20 TDs.He'll get better and so will the Bills. They need offensive linemen and a healthy Takeo Spikes, not a "short-yardage RB"

What does he run for when he's not on those teams....? because as far as I can tell he is not on them currently.

 

[Faust]

Between McGahee and Julius Jones (who both had disappointing seasons in 2005), who has the better dynasty/keeper prospects for the next 3-4 years?

 

[Bri]

McGahee because Barber III plays in Dallas and he's got the starting job locked up.

2 years ago, the Bills openned up holes when everyone in the NFL and it's fans knew McGahee was gonna run. Which is some excellent and usually underappreciated play by an O line. Last year the line wasn't so great. I don't expect their line to be as good as 2 years ago or as bad as last year. McGahee(like most RBs) will do as well as his line let's him

 

[SofaKings.]

McGahee because Barber III plays in Dallas and he's got the starting job locked up.

2 years ago, the Bills openned up holes when everyone in the NFL and it's fans knew McGahee was gonna run. Which is some excellent and usually underappreciated play by an O line. Last year the line wasn't so great. I don't expect their line to be as good as 2 years ago or as bad as last year. McGahee(like most RBs) will do as well as his line let's him

Barber has the starting job locked up?

 

[jkruppe]

I think he's saying that McGahee has the starting job locked up and Jones and Barber will split carries....

 

[beto]

McGahee because Barber III plays in Dallas and he's got the starting job locked up.

2 years ago, the Bills openned up holes when everyone in the NFL and it's fans knew McGahee was gonna run. Which is some excellent and usually underappreciated play by an O line. Last year the line wasn't so great. I don't expect their line to be as good as 2 years ago or as bad as last year. McGahee(like most RBs) will do as well as his line let's him

Was Jonas Jennings the only guy they lost from the '04 line? Plus the Bledsoe to Lostman downgrade.

 

[Joe T]

Between McGahee and Julius Jones (who both had disappointing seasons in 2005), who has the better dynasty/keeper prospects for the next 3-4 years?

Probably Julius Jones.

 

[Big Score]

Between McGahee and Julius Jones (who both had disappointing seasons in 2005), who has the better dynasty/keeper prospects for the next 3-4 years?

Definitely McGahee. Don't even know where Julius Jones will be playing next year, let alone if he can ever be a fulltime starting RB.McGahee at the very least has job security.