Sidney Rice (1 Viewer)

[Concept Coop]

Sidney Rice:

Is this guy being over looked? As a football fan, I love watching this kid play. He is tall, athletic, has great hands, and - maybe most importantly - is a hard worker and a good team guy. He had a monster season and I don't think he is getting the credit that he deserves, based on who was throwing him the ball. He had a breakout season, and I understand wanting a player to do it more than once. But simply watching the kid play, he passes the eye test, even more than a Miles Austin does. I don't see a downside to his game, I really don't. I think it was Troy Aikman that compared him to a Larry Fitz, and I couldn't' agree more.

What are you thoughts, projections, and expectations for next season, and post-Farve?

And I forgot to mention that the kid is only 23 years old. I just drafted him in the late third of a start-up (Non PPR) and couldn't be happier about it. He went after older guys like Roddy, Jennings, Colston and I am happy he did.

 

[travdogg]

I think he's a guy who has a lot of top-12 finishes in his future. The fact that he can be drafted as a WR2 in many leagues is very interesting. His long term value is great too, not just because of his age, but I believe he and Harvin will compliment each other very well and be the best 1-2 punch at WR in the NFL,maybe as soon as this season.

I don't think he's in Fitzgerald's league, but he's right there with White, Jennings and Colston, and like you said, he's years younger than any of them.

 

[snellman]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

 

[Concept Coop]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

 

[snellman]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

Don't get me wrong, I am snagging him up everywhere I can. His value is lower right now than guys like Megatron, and has all the tools necessary to be a consistant top 5 WR. I think the reasons I gave above are why a lot of people aren't real high on him.

 

[Concept Coop]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

Don't get me wrong, I am snagging him up everywhere I can. His value is lower right now than guys like Megatron, and has all the tools necessary to be a consistant top 5 WR. I think the reasons I gave above are why a lot of people aren't real high on him.

Which is good for us!

 

[T.Rex]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

No not like MEGATRON.. Look for Harvin to lead the team with rec this year.

 

[Sweet Love]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

Don't get me wrong, I am snagging him up everywhere I can. His value is lower right now than guys like Megatron, and has all the tools necessary to be a consistant top 5 WR. I think the reasons I gave above are why a lot of people aren't real high on him.

I agree, and as long as the favre situation is cloudy, he is a buy-low. If Favre were to commit today (and allow the hype to die down), come August, he may fall back to where he is today (top end #2), but Favre will most likely commit come August and if that is the case, the hype willl be there and you will need to take him as your #1 (which is not bad per se, just not the value you see today).

 

[Concept Coop]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

No not like MEGATRON.. Look for Harvin to lead the team with rec this year.

How is he not like Megatron, in that sense. Don't pretend that I am comparing their talent. But if you don't think Sidney Rice is worth holding through a year or two through bad QB play, I am sure plenty in your leagues do.And look for you to take that statement back at the end of the year. Rice will lead the team, just like he did last year. He will also score more touchdowns and have more receiving yards.

 

[FavreAndAwayAnIdiot]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

This. No way in hell they allow a scrub to take over post-Farvee, and then you've got a season or two of development before Rice is a stud again. But he'll still be decent through those years.

 

[Ray_T]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

Don't get me wrong, I am snagging him up everywhere I can. His value is lower right now than guys like Megatron, and has all the tools necessary to be a consistant top 5 WR. I think the reasons I gave above are why a lot of people aren't real high on him.

The real problem with Rice is that his value is directly tied to whether Farve returns or not.in a redraft, his value will go up the minute Farve declares he will play next year. In a Dynasty draft his value will remain low due to the fact Farve is likely to retire within 2 years and the vikings do not have a QB to replace him. if they would have signed McNabb or drafted a QB in this years draft, I'd rate him higher in a dynasty draft, but that is not the case here. I would expect his value will fluctuate as much or more than almost any other player in your league.

 

[snellman]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

I see the QB situation as a concern. But at 23, it is a monir one. Minny is a good franchise and won't suit up with Tavaris for long, if ever again. Like Megatron, I think he is a talent worth keeping through a year or two of poor QB play.

Don't get me wrong, I am snagging him up everywhere I can. His value is lower right now than guys like Megatron, and has all the tools necessary to be a consistant top 5 WR. I think the reasons I gave above are why a lot of people aren't real high on him.

The real problem with Rice is that his value is directly tied to whether Farve returns or not.in a redraft, his value will go up the minute Farve declares he will play next year. In a Dynasty draft his value will remain low due to the fact Farve is likely to retire within 2 years and the vikings do not have a QB to replace him. if they would have signed McNabb or drafted a QB in this years draft, I'd rate him higher in a dynasty draft, but that is not the case here. I would expect his value will fluctuate as much or more than almost any other player in your league.

You just keep letting him fall and I will keep scooping him up as my #2 or better yet, #3ETA on the #3 before someone makes reference to guppies

 

[baconisgood]

Something to think about when discussing WRs

3 guys on the Giants, 2 guys on the Eagles, 2 guys on Dallas, 2 guys on Minny, a guy in Det, NO, Den, Pitt, Tenn, SF, KC and STL. There are a lot of very young and talented WRs out there who have done something to warrant discussion (or were drafted this year). Not to mention a couple of guys in Indy- anyone of whom could break out, and young receivers in CLE and OAK who will get their shot. While its nice to have one guy you love and target him this crop of receivers is so deep I would be more hesitant than usual to reach for a guy.

 

[SSOG]

Something to think about when discussing WRs3 guys on the Giants, 2 guys on the Eagles, 2 guys on Dallas, 2 guys on Minny, a guy in Det, NO, Den, Pitt, Tenn, SF, KC and STL. There are a lot of very young and talented WRs out there who have done something to warrant discussion (or were drafted this year). Not to mention a couple of guys in Indy- anyone of whom could break out, and young receivers in CLE and OAK who will get their shot. While its nice to have one guy you love and target him this crop of receivers is so deep I would be more hesitant than usual to reach for a guy.

Agreed. It's really a golden age for dynasty receivers. I love Rice's talent, but on the other hand, you've already got a lot of guys under age 28 with top 5 finishes or multiple top-12 finishes on their resume (Roddy, VJax, Austin, Desean, Jennings, Colston, Marshall), as well as two recent blue-chip rookies (Crabtree and Dez), and the "big 3" of Fitz, Andre, and Calvin. Figure in Randy/Smiff/Wayne (the aging studs), and we're already talking about 16 WRs (including Rice) who are legit dynasty WR1s. And we haven't even looked at guys like Boldin, Sims-Walker, Smith North, Ochocinco, Welker, etc who all have a chance to make some noise at the top of the rankings over the next year.I can't fault anyone who is super-high on Sidney Rice, but at the same time, I don't think there's anything that separates him from the White/VJax/Austin/Desean/Jennigns/Colston/Marshall/Crabtree/Dez cluster-you-know-what that is tier 2 among dynasty receivers today.

 

[Pickle Rody]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

 

[Go deep]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

No he is not, that why he is probably a bit underrated right now. Dont get me wrong, i think he is right up there with those guys, but from everything i have seen elsewhere, most people have him in the tier below.

 

[SSOG]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

No he is not, that why he is probably a bit underrated right now. Dont get me wrong, i think he is right up there with those guys, but from everything i have seen elsewhere, most people have him in the tier below.

Most guys have Sidney Rice outside of the top 14? Every league is different, but I've yet to see anyone who owned Rice and felt that way about him.

 

[dmac37]

I like Rice but my concern is it seemed like Favre was force feeding him all year while they have many other quality options. IMO opinion Favre at QB or not the ball will be spread out more moving forward with Harvin, Berrian, Shiancoe and AD also more involved in the passing game- time will tell.

 

[Go deep]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

No he is not, that why he is probably a bit underrated right now. Dont get me wrong, i think he is right up there with those guys, but from everything i have seen elsewhere, most people have him in the tier below.

Most guys have Sidney Rice outside of the top 14? Every league is different, but I've yet to see anyone who owned Rice and felt that way about him.

No, behind guys like Jennings, Colston, Roddy White, etc.

 

[Go deep]

I like Rice but my concern is it seemed like Favre was force feeding him all year while they have many other quality options. IMO opinion Favre at QB or not the ball will be spread out more moving forward with Harvin, Berrian, Shiancoe and AD also more involved in the passing game- time will tell.

It just happened that Favre was the QB after Jackson. Rice was on the verge of a breakout year, and once he had someone other than Tavaris throwing him the ball, his production matched his talent. I dont think it would have been much different had Rosenfals been the Vikes QB in 2009.

 

[SSOG]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

No he is not, that why he is probably a bit underrated right now. Dont get me wrong, i think he is right up there with those guys, but from everything i have seen elsewhere, most people have him in the tier below.

Most guys have Sidney Rice outside of the top 14? Every league is different, but I've yet to see anyone who owned Rice and felt that way about him.

No, behind guys like Jennings, Colston, Roddy White, etc.

Right. I listed 12 WRs (Fitz, Johnson, Johnson, Roddy, VJax, Austin, Desean, Jennings, Colston, Marshall, Crabtree, Dez). Add in Reggie Wayne (because he's almost unanimously considered part of that tier) and Sidney Rice and you're up to 14 WRs. In my experience, most Rice owners have him in their top 14, crammed somewhere in the giant mashup of WRs that is tier 2. Some might have him higher in the mix, others might have him lower, but it seems to me that everyone agrees that he belongs somewhere in that hot mess.

 

[Pickle Rody]

I would say that most knowledgeable FF'ers have Rice ranked right around the WR13/14 slot right now.

To get a better look we can head over to the "Mock Drafts R Us" forum right here at FBG. Since the Super Bowl in early February there have been 12 message board mock drafts held. We held the four Winter Survivor Leagues (WSL's) in mid-late February, the four Pre-Draft Survivor Leagues (PDSL's) in early April just prior to the NFL Draft, and just recently we completed the four Spring Survivor Leagues (SSL's) a week ago. So that's 12 drafts over a period of nearly four months, in which each draft consisted of 16 teams drafting for 20 or 18 rounds.

Sidney Rice was drafted as early as WR11 but no later than WR16 through all of these drafts. His ADP for the 12 drafts was pick 3.02 (#34 overall) at WR13. When he was drafted at WR11 he was the 27th overall player taken, at pick 2.11. When he was drafted at WR16 he was the 41st overall player selected, at pick 3.09.

As I said previously, these drafts included some of the more knowledgeable posters on these message boards, including a few staff members like Bloom, Pasquino and Rudnicki (to name some, but not all, that I could think of off the top of my head.)

In mid February, Sidney Rice was taken as high as WR12, in early April he was taken as high as WR11, and in the most recent drafts he was taken as high as WR13. As it turns out his ADP for each set of drafts (WSL, PDSL & SSL) got tighter as the months passed:

WSL - WR12 to WR16 - 4 slot variance

PDSL - WR11 to WR15 - 3 slot variance

SSL - WR13 to WR15 - 2 slot variance

Sure, these drafts consisted of 16 teams, but if you look at the average overall draft slot (#34) that would correlate to the 3.10 draft slot in a 12 team redraft league.

So, without a doubt, Rice is nowhere near being under the radar, at least not here at FBG. Also, just to note, WR's Roddy White, Marques Colston, Greg Jennings and DeSean Jackson were all always within a few picks above or below Rice in just about every single one of these drafts.

There could possibly be something to be said about Rice's ranking if Favre does not return, but in all honesty I think Favre is a lock to play in 2010. If he doesn't, I can't see Rice dropping any further than WR16/17. So, he would still be a high end WR2 for your fantasy team if Favre decides to hang 'em up.

For my own main money league he is currently projected as WR8 and is an absolute must for keepers purposes, but my league doesn't use standard FBG scoring. Not sure why I added this last thought.....but anyway, I hope this helps folks.

For those that might be interested, please check out the Mock Drafts forum. All of these drafts I've mentioned are posted in separate threads over there. If you've never gotten involved or even taken a look you should do so. Tons of solid info over there as we generally have discussion threads that we use to debate the virtues of where certain players were drafted and to give each other a little smack. Always good stuff.

Rody

 

[Concept Coop]

I would say that most knowledgeable FF'ers have Rice ranked right around the WR13/14 slot right now. To get a better look we can head over to the "Mock Drafts R Us" forum right here at FBG. Since the Super Bowl in early February there have been 12 message board mock drafts held. We held the four Winter Survivor Leagues (WSL's) in mid-late February, the four Pre-Draft Survivor Leagues (PDSL's) in early April just prior to the NFL Draft, and just recently we completed the four Spring Survivor Leagues (SSL's) a week ago. So that's 12 drafts over a period of nearly four months, in which each draft consisted of 16 teams drafting for 20 or 18 rounds.Sidney Rice was drafted as early as WR11 but no later than WR16 through all of these drafts. His ADP for the 12 drafts was pick 3.02 (#34 overall) at WR13. When he was drafted at WR11 he was the 27th overall player taken, at pick 2.11. When he was drafted at WR16 he was the 41st overall player selected, at pick 3.09.As I said previously, these drafts included some of the more knowledgeable posters on these message boards, including a few staff members like Bloom, Pasquino and Rudnicki (to name some, but not all, that I could think of off the top of my head.) In mid February, Sidney Rice was taken as high as WR12, in early April he was taken as high as WR11, and in the most recent drafts he was taken as high as WR13. As it turns out his ADP for each set of drafts (WSL, PDSL & SSL) got tighter as the months passed:WSL - WR12 to WR16 - 4 slot variancePDSL - WR11 to WR15 - 3 slot varianceSSL - WR13 to WR15 - 2 slot varianceSure, these drafts consisted of 16 teams, but if you look at the average overall draft slot (#34) that would correlate to the 3.10 draft slot in a 12 team redraft league.So, without a doubt, Rice is nowhere near being under the radar, at least not here at FBG. Also, just to note, WR's Roddy White, Marques Colston, Greg Jennings and DeSean Jackson were all always within a few picks above or below Rice in just about every single one of these drafts.There could possibly be something to be said about Rice's ranking if Favre does not return, but in all honesty I think Favre is a lock to play in 2010. If he doesn't, I can't see Rice dropping any further than WR16/17. So, he would still be a high end WR2 for your fantasy team if Favre decides to hang 'em up.For my own main money league he is currently projected as WR8 and is an absolute must for keepers purposes, but my league doesn't use standard FBG scoring. Not sure why I added this last thought.....but anyway, I hope this helps folks.For those that might be interested, please check out the Mock Drafts forum. All of these drafts I've mentioned are posted in separate threads over there. If you've never gotten involved or even taken a look you should do so. Tons of solid info over there as we generally have discussion threads that we use to debate the virtues of where certain players were drafted and to give each other a little smack. Always good stuff.Rody

Isn't the fact that he IS in that group, kind of underrating him in a way? When I look at projections for next season, Rice and Roddy are right around WR6-9 and typically RIGHT next to eachother. That is all fine and dandy, if we ignore one fact. Roddy will be 29 and Rice will be 24. 5 years is big. So Rice is expected to be as good for the next year or two, and then have an additional 5 years of production. You can replace Roddy with Colston, VJax etc. Why is his value hurt so much more than Megatron's when it comes to situation? I know people are in love with Calvin's talent, but Rice is talented too.

 

[Pickle Rody]

Isn't the fact that he IS in that group, kind of underrating him in a way? When I look at projections for next season, Rice and Roddy are right around WR6-9 and typically RIGHT next to each other. That is all fine and dandy, if we ignore one fact. Roddy will be 29 and Rice will be 24. 5 years is big. So Rice is expected to be as good for the next year or two, and then have an additional 5 years of production. You can replace Roddy with Colston, VJax etc. Why is his value hurt so much more than Megatron's when it comes to situation? I know people are in love with Calvin's talent, but Rice is talented too.

No, he hasn't done enough to warrant a higher ranking. You yourself even posted that you got him late third round. Well, WR13/14 at pick 3.10 in a 12-team redraft non-PPR is exactly where he should be drafted right now. That is not under-rating him in any way. I'm sure you feel he will outperform his draft slot and that is fine and you may be right. But the general consensus is that WR13/14 is right about where he should rank right now. I'm not sure why you think age has anything to do with his projections for this year. Also, I think if you are comparing his ranking to Calvin and determining that "situation" is the deciding factor, you may be off base. With or without Favre, which I assume is the "situation" you are referring to, Rice should rank anywhere from WR12 to WR17. So, WR13/14 is pretty much spot-on for him.Basically, if I was looking to draft a WR at the tail end of round 3 in a 12-team league, I'd be looking at Colston, White, Rice, Jennings and Jackson, to name a few. Whoever falls to me is the one I'm going with because they all are pretty much packed into a very tight group right now. I'd be happy with any of those guys and I'd hope that I got lucky and the guy that fell to me would out-perform his draft slot. Hence, he is not under-rated in my eyes.

 

[SSOG]

Isn't the fact that he IS in that group, kind of underrating him in a way? When I look at projections for next season, Rice and Roddy are right around WR6-9 and typically RIGHT next to eachother. That is all fine and dandy, if we ignore one fact. Roddy will be 29 and Rice will be 24. 5 years is big. So Rice is expected to be as good for the next year or two, and then have an additional 5 years of production. You can replace Roddy with Colston, VJax etc. Why is his value hurt so much more than Megatron's when it comes to situation? I know people are in love with Calvin's talent, but Rice is talented too.

Roddy White's rankings over the last 3 years: 7th, 6th, 14th (519 total fantasy points over that span)Vincent Jackson's rankings over the last 3 years: 10th, 12th, 53rd (411 total fantasy points over that span)Marques Colston's rankings over the last 3 years: 13th, 35th, 8th (454 total fantasy points over that span)Sidney Rice's rankings over the last 3 years: 8th, 90th, 68th (284 total fantasy points over that span)White's QB the last two years was Matt Ryan. His QB over the next 3 years figures to be... Matt Ryan.Vincent Jackson's QB over the last two years was Philip Rivers. His QB over the next 3 years figures to be... Philip Rivers.Marques Colston's QB over the last two years was Drew Brees. His QB over the next 3 years figures to be... Drew Brees.Sidney Rice's QB over the last two years was Tavaris Jackson/Brett Favre. His QB over the next 3 years figures to be Favre/Jackson/Sage Rosenfels/anybody's guess.Hey, I think I found out why those guys are being drafted ahead of Rice!At the end of the day, the oldest of the 4 WRs you mentioned is Roddy. Roddy White will be 28 to start the season next year. 28. Elite WRs these days tend to produce to around age 34, meaning even Roddy White, the elder statesman of the group, has 6 years of high-end fantasy production left in him. SIX YEARS! What percentage of dynasty leagues even wind up lasting 6 years in the first place? Six years is an ETERNITY. The dramatically higher bust risk accompanying Sidney Rice is far more relevant than the fact that he will possibly be producing more than Roddy White between seven and eleven years into the future (assuming he didn't wind up succumbing to that dramatically higher bust risk).

 

[Ray_T]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Rice is anywhere near being under the radar. He is lumped together with all of the other WR's SSOG just mentioned.

No he is not, that why he is probably a bit underrated right now. Dont get me wrong, i think he is right up there with those guys, but from everything i have seen elsewhere, most people have him in the tier below.

I would never suggest he is under the radar.but I would suggest that you will get him cheaper than you otherwise would because Farve has not announced he will return to football this year as yet.however, with that being said, I would think that if the Vikes thought he was going to bail, they would have stepped up to grab McNabb or one of the other QB's traded this offseason.so I think he's a pretty safe bet for this year. I cant say much for next year.... but I think he's money this year.

 

[Creed Bratton]

I also would like to point out that while rice's value dramatically increases if favre comes back(and i believe it's almost a lock favre does come back), i still have my reservations about rice for two reasons. One, i think percy harvin is only going to get better and there is certainly a chance that he could take targets away from rice. However, the more important consideration is the chance that favre doesn't last the season even if he does come back. Yes, i know that favre hasn't missed a start since the civil war but the guy will be 41 years old. I mean at some point the streak has to come to an end. And frankly, i don't know if i really want to find out if sidney rice can put up a 1300 yard season with tarvaris jackson.

 

[Ice Cream Man]

Frankly, I don't know why anyone really cares. Anyone who follows the consensus, or "mean ranking," is doomed to mediocrity. The consensus is a crutch that most people are best suited to put out of their minds.

Consistent winners at FF are leaders, not followers.

 

[Donnybrook]

I like Rice but my concern is it seemed like Favre was force feeding him all year while they have many other quality options. IMO opinion Favre at QB or not the ball will be spread out more moving forward with Harvin, Berrian, Shiancoe and AD also more involved in the passing game- time will tell.

It just happened that Favre was the QB after Jackson. Rice was on the verge of a breakout year, and once he had someone other than Tavaris throwing him the ball, his production matched his talent. I dont think it would have been much different had Rosenfals been the Vikes QB in 2009.

You can blame Jackson but you should remember that Rice was not 100% in 2008 due to nagginng injuries. Besides that Gus Frerotte was the QB for good portion of the season.

 

[thatguy]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

People want to say Favre made Rice look good last season, but I think it goes both ways. Many of Favre's deep balls were anything but accurate. Rice used his athleticism to 'go up and get it' so to speak on numerous occasions. I recall a number of times Favre just chucked it downfield and Rice had to slow down and make an acrobatic grab above one or more defenders - those types of balls, well, they may be unique to Favre in that other QBs don't have the guts to throw them. But most QBs in the league have the talent to make those throws.

 

[corpcow]

At the end of the day, the oldest of the 4 WRs you mentioned is Roddy. Roddy White will be 28 to start the season next year. 28. Elite WRs these days tend to produce to around age 34, meaning even Roddy White, the elder statesman of the group, has 6 years of high-end fantasy production left in him. SIX YEARS! What percentage of dynasty leagues even wind up lasting 6 years in the first place? Six years is an ETERNITY. The dramatically higher bust risk accompanying Sidney Rice is far more relevant than the fact that he will possibly be producing more than Roddy White between seven and eleven years into the future (assuming he didn't wind up succumbing to that dramatically higher bust risk).

Look, I said before this season (when I acquired him on the CHEAP in nearly every league, especially after Harvin was drafted) and I'll say it again - Sidney Rice will be a stud in this league. He might have been a little thing coming out, but he had that "my ball" attitude when the ball was in the air, and he most definitely flashed glimpses in his first two years despite battling injuries. Did Favre help him really break out into the elite tier this year? Sure... does that mean he's not talented or a "significant bust factor"? Not a chance.You also need to remember that he was just 20 yrs old as a rookie. He hasn't even turned 24 yet... he's a BABY. I can understand wanting to go with a guy like COlston, V-Jax or Roddy because maybe they've been a little more consistent or because they are in more stable QB situations (maybe) - but honestly I don't think any of them have the long term upside of Rice. Just my opinion, but hey.... I'll stand by that

 

[corpcow]

As a Viking fan, I want to see one more year. His first 2 years he showed flashes, but was slowed by injuries, QB play etc. I definitely think he has the tools but a big part of his game last year was the deep ball and Jackson has not been able to show the ability to throw an accurate deep ball so far in his career is why the QB situation come into play.

People want to say Favre made Rice look good last season, but I think it goes both ways. Many of Favre's deep balls were anything but accurate. Rice used his athleticism to 'go up and get it' so to speak on numerous occasions. I recall a number of times Favre just chucked it downfield and Rice had to slow down and make an acrobatic grab above one or more defenders - those types of balls, well, they may be unique to Favre in that other QBs don't have the guts to throw them. But most QBs in the league have the talent to make those throws.

:greatposting:As I sad above, even in his first two years Rice showed that the "my ball" attitude would translate to the NFL.

 

[Mikey16x]

I think in order for Rice to continue his production from last season he needs a gun-slinging QB. He needs a QB that understands he can go up and get the ball in 1on1 coverage. If you look at some of Rice's catches from last year, he was never really WIDE open. Favre understood that he had the ability to attack the ball and retrieve it so by week 9 Favre was pretty much just hoisting the ball up in Rice's direction and letting him make the play. Most of the throws that Favre connected with Rice wouldn't even be attempted by any average QB. Favre is part of the "long-leash QB club"... he can pretty much do whatever he wants without even thinking twice that he'll be getting benched. Take a guy like Kyle Orton... he would have never attempted half of those passes. I'm sure this was said in other words by the other posters but in a nutshell.. Rice's value clearly depends on whoever is taking the snaps for the Vikings.

 

[SSOG]

Look, I said before this season (when I acquired him on the CHEAP in nearly every league, especially after Harvin was drafted) and I'll say it again - Sidney Rice will be a stud in this league. He might have been a little thing coming out, but he had that "my ball" attitude when the ball was in the air, and he most definitely flashed glimpses in his first two years despite battling injuries. Did Favre help him really break out into the elite tier this year? Sure... does that mean he's not talented or a "significant bust factor"? Not a chance.You also need to remember that he was just 20 yrs old as a rookie. He hasn't even turned 24 yet... he's a BABY. I can understand wanting to go with a guy like COlston, V-Jax or Roddy because maybe they've been a little more consistent or because they are in more stable QB situations (maybe) - but honestly I don't think any of them have the long term upside of Rice. Just my opinion, but hey.... I'll stand by that

I completely understand and respect the position. Rice has certainly shown more than enough to justify the belief that he's capable of being a top-5 dynasty WR. The problem is that the same is true of pretty much everyone else in that giant tier 2. A lot of other people are going to feel about Vincent Jackson, Desean Jackson, Michael Crabtree, or Miles Austin the exact same way you feel about Rice- and they'll be just as justified. Rice's value is discounted a bit, not because he's not a phenomenal young talent... but because phenomenal young talents aren't quite as uncommon this year as they have been in years past.For the record, I don't think Rice will bust. I'm a firm believer in his talent, with or without Favre, and I'm looking to buy him wherever I can. By "significant bust factor" I was just pointing out that a guy with one big year is a bigger risk than a guy with two big years (like VJax) or 3 big years (like Roddy). Less track record = more risk.

 

[OnThInIcE911]

I agree about Rice being a bit under valued by your average fantasy player.

A lot of that has to do, like SSOG says, that the 2nd tier of WR's in redraft and dynasty is chalked full of players that are easy to love and everyone is gonna have their favorite.

On top of that Rice's 3rd year and only year of significant production came with a QB who is probably playing his final year. Which seems to be devaluing the stats because they attribute a lot of them to Farve (fairly or not).

In my most recent start up dynasty draft I drafted him in a spot that I felt was ridiculous value and I couldn't believe he fell to me. However after the pick the other owners expressed a lot of concern that it was a risky pick and these guys are fairly informed fantasy players.

Unless his owner is a huge fan or very savvy you can probably aquire him for less than he is actually worth. So if you like him I suggest sending an offer to the owner in your league because it will probably be worth your time.