Steve Slaton going forward 2009 and beyond (1 Viewer)

[JuniorNB]

What is the overall Shark Pool feeling on Steve Slaton beyond this year?

His open field speed and shiftiness, combined with his great hands, reminds me of a younger Brian Westbrook. Of course, Kubiak's earlier statements that Slaton was rundown and needed some rest concerns me a bit about his ability to take a full season, everydown back pounding.

Is this guy a future stud for years to come or a one-hit (season) wonder?

 

[cowboyz]

DD 2.0

 

[SPM]

I don't think he's going to be a stud but I think he will be better than average

 

[skillz]

I think a lot depends on what happens in the offseason. If Houston brings in another back to share the load and take goal line carries away from Slaton than his value will be limited even though he is a very good player. Kubiak seems to think he is around a 15 carry per game guy so I am thinking he will continue to be good RB2 but not a RB1 for a team next year given that he will probably share the load with someone (I doubt Green returns). If Slaton didn't have to share the load and goal line carries I think he could be a RB1 for next year but there would still be the question as to whether he would be able to stay healthy an entire year if he didn't share the load. So right now I have him as a RB2. He will probably go too high in drafts next year for me to get him though b/c I am thinking someone will reach for him as their RB1 next year before I have a chance to grab him.

 

[Rushmore]

Stud

Got really interested in him as soon as I saw what team drafted him. I think he is the perfect back for Houston.

 

[JuniorNB]

DD 2.0

That can be great (the production) or terrible (the injuries).

 

[drew726]

Kubiak will definately go RBBC in the future.

 

[Da Guru]

SS has great skills, not sure his body will hold up though.

 

[jurrassic]

DD 2.0

This was exactly what I was thinking. I think Slaton is good, and fast, but he is a little guy. One of the telling things from last night's game was their inability to convert in the redzone. Slaton was incapable of gaining any yards after contact. I think he will continue to be productive for the Texans, but I would fear a goal line vulture moving forward.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Of course, Kubiak's earlier statements that Slaton was rundown and needed some rest concerns me a bit about his ability to take a full season, everydown back pounding.

How much of this is due to him being a rookie and how much is due to his size?

 

[JuniorNB]

Of course, Kubiak's earlier statements that Slaton was rundown and needed some rest concerns me a bit about his ability to take a full season, everydown back pounding.

How much of this is due to him being a rookie and how much is due to his size?

Probably a little of both. I could see him putting five to ten pounds of muscle on in the offseason to try to increase his strength and durability.

 

[BobbyLayne]

I don't see him putting much muscle on that frame; he is what he is.

Very, very good speed back, and a terrific receiver.

I don't see him ever evolving into a top 5 redraft pick, but he should be a productive RB2 for several years.

 

[renesauz]

DD 2.0

This was exactly what I was thinking. I think Slaton is good, and fast, but he is a little guy. One of the telling things from last night's game was their inability to convert in the redzone. Slaton was incapable of gaining any yards after contact. I think he will continue to be productive for the Texans, but I would fear a goal line vulture moving forward.

You watched a completely different game then I did! SS consistantly broke tackles and got plenty of yards after contact.I think what you really mean is he's too small to push a pile. Very huge and crucial differance.

He has the ability to be a lower end RB1 if he can stay healthy. His obvious limitations on GL/short-yardage situations will keep him from ever reaching an elite fantasy status in non-ppr. IN PPR, he has a chance at a Westbrook type career.

 

[THE UNDERCOVER BROTHA]

I was one of the biggest detractors of Steve when we drafted him. I thought for sure he wouldnt be too much. But this guy is really good, He has very good balence and vision, plus he reach accelerates real quickly. I really think he will be a poor mans Westy moving foward.

(i traded for him as a throw in on one team and traded for him for depth in another early in the season, Guy really paid off for me.)

 

[Lobary]

As a Texans fan, I've made the DD comparison since the first time I saw him run in the preseason. Never once did I buy this "third down back" b.s. because I --a football fan with no coaching/scouting expertise whatsoever--recognized the undeniable speed, strength, and elusiveness Slaton brought to the running game the first time he stepped on the field. "Third down back" was the same thing they said about DD at the time, right up until the fourth game of the regular season in his rookie year when his consistent performance made Capers acknowledge what he had and give him the RB touches accordingly. Of course, the DD/Slaton comparison isn't exact. DD was bigger but Slaton is much faster. Slaton has the game-breaking ability that Domanick lacked. DD could bust big plays to keep drives alive and move the chains, but he wasn't much of a threat to catch a screen and take it for a 70-yd TD because he always got caught from behind by the speedier DBs. Not Slaton. The guy has some serious jets.

Yes, he's a stud and he will only get better as the Texans get better at ball protection in the red zone. Don't buy the coachspeak about him being worn down or his touches being minimized in the future. Kubiak isn't an idiot, despite what you may hear some Texans fans scream. He knows he's got a special player.

 

[dgreen]

I'll admit I haven't seen too much of Slaton this year, but he reminds me a little of Tiki Barber.

 

[Lobary]

Kubiak (on Slaton): “He’s really growing up. I was teasing with the team a while ago; it’s funny that you ask. At halftime, I didn’t run the ball enough in the first half, to be honest with you. We got a little out of whack play-call wise, and the kid came up to me at halftime, here’s a rookie, grabs me by the shirt to say, ‘I’m OK. Give me the ball.’ He reminds me of (RB Clinton) Portis, personality-wise, that I coached for years. He’s got a great personality. Nothing is too big for him. To watch him get stronger at the end of the game was very impressive.”

 

[footballguy#1]

He looked great last night, faster than everyone else on the field. If they don't bring in another RB and he is given at least 15 touches, I think he moves into potential RB1 terrritory.

For the rest of this year I think he can be top 5. Ahman Green is not coming back and Moats is no threat.

 

[jurrassic]

DD 2.0

This was exactly what I was thinking. I think Slaton is good, and fast, but he is a little guy. One of the telling things from last night's game was their inability to convert in the redzone. Slaton was incapable of gaining any yards after contact. I think he will continue to be productive for the Texans, but I would fear a goal line vulture moving forward.

You watched a completely different game then I did! SS consistantly broke tackles and got plenty of yards after contact.I think what you really mean is he's too small to push a pile. Very huge and crucial differance.

He has the ability to be a lower end RB1 if he can stay healthy. His obvious limitations on GL/short-yardage situations will keep him from ever reaching an elite fantasy status in non-ppr. IN PPR, he has a chance at a Westbrook type career.

Good clarification. You are correct. I agree that he can break arm tackles, etc, but he is not an ideal goalline back. He does not have the leg drive to power ahead for the extra yards.

 

[Avery]

He looked great last night, faster than everyone else on the field. If they don't bring in another RB and he is given at least 15 touches, I think he moves into potential RB1 terrritory.

For the rest of this year I think he can be top 5. Ahman Green is not coming back and Moats is no threat.

If I had him in dynasty/keeper I'd sell after the season because of the the bolded above.If he can finish that well, and he looked very good last night, he could fetch a stud at variety of positions in a trade where he may be valued as a RB1. Since I don't think he is will be a RB1 in the future (I think he may break down, as his coach says he is, and they will bring in a complementary back) I would trade him when he may be valued a such.

 

[Lobary]

He looked great last night, faster than everyone else on the field. If they don't bring in another RB and he is given at least 15 touches, I think he moves into potential RB1 terrritory.

For the rest of this year I think he can be top 5. Ahman Green is not coming back and Moats is no threat.

If I had him in dynasty/keeper I'd sell after the season because of the the bolded above.If he can finish that well, and he looked very good last night, he could fetch a stud at variety of positions in a trade where he may be valued as a RB1. Since I don't think he is will be a RB1 in the future (I think he may break down, as his coach says he is, and they will bring in a complementary back) I would trade him when he may be valued a such.

If you'd make that decision solely based on some nonsense coachspeak you read on a fantasy website and not on the quantifiable evidence that suggests Steve Slaton is an emerging force (especially in ppr leagues), you'd be making a foolish mistake. Slaton is not and never was "breaking down," Kubiak's comments notwithstanding. Most of us Texans fans were perplexed by Kubiak's statements following the Ravens game because his assessment of Slaton's status didn't square with what we saw on the field. Slaton's performance this season should not lead any observer to conclude that he's breaking down or that he's hit a rookie wall. As best I can figure, Kubiak was bull####ting in that press conference and probably covering his ### to defend the unbalanced offensive attack against Baltimore. Remember, this is the same coach who categorized Slaton as a third down back early in the season. Maybe he's said it to motivate the kid or take pressure of him, but whatever the reason, you have to take some of what Gary says with a grain of salt. He knows what he has in Slaton and he will feature him accordingly.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

The Texans now have a Mario Williams and a Reggie Bush. That's pretty good.

 

[Lobary]

The Texans now have a Mario Williams and a Reggie Bush. That's pretty good.

Exactly what I've been telling the Saints fans in my league who mocked the Mario pick.

 

[travdogg]

Dom Davis was a pretty good comparison, although I think Davis at his peak is more than I think Slaton will ever be. He's already surpassed what my expectations for him were, but I think he can be a good 2nd round pick for the upcoming future.

Dynasty-wise, I think he's in the 15-25 range(higher in PPR) I don't see a Westbrook or Tiki like ceiling, more like Davis or even Warrick Dunn.

 

[bcr8f]

Reggie Bush 2.0. A bigger back for goal line work but 20 - 25 carries running and receiving.

 

[Avery]

He looked great last night, faster than everyone else on the field. If they don't bring in another RB and he is given at least 15 touches, I think he moves into potential RB1 terrritory.

For the rest of this year I think he can be top 5. Ahman Green is not coming back and Moats is no threat.

If I had him in dynasty/keeper I'd sell after the season because of the the bolded above.If he can finish that well, and he looked very good last night, he could fetch a stud at variety of positions in a trade where he may be valued as a RB1. Since I don't think he is will be a RB1 in the future (I think he may break down, as his coach says he is, and they will bring in a complementary back) I would trade him when he may be valued a such.

If you'd make that decision solely based on some nonsense coachspeak you read on a fantasy website and not on the quantifiable evidence that suggests Steve Slaton is an emerging force (especially in ppr leagues), you'd be making a foolish mistake. Slaton is not and never was "breaking down," Kubiak's comments notwithstanding. Most of us Texans fans were perplexed by Kubiak's statements following the Ravens game because his assessment of Slaton's status didn't square with what we saw on the field. Slaton's performance this season should not lead any observer to conclude that he's breaking down or that he's hit a rookie wall. As best I can figure, Kubiak was bull####ting in that press conference and probably covering his ### to defend the unbalanced offensive attack against Baltimore. Remember, this is the same coach who categorized Slaton as a third down back early in the season. Maybe he's said it to motivate the kid or take pressure of him, but whatever the reason, you have to take some of what Gary says with a grain of salt. He knows what he has in Slaton and he will feature him accordingly.

Settle down, Texans fan. Apparently I struck a nerve.FWIW, I'm not basing my assumption that he will be sharing carries next year and/or breaking down at some point based solely on Kubiaks comments. It's a mixture of that, scouting reports, watching how he's been used, watching him play, listening to my West Virginia fan friends, and my gut.

Now all of that could well be wrong, I've been wrong before, but like I said, if I had him in a dynasty/keeper and could trade him like a top 5-10 RB I would do that.

 

[Warhogs]

Slaton really impresses me. I think his biggest issue to overcome will be the perception that he is not big enough to be effective on the goal line. He is very elusive, very fast, and when I have seen him which has not been a lot he has also looked good running inside. Remember that this guy was a top RB prospect before a disappointing final year in college. I really think he can be a solid RB#1 but may be held back to the RB#2 level if people give in the that perception that he is not big enough to handle a full load or goal line work.

 

[Buckna]

I don't get the Dom Davis comparisons at all. About the only thing they have in common is they were both drafted by the Texans. Their running styles and body types couldn't be much more different.

Davis was a little shorter and weighed a good 15~20 lbs more. He was a compact, grinder type RB with not a lot of burst or speed. He was a compiler who got most of his numbers thru sheer number of touches by Capers (which is why his knee eventually wore out) and because David Carr constantly checked down to him due to his happy feet.

Slaton is slightly taller but much leaner and has blazing speed. Get him in space or turning the corner and he's a threat to take it to the house every time. Slaton also gets most of his catches thru designed plays, split out wide or like the short screen pass he took 40 some odd yards to the 1 yard line last night.

~~~~~~~~~

I agree he still has question marks, mainly the short yardage issues (and I've been known to blast him for his poor pass-blocking but that should improve with time.) My guess is that Houston either signs or drafts someone to take over the Ahman Green role from the middle of the season. However, I don't expect it to be a rotation of every other series type thing that they did while Slaton was still learning the ropes and acclimating himself to the pro-game. Kubiak has been very cautious with Slaton's use this year, once he has some pro-seasoning and a year under his belt, I expect that to change.

 

[Lobary]

He looked great last night, faster than everyone else on the field. If they don't bring in another RB and he is given at least 15 touches, I think he moves into potential RB1 terrritory.

For the rest of this year I think he can be top 5. Ahman Green is not coming back and Moats is no threat.

If I had him in dynasty/keeper I'd sell after the season because of the the bolded above.If he can finish that well, and he looked very good last night, he could fetch a stud at variety of positions in a trade where he may be valued as a RB1. Since I don't think he is will be a RB1 in the future (I think he may break down, as his coach says he is, and they will bring in a complementary back) I would trade him when he may be valued a such.

If you'd make that decision solely based on some nonsense coachspeak you read on a fantasy website and not on the quantifiable evidence that suggests Steve Slaton is an emerging force (especially in ppr leagues), you'd be making a foolish mistake. Slaton is not and never was "breaking down," Kubiak's comments notwithstanding. Most of us Texans fans were perplexed by Kubiak's statements following the Ravens game because his assessment of Slaton's status didn't square with what we saw on the field. Slaton's performance this season should not lead any observer to conclude that he's breaking down or that he's hit a rookie wall. As best I can figure, Kubiak was bull####ting in that press conference and probably covering his ### to defend the unbalanced offensive attack against Baltimore. Remember, this is the same coach who categorized Slaton as a third down back early in the season. Maybe he's said it to motivate the kid or take pressure of him, but whatever the reason, you have to take some of what Gary says with a grain of salt. He knows what he has in Slaton and he will feature him accordingly.

Settle down, Texans fan. Apparently I struck a nerve.FWIW, I'm not basing my assumption that he will be sharing carries next year and/or breaking down at some point based solely on Kubiaks comments. It's a mixture of that, scouting reports, watching how he's been used, watching him play, listening to my West Virginia fan friends, and my gut.

Now all of that could well be wrong, I've been wrong before, but like I said, if I had him in a dynasty/keeper and could trade him like a top 5-10 RB I would do that.

No, you didn't strike a nerve. Obviously any analysis of a hypothetical trade must account for the other player, so I wouldn't hesitate to make a trade if I believed I was getting a definite stud in return. My point was your rationale (Kubiak's bs) for doing so, but you clarified it well enough. To each his own....

 

[dparker713]

I dont get to see many Texans game, but the 3 stuffs on the goaline last night were entirely on the Oline and playcalling. All three runs had major penetration at the point of attack, which isnt too surprising given the fact the Texans' Oline isnt huge and relies on technique and quickness like the Broncos. The runs seemed like they were supposed to go to the B gap, when they should have tried the A gap to partially avoid the penetration problem or off tackle to take advantage of Slaton's speed.

That said, the Texans will bring in a complimentary back in the offseason but Slaton will be their primary ball carrier. And please dont encourage him to add weight, thats what he did is final year in college and it killed his speed.

 

[Lobary]

I dont get to see many Texans game, but the 3 stuffs on the goaline last night were entirely on the Oline and playcalling. All three runs had major penetration at the point of attack, which isnt too surprising given the fact the Texans' Oline isnt huge and relies on technique and quickness like the Broncos. The runs seemed like they were supposed to go to the B gap, when they should have tried the A gap to partially avoid the penetration problem or off tackle to take advantage of Slaton's speed.

Spot on observation.

 

[THE UNDERCOVER BROTHA]

FUTURE STUD-

I mean you seen him on Monday night, how about versus the Packers.

Dom Davis comparisons are way off, More like Tiki Barber/Westy.

 

[EBF]

He looks good. Maybe even better than Forte and CJ. It's going to be an interesting debate trying to rank those guys in the offseason. For that matter, Jonathan Stewart looks like a STUD. I think I still like him better than any of the other rookie backs.

Slaton is earning my respect though. We knew he had good straight line speed, but he looks a lot quicker and more agile than I expected.

 

[Sgt_Russia]

Slaton has been a RB1 this year ( #7 in my PPR w/ long td bonus), 1 point behind Peterson and 1 ahead of Barber. So I see no reason not to expect similar next year, RBBC or no. As a matter of fact, were I a Slaton owner, I'd hope he gets a backfield mate that can take 10-12 carries a week next year. We've seen what he can do with 15-ish touches a game; I'd hate to see him get 300 carries only to lose that explosiveness down the stretch next year.

I was expecting to see him hit that rookie wall, like a lot of people, but look at his last 4 (82-479-3, 5.8 ypc). More than his numbers, though, he passes the eye test and just looks like an NFL RB.

All year I've been regretting not snatching him up in the preseason. That being said, for next year, I'm not sure I take him in round 1 as my #1 rb, but if you were to go with a QB/WR in the first, I don't think you'd regret taking Slaton in the 2nd as your #1 rb.