Steve Slaton (1 Viewer)

[eefflrat]

I'm reading these boards and am seeing a lot of people talking about Slaton's size and comments that kubiak made earler in the season where he said that Slaton wore down a little. That was before week 10. After Ahman Green went down and Slaton became the "workhorse" I saw no signs of this kid breaking down. He was strong after the 3rd qtr, and i remember reading that he led all rb's in yardage after the 4th qtr. he also got stronger as the season went on.

I don't know what is not to like about the kid, he's quick, he's tough, he catches the ball....I think he could add a few pounds of muscle this offseason and be a beast. right now he's 5'10 and 190 lbs. with 10 pounds of muscle to his frame he could be as good as another guy that was once thought to be no moree than a scatback, Brian Westbrook (who is 5'10 and 203 lbs).

As i said I don't understand the talk that says that Houston will bring someone in to timeshare with this kid, doesn't make sense to me.

I think he could be a top 5 back for a few years ( he was #4 in my PPR).

Anyone else agree

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Slaton was drafted at 197 and is up to 201 or 203 depending on who you believe. One report even had him bulked up to 207.

 

[coolnerd]

As a Texans fan, I got the sense that Kubiak used Slaton heavily (except for week 17, where he fumbled and apparently missed a blocking assignment or two) out of have to not want to. My belief is that in a perfect world the running game would be Slaton around 18 carries/ whoever around 12 carries. When Green was healthy, the split was somewhere in that neighborhood (w/o looking it up exactly). With Green and Chris Brown coming off the IR and Ryan Moats behind him (none of them are guaranteed anything) chances are the Texans add a veteran and/or draft pick to at least carry some of the load. The Texans thought he was a third down back, the fact he looks like more is found money in a sense, but that does not mean they want to use those funds unwisely.

Just to note, slaton's listed size (per Houstontexans.com) is 5'9 201.

 

[eefflrat]

As a Texans fan, I got the sense that Kubiak used Slaton heavily (except for week 17, where he fumbled and apparently missed a blocking assignment or two) out of have to not want to. My belief is that in a perfect world the running game would be Slaton around 18 carries/ whoever around 12 carries. When Green was healthy, the split was somewhere in that neighborhood (w/o looking it up exactly). With Green and Chris Brown coming off the IR and Ryan Moats behind him (none of them are guaranteed anything) chances are the Texans add a veteran and/or draft pick to at least carry some of the load. The Texans thought he was a third down back, the fact he looks like more is found money in a sense, but that does not mean they want to use those funds unwisely. Just to note, slaton's listed size (per Houstontexans.com) is 5'9 201.

have to or want to, does it really matter much? The kid produced when he got his opportunity. Even coaches make mistakes (sure they do) when they evaluate players. In that game where Slaton fumbled, by the way, he came back in and put the game a way scoring a TD after having a 15 yard Td called back. I think they Houston Texans found a gem, and if you call it found money maybe I can call it money they can spend on another position to help their team, maybe RB is set for them going forward.I'd like to hear what kubiak has to say about Slaton going forward, has he said anything since that week 10 exchange???

 

[bcr8f]

If you can avoid big hits size is less important.

 

[coolnerd]

As a Texans fan, I got the sense that Kubiak used Slaton heavily (except for week 17, where he fumbled and apparently missed a blocking assignment or two) out of have to not want to. My belief is that in a perfect world the running game would be Slaton around 18 carries/ whoever around 12 carries. When Green was healthy, the split was somewhere in that neighborhood (w/o looking it up exactly). With Green and Chris Brown coming off the IR and Ryan Moats behind him (none of them are guaranteed anything) chances are the Texans add a veteran and/or draft pick to at least carry some of the load. The Texans thought he was a third down back, the fact he looks like more is found money in a sense, but that does not mean they want to use those funds unwisely.

Just to note, slaton's listed size (per Houstontexans.com) is 5'9 201.

have to or want to, does it really matter much? The kid produced when he got his opportunity. Even coaches make mistakes (sure they do) when they evaluate players. In that game where Slaton fumbled, by the way, he came back in and put the game a way scoring a TD after having a 15 yard Td called back. I think they Houston Texans found a gem, and if you call it found money maybe I can call it money they can spend on another position to help their team, maybe RB is set for them going forward.

I'd like to hear what kubiak has to say about Slaton going forward, has he said anything since that week 10 exchange???

There is an article today, where Kubiak suggests that the running game needs to improve more (but what that means beyond coachspeak is anybody's guess). My though is that Slaton is the number 1 no matter what, just figuring out how much the 2nd guy gets is the only question. Here is the link :http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports...nt/6190622.html

 

[Slider]

He's in a WCO. I'm surprised at how many people are shocked. He'll be just as good as Westbrook, Green in Green Bay, Denver guys and most guys that played under Gruden.

 

[tribecalledjeff]

He's in a WCO. I'm surprised at how many people are shocked. He'll be just as good as Westbrook, Green in Green Bay, Denver guys and most guys that played under Gruden.

So he'll either be a hall of fame RB or a scrub that can't make most NFL rosters?

 

[Jerry Lawler]

Slaton certainly performed well this season, and I think he will be the primary back, but will see a smaller proportion of the carries next year. My main concerns about Slaton's value have to do with the fact that he emerged as an unheralded rookie for a team coached by guys named Kubiak, Shanahan, and Gibbs.

Gibbs' teams are usually elite running teams, and this one was no exception. However, those Denver teams usually brought in at least one good RB in the offseason to compete with the starter, and I think Houston will too. Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns et al. performed well too, but the coaching staff opted for depth and competition. I don't have data to back it up, but I believe this is because the zone blocking scheme leaves RB's more vulnerable to big hits and injuries. Looking at this Houston team, I see a very good back in a great situation who produced well while all of his legitimate backups were injured (Brown, Taylor, Green).

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

As a Texans fan, I got the sense that Kubiak used Slaton heavily (except for week 17, where he fumbled and apparently missed a blocking assignment or two) out of have to not want to. My belief is that in a perfect world the running game would be Slaton around 18 carries/ whoever around 12 carries. When Green was healthy, the split was somewhere in that neighborhood (w/o looking it up exactly). With Green and Chris Brown coming off the IR and Ryan Moats behind him (none of them are guaranteed anything) chances are the Texans add a veteran and/or draft pick to at least carry some of the load. The Texans thought he was a third down back, the fact he looks like more is found money in a sense, but that does not mean they want to use those funds unwisely. Just to note, slaton's listed size (per Houstontexans.com) is 5'9 201.

<_< I really like Slaton, but he isn't built for the feature back role - and really, if you can have two RBs that can share the workload AND present different looks for a defense, why shouldn't you? The Giants have 3 backs and that works well. Many teams use the "RBBC" - but it is all about effectivity. Slaton can have 250 touches on the season but that's just about 15-16 a game. If he gets 4-5 yards a touch, you can't be disappointed with that.Ideally most teams - including the Texans - would like to have options.

 

[gonzobill5]

So much talk about the Texans bringing in another back. Who is it going to be? Even if they bring someone in, what gives anyone any confidence that the guy they bring in will keep Slaton off the field? Here are the backs that have received carries in Kubiak's tenure:

Ron Dayne

Wali Lundy

Samkon Gado

Vernand Morency

Darius Walker

Ahman Green

Adimchinobe Echamando

Cecil Sapp

Ryan Moats

Chris Brown

Some nice fantasy one year/one game wonders in that group

Fact #1: There isn't a back on this roster that will take carries from him

Fact #2: They have shown a tendency to try to get RB's on the cheap end and been very unsuccessful at finding a good one until Slaton came along

Fact #3: There have been plenty of examples of backs that people thought were too small or too fragile or not suited for this role or that role

He's not the safest pick in next year's draft, but I'd be careful not to dismiss him too quickly.

 

[Manster]

Slaton was very impressive this yr, and as a rookie to boot.

i see more of the same next yr. the kid runs with toughness, and can break one any time.

he may get less carries, but he's proven himself in battle, so they WILL get him the ball.

feature back, smeature back, this guy will get the ball, and make things happen.

 

[bcr8f]

In PPR's I really like this kid.

 

[Jerry Lawler]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

 

[gonzobill5]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

That's pretty much how I see it. Doesn't exactly scare me off. I'd be more worried about a guy like Portis or Westbrook who can't stay healthy losing carries next year then Slaton.

 

[JAA]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leagues

Slaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.

Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.

In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.

gl peas

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

 

[JAA]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year.I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

 

[JAA]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year.I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

i thought your post was schtick ... my bad

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

That's pretty much how I see it. Doesn't exactly scare me off. I'd be more worried about a guy like Portis or Westbrook who can't stay healthy losing carries next year then Slaton.

That's a terrible way to think about it. Portis and Westbrook might get injured, but they are not losing carries for any other reason. Period.Any RB has an injury risk, including Slaton. In addition, Slaton could lose carries simply because he isn't an every-down RB. He might be.....but we won't know until this season. My guess is that Slaton gets 50% of the touches in 2009, and Houston brings in someone to compete with him. The same way that Denver has done every year since the TDavis era.

 

[Slider]

He's in a WCO. I'm surprised at how many people are shocked. He'll be just as good as Westbrook, Green in Green Bay, Denver guys and most guys that played under Gruden.

So he'll either be a hall of fame RB or a scrub that can't make most NFL rosters?

Are you 13? Not sure what your post is all about but he's clearly not the latter.

 

[gonzobill5]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

That's pretty much how I see it. Doesn't exactly scare me off. I'd be more worried about a guy like Portis or Westbrook who can't stay healthy losing carries next year then Slaton.

That's a terrible way to think about it. Portis and Westbrook might get injured, but they are not losing carries for any other reason. Period.Any RB has an injury risk, including Slaton. In addition, Slaton could lose carries simply because he isn't an every-down RB. He might be.....but we won't know until this season. My guess is that Slaton gets 50% of the touches in 2009, and Houston brings in someone to compete with him. The same way that Denver has done every year since the TDavis era.

I didn't mean to imply that they'd be losing carries because of injury. After watching every eagles and skins game this year, I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles or Skins used more of a RBBC next year to keep their studs fresh. After just about every game Reid says he wants to get Buckhalter more involved. Problem is, Buckhalter is an injury waiting to happen. Ever since the loss to Dallas, Zorn has tried to get the ball to Betts more often by playing him on 3rd down. No one is worrying about this because these guys have been studs for several years. Everyone is all up in arms about Slaton. The whole league is going toward RBBC, but it won't happen unless a team can land multiple RB's that can get on the field and produce. Why does everyone think that this will happen in Houston, but no one considers the fact that it could happen anywhere else?

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

That's pretty much how I see it. Doesn't exactly scare me off. I'd be more worried about a guy like Portis or Westbrook who can't stay healthy losing carries next year then Slaton.

That's a terrible way to think about it. Portis and Westbrook might get injured, but they are not losing carries for any other reason. Period.Any RB has an injury risk, including Slaton. In addition, Slaton could lose carries simply because he isn't an every-down RB. He might be.....but we won't know until this season. My guess is that Slaton gets 50% of the touches in 2009, and Houston brings in someone to compete with him. The same way that Denver has done every year since the TDavis era.

I didn't mean to imply that they'd be losing carries because of injury. After watching every eagles and skins game this year, I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles or Skins used more of a RBBC next year to keep their studs fresh. After just about every game Reid says he wants to get Buckhalter more involved. Problem is, Buckhalter is an injury waiting to happen. Ever since the loss to Dallas, Zorn has tried to get the ball to Betts more often by playing him on 3rd down. No one is worrying about this because these guys have been studs for several years. Everyone is all up in arms about Slaton. The whole league is going toward RBBC, but it won't happen unless a team can land multiple RB's that can get on the field and produce. Why does everyone think that this will happen in Houston, but no one considers the fact that it could happen anywhere else?

Fair enough. Completely agree that people are downplaying the risk of RBBC in Philly or Washington. But I also think it is WAY more likely that Slaton suffers from this than Westbrook or Portis. By way more likely, I mean something like 3-5 times as likely.

 

[Frank Costanza's Lawyer]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year.I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

Slaton for SJax/MB3/Johnson and a pick/other player? Based on the SJax discussion in the SotT RB Ranking thread, Im not sure how realistic this is.

 

[identikit]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year. I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

Slaton for SJax/MB3/Johnson and a pick/other player? Based on the SJax discussion in the SotT RB Ranking thread, Im not sure how realistic this is.

Slaton and something else for any one of those listed would be the only way that would work IMO.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year. I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

Slaton for SJax/MB3/Johnson and a pick/other player? Based on the SJax discussion in the SotT RB Ranking thread, Im not sure how realistic this is.

Slaton and something else for any one of those listed would be the only way that would work IMO.

Maybe not the best trade example, but if Slaton's considered a RB1 next year and has high value I bet you could find a better RB in exchange for him either straight up or a steal of something extra to boot.MB3 owners might be scared of Choice or Felix Jones and want a pseudo-feature back like Slaton. I wouldn't do it but someone might. It is certainly worth shopping Slaton for that very reason - you never know what you'll get back in return.

 

[DropKick]

It's typical for talk of any rookie hitting the wall a bit.. after all it is a longer NFL season.

Smaller backs are, well, smaller backs. The perception of being more injury prone or less powerful is probably an accurate generalization. It doesn't mean the smaller backs can't or won't succeed. Portis is probably the best recent example of a back "bulking" up once in the team's strength training program.

I would expect the Texans to bring in another back and that is not a knock on Slaton; Look at how successful the multi-back approach has become around the NFL. At a minimum, you would want the additional depth.

You have to like the outlook for Slaton; he was drafted into one of the best RB situations in the league. He fills the void left by Domanick Davis who proved a versatile back could thrive in Houston's offense. A young, versatile back in a good (upcoming?) offense. What is not to like?

Interestingly, in thinking about the 09 rookies I was thinking about how Slaton was regarded a year ago. As I recall, not too many people were high on him pre-draft. Once drafted by the Texans, the interest increased. Who will be next year's Slaton?

 

[weasel3515]

I've got two threads on Slaton here extolling him as a first-round worthy choice, but that's ONLY if they don't draft someone to share carries, goal-line work. I fully expect the Texans to draft a big back, but probably not until a later round. What impact that will have on Slaton's productivity remains to be seen. For years people have been saying that Brian Westrbook was too small to handle the load full-time. For years he's proved them wrong (although he has missed at least one game every season due to some injury). Expect the same out of Slaton. He missed games his last two years in college and probably will in the future. But when he's healthy, he's as dynamic as any back in his running, receiving and even ability to pick up the blitz.

 

[Mr. Pink]

homer here ... though one that owns slaton in A LOT of dynasty leaguesSlaton has speed. Speed that you cant teach.Slaton will always excell in a 1-cut, zone blocking, scheme as Houston employed. This scheme is not one that truly pounds between the tackles and one that should fit slaton well.In my standard PPR league he finished 7th in RBs. I dont see a reason (as long as Kubiak is the coach) that he cant be projected as a top 10 RB. Seems to be an awesome RB2 if you can land it.gl peas

For this alone, you have to consider selling high.

Good idea ... what do you have in mind?

I'd be selling, not buying.I think his value is at a possible peak.His perceived value is certainly above what I think it will be next year. I'd gun for a depressed Top 10 RB for 09 (SJax, MB3, maybe Chris Johnson) and get an additional piece of value like a pick or a second player.

Slaton for SJax/MB3/Johnson and a pick/other player? Based on the SJax discussion in the SotT RB Ranking thread, Im not sure how realistic this is.

Slaton and something else for any one of those listed would be the only way that would work IMO.

Maybe not the best trade example, but if Slaton's considered a RB1 next year and has high value I bet you could find a better RB in exchange for him either straight up or a steal of something extra to boot.MB3 owners might be scared of Choice or Felix Jones and want a pseudo-feature back like Slaton. I wouldn't do it but someone might. It is certainly worth shopping Slaton for that very reason - you never know what you'll get back in return.

Agreeing here. I actually did sell high with Slaton this season in a league where we keep 3, with no more than 2 from one position and already having AP and Gore at RB. I needed to upgrade my WWR position, so I got Boldin in the exchange. Point of all this is I believe Slaton's value will not go much higher, if at all. Due to his youth, I could have kept him over Gore and used Gore in an offseason trade to get a WR upgrade, but Slaton's ceiling and, more importantly, the percentage of his production in Houston's overall offense was around 33%. Gore's was slightly over 40% before his injury. If a Slaton owner can find a fellow owner willing to give up a workhorse RB in exchange, that owner should seriously consider pulling the trigger. My 2cts. G'night now.

 

[Phlash]

Chris Johnson is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'11" 197.

His stats are:

Rushing: 251 carries, 1228 yards, 9 TDs, 4.9 ypc

Receiving: 43 catches, 260 yards, 6.0 ypr, 1 TD

Steve Slaton is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'9" 197.

His stats are:

Rushing: 268 carries, 1282 yards, 9 TDs, 4.8 ypc,

Receiving: 50 catches, 377 yards, 7.5 ypr, 1 TD

Slaton has more total yards, about the same ypc, the same number of TDs, more catches, and a higher ypc, and yet people think he's too small to carry the load yet are busting one over Chris Johnson's dynasty potential, when Chris Johnson is already losing touches to Lendale White. Sure, the Texans would love to have a Lendale themselves but Slaton is head and shoulders above the rest of the RBs on that roster, and will continue to produce into next season.

 

[massraider]

Chris Johnson is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'11" 197.His stats are:Rushing: 251 carries, 1228 yards, 9 TDs, 4.9 ypcReceiving: 43 catches, 260 yards, 6.0 ypr, 1 TDSteve Slaton is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'9" 197.His stats are:Rushing: 268 carries, 1282 yards, 9 TDs, 4.8 ypc,Receiving: 50 catches, 377 yards, 7.5 ypr, 1 TDSlaton has more total yards, about the same ypc, the same number of TDs, more catches, and a higher ypc, and yet people think he's too small to carry the load yet are busting one over Chris Johnson's dynasty potential, when Chris Johnson is already losing touches to Lendale White. Sure, the Texans would love to have a Lendale themselves but Slaton is head and shoulders above the rest of the RBs on that roster, and will continue to produce into next season.

Slaton, right now, is a stud.No idea why people aren't getting it. Maybe, like me, they weren't impressed by his last year in college.Maybe, like me, they thought he wouldn't run well inside.Maybe they didn't see much of him at Houston. Not an out-of-town team people see a lot of.I didn't think Slaton would be a good pro. I was wrong. He is better, as an all-around RB, than Reggie Bush, and CJ.Stud.

 

[GregR_2]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

I agree. The Texans 4 biggest needs right now are CB, Safety, DE, and a complimentary RB. Slaton didn't have a lot of success on 3rd and short and on the goal line. Slaton does run very tough and he gets a lot of extra yards after contact with leg drive, but that mostly seems to happen downfield in the secondary and not so much when it is D-linemen he's having to push against. Moats and Green were probably both better short yardage backs than was Slaton.That's not saying that Slaton sucks, but it is a deficiency that the team needs to fill. They also do need a quality backup because you can't rely on one RB always being healthy and available to you. So I fully expect the Texans to go out and draft another RB, probably in the 3rd to 5th rounds, unless one that they like is available in free agency. I imagine it will be someone who can compliment Slaton and take over the short yardage stuff. Which could also hurt Slaton's fantasy numbers if he's not being used as much at the goal line.

 

[gonzobill5]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

I agree. The Texans 4 biggest needs right now are CB, Safety, DE, and a complimentary RB. Slaton didn't have a lot of success on 3rd and short and on the goal line. Slaton does run very tough and he gets a lot of extra yards after contact with leg drive, but that mostly seems to happen downfield in the secondary and not so much when it is D-linemen he's having to push against. Moats and Green were probably both better short yardage backs than was Slaton.That's not saying that Slaton sucks, but it is a deficiency that the team needs to fill. They also do need a quality backup because you can't rely on one RB always being healthy and available to you. So I fully expect the Texans to go out and draft another RB, probably in the 3rd to 5th rounds, unless one that they like is available in free agency. I imagine it will be someone who can compliment Slaton and take over the short yardage stuff. Which could also hurt Slaton's fantasy numbers if he's not being used as much at the goal line.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa? Moats? He was used maybe 3 times in short yardage all season! Ahman has always been a very tough runner, and I'd bet he was better than Slaton in short yardage. But the guy can't stay on the field, and next year won't be any better. I'll let you guys draft the mystery complimentary back, be it green, brown, some 4th round pick or even moats next year since you think they are so good that they'll cut into slaton's workload. IMO Slaton has nowhere to go but up.

 

[dparker713]

Gonzo - My guess is that the Texans will invest a 4th round pick or higher in a RB and sign couple of FA's off of the scrapheap. If Chris Brown comes back and is healthy (I know, big IF), he could probably take some carries too.

I agree. The Texans 4 biggest needs right now are CB, Safety, DE, and a complimentary RB. Slaton didn't have a lot of success on 3rd and short and on the goal line. Slaton does run very tough and he gets a lot of extra yards after contact with leg drive, but that mostly seems to happen downfield in the secondary and not so much when it is D-linemen he's having to push against. Moats and Green were probably both better short yardage backs than was Slaton.That's not saying that Slaton sucks, but it is a deficiency that the team needs to fill. They also do need a quality backup because you can't rely on one RB always being healthy and available to you. So I fully expect the Texans to go out and draft another RB, probably in the 3rd to 5th rounds, unless one that they like is available in free agency. I imagine it will be someone who can compliment Slaton and take over the short yardage stuff. Which could also hurt Slaton's fantasy numbers if he's not being used as much at the goal line.

Its definitely an area they need to improve, and Im sure they'll look for a short yardage back. However, the Texans games I was able to watch much of the blame deserves to go the playcalling and the OLine consistently allowing penetration on those plays. Not saying Slaton is a great short yardage runner, but from what I could see he wasnt their primary problem on those plays.

 

[moleculo]

I've been watching Kubiak's O for quite a while, and it seems to me that one detriment to the ZBS is short yardage - some backs in Denver have had sucess, but overall, short yardage running seems to be tougher, especially with smaller backs.

Just an observation.

 

[massraider]

I've been watching Kubiak's O for quite a while, and it seems to me that one detriment to the ZBS is short yardage - some backs in Denver have had sucess, but overall, short yardage running seems to be tougher, especially with smaller backs.Just an observation.

Yeah, I think it's obviously a byproduct of having the lighter, mobile linemen. If you ever do have to just line up and smash heads, there's a disadvantage there.

 

[Wildman]

Slaton, right now, is a stud.No idea why people aren't getting it. Maybe, like me, they weren't impressed by his last year in college.Maybe, like me, they thought he wouldn't run well inside.Maybe they didn't see much of him at Houston. Not an out-of-town team people see a lot of.I didn't think Slaton would be a good pro. I was wrong. He is better, as an all-around RB, than Reggie Bush, and CJ.Stud.

Sentences 1-9, I couldn't have said better and I admit the same things (with the exception of sentence 2 because I need to watch him play at Houston - I'll be watching those games in the coming days because I just inherited a team with Slaton).

 

[lyon812]

Chris Johnson is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'11" 197.His stats are:Rushing: 251 carries, 1228 yards, 9 TDs, 4.9 ypcReceiving: 43 catches, 260 yards, 6.0 ypr, 1 TDSteve Slaton is listed on pro-football-reference at 5'9" 197.His stats are:Rushing: 268 carries, 1282 yards, 9 TDs, 4.8 ypc,Receiving: 50 catches, 377 yards, 7.5 ypr, 1 TDSlaton has more total yards, about the same ypc, the same number of TDs, more catches, and a higher ypc, and yet people think he's too small to carry the load yet are busting one over Chris Johnson's dynasty potential, when Chris Johnson is already losing touches to Lendale White. Sure, the Texans would love to have a Lendale themselves but Slaton is head and shoulders above the rest of the RBs on that roster, and will continue to produce into next season.

Exactly. I've been saying the same thing in a couple of other threads, but got tired of posting it. Glad to see someone else questions the disparity.