Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Hello everyone, hope all is well.
I have been reluctant to write much this preseason, I'm as guilty as anyone of reading a little bit of info in this Twitter/Social Media World and making a rash decision without giving some proper time to let things play out. For the most part I just wanted to let the experts say their peace, go back and collect my thoughts from way back in April after the draft and FA, and finally write a thread the way I want to and share my thoughts how I want to not what folks think I should write or trying to go with the trends around here. Overall there seems to be a lot more choices this year but then it also dries up quickly once everyone has locked up their RB1.
I decided to put the buckets together based on similarities between 2-5 players in most buckets. Some of the common bonds or connections between the players may seem obvious or perhaps even juvenile to some, that's perfectly OK because the idea is to introduce the potential starters and talk about all 32 teams if we can. If I list them 1-32, it just becomes a gripe session over who thinks this guy or that guy is gonna finish 12th or 9th or 6th so I set them up Disney World style as to stop all the fussing. This is not an exact order from 1 thru 30, it's simply a way to organize some of them and then decide how much risk you want to take. I do hope you pour yourself an adult beverage and enjoy.
Bucket #1- Guys with few or no question marks.
-Adrian Peterson: I wanted to find all kinds of reasons why he should be due for a major return down to some normalcy but I cannot. He has a fairly decent schedule as well so unless he injures himself there is no real reason to suggest he isn't the best selection at #1. I will also tell you that the odds are pretty stacked against him repeating anything close to last season, however you could do worse than take ADP. Remember as folks passed on him last season until after the 1st round, some folks got him in the 3rd and after because of the knee injury.
-Ray Rice: If you want to have a guy who is likely to post top 5 numbers and has done it a few times already on his resume, you could do much worse than Ray Rice. I am not suggesting you take him #2 overall but I do feel he is one of the safest bets on the board. Starting TE down, no proven #2 WR, he has already caught 75+ balls TWICE in his career and has a great QB that is going to need some need some check down options. Could Ray Rice catch 80-100 balls? Add in 2,000+ total yds(he's done it twice already in 2009 and 2011, 1750+, 1600+ the other 2 seasons he was the feature back, and a 50/50 shot for double digit scores, folks thinking Ray Rice is not sexy probably turn their nose up at fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe he doesn't have the sizzle of some other names but he damn sure keeps things moving. Stop drafting guys because a web site or mag tells you where they should be drafted, let's use logic and past performance, Rice has both. Losing 2 1st ballot Hall of Famers on defense is going to also put some emphasis on this offense to deliver.
Bucket #2- Past/Present/Potential STUDS on the same team but new offenses. Just as it states, these guys are still on the same team but they are learning new offenses and it could have an impact on their seasons both positive and negative.
-Shady McCoy: Lot of folks are super high on him, I wouldn't mind having him on my team but I don't want to stretch either. The fact they have lost some WRs, play in an up tempo offense, have a new HC who is going to do things his way until he feels otherwise, all those things make me believe McCoy can return to greatness. I don't want to make bold predictions one way or the other, we've seen a lot of college coaches come in and struggle in the NFL so that is pause for concern but that's exactly why he isn't in Bucket#1. In PPR you have to like this guy even more, a case can be made for those that might want to roll the dice and take him top5 but be aware that there is risk here largely due to the unknown of Chip Kelly and the fact he has proven nothing at this level. OLine starters remaining healthy especially critical for this new offense with high expectations from many FF owners.
-Jamaal Charles: Same thing here except the HC who left Philly and IMO should have taken a nice Cowher/Gruden length vacation opted to grab another HC position ASAP. Be that as it may and despite the injury to the foot preseason which I think will be find for the start of the season, I still would want Charles before a lot of others on the board. Massive amount of risk and a new offense but Charles was coming off a knee injury a year ago and one would think he might be even better or stronger another year removed from that. Alex Smith is a big problem here and I could list Charles in other buckets but I will leave him here. Remember these buckets are not in any rock solid order so just because you see a guy as the 4th or 5th RB I am writing about, don't let that fool you or at least ask for some clarification.
-Maurice Jones Drew: I know very little about Gus Bradley the HC, did you even know that was his name? I had to look it up just to make sure the Jags had fired their HC as I thought they did. Anyways, who knows what the Jags will look like but if the new helmets are any indicator...that said as long as MJD is healthy than he is going to produce a lot of points. In PPR he take a big uptick but the Jags are short on weapons, especially early on with Blackmon suspended so look for MJD to be used and abused. I understand he is coming off a big injury but all indicators are he should be good to go. He is an easy scoop at the end of the 2nd/top of the 3rd IMO. If he can produce like he did in 2009-2011 before last season, anything close to those type of numbers, 40-50 receptions although he can produce more if they would just him get him more involved in the passing game. Again, we're not talking a 1st round investment here. If you grab Calvin early then you better be looking at guys like this on your way the next go around.
-Matt Forte: I know I don't like the new coach here. I didn't like Trestman the 1st time around int he NFL, doubt I will like him now as a head coach, never thought much of him as an OC. This is a guy I would like to hear more of from you guys. Forte has had some injuries the past 2 seasons but overall he is usually solid.
-CJ Spiller: I am not going to go on and on about this guy but I feel like of all the 1st round selections that he carries the most risk. Rookie QB who is now injured, a lot of unproven talent at WR after a mid to low level WR1 in Stevie Johnson, TE is moderate, the OL though has taken some big hits and Levitre has already made his presence felt in Tennessee. If slots 1-12 all finished as they were selected in these drafts there would be nothing to debate. Some of these guys are going to be busts and a lot of signs IMHO point to Spiller regressing plus the offense is new, new HC(what's this one's name again?), lots of other names, I can't see a situation where you absolutely are forced to take Spiller in the 1st so I certainly do not advocate anyone just grabbing him at #4 overall because they are chasing last year's stats. Don't be that guy. Now I know a bunch of you all have rave reviews for him so let's just agree to disagree. I'll be happy to eat the humble pie if Spiller finishes top 5 but I don't see it right now. And Spiller could appear in other buckets, we'll see.
Bucket #3- 2nd Year Phenoms and one 3rd year. These guys are going pretty high and they have proven it for basically one full season. I'm not saying they can't repeat, perhaps one or two of these guys is going to repeat the same numbers for the next 4-5 years, who knows? But we don't have a real long body of work the same way we do with say ADP or Ray Rice.
-Doug Martin: he took a shot the other night but he should be fine and ready to go week 1. He has an OL that will actually be better this year as he lost both his starting LG and RG last year in Nicks and Joseph. One would assume that will only make it easier for the little muscle bound rodent. I love watching this guy run, I know folks are taking him overall #2 and perhaps that is a solid selection there. Just don't be shocked if he has quite a few (meh) weeks and then has 3-4 Ladainian Tomlinson like performances that make owners drool. I think he is going to still be a bit erratic at times and there will surely be a SP thread with some fed up owner come week 2 or 3 but overall he should pay huge dividends and is a guy you want to take into battle come playoff time.
-Trent Richardson: I'm starting to have less reservations about him although I still am not sure I would want him in the 1st. I like what Weeeden is doing and Chud is having a positive impact on the offense IMO. A month ago I would have been out here with red flags in my hands looking like John McClaine on the runway in Die Hard 2 trying to signal the plane from crashing into the runway. Richardson also could be susceptible to injuries due to his running style which doesn't shy away from people. I love that running style but he is going to get hurt. I would just like to see him go 16 games wall to wall before I toss a 1st round pick at him.
-Alfred Morris: I gotta see it again. Shanny seems to always have a new RB who is the golden boy or will have 1,000 yards in his offense. I have nothing against Morris but all the same I would rather roll a very late selection on Helu if he is indeed the RB2 in this offense, would rather roll the dice late on him as my RB5 or RB6. Again, if Morris can do it all over again, consider me on board for a selection in 2013, I just don't see a lot of talent in this guy and if RG III has to sit in the pocket a little more, could change this offense a bit. Shanny is not above making switches either. Morris seems to go late 1st, that doesn't seem unreasonable but I have a lot of doubts going into 2013. The Skins in general are a mystery to me, nothing they do would surprise me. I could see 10-6, could see 6-10 maybe none of that matters to those of you drafting Morris, maybe it shouldn't to me either.
-Stevan Ridley: This is technically year 3 for him but it is hard to not get excited over a guy playing behind a solid OL, had double digit TD a year ago, has an offense with a super talented QB but suddenly lacking vertical threats, will need to pound the ball and perhaps shorten games to rack up another division title and such. Problem so far he is no threat in the passing game so we have a Stephen Davis situation of perhaps 1200/12 TD but little else. Ridley seems like a solid RB2 selection for anyone. Would be hard to make him your RB1 but I'm sure some owners will get themselves into a pickle and land here.
Bucket #4- Veteran RB on a new team. These guys have been there, done that, now they have to prove it again on a new team.
-Reggie Bush: There has been a lot of talk about Reggie Bush and here is what I believe is going to happen. Miami was a team where he played under 2 different coaches in 2 seasons, in fact count it up and this is the 4th head coach or offense he is going to play under in the last(counting this year) 4 seasons. he gets a pretty bad rap at times but he can make things happen when the offense is determined to run the ball. I do not see that same passion in Detroit despite them going thru a multitude of RBs for a variety of reasons. I don't do a lot of stats but I think Bush is gonna be running closer to 3.5 ypc than 4.5 ypc, I also believe he will catch 4-5 balls a week in his sleep in this offense. So his stat line many weeks is gonna look like this IMO...14/50+5/35 receiving, 85 yds plus the rec is about 13 PPG in PPR which make shim a valuable RB2. You add in a TD every once in a while although I think they pound it close with LeShoure, I can't see how Bush doesn't crack the top 12 in PPR. After Calvin Johnson he has the best hands on the team, look for a lot of check downs his way from the QB.
-Steven Jackson: You know they are going to call his number for any rushing TD as long as he can remain healthy. So let's give him 10 TD, he's only eclipsed that number one time in his career. He has not been that fantastic in camp or preseason action, that said defenses are going to be concerned with Julio Jones, Roddy White, TG, and Matt Ryan so Jackson is gonna catch some folks in pass coverage at the wrong time. 30 years old, 2,400 carries, another 400 touches thru the air, I'm leery. We can discuss, I just think he has some major injury concerns and Atlanta would be wise to not overwork him.
-Rashard Mendenhall: I hear good things about this guy right now and Arizona is starting to become that team I think folks are overlooking and some of you have seen when I get that feeling about a team, I usually am on the money and it usually is just 1 team, not 4 or 5 I have a hot flash about. Arizona has signed Eric Winston at RT, he is going to help stabilize things with Levi brown on the other end. Palmer won't have all day but he should find Fitz on a lot of short routes which they have done all preseason, Floyd IMO looks like a field stretcher and this all is good for Mendenhall as teams are going to prepare for a passing game not a strong running game. I think for the price you have a solid RB2 here, RB3 with RB2 upside we'll say. I thought he looked at times against Dallas with some nice rips for 6, 7 and 11 yards if you missed that game. I think he needed more time to heal, hopefully he is ready to roll.
Bucket #5- Old Faithful. Most of these guys are not going to lose your league for you and make a great base or foundation for most teams in 2013. Several of these guys should be selected before others from previous buckets are selected. I'm sure most of you can figure that out but I just wanted to be clear.
-Marshawn Lynch: In April there were a lot of folks that were saying he would be hard pressed to make the top 10-12 with Turbin gaining and Christine Michael, a Shark pool fav when he was drafted. Well now Christine is injured, not sure of the severity but Carroll said it could be a while, Turbin is fun to watch but he is no Marshawn Lynch, accept no substitutes. Harvin is gone for the season most likely so the Seahawks are going to rely on their strong running game and tough defense to win a lot of games. He has avg 1,600 total yds and 12 TD the last 2 seasons in Seattle, that's just about 100 yds and a TD every week, that's solid production, perhaps not upper tier RB1, but he is a solid middle to low tier RB1 but safe points you never have to worry about. He had a big uptick in rush yds last year, this year Wilson should be better, running lanes open, Lynch is a nice safe bet IMHO.
-Darren Sproles: Say what? In PPR he is gold, he can go in that bucket as well but he is top 5 in 2011, top 12 in 2012, HC back in charge, will use him religiously as he did in 2011. Not a lot to be said here, best QB/pass game in the NFL to take most of the pressure off him. You shouldn't have to reach for him but wise men in money leagues scoop him up in the early 2nd anyways. Look his numbers up if you don't believe me.
-Frank Gore: WR1 not the same, QB starter from the start of a season ago has changed, one of the things that remains constant is Frank Gore. I don't believe his ceiling is what it once was, there are other mouths to feed in the backfield but for a team that is going to have to rely without one of the biggest weapons on offense in Michael Crabtree, the security blanket at RB in Gore is going to welcome relief on Sundays. They do a good job of not abusing him, yes he is going to lose some rush TDs to Tattoo but still he is as safe as they come for your RB2 and i doubt you will have to overpay for Gore. I am not worried about James stealing carries from Gore, I am worried about Hunter coming back strong and taking some carries. Still, lot of balls to around, doubt San Fran is going to throw it all over the place.
-Chris Johnson: So Johnson has been down the last couple seasons but he still has been a lock for 300+ touches and that is hard to find. Johnson is a bellcow and you had to be blind to not see him rip that run in game 1 of the preseason with a brand new interior featuring 2 pretty amazing OG in rookie Chance Warmack and Andy Levitre who destroyed whatever was in front of them. On the 58 yard run which was a thing of beauty, watch #70 Warmack as he not only take his guy out but also the man who was face up with the RT on the play, so he takes out 2 guys and then keep an eye on #67 Levitre as he wipes out the NT #95, creating a massive opening even Louis Anderson could walk thru let alone Chris Johnson as he jukes the DE and Safety on his way to the end zone. Expect a lot more of that this season and even when the Titans are down 17-0, 28-7, you are going to see Chris Johnson used the way Priest Holmes was in getting his team back in the ball game. There is a lot of speed at WR if Locker can find the guys to keep defenses honest. But even if that does not happen Johnson will still be able to pick up positive yards behind this interior line. Not many guys I would rather have after the first few are off the board than Chris Johnson. Gonna be a lot of tissues being passed around this year over Chris Johnson and for once in what seems a long while it won't be Johnson owners crying other than tears of joy. His 2nd half of the season and playoff run looks mighty juicy as the OL will certainly be gelling by then. 2nd Round Steal boys n girls.
-BJGE: If 1,000 yds rushing and 6-8 TD is what you are looking for, maybe he's the right guy. I am posting his ceiling and I think he is headed more for about 700-800 yds rush, maybe a slight uptick in TD but that will be offset by a drop of 250 yds rushing. Bernard is not terrible and perhaps he won't be starting but he is going to see action, you can be sure of it. We'll discuss him later but for now I would say BJGE is not on my radar in any drafts. I can't remember where or when he made a huge difference for owners last year. No presence in the passing games, take a big hit in PPR leagues I would say as well. I would put BJGE in other buckets as well like the next one.
Up until now I haven't taken a huge battering ram to anyone's plans with the exception of maybe a RB here or there. Mostly have left the heavy lifting to others and I have a few differences of opinion. The next bucket however has a lot of players with a lot of questions and a lot of mystery as to what will happen. Some think they know and maybe they do although I would say we largely have little to go on and so we must decide how many of these guys we really want to load up with and also are they worth the risk outside of maybe an RB3 spot.
Bucket #6- They are supposed to start but...
-Lamar Miller: Here is my opp to share with you all that I know from living down here in Miami, listening to endless hours of local talk radio, local beat writers, finding out where they hang out and trying to buy them a beer to pick their brains...it all comes to this. The Miami Dolphins offense in a world of deep #### right now and IMO the only guys who were worth buying were Dustin Keller and Brian Hartline. Mike Wallace has been owned and abused in camp by Brent Grimes(former Pro Bowl CB) and Nolan Carroll even who pretty much stinks in real football games. Keller of course saw his knee destroyed in Houston this past week. Then we go to an OL that has pas protection issues and Miller might have to block more than we want to imagine, if not him then they have to use someone else which pulls him off the field. I know folks have high hopes for Miller, former Miami Hurricane, believe me I want him to succeed to down here but I have my doubts. The Miami offense has overall looked pretty bad in camp and the games have not looked all that great if you watched it play by play as it unfolds, not just that box score. Tannehill might seriously impede this entire offense. There is upside, there is hope, but right now Miami looks very shaky on offense.
-Chris Ivory: I'm interested and like what I saw in New Orleans last season but the Jets are terrible on offense right now, not much I have to say beyond that. I think Ivory is an interesting prospect but he has an uphill battle to be a top 20 RB for the season. Again I am not saying he couldn't but he doesn't have a lot of advantages around him.
-David Wilson: Could be in the 2nd year Phenoms bucket except...oh yeah he hasn't proven very much yet. Again those who bought him and hitched their wagons, good luck but I am not sure he will keep Andre Brown on the bench the entire season. Coughlin has done a Thunder and lightning before so why not try it again? Two backs can win a Super Bowl, it's been done twice with Coughlin. Wilson is not going to be an every week must start. He is going to frustrate owners and maybe even the weeks he does break out, maybe at that point he might be on some onwners' benches. That i the type of deep frustration you might end up with here. Still a very talented offense and he might "get it" in year two and take off to the races. Now which of those scenarios is more likely to happen?
-D.Richardson: He is going to be given a chance to start. He has to start with some suspensions to others but he might have won the job anyways. Zac Stacy seems like a project at this point, that could certainly change quickly but Richardson has the thing in his hands for now. Here is a semi-sleeper, not a lot of them this year but Richardson is not a household name and you could take an experts league ADP, maybe add a round or two for your local YMCA league that you have dominated for the last 10 years, you want this guy on a short list. I think he is a fantastic RB3 with RB2 potential for many.
-Ronnie Hillman: You tell me, is he gonna start week 1? Week 3? Week 6? You tell me because I have a couple other backs on this team i would rather discuss in a later bucket. 13/34 or whatever the other night plus last season does nothing for me. I think this is a
, wait a minute he's no longer on this team. Anyone that sounds like Bell?...perhaps Ball maybe. That's it, a ploy to motivate the Ball. Terrible joke I know, and there's still plenty more bad jokes to come, some of them are players in these buckets 
-Mark Ingram/Pierre Thomas: Not sure what it means to lead the Saints in rush attempts anymore. Saints are gonna tear the league a new one and they are going to do it with a nice precision passing attack to cut teams wide open slowly from the inside out, Brees is a surgeon and he's gonna be busy this year. If the Saints want to run some clock after they get a big lead, maybe we might see more of one of these guys. Don't overspend, remember what Ingram has done so far. Thomas is always a forgotten man late in drafts. A perfect RB3/4 for bye weeks IMO.
There has been 1 guy noticeably absent and until a couple days ago I was stubborn and had him in Bucket #1. Instead I had to put him in his very own bucket. I hope this bucket does not get bigger.
Bucket #7- Injury risk starting to Kristen Wiig me out.
-Arian Foster: Hold your thoughts until we get to Ben Tater Tot.
"Why are you doing this sudden annoying Berman schtick with the nicknames?"
-I don't know
"Well stop it!"
Bucket #8- Fool me once shame on Joe, fool me twice...you ain't gonna fool MOP again.
-Ryan Mathews: You can give me all kinds of excuses why this guy has not done it yet in the NFL. The fact is he had one of the best offensive minded coaches in Norv Turner who makes all RBs in his system look pretty good if not great. Many backs have had career seasons under Norv so if Mathews has already hit that then please let me get off now. This OL is a mess despite some new additions, new coach who didn't draft Mathews and might have other ideas when it is time to negotiate his next contract which should be soon. San Diego is going to be a bad football team IMO and I see few weapons to stretch the field or help out the passing game, teams will eventually pinch up should San Diego be able to establish the run which they won't. This guy is not on my radar anywhere in the first 4-5 rounds, perhaps even after that.
-Darren McFadden: I know McFadden has plenty of talent, that's not the issue here. A terrible offense, a bottom 3 QB in the league, a coach that has no idea what is going on, I can't find many compelling reasons for McFadden to go out and get himself killed this year. The guy has been in the league for 5 years, can't start much more than 10-12 games if that...44 games he has started out of 80 in 5 seasons. What else do you want to know? Weak offense to boot, he'll have a few moments for sure but you can't expect much or rely on him. he is the equivalent for the ongoing joke for 1980s Jaguars, you gotta have 2 of them, one for when the other is in the shop, same thing here. You draft McFadden, you gotta grab another RB to replace him.
-DeMarco Murray: Started 17 games out of 32. Injury history plagued him in college, its happening in the NFL, let someone else juggle him on their roster as you sit safe n sound with some other much more reliable selection. Do I need to talk about the Dallas OL? They do have talent and loads of it int he passing game. I also believe Murray is going to see a push possibly form behind him on the depth chart at some point or when he misses time with the next injury. I saw folks take Murray in the late 1st during the Spring and early Summer, absolute lunacy IMO.
Bucket #9- Rookies...we can discuss these guys but basically I am going to list the rookies that seem to have the best chance for early season action. None of us really know what they are going to do and this year's batch of rookies does have the same flare of those from a year ago. At least right now.
-Montee Ball: I'm pretty high on him but realize preseason he is not showing a ton. That doesn't bother me because it lowers the asking price some. I think by week 4 or 5 it will be obvious who makes the least amount of mistakes and gives them the best chance for positive yards on the ground. We'll see but the HC has never played a rookie much and early on this looks like the same as always.
-L.Bell: He was injured earlier tonight, not sure how bad the injury. Steelers in general scare me this season.
-G.Bernard: I like Bernard, saw him at the UNC-Miami game last year, he looked like the goods to me. I could be wrong but I think he factors into the passing game and will see more carries as the season unfolds and they trust him more. Other fell he is made of glass, we'll see.
-Eddie Lacy: Seems to have the starting job right now. What do you see as upside here in Green Bay?
Bucket #10- PPR Values...these would be guys who obviously have more value in PPR and make excellent RB3/4 types for bye weeks where you would be happy to just have 10-12 points.
-LaMichael James: expanded role, 3rd down, no WR2 on the team right now that stands out.
-Jacquizz Rodgers: 40+ receptions a year ago
-Danny Woodhead: Will see more time/action than we think.
Rank 'em how you see fit but I love these guys in PPR.
Final Bucket-Diamonds in the Rough: Now these guys are not slated to start but a possible injury or just things I have noticed in camps/preseason makes these guys at least on my radar late as possible RB5 types with a little upside if things went right.
-Lance Dunbar Dallas: Yes he is out 3-4 weeks with a foot sprain but when he returns I expect him to push and surpass Randle on the depth charts. RB2 in Dallas is always a good place when you have someone like Murray in front of you. People won't even draft him now with the recent injury, good because round 20 is fine with me, usually WW fodder anyways.
-Kendall Hunter San Fran: If he is back and if Gore starts to look his age you could see a nice increase for him and I think he will be there for the pick up and what could be a nice 2nd half of 2013. SF will want to rest Gore once they figure out their playoff slot, either way they won't abuse Gore so look for Hunter to be involved.
-Peyton Hillis Tampa Bay: You might not even know he signed there. Mike James is about all they have after Doug Martin. Hillis looked great the other night, seems like he dropped weight. Could be a short yardage guy and perhaps TD vulture.
-Mikel LeShoure Detroit: You have to understand that Bush is a slight injury risk. He played great on natural grass in Miami, but now it is back to hard surface. He injured himself in SF once on grass but it is still worth mentioning as he battled injuries during his time in NO.
-Roy Helu Washington: Having a great camp by most reports I have read. Shanny always has something up his sleeve at RB
-Andre Brown NY Giants: TD vulture for sure
-Knowshon Moreno Denver: If Hillman and Ball stumble, he showed he can play last year, maybe not as we would like him to play but he was admirable when he needed to be. Cheap lottery ticket into that game.
-LaGarrette Blount New England: Looked terrific in the game action I have seen. Would need an injury to Ridley but he could prove valuable at some point if he makes the team.
-Shane Vereen New England: Another guy I need more info on. It would seem like he has a chance to shine with Woodhead gone, I imagine he should see action in the passing game.
-Bernard Pierce Baltimore: Only an injury and I would not wish that on Rice or any player so Pierce is going to continue ot be that guy we want to see more of.
And finally...
-Ben Tate: I think you would be wise to grab this guy. Foster is suffering back pain that has now seeped down into the legs, that is mighty painful and sure you can take meds but this guy is like organic vegan man now and so maybe the wear n tear of the game is taking its toll. I don't know and I don't care because if he is suffering that way now, the season is only gonna make it worse, why not let Tate do some of the heavy lifting and the Texans can finally see what they truly have before he is gone next year. I would be one of the first in line to grab Tate if you lose out at RB early. Tate can be started sometimes on your bye weeks for others. He is always a threat for 60 yds and a TD even when Foster is starting. If you do draft Foster early and someone will despite the injuries, you bette take Tate a round or two earlier than you planned now.
Chime in with any questions or comments you have on a player. I'm sure there are many I didn't mention so feel free to talk about them. Good luck in your drafts the next 2-3 weeks. And always thanks for reading.
I have been reluctant to write much this preseason, I'm as guilty as anyone of reading a little bit of info in this Twitter/Social Media World and making a rash decision without giving some proper time to let things play out. For the most part I just wanted to let the experts say their peace, go back and collect my thoughts from way back in April after the draft and FA, and finally write a thread the way I want to and share my thoughts how I want to not what folks think I should write or trying to go with the trends around here. Overall there seems to be a lot more choices this year but then it also dries up quickly once everyone has locked up their RB1.
I decided to put the buckets together based on similarities between 2-5 players in most buckets. Some of the common bonds or connections between the players may seem obvious or perhaps even juvenile to some, that's perfectly OK because the idea is to introduce the potential starters and talk about all 32 teams if we can. If I list them 1-32, it just becomes a gripe session over who thinks this guy or that guy is gonna finish 12th or 9th or 6th so I set them up Disney World style as to stop all the fussing. This is not an exact order from 1 thru 30, it's simply a way to organize some of them and then decide how much risk you want to take. I do hope you pour yourself an adult beverage and enjoy.
Bucket #1- Guys with few or no question marks.
-Adrian Peterson: I wanted to find all kinds of reasons why he should be due for a major return down to some normalcy but I cannot. He has a fairly decent schedule as well so unless he injures himself there is no real reason to suggest he isn't the best selection at #1. I will also tell you that the odds are pretty stacked against him repeating anything close to last season, however you could do worse than take ADP. Remember as folks passed on him last season until after the 1st round, some folks got him in the 3rd and after because of the knee injury.
-Ray Rice: If you want to have a guy who is likely to post top 5 numbers and has done it a few times already on his resume, you could do much worse than Ray Rice. I am not suggesting you take him #2 overall but I do feel he is one of the safest bets on the board. Starting TE down, no proven #2 WR, he has already caught 75+ balls TWICE in his career and has a great QB that is going to need some need some check down options. Could Ray Rice catch 80-100 balls? Add in 2,000+ total yds(he's done it twice already in 2009 and 2011, 1750+, 1600+ the other 2 seasons he was the feature back, and a 50/50 shot for double digit scores, folks thinking Ray Rice is not sexy probably turn their nose up at fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe he doesn't have the sizzle of some other names but he damn sure keeps things moving. Stop drafting guys because a web site or mag tells you where they should be drafted, let's use logic and past performance, Rice has both. Losing 2 1st ballot Hall of Famers on defense is going to also put some emphasis on this offense to deliver.
Bucket #2- Past/Present/Potential STUDS on the same team but new offenses. Just as it states, these guys are still on the same team but they are learning new offenses and it could have an impact on their seasons both positive and negative.
-Shady McCoy: Lot of folks are super high on him, I wouldn't mind having him on my team but I don't want to stretch either. The fact they have lost some WRs, play in an up tempo offense, have a new HC who is going to do things his way until he feels otherwise, all those things make me believe McCoy can return to greatness. I don't want to make bold predictions one way or the other, we've seen a lot of college coaches come in and struggle in the NFL so that is pause for concern but that's exactly why he isn't in Bucket#1. In PPR you have to like this guy even more, a case can be made for those that might want to roll the dice and take him top5 but be aware that there is risk here largely due to the unknown of Chip Kelly and the fact he has proven nothing at this level. OLine starters remaining healthy especially critical for this new offense with high expectations from many FF owners.
-Jamaal Charles: Same thing here except the HC who left Philly and IMO should have taken a nice Cowher/Gruden length vacation opted to grab another HC position ASAP. Be that as it may and despite the injury to the foot preseason which I think will be find for the start of the season, I still would want Charles before a lot of others on the board. Massive amount of risk and a new offense but Charles was coming off a knee injury a year ago and one would think he might be even better or stronger another year removed from that. Alex Smith is a big problem here and I could list Charles in other buckets but I will leave him here. Remember these buckets are not in any rock solid order so just because you see a guy as the 4th or 5th RB I am writing about, don't let that fool you or at least ask for some clarification.
-Maurice Jones Drew: I know very little about Gus Bradley the HC, did you even know that was his name? I had to look it up just to make sure the Jags had fired their HC as I thought they did. Anyways, who knows what the Jags will look like but if the new helmets are any indicator...that said as long as MJD is healthy than he is going to produce a lot of points. In PPR he take a big uptick but the Jags are short on weapons, especially early on with Blackmon suspended so look for MJD to be used and abused. I understand he is coming off a big injury but all indicators are he should be good to go. He is an easy scoop at the end of the 2nd/top of the 3rd IMO. If he can produce like he did in 2009-2011 before last season, anything close to those type of numbers, 40-50 receptions although he can produce more if they would just him get him more involved in the passing game. Again, we're not talking a 1st round investment here. If you grab Calvin early then you better be looking at guys like this on your way the next go around.
-Matt Forte: I know I don't like the new coach here. I didn't like Trestman the 1st time around int he NFL, doubt I will like him now as a head coach, never thought much of him as an OC. This is a guy I would like to hear more of from you guys. Forte has had some injuries the past 2 seasons but overall he is usually solid.
-CJ Spiller: I am not going to go on and on about this guy but I feel like of all the 1st round selections that he carries the most risk. Rookie QB who is now injured, a lot of unproven talent at WR after a mid to low level WR1 in Stevie Johnson, TE is moderate, the OL though has taken some big hits and Levitre has already made his presence felt in Tennessee. If slots 1-12 all finished as they were selected in these drafts there would be nothing to debate. Some of these guys are going to be busts and a lot of signs IMHO point to Spiller regressing plus the offense is new, new HC(what's this one's name again?), lots of other names, I can't see a situation where you absolutely are forced to take Spiller in the 1st so I certainly do not advocate anyone just grabbing him at #4 overall because they are chasing last year's stats. Don't be that guy. Now I know a bunch of you all have rave reviews for him so let's just agree to disagree. I'll be happy to eat the humble pie if Spiller finishes top 5 but I don't see it right now. And Spiller could appear in other buckets, we'll see.
Bucket #3- 2nd Year Phenoms and one 3rd year. These guys are going pretty high and they have proven it for basically one full season. I'm not saying they can't repeat, perhaps one or two of these guys is going to repeat the same numbers for the next 4-5 years, who knows? But we don't have a real long body of work the same way we do with say ADP or Ray Rice.
-Doug Martin: he took a shot the other night but he should be fine and ready to go week 1. He has an OL that will actually be better this year as he lost both his starting LG and RG last year in Nicks and Joseph. One would assume that will only make it easier for the little muscle bound rodent. I love watching this guy run, I know folks are taking him overall #2 and perhaps that is a solid selection there. Just don't be shocked if he has quite a few (meh) weeks and then has 3-4 Ladainian Tomlinson like performances that make owners drool. I think he is going to still be a bit erratic at times and there will surely be a SP thread with some fed up owner come week 2 or 3 but overall he should pay huge dividends and is a guy you want to take into battle come playoff time.
-Trent Richardson: I'm starting to have less reservations about him although I still am not sure I would want him in the 1st. I like what Weeeden is doing and Chud is having a positive impact on the offense IMO. A month ago I would have been out here with red flags in my hands looking like John McClaine on the runway in Die Hard 2 trying to signal the plane from crashing into the runway. Richardson also could be susceptible to injuries due to his running style which doesn't shy away from people. I love that running style but he is going to get hurt. I would just like to see him go 16 games wall to wall before I toss a 1st round pick at him.
-Alfred Morris: I gotta see it again. Shanny seems to always have a new RB who is the golden boy or will have 1,000 yards in his offense. I have nothing against Morris but all the same I would rather roll a very late selection on Helu if he is indeed the RB2 in this offense, would rather roll the dice late on him as my RB5 or RB6. Again, if Morris can do it all over again, consider me on board for a selection in 2013, I just don't see a lot of talent in this guy and if RG III has to sit in the pocket a little more, could change this offense a bit. Shanny is not above making switches either. Morris seems to go late 1st, that doesn't seem unreasonable but I have a lot of doubts going into 2013. The Skins in general are a mystery to me, nothing they do would surprise me. I could see 10-6, could see 6-10 maybe none of that matters to those of you drafting Morris, maybe it shouldn't to me either.
-Stevan Ridley: This is technically year 3 for him but it is hard to not get excited over a guy playing behind a solid OL, had double digit TD a year ago, has an offense with a super talented QB but suddenly lacking vertical threats, will need to pound the ball and perhaps shorten games to rack up another division title and such. Problem so far he is no threat in the passing game so we have a Stephen Davis situation of perhaps 1200/12 TD but little else. Ridley seems like a solid RB2 selection for anyone. Would be hard to make him your RB1 but I'm sure some owners will get themselves into a pickle and land here.
Bucket #4- Veteran RB on a new team. These guys have been there, done that, now they have to prove it again on a new team.
-Reggie Bush: There has been a lot of talk about Reggie Bush and here is what I believe is going to happen. Miami was a team where he played under 2 different coaches in 2 seasons, in fact count it up and this is the 4th head coach or offense he is going to play under in the last(counting this year) 4 seasons. he gets a pretty bad rap at times but he can make things happen when the offense is determined to run the ball. I do not see that same passion in Detroit despite them going thru a multitude of RBs for a variety of reasons. I don't do a lot of stats but I think Bush is gonna be running closer to 3.5 ypc than 4.5 ypc, I also believe he will catch 4-5 balls a week in his sleep in this offense. So his stat line many weeks is gonna look like this IMO...14/50+5/35 receiving, 85 yds plus the rec is about 13 PPG in PPR which make shim a valuable RB2. You add in a TD every once in a while although I think they pound it close with LeShoure, I can't see how Bush doesn't crack the top 12 in PPR. After Calvin Johnson he has the best hands on the team, look for a lot of check downs his way from the QB.
-Steven Jackson: You know they are going to call his number for any rushing TD as long as he can remain healthy. So let's give him 10 TD, he's only eclipsed that number one time in his career. He has not been that fantastic in camp or preseason action, that said defenses are going to be concerned with Julio Jones, Roddy White, TG, and Matt Ryan so Jackson is gonna catch some folks in pass coverage at the wrong time. 30 years old, 2,400 carries, another 400 touches thru the air, I'm leery. We can discuss, I just think he has some major injury concerns and Atlanta would be wise to not overwork him.
-Rashard Mendenhall: I hear good things about this guy right now and Arizona is starting to become that team I think folks are overlooking and some of you have seen when I get that feeling about a team, I usually am on the money and it usually is just 1 team, not 4 or 5 I have a hot flash about. Arizona has signed Eric Winston at RT, he is going to help stabilize things with Levi brown on the other end. Palmer won't have all day but he should find Fitz on a lot of short routes which they have done all preseason, Floyd IMO looks like a field stretcher and this all is good for Mendenhall as teams are going to prepare for a passing game not a strong running game. I think for the price you have a solid RB2 here, RB3 with RB2 upside we'll say. I thought he looked at times against Dallas with some nice rips for 6, 7 and 11 yards if you missed that game. I think he needed more time to heal, hopefully he is ready to roll.
Bucket #5- Old Faithful. Most of these guys are not going to lose your league for you and make a great base or foundation for most teams in 2013. Several of these guys should be selected before others from previous buckets are selected. I'm sure most of you can figure that out but I just wanted to be clear.
-Marshawn Lynch: In April there were a lot of folks that were saying he would be hard pressed to make the top 10-12 with Turbin gaining and Christine Michael, a Shark pool fav when he was drafted. Well now Christine is injured, not sure of the severity but Carroll said it could be a while, Turbin is fun to watch but he is no Marshawn Lynch, accept no substitutes. Harvin is gone for the season most likely so the Seahawks are going to rely on their strong running game and tough defense to win a lot of games. He has avg 1,600 total yds and 12 TD the last 2 seasons in Seattle, that's just about 100 yds and a TD every week, that's solid production, perhaps not upper tier RB1, but he is a solid middle to low tier RB1 but safe points you never have to worry about. He had a big uptick in rush yds last year, this year Wilson should be better, running lanes open, Lynch is a nice safe bet IMHO.
-Darren Sproles: Say what? In PPR he is gold, he can go in that bucket as well but he is top 5 in 2011, top 12 in 2012, HC back in charge, will use him religiously as he did in 2011. Not a lot to be said here, best QB/pass game in the NFL to take most of the pressure off him. You shouldn't have to reach for him but wise men in money leagues scoop him up in the early 2nd anyways. Look his numbers up if you don't believe me.
-Frank Gore: WR1 not the same, QB starter from the start of a season ago has changed, one of the things that remains constant is Frank Gore. I don't believe his ceiling is what it once was, there are other mouths to feed in the backfield but for a team that is going to have to rely without one of the biggest weapons on offense in Michael Crabtree, the security blanket at RB in Gore is going to welcome relief on Sundays. They do a good job of not abusing him, yes he is going to lose some rush TDs to Tattoo but still he is as safe as they come for your RB2 and i doubt you will have to overpay for Gore. I am not worried about James stealing carries from Gore, I am worried about Hunter coming back strong and taking some carries. Still, lot of balls to around, doubt San Fran is going to throw it all over the place.
-Chris Johnson: So Johnson has been down the last couple seasons but he still has been a lock for 300+ touches and that is hard to find. Johnson is a bellcow and you had to be blind to not see him rip that run in game 1 of the preseason with a brand new interior featuring 2 pretty amazing OG in rookie Chance Warmack and Andy Levitre who destroyed whatever was in front of them. On the 58 yard run which was a thing of beauty, watch #70 Warmack as he not only take his guy out but also the man who was face up with the RT on the play, so he takes out 2 guys and then keep an eye on #67 Levitre as he wipes out the NT #95, creating a massive opening even Louis Anderson could walk thru let alone Chris Johnson as he jukes the DE and Safety on his way to the end zone. Expect a lot more of that this season and even when the Titans are down 17-0, 28-7, you are going to see Chris Johnson used the way Priest Holmes was in getting his team back in the ball game. There is a lot of speed at WR if Locker can find the guys to keep defenses honest. But even if that does not happen Johnson will still be able to pick up positive yards behind this interior line. Not many guys I would rather have after the first few are off the board than Chris Johnson. Gonna be a lot of tissues being passed around this year over Chris Johnson and for once in what seems a long while it won't be Johnson owners crying other than tears of joy. His 2nd half of the season and playoff run looks mighty juicy as the OL will certainly be gelling by then. 2nd Round Steal boys n girls.
-BJGE: If 1,000 yds rushing and 6-8 TD is what you are looking for, maybe he's the right guy. I am posting his ceiling and I think he is headed more for about 700-800 yds rush, maybe a slight uptick in TD but that will be offset by a drop of 250 yds rushing. Bernard is not terrible and perhaps he won't be starting but he is going to see action, you can be sure of it. We'll discuss him later but for now I would say BJGE is not on my radar in any drafts. I can't remember where or when he made a huge difference for owners last year. No presence in the passing games, take a big hit in PPR leagues I would say as well. I would put BJGE in other buckets as well like the next one.
Up until now I haven't taken a huge battering ram to anyone's plans with the exception of maybe a RB here or there. Mostly have left the heavy lifting to others and I have a few differences of opinion. The next bucket however has a lot of players with a lot of questions and a lot of mystery as to what will happen. Some think they know and maybe they do although I would say we largely have little to go on and so we must decide how many of these guys we really want to load up with and also are they worth the risk outside of maybe an RB3 spot.
Bucket #6- They are supposed to start but...
-Lamar Miller: Here is my opp to share with you all that I know from living down here in Miami, listening to endless hours of local talk radio, local beat writers, finding out where they hang out and trying to buy them a beer to pick their brains...it all comes to this. The Miami Dolphins offense in a world of deep #### right now and IMO the only guys who were worth buying were Dustin Keller and Brian Hartline. Mike Wallace has been owned and abused in camp by Brent Grimes(former Pro Bowl CB) and Nolan Carroll even who pretty much stinks in real football games. Keller of course saw his knee destroyed in Houston this past week. Then we go to an OL that has pas protection issues and Miller might have to block more than we want to imagine, if not him then they have to use someone else which pulls him off the field. I know folks have high hopes for Miller, former Miami Hurricane, believe me I want him to succeed to down here but I have my doubts. The Miami offense has overall looked pretty bad in camp and the games have not looked all that great if you watched it play by play as it unfolds, not just that box score. Tannehill might seriously impede this entire offense. There is upside, there is hope, but right now Miami looks very shaky on offense.
-Chris Ivory: I'm interested and like what I saw in New Orleans last season but the Jets are terrible on offense right now, not much I have to say beyond that. I think Ivory is an interesting prospect but he has an uphill battle to be a top 20 RB for the season. Again I am not saying he couldn't but he doesn't have a lot of advantages around him.
-David Wilson: Could be in the 2nd year Phenoms bucket except...oh yeah he hasn't proven very much yet. Again those who bought him and hitched their wagons, good luck but I am not sure he will keep Andre Brown on the bench the entire season. Coughlin has done a Thunder and lightning before so why not try it again? Two backs can win a Super Bowl, it's been done twice with Coughlin. Wilson is not going to be an every week must start. He is going to frustrate owners and maybe even the weeks he does break out, maybe at that point he might be on some onwners' benches. That i the type of deep frustration you might end up with here. Still a very talented offense and he might "get it" in year two and take off to the races. Now which of those scenarios is more likely to happen?
-D.Richardson: He is going to be given a chance to start. He has to start with some suspensions to others but he might have won the job anyways. Zac Stacy seems like a project at this point, that could certainly change quickly but Richardson has the thing in his hands for now. Here is a semi-sleeper, not a lot of them this year but Richardson is not a household name and you could take an experts league ADP, maybe add a round or two for your local YMCA league that you have dominated for the last 10 years, you want this guy on a short list. I think he is a fantastic RB3 with RB2 potential for many.
-Ronnie Hillman: You tell me, is he gonna start week 1? Week 3? Week 6? You tell me because I have a couple other backs on this team i would rather discuss in a later bucket. 13/34 or whatever the other night plus last season does nothing for me. I think this is a
, wait a minute he's no longer on this team. Anyone that sounds like Bell?...perhaps Ball maybe. That's it, a ploy to motivate the Ball. Terrible joke I know, and there's still plenty more bad jokes to come, some of them are players in these buckets -Mark Ingram/Pierre Thomas: Not sure what it means to lead the Saints in rush attempts anymore. Saints are gonna tear the league a new one and they are going to do it with a nice precision passing attack to cut teams wide open slowly from the inside out, Brees is a surgeon and he's gonna be busy this year. If the Saints want to run some clock after they get a big lead, maybe we might see more of one of these guys. Don't overspend, remember what Ingram has done so far. Thomas is always a forgotten man late in drafts. A perfect RB3/4 for bye weeks IMO.
There has been 1 guy noticeably absent and until a couple days ago I was stubborn and had him in Bucket #1. Instead I had to put him in his very own bucket. I hope this bucket does not get bigger.
Bucket #7- Injury risk starting to Kristen Wiig me out.
-Arian Foster: Hold your thoughts until we get to Ben Tater Tot.
"Why are you doing this sudden annoying Berman schtick with the nicknames?"
-I don't know
"Well stop it!"
Bucket #8- Fool me once shame on Joe, fool me twice...you ain't gonna fool MOP again.
-Ryan Mathews: You can give me all kinds of excuses why this guy has not done it yet in the NFL. The fact is he had one of the best offensive minded coaches in Norv Turner who makes all RBs in his system look pretty good if not great. Many backs have had career seasons under Norv so if Mathews has already hit that then please let me get off now. This OL is a mess despite some new additions, new coach who didn't draft Mathews and might have other ideas when it is time to negotiate his next contract which should be soon. San Diego is going to be a bad football team IMO and I see few weapons to stretch the field or help out the passing game, teams will eventually pinch up should San Diego be able to establish the run which they won't. This guy is not on my radar anywhere in the first 4-5 rounds, perhaps even after that.
-Darren McFadden: I know McFadden has plenty of talent, that's not the issue here. A terrible offense, a bottom 3 QB in the league, a coach that has no idea what is going on, I can't find many compelling reasons for McFadden to go out and get himself killed this year. The guy has been in the league for 5 years, can't start much more than 10-12 games if that...44 games he has started out of 80 in 5 seasons. What else do you want to know? Weak offense to boot, he'll have a few moments for sure but you can't expect much or rely on him. he is the equivalent for the ongoing joke for 1980s Jaguars, you gotta have 2 of them, one for when the other is in the shop, same thing here. You draft McFadden, you gotta grab another RB to replace him.
-DeMarco Murray: Started 17 games out of 32. Injury history plagued him in college, its happening in the NFL, let someone else juggle him on their roster as you sit safe n sound with some other much more reliable selection. Do I need to talk about the Dallas OL? They do have talent and loads of it int he passing game. I also believe Murray is going to see a push possibly form behind him on the depth chart at some point or when he misses time with the next injury. I saw folks take Murray in the late 1st during the Spring and early Summer, absolute lunacy IMO.
Bucket #9- Rookies...we can discuss these guys but basically I am going to list the rookies that seem to have the best chance for early season action. None of us really know what they are going to do and this year's batch of rookies does have the same flare of those from a year ago. At least right now.
-Montee Ball: I'm pretty high on him but realize preseason he is not showing a ton. That doesn't bother me because it lowers the asking price some. I think by week 4 or 5 it will be obvious who makes the least amount of mistakes and gives them the best chance for positive yards on the ground. We'll see but the HC has never played a rookie much and early on this looks like the same as always.
-L.Bell: He was injured earlier tonight, not sure how bad the injury. Steelers in general scare me this season.
-G.Bernard: I like Bernard, saw him at the UNC-Miami game last year, he looked like the goods to me. I could be wrong but I think he factors into the passing game and will see more carries as the season unfolds and they trust him more. Other fell he is made of glass, we'll see.
-Eddie Lacy: Seems to have the starting job right now. What do you see as upside here in Green Bay?
Bucket #10- PPR Values...these would be guys who obviously have more value in PPR and make excellent RB3/4 types for bye weeks where you would be happy to just have 10-12 points.
-LaMichael James: expanded role, 3rd down, no WR2 on the team right now that stands out.
-Jacquizz Rodgers: 40+ receptions a year ago
-Danny Woodhead: Will see more time/action than we think.
Rank 'em how you see fit but I love these guys in PPR.
Final Bucket-Diamonds in the Rough: Now these guys are not slated to start but a possible injury or just things I have noticed in camps/preseason makes these guys at least on my radar late as possible RB5 types with a little upside if things went right.
-Lance Dunbar Dallas: Yes he is out 3-4 weeks with a foot sprain but when he returns I expect him to push and surpass Randle on the depth charts. RB2 in Dallas is always a good place when you have someone like Murray in front of you. People won't even draft him now with the recent injury, good because round 20 is fine with me, usually WW fodder anyways.
-Kendall Hunter San Fran: If he is back and if Gore starts to look his age you could see a nice increase for him and I think he will be there for the pick up and what could be a nice 2nd half of 2013. SF will want to rest Gore once they figure out their playoff slot, either way they won't abuse Gore so look for Hunter to be involved.
-Peyton Hillis Tampa Bay: You might not even know he signed there. Mike James is about all they have after Doug Martin. Hillis looked great the other night, seems like he dropped weight. Could be a short yardage guy and perhaps TD vulture.
-Mikel LeShoure Detroit: You have to understand that Bush is a slight injury risk. He played great on natural grass in Miami, but now it is back to hard surface. He injured himself in SF once on grass but it is still worth mentioning as he battled injuries during his time in NO.
-Roy Helu Washington: Having a great camp by most reports I have read. Shanny always has something up his sleeve at RB
-Andre Brown NY Giants: TD vulture for sure
-Knowshon Moreno Denver: If Hillman and Ball stumble, he showed he can play last year, maybe not as we would like him to play but he was admirable when he needed to be. Cheap lottery ticket into that game.
-LaGarrette Blount New England: Looked terrific in the game action I have seen. Would need an injury to Ridley but he could prove valuable at some point if he makes the team.
-Shane Vereen New England: Another guy I need more info on. It would seem like he has a chance to shine with Woodhead gone, I imagine he should see action in the passing game.
-Bernard Pierce Baltimore: Only an injury and I would not wish that on Rice or any player so Pierce is going to continue ot be that guy we want to see more of.
And finally...
-Ben Tate: I think you would be wise to grab this guy. Foster is suffering back pain that has now seeped down into the legs, that is mighty painful and sure you can take meds but this guy is like organic vegan man now and so maybe the wear n tear of the game is taking its toll. I don't know and I don't care because if he is suffering that way now, the season is only gonna make it worse, why not let Tate do some of the heavy lifting and the Texans can finally see what they truly have before he is gone next year. I would be one of the first in line to grab Tate if you lose out at RB early. Tate can be started sometimes on your bye weeks for others. He is always a threat for 60 yds and a TD even when Foster is starting. If you do draft Foster early and someone will despite the injuries, you bette take Tate a round or two earlier than you planned now.
Chime in with any questions or comments you have on a player. I'm sure there are many I didn't mention so feel free to talk about them. Good luck in your drafts the next 2-3 weeks. And always thanks for reading.
