Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
The "Why" of Bears WR Earl Bennett (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Matt Waldman
- Start date
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
I think ROY kills his value this year
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Bennett is one of the least talented WRs in th NFL IMHO and on other teams he wouldn't sniff the top3 WR slots. To me he is a No4/5 on most NFL teams but on the Bears wfo have no Number1 WRs he actualy becomes an option in the passing game. He avg about 12-13 ypc which to me seems pretty low for a guy you want to rely on for a redraft league. He now has Roy Williams and Knox locked in ahead of him at the 1 and 2 spots so he mostly will be in on 3 and 4 WR sets which is note worthy in a MIke Martz offense.
He has 5 TDs over the last 2 seasons and I just don't see the upside in this guy right now. As always Matt although I might disagree with you I always enjoy reading your POV.
He has 5 TDs over the last 2 seasons and I just don't see the upside in this guy right now. As always Matt although I might disagree with you I always enjoy reading your POV.
Last edited by a moderator:
baconisgood
Footballguy
This isn't the question, the question is why didn't you use a picture of him catching a pass in a Lions uniform?
damn, thats some hate hate hatedavechappelleplayerhatersball.jpeg
sihaokills
Footballguy
I actually like the guy
No Way Jose
Footballguy
You say Earl Bennett is the worst WR in the league? The guy didnt drop a pass in 2010. Roy Williams has sucked everywhere he has been. I don't see why anyone should be concerned about that signing.
Last edited by a moderator:
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
70 targets, 46 receptionsHere are some of his early game logs last year and none of it is special...5/29, 3/21, 4/26, 1/4, 3/55, 4/76(big game for him), In PPR he cleared double digits 4 times last year and I doubt most owners started him all those times...likely wasn't drafted very high by most owners either. I just don't see a ton of upside with this guy. Waldman is calling for a Furry type season...anything can happen but I don't see it right now.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
If there are 64 starting WRs in the NFL, I would have a hard time finding 10 of them I would rather have Earl Bennett over.
He likely is the WR3 on this team, and in a MM offense that might be good enough for him to be used in a flex spot on teams at times but you cannot really feel good about going into 2011 with Bennett as your WR3 in a 12 team league. Now if you are simply saying to stash the guy or take a flyer on him as your WR5/6...OK I can possibly get behind that.
He likely is the WR3 on this team, and in a MM offense that might be good enough for him to be used in a flex spot on teams at times but you cannot really feel good about going into 2011 with Bennett as your WR3 in a 12 team league. Now if you are simply saying to stash the guy or take a flyer on him as your WR5/6...OK I can possibly get behind that.
Hüsker Brü
Moderator
Last year at about this time, I was listening to one of the Chicago sports stations and there was a segment on the Bears featuring a long interview with former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez, who had been on the Bears in 2009 but didn't see any action.
The discussion turned to Chicago's wide receivers -- guys Basanez had thrown to -- and Basanez was asked which of the Bears' WRs was most QB-friendly. He answered that it was Earl Bennett. He said it was great to have speed guys like Knox and Hester, but Bennett is so smart about knowing how to get open. He made it clear that he wasn't knocking Knox or Hester. But Basanez made an interesting comment about how, as much as speed can be a phenomenal asset for a receiver, sometimes a receiver needs to know when not to go fast, because holding back on the throttle a little bit might maximize the size of a QB's throwing window. It was an interesting analysis.
Matt does a good job of pointing out on his blog how smart Bennett is as a route runner and how good he is at using proper technique to his advantage. Bennett is a guy I'd like to grab as a WR4 or WR5 this year. Yeah, the Bears added Roy Williams, but they also lost Greg Olsen and won't be using their TEs as pass catchers this year. I think Knox and Bennett end up being the Bears' two most productive receivers.
The discussion turned to Chicago's wide receivers -- guys Basanez had thrown to -- and Basanez was asked which of the Bears' WRs was most QB-friendly. He answered that it was Earl Bennett. He said it was great to have speed guys like Knox and Hester, but Bennett is so smart about knowing how to get open. He made it clear that he wasn't knocking Knox or Hester. But Basanez made an interesting comment about how, as much as speed can be a phenomenal asset for a receiver, sometimes a receiver needs to know when not to go fast, because holding back on the throttle a little bit might maximize the size of a QB's throwing window. It was an interesting analysis.
Matt does a good job of pointing out on his blog how smart Bennett is as a route runner and how good he is at using proper technique to his advantage. Bennett is a guy I'd like to grab as a WR4 or WR5 this year. Yeah, the Bears added Roy Williams, but they also lost Greg Olsen and won't be using their TEs as pass catchers this year. I think Knox and Bennett end up being the Bears' two most productive receivers.
Last edited by a moderator:
smackdaddies
Footballguy
Don't see it. Year 3 was worse than year 2, and year 2 was no great shakes.
I see nothing on Chicago to think that the team will be better offense in such a way that Bennett has a better year.
I see nothing on Chicago to think that the team will be better offense in such a way that Bennett has a better year.
mlball77
Footballguy
Very'Hüsker Brü said:
Bennett's upside maybe be limited since he is not at all an elite WR and the CHI offense under Martz isn't what Martz had in STL or even DET. However, you make some great points, and Bennett could emerge as a legit fantasy option at WR in CHI. The addition of Williams could cut into Bennett's slice of the receiving pie, but the loss of Olsen could offset much of that.IIRC, Bennett was dinged up for camp and preseason last year. This sort of put him behind the curve in his first year in Martz's O. However, Martz has made a couple comments in recent months that he plans to use Bennett more going forward.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Just a couple of things about your past two posts: One, I'm not calling for a Furrey-type season. I'm suggesting that a Furrey-type season could be his upside. Two, I didn't suggest anywhere in the piece to take Bennett in the early or mid-rounds. I believe that was your assumption. Assumptions can be tricky things. I could easily assume from your post that you've never seen Earl Bennett play. I could assume that the only thing you know about Earl Bennett is what you could find in box scores and ADP values. But just as you assumed where I would tell people when to draft him, I would be wrong to assume you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to watching a player. That would be wrong of me to do. I have no problem with anyone just not seeing what I see in a player. That will happen frequently in any type of analysis. I just don't want to have your assumptions of my fantasy football recommendations linked to my general football views of a player. Glad you enjoy reading the pieces I'm writing and if you don't see it, you don't see it. Cool. Adds to the debate.'Ministry of Pain said:
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Just so you know Matt, I have watched him a lot. Buddy is a Bears fan so those games are always on in the forefront at the bars. Bennett is no threat after he catches the ball. Furrey might be a great comparison but that doesn't do much for me as a potential owner in redraft leagues I definitely did not think you were pushing the guy in the single digit rounds. He is a WR4/5 for most owners, just 4 for me I am not impressed with his upside. Sometimes players develop and I've seen WRs early in their careers put up some horrific numbers and then start to turn it on as they develop. I hope you are on to something becuse Bennett is available for any owner that truly wants him in most redraft leagues so I can appreciate why you are pointing this guy out to everyone. Roy Williams has been available in the double digit rounds to thispoint, that seems like a better ROI IMHO for 2011.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
A guy who IMO doesn't have huge upside but catches a lot of blls and has already proven his role is D.Bess from Miami. I own him in dynasty and forget he is even on my roster sometimes. If Bennett can hit those type of numbers owners wouldbe very happy. Bess to me has a lot more quickness in small spaces but both are possession types.
Last edited by a moderator:
baconisgood
Footballguy
The entire Chicago offense produced less in the passing game last year- Cutler threw for 11% fewer yards, 15% fewer TDs, 22% fewer completions and attempts. Bennett's lower performance ties right in with this line with 22% fewer yards , 1 more TD and 15% fewer receptions.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
I chose Bennett as a subject because I was fascinated by a player who had average physical skills for an NFL player (not NFL starting receiver, but average on a roster) but what I consider above average technical skills in certain aspects of his game, plus a fast "processor" when it comes to recognizing opportunities to get open for his quarterback. It's actually cool to see the visceral reaction folks have to seeing a player lacking that athleticism get this kind of write up.
Fantasy-wise, I wouldn't recommend him before round 10 at this point. But I'd take a chance on him this late.
Fantasy-wise, I wouldn't recommend him before round 10 at this point. But I'd take a chance on him this late.
-jb-
Footballguy
Tough to even roster him. If you think about it, the visceral reaction should be pretty universal. We're a bunch of nerds on a message board that think a ton about this stuff. A casual player wouldn't even know who he is or what team he plays for. If he started to play well in 2011, most would write it off as a fluke and move on. At that point, if I'm desperate, perhaps I take a look. Thanks for the write-up, though. Always good to ponder these things.
buck naked
Footballguy
That is why I am glad you posted on him. We all can talk about a Vincent Jackson or other top 5 rounds WR, but that doesn't help try and spot a late round flyer who could give us upside. Isn't that what ALL of us should be looking for? Or do you want a perennial 40 catch Michael Jenkins?'Matt Waldman said:
