Titans Backfield (1 Viewer)

[Max Power]

Hopefully someone can give me the 411 on this situation. 3 backs all taken early in the NFL draft all sharing the backfield.

Its hard to think Lendale is going to be a 300 carry guy again, but who knows. Hopefully someone out there can shed some light on this for us. Lendale is the "up the middle" guy and Chris Johnson is the homerun threat. Where does that leave Henry?

Forgive my lack of Knowledge, but did Tenn get a new OC this season? if so what are his tendencies?

I really think Tennessee will be a good place to get value in fantasy drafts, its just terrible trying to figure out who will get the work.

TIA

 

[Art Vandalay]

Hey Max,

As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.

Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.

Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fast

Lendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

 

[Todem]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

 

[FUBAR]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone.

2. White's YPC was horrible.

3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok.

4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ.

I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

 

[Max Power]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone.

2. White's YPC was horrible.

3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok.

4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ.

I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

I had read that Henry's pass blocking and ability to read a Defense is awful and that might be what is keeping him out of games. He might just be a pure backup to White. However, I do agree that Henry did show some flashes as rookie last season.

 

[FUBAR]

Hey Max,

As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.

Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.

Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fast

Lendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

As if he has a say.

 

[Bri]

Hopefully someone can give me the 411 on this situation. 3 backs all taken early in the NFL draft all sharing the backfield.Its hard to think Lendale is going to be a 300 carry guy again, but who knows. Hopefully someone out there can shed some light on this for us. Lendale is the "up the middle" guy and Chris Johnson is the homerun threat. Where does that leave Henry?

The plan was(IMO by piecing together quotes, finishing sentences, nothing concrete) for Lendale to get the Lion's share and Chris Johnson to be a speed guy that even plays slot WR some ala Reggie Bush. Henry could sub for both.Lendale(despite what some folks say around here) was very good for a 2nd year back in 07. 1100 in his second year is nothing to sneeze at. The Titans figured he turned a corner and Johnson was an added weapon.Johnson however has looked excellent. Fastest guy on the field, great vision, great hands blah blah...they had shorts on and rooks tend to run full speed while vets are taking it a little bit easy. Similarly, Henry had a great day in practice which caused just a few papers to write a "don't forget about him" article. (while he's fast too, it also reaffirms my thought that maybe the veteran defenders were going a bit easy)Johnson has muddled everything and could be the day 1 starter getting it all. He performed that well ***in shorts***So Johnson is the safe play here in either scenario.

Forgive my lack of Knowledge, but did Tenn get a new OC this season? if so what are his tendencies?

New and old, Mike Heimerdinger re-joined the Titans as their OC replacing Norm Chow

I really think Tennessee will be a good place to get value in fantasy drafts, its just terrible trying to figure out who will get the work.

I agree, it's tricky. Anyone really is a value now, they all go late.

 

[softball]

Nothing in the way of "inside insight" but here's my view:

White was just what VY needed, a solid reliable unspectacular back. He is a solid guy assuming he's in shape and will get the carries. 300+

Henry is on shaky ground for a number of reasons, he cannot block, has some attitude issues in the way of "young smart ### and was suspended once.

Johnson is a 1st round pick, and is NOW what VY needs, a playmaker he can dump the bal to. This is his spot, and he will catch 55+ passes in 2008.

So White is the yardage TD guy.

Henry is going to return punts and last as long as he can in a backup role

Johnson will catch passes.

JMO

 

[jurb26]

Keep the insight coming. I just drafted Johnson in a dynasty league and I'm really curious as to how this thing is going to play out. I love everything that I'm hearing about Johnson right now, but history has proven to me that "speed guys" always look good in shorts. So I'm still skeptical. Unlike most guys I draft in my dynasty leagues, Johnson wasn't really a guy I targeted. He simply fell to me as the BPA so I drafted him.

 

[Gman]

Ok, allow a die-hard Titans fan to weigh in.

If it's a one-season draft, I'd avoid the Titans rb's unless it's a ppr and you want to draft Johnson.

The guy who said Lendale will get all the touches he did last year is delusional.

The Titans will run and Lendale will get carries. But I think all 3 rb's will get carries this year and there won't be anymore 25 rushes for 60 yard stinkers like he put up last year.

Lendale has the short-term value, Chris Johnson has some short-term and all the potential, especially in ppr, as I think he'll be on the field most of the time.

Henry is a wildcard. He had a 4-game suspension last year, but before the suspension he was starting to look good. If you are in a deep dynasty, get Henry and stash him if you can.

BTW, Lendale is not the SAFE pick here. If his weight isn't under control, I wouldn't be surprised if he got benched and wasn't even starting by the end of the year. If they were enamored with Lendale, they wouldn't have drafted RB so early the last two years.

Hope this helps.

 

[munchkin]

I have "heard" that the Titans were looking to get more dump off weapons for VY and that is part of the reason they drafted CJ. LW has been frustrating to say the least. I think if he doesn't put up a solid effort this year he is pretty much toast. If he doesn't see the writing on the wall he is blind. Maybe he doesn't want to believe he isn't the man.

As an LW owner I want to see him put up decent #'s for sure but I am skeptical as he was so up and down last year and I don't believe it was all because of the knee injury.

 

[moderated]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Keep the insight coming. I just drafted Johnson in a dynasty league and I'm really curious as to how this thing is going to play out. I love everything that I'm hearing about Johnson right now, but history has proven to me that "speed guys" always look good in shorts. So I'm still skeptical. Unlike most guys I draft in my dynasty leagues, Johnson wasn't really a guy I targeted. He simply fell to me as the BPA so I drafted him.

I think you're right Jurb. I don't know anything more about Johnson than you do, so don't think I do but I think the guy in Tennessee is going to be White. He carried a solid load last year as a young RB and I think he'll do it again. What does that mean for Johnson, who knows. They did spend a high pick on him so you'd figure they will try to get him in the offense but for me, I just think White's going into many drafts underrated because of the Johnson draft.For you, I hope Johnson is a stud. But I think you and I have the same gut feeling about him. Sometimes you get a guy who may be solid in the right situation and you're not sure if he's truly good or not and you end up getting him.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Just my opinions...

White was rumored to have discipline/character problems coming out of USC, and his first two years in the league have done nothing to dispel those. On top of that he's been decidedly average, or worse, as an NFL back.

Chris Henry outperformed him in limited appearances as a rookie, but it's yet to be seen if Henry can develop the vision and patience needed to be a power back. Considering how few carries he had in college it wouldn't be surprising if it took a couple years for the lights to go on.

In my opinion, Chris Johnson is virtually no threat to White or Henry - I have a hard time seeing Jeff Fisher, the guy who loved Eddie George and appears to feel ok with White, make a 197 pound RB his go to guy.

So I think Henry's the guy to target in dynasty. He's dirt cheap to acquire (mostly) and he's in a pretty decent spot if he can improve. He may never pan out, but if he doesn't I don't think it'll be because White or Johnson kept him off the field.

 

[cstu]

Keep the insight coming. I just drafted Johnson in a dynasty league and I'm really curious as to how this thing is going to play out. I love everything that I'm hearing about Johnson right now, but history has proven to me that "speed guys" always look good in shorts. So I'm still skeptical. Unlike most guys I draft in my dynasty leagues, Johnson wasn't really a guy I targeted. He simply fell to me as the BPA so I drafted him.

I think you're right Jurb. I don't know anything more about Johnson than you do, so don't think I do but I think the guy in Tennessee is going to be White. He carried a solid load last year as a young RB and I think he'll do it again. What does that mean for Johnson, who knows. They did spend a high pick on him so you'd figure they will try to get him in the offense but for me, I just think White's going into many drafts underrated because of the Johnson draft.For you, I hope Johnson is a stud. But I think you and I have the same gut feeling about him. Sometimes you get a guy who may be solid in the right situation and you're not sure if he's truly good or not and you end up getting him.

I don't expect a lot of carries from Johnson, maybe 10 a game, but his value will be in PPR leagues where he could be good for 50 catches (~3 a game). White will still get a bulk of the carries (250-300) and rushing TDs and should finish close to what he did last year.

 

[Coeur de Lion]

LenDale White is seriously underrated. No, he's not flashy or exciting. No, he'll likely never be a stud, fantasy or NFL-wise. No, he doesn't look too good with his shirt off. Yes, he seems to be a bit of a knucklehead. But:

A.) 2007 wasn't nearly as bad a year for him as some people seem to think. He had 303 tough carries, primarily against defenses stacked to stop the run, due to the total lack of any threat from the Titans' passing game. He gained 1170 yards rushing, and caught 20 balls for another 114 yards. He started 16 games. 3.7 YPC is far from great, but far from totally rank, either, considering LenDale's style and the tons of eight-in-the-box D the Titans faced.

B.) The Titans will run the ball alot. A whole lot: They ranked #1 in the NFL in rushing attempts last year, and have been in the top-5 in rushing yardage two years in a row. There is likely to be enough total touches/yards for the Titans to produce two relevant fantasy RBs. I think that Fisher and Co. will be perfectly happy to see their RBs have 550+ touches in 2008.

C.) The competition for touches is a mirage. Chris Johnson (who I like a lot) has a totally different skill set from LenDale White. He really isn't part of this discussion. Johnson will play multiple positions on offense. He will catch lots of passes, and likely have a bigger NFL impact in situations where the Titans can single him up on a LB in pass coverage. He will not make a living in the NFL carrying the ball between the tackles. Chris Henry? Really? He didn't look that good to me, or evidently to the Titans, either, as had only 31 carries in 7 games. He received less carries each weeks from weeks 1 - 5, then had 9 carries for a stellar 15 yards in week 7, before being done for the year. He sucked in college. He will be lucky to remain the Titans' primary backup RB.

D.) Fisher and the Titans are perfectly content to bang away at 3.7 YPC. Eddie George is evidence of that. Eddie ground out 300+ carries for the Titans at 3.7 YPC or less and astounding 5 times in 6 years, including years of 403(!!!) and 348 carries at 3.7, and 343 at 3.4 -- Fisher likes to win with strong defense and a punishing ground game, and the Titans have been pretty successful with this formula, coming within one yard of a title and making lots of playoff appearances. LenDale is no Eddie George, but he is cut from the same cloth as a player (at least on the field).

Anyway, as far as projections go, I think that LenDale will see 300+ carries again, including the vast majority of the red zone work, while Johnson gets under 100 carries and makes big plays in the passing and return games. Henry is an afterthought and strict backup, with under 100 touches. LenDale's upside comes in the form of possible improvement by the Titans passing game -- more red zone opportunities and less defensive attention. Really though, any improvement over last year is icing on the cake, considering where he likely gets drafted. LenDale will be one of the best value plays at RB again this year.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Keep the insight coming. I just drafted Johnson in a dynasty league and I'm really curious as to how this thing is going to play out. I love everything that I'm hearing about Johnson right now, but history has proven to me that "speed guys" always look good in shorts. So I'm still skeptical. Unlike most guys I draft in my dynasty leagues, Johnson wasn't really a guy I targeted. He simply fell to me as the BPA so I drafted him.

I think you're right Jurb. I don't know anything more about Johnson than you do, so don't think I do but I think the guy in Tennessee is going to be White. He carried a solid load last year as a young RB and I think he'll do it again. What does that mean for Johnson, who knows. They did spend a high pick on him so you'd figure they will try to get him in the offense but for me, I just think White's going into many drafts underrated because of the Johnson draft.For you, I hope Johnson is a stud. But I think you and I have the same gut feeling about him. Sometimes you get a guy who may be solid in the right situation and you're not sure if he's truly good or not and you end up getting him.

I don't expect a lot of carries from Johnson, maybe 10 a game, but his value will be in PPR leagues where he could be good for 50 catches (~3 a game). White will still get a bulk of the carries (250-300) and rushing TDs and should finish close to what he did last year.

Sounds good bud, I hope it happens.

 

[FUBAR]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone.

2. White's YPC was horrible.

3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok.

4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ.

I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

I had read that Henry's pass blocking and ability to read a Defense is awful and that might be what is keeping him out of games. He might just be a pure backup to White. However, I do agree that Henry did show some flashes as rookie last season.

True, and it isn't surprising given his lack of play in college. Many rookie RBs struggle with blocking assignments. That might be ok in some teams where their OL is great and their QB has good field presence or their running is so good it makes up for any deficiency in blocking. VY should develop that presence, but he lacked it last year. Their OL is good, not fantastic. As VY develops, I'm hopeful that Henry develops as a blocker (disclaimer: I own him in a dynasty league and liked his potential last year enough to start a thread), I don't ever see him as a dominant force, but he can be a 1,000+ yard runner in Tennessee. I'd love to see what Johnson can do with pads on, he's a guy that wouldn't surprise me if he comes back to earth some when the extra weight of the pads gets added (and the veteran D decides it's time to play)

 

[titanT]

Henry is likely toast. No vision, can't block, etc. I expect him to get a few carries here and there, but I think LenWhale and CJ are the future of the running game, not Henry. Why would the Titans go RB again if Henry is an effective RB? Henry has good hands and was supposed to be a versatile, dump-off type back so I'm not buying that CJ's versatility is a good enough reason to go RB in the 1st round. Henry just isn't a NFL caliber RB. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Couch Potato]

Henry had 16 carries for 14 yards over the last half of the season last year. I'm not sure how that constitutes "actually looked ok." From what I saw of him (admittedly little, because he was on the field little), he looked tentative and a bit lost.

 

[FUBAR]

Henry had 16 carries for 14 yards over the last half of the season last year. I'm not sure how that constitutes "actually looked ok." From what I saw of him (admittedly little, because he was on the field little), he looked tentative and a bit lost.

His first couple games, against Houston and Oakland.His special teams play.Granted, he didn't play well for the rest of the year, which is a concern.

 

[Coeur de Lion]

I honestly don't see anything to like in Chris Henry. He was terrible in college and showed nothing last year. If he ran .2 slower at the combine he wouldn't even be on an NFL team. There are plenty of RBs that might constitute a threat LenDale, but Henry isn't one of them.

 

[Tanner9919]

Nothing in the way of "inside insight" but here's my view:White was just what VY needed, a solid reliable unspectacular back. He is a solid guy assuming he's in shape and will get the carries. 300+Henry is on shaky ground for a number of reasons, he cannot block, has some attitude issues in the way of "young smart ### and was suspended once.Johnson is a 1st round pick, and is NOW what VY needs, a playmaker he can dump the bal to. This is his spot, and he will catch 55+ passes in 2008.So White is the yardage TD guy.Henry is going to return punts and last as long as he can in a backup role Johnson will catch passes.JMO

good insights, would love to see that happen..!Johnson has the most long-term potential in your opinion?

 

[sho nuff]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

Ummm...his post was spot on. Call him a homer you want...and speculate that its full on RBBC all you want...it will not make it true.His conditioning was so bad that he held up just fine with all of those carries last year?Johnson will get some carries, and same passes...but with him being a rookie, White will still get a large majority of the carries. Not just because Johnson is a rookie...but because despite the thought by some on this message board about his size or plodding or 3 ypc...he is the kind of back Fisher has leaned heavily on and likes to have pounding the ball and controlling the clock.

 

[sho nuff]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone. 2. White's YPC was horrible. 3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok. 4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ. I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

1. Yup...but I don't think that will affect Lendale.2. Yup...so was Eddie George's. Fisher does not give a damn about YPC.3. Meh...4. Since when?

 

[sho nuff]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

It would be trouble if White were trying to get drafted by them again...I don't think it has any bearing on White getting carries in this offense.Eddie George...career 3.6 ypc. 2700+ carries with Jeff Fisher.

 

[Todem]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

Ummm...his post was spot on. Call him a homer you want...and speculate that its full on RBBC all you want...it will not make it true.His conditioning was so bad that he held up just fine with all of those carries last year?Johnson will get some carries, and same passes...but with him being a rookie, White will still get a large majority of the carries. Not just because Johnson is a rookie...but because despite the thought by some on this message board about his size or plodding or 3 ypc...he is the kind of back Fisher has leaned heavily on and likes to have pounding the ball and controlling the clock.

Only one back was a worse starter last season in my mind. Cedric Benson. Lendale White was not a good RB last season.

 

[FUBAR]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

It would be trouble if White were trying to get drafted by them again...I don't think it has any bearing on White getting carries in this offense.Eddie George...career 3.6 ypc. 2700+ carries with Jeff Fisher.

George averaged 3.9 ypc his first 5 years. He was firmly established as the heart of the team before he started slipping. His ypc was right around the average for the league during that time, and was a 4 time pro-bowler. White's 3.7 last year matches the 4th and 5th worst team averages. If you think Fisher will stick with White like he stuck with George, you're delusional. (of course, Henry has to show he can block before he takes over, which may or may not happen)

 

[FUBAR]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone. 2. White's YPC was horrible. 3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok. 4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ. I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

1. Yup...but I don't think that will affect Lendale.2. Yup...so was Eddie George's. Fisher does not give a damn about YPC.3. Meh...4. Since when?

1. We'll see. I think it will. 2. Yup, after he had 2,000 carries to his name. He doesn't care much about it IF the RB brings more to the table than White does.3. ok4. On the field. there aren't too many backs with CJ's skill set.

 

[Abraham]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

Ummm...his post was spot on. Call him a homer you want...and speculate that its full on RBBC all you want...it will not make it true.His conditioning was so bad that he held up just fine with all of those carries last year?Johnson will get some carries, and same passes...but with him being a rookie, White will still get a large majority of the carries. Not just because Johnson is a rookie...but because despite the thought by some on this message board about his size or plodding or 3 ypc...he is the kind of back Fisher has leaned heavily on and likes to have pounding the ball and controlling the clock.

Only one back was a worse starter last season in my mind. Cedric Benson. Lendale White was not a good RB last season.

This is not accurate at all. White was a very good back last season. His YPC is low because he doesn't break any long runs, similar to Eddie George. He also has gotten over his rookie "dancing behind the line" and actually does a good job of not losing yardage, which has always been a key to the guys Fisher puts in the backfield. I would be SHOCKED if (barring injury) White doesn't have at least 275 carries next season, more likely 325+. Heimerdinger's offense is not fancy in the slightest. It relies on pounding the ball up the middle to bring the LBs and a safety up so that he can attack down the seams and the sidelines. He'll use Johnson out of the backfield and WR screens to (1) pull the DEs and OLBs outside and (2) to take advantage of Young's solid short-passing. But in the end, the run game will rely HEAVILY on going off tackle over and over and over and over to the point of annoyance.And while it would seem that the abundance of early selection RBs on the roster might indicate a free-for-all, the Johnson pick and the fact they have him returning kicks in OTAs screams to me that Henry's role is going to be as the backup to RB1 while Johnson will be the "change of pace" guy. I suspect Henry will get a series or two a game, like many backups do, and Johnson will be in on passing downs, situational plays, and in the slot in 5-wide or 4-wide w/ White in the backfield.

 

[Abraham]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone. 2. White's YPC was horrible. 3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok. 4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ. I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

1. Yup...but I don't think that will affect Lendale.2. Yup...so was Eddie George's. Fisher does not give a damn about YPC.3. Meh...4. Since when?

1. We'll see. I think it will. 2. Yup, after he had 2,000 carries to his name. He doesn't care much about it IF the RB brings more to the table than White does.3. ok4. On the field. there aren't too many backs with CJ's skill set.

1. I think it will affect him too; he'll be better.2. Most every RB in the league would be sub 4.0 without their 20+ yard runs. White doesn't have long runs. Simple math.3. Henry missed some key assignments in limited play. He also had some nice runs. He also ran in to the backs of his linemen some. he played like a rookie. No fault there.4. I hope that is the case.

 

[az_prof]

We are all speculating but since I can speculate as well as anyone here's my intuition:

1) White is average at best and if the team saw him as a featured back would not have drafted Chris Johnson.

2) Henry is a work out warrior and see number 1. He never was that good in college and he isn't going to be anything more than a backup in the pros.

3) CJ is an unknown. He will get his chances. It will start out with White getting 60% and CJ getting 40%,but the guy who does better willl get the majority eventually. I have doubts about whether a guy with Cj's build can be a full time featured back, but he will have his chance.

4) It isn't a good sign though that Ten brought in KJ and Dayne. If one of these guys gets hurt in training camp I could see KJ coming in and taking over the job by mid-season.

 

[Abraham]

1) White is average at best and if the team saw him as a featured back would not have drafted Chris Johnson.

Why did Dallas and Pittsburgh, who currently roster Pro-Bowl RBs, bring in 1st round RBs?

It isn't a good sign though that Ten brought in KJ and Dayne. If one of these guys gets hurt in training camp I could see KJ coming in and taking over the job by mid-season.

ETA: Just saw the note about Jones visiting with the Titans. I would imagine that if he came in, it would be Ahrmad Hall's spot in jeopardy.

 

[KellysHeroes]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone. 2. White's YPC was horrible. 3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok. 4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ. I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

White is a grinder... and thats it, nothing special.Henry did impress when he had the ball... reminded me of Barber III w/ less vision. Both guys have Issues... White is noted for being Lazy and out of shape... Henry has bad Vision and P BlockingC Johnson was a reach... the announcers we're shocked when Tenn picked him.. if thats who was on their board; they could of fallen back a little into the early 2nd.If Henry can improve his Vision... White will be the man out. He just hasn't impressed me at out in the last 2 yrs.

 

[Abraham]

1. Chow, White's OC at USC, is gone. 2. White's YPC was horrible. 3. Henry, in limited play, actually looked ok. 4. Henry's skill set is closer to White's than CJ. I'll project 50-30-20 carries, CJ getting around 4 receptions per game.

White is a grinder... and thats it, nothing special.Henry did impress when he had the ball... reminded me of Barber III w/ less vision. Both guys have Issues... White is noted for being Lazy and out of shape... Henry has bad Vision and P BlockingC Johnson was a reach... the announcers we're shocked when Tenn picked him.. if thats who was on their board; they could of fallen back a little into the early 2nd.If Henry can improve his Vision... White will be the man out. He just hasn't impressed me at out in the last 2 yrs.

I disagree with your entire post.

 

[munchkin]

It all comes down to White being on a short leash. He puts up or is out of a job. He gets another chance to produce in an inept offense that needs him to step up.

White never has had the skill set of C Johnson. As at USC he worked pretty well in a RBBC and Johnson is more like Bush. Matt Waldman had a good comment in his 2nd interview with Cecil and Bloom before the draft. White thinks he is the man and doesn't always give the effort (doesn't always run with good technique). He like to showboat and thinks his superior talent will get him through the line without much effort. Once he is stuffed he lowers his shoulder and runs better. Well in the NFL this rarely works but the light still hasn't come on. He seems content with being marginal even though he has the physical ability to be much better.

I think a large part of the reason Chow was let go was because he couldn't get the best out of VY and White. The Titans are screwed if they don't get more out of Young. No RB will look good in this offense if Young and the passing game doesn't improve.

 

[Hawk]

I follow the Titans pretty closely, and I really think that Henry is the odd man out here. CJ's skills are more similar to Henry than White. They drafted Henry for speed to compliment White, but he lacks vision and moves, plus he got suspended, so they drafted CJ to provide speed and change of pace and pass catching out of the backfield.

White played last season on a hurt knee and still pounded out a ton of tough carries without complaining.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true

I think his teammates and coaches respect him more as a result and feel more like they can rely on him. His knee is better and I think he absolutely will be the main ball carrier this season unless he gets hurt. From the pictures of OTA's I have seen, White actually looks to be at a decent weight right now (for him) which is a good sign that he is taking his conditioning more seriously this off season. If people let White fall because the Titans drafted CJ, then White looks like the value pick to me.

CJ will catch a lot of balls and could be a decent pick in PPR leagues, but he won't have nearly as many carries as White IMO, especially goalline carries. I think the drafting of CJ tells you more about what they think of C.Henry than L.White.

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a guy that has the potential to be a regular starter for your fantasy team, that guy is White IMO.

 

[Wildman]

Henry won't be a Titan by the end of next year unless he experiences a "Coming to Jesus."

See what I've said above about White. Put Chester Taylor behind the Titans line last year and he would have averaged well over 4 ypc. Maybe a healthy White will see 4 ypc in '08.

Johnson? I think he could develop into more of a backfield threat between the tackles in a few years, but I would be surprised if its immediate.

I think the 5 WR sets Heimerdinger will hopefully use will be to Young's benefit. More delegated and sometimes simplified responsibilities to WRs, dictates the coverages of the opposing defenses, and opens the rushing lanes. Young should have more escape routes to scramble and the chance to make quicker decisions. I think Johnson will be a slot receiver a fair bit this year (screens, crossing routes, short hitches, and the occasional wheel route, etc.)

 

[sho nuff]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

Ummm...his post was spot on. Call him a homer you want...and speculate that its full on RBBC all you want...it will not make it true.His conditioning was so bad that he held up just fine with all of those carries last year?Johnson will get some carries, and same passes...but with him being a rookie, White will still get a large majority of the carries. Not just because Johnson is a rookie...but because despite the thought by some on this message board about his size or plodding or 3 ypc...he is the kind of back Fisher has leaned heavily on and likes to have pounding the ball and controlling the clock.

Only one back was a worse starter last season in my mind. Cedric Benson. Lendale White was not a good RB last season.

Judging by how I have seen you evaluate things...I take this with a grain of salt.

 

[sho nuff]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

It would be trouble if White were trying to get drafted by them again...I don't think it has any bearing on White getting carries in this offense.Eddie George...career 3.6 ypc. 2700+ carries with Jeff Fisher.

George averaged 3.9 ypc his first 5 years. He was firmly established as the heart of the team before he started slipping. His ypc was right around the average for the league during that time, and was a 4 time pro-bowler. White's 3.7 last year matches the 4th and 5th worst team averages. If you think Fisher will stick with White like he stuck with George, you're delusional. (of course, Henry has to show he can block before he takes over, which may or may not happen)

I think Fisher will stick with him as long as he continues to pound the ball...show up for every game...and not leave the ball on the turf. Chris Brown was certainly a more exciting runner...but he could not stay healthy and fumbled alot in bad times...

 

[Banger]

I'm not a fan of White at all but he fits Fisher and their offense. He's nothing special but he consistently churns out 3-4 ypc with few negative plays so he keeps the ball moving forward and gets the team in good down and distance (i.e. 2 and 6; 3rd and 3). This enables Young to throw short passes or scramble for a 1st down. Fisher ran the same kind of offense with McNair years back and they just hogged the ball and converted short 3rd down after short 3rd down.

I think White is replaceable but I just don't know if anyone of the roster has the ability to replace him. It's worth watching though since a potential winner could be a goldmine.... If I had to bet how it would work out right now I'd say it's 70% probable that White retains the same role as last year.

 

[EBF]

Even after all of these draft picks spent on backs, I still don't think Tennessee has "the guy" on its roster right now.

Johnson will get catches and is worth a look in PPR leagues. I don't expect him to ever be a full-time guy though.

White has some value as a RB2/RB3 in deep non-PPR leagues. He could have a little bit of upside if he can get into college shape.

 

[FUBAR]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

It would be trouble if White were trying to get drafted by them again...I don't think it has any bearing on White getting carries in this offense.Eddie George...career 3.6 ypc. 2700+ carries with Jeff Fisher.

George averaged 3.9 ypc his first 5 years. He was firmly established as the heart of the team before he started slipping. His ypc was right around the average for the league during that time, and was a 4 time pro-bowler. White's 3.7 last year matches the 4th and 5th worst team averages. If you think Fisher will stick with White like he stuck with George, you're delusional. (of course, Henry has to show he can block before he takes over, which may or may not happen)

I think Fisher will stick with him as long as he continues to pound the ball...show up for every game...and not leave the ball on the turf. Chris Brown was certainly a more exciting runner...but he could not stay healthy and fumbled alot in bad times...

Perhaps. My assumption is Henry will improve his blocking and will compete. He is the more dynamic runner and can accomplish what White does. My assumption could be wrong though, and White keeps the ball by default. White is not George, he was drafted in part because Fisher thought he could be, but he has yet to show the other traits (aside from just the ball pounding) that George did.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Henry won't be a Titan by the end of next year unless he experiences a "Coming to Jesus."

Can you unpack this a little? They get rid of him before his rookie contract expires? What would constitute "coming to Jesus"? I think Henry is what he is. He doesn't have enough football experience to emerge as a featured player yet. He has great tools and excellent talent to go with them, but he doesn't have years of being a major part of an offense week in and week out at any level. He lacks the knowledge and basic fundamental mindset that develops with years of on field exposure. He should come along slower than White and Johnson. He should have stayed in school and been featured for a year, but he didn't so that development needs to take place as a Titan. I'm patient and I think the Titans are also.

Puff piece: Henry Upbeat

LenDale White is coming off a 1,110-yard, breakout season for the Titans, while first-round pick Chris Johnson has blazing, home run-threat speed.

And then there's Chris Henry, the forgotten running back.

"I know how things go. People are always talking about the next best thing," said Henry, a second-round pick in 2007. "Just like last year they were talking about me and they were downing LenDale. Now LenDale did well, we drafted a great running back, and I am the guy no one is talking about, no one thinks much of. But it's all good ? I can't control any of that, so I can't let it bother me.''

While media regularly gravitate to White and Johnson, Henry quietly goes about his business. He clearly has confidence and teammates seem to have his back despite his turbulent rookie season.

"I don't think he is the odd man out," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "I just think it is one of those things where there is a lot more competition in that backfield now, and that is life and that is what this game is about, competition. If Chris just worries about himself he'll be all right.''

Henry hopes to be a wildcard for an offense that struggled for find firepower last season. Naysayers provide no motivation.

"I get motivated by competition," Henry said, "and the level of competition is great here.''

The most memorable plays of Henry's rookie season didn't involve game-changing runs or touchdowns.

In the preseason there was a missed block that could have resulted in a serious injury for quarterback Vince Young. Henry failed to pick up blitzing New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who ran full speed into Young and leveled him.

In the regular season finale there was a blast from Colts defensive Darrell Reid as Henry returned a kickoff. A YouTube clip of the play is labeled "Biggest Hit Ever."

In between, Henry was inconsistent. He scored touchdowns in back-to-back games in the midseason, when he played well, but the momentum was halted by a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's banned substance policy. When he returned for the final two games of the regular season, he struggled.

He finished the season with 119 yards, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, and two touchdowns in seven games.

After the Titans drafted Johnson with their first-round pick this year, new running backs coach Earnest Byner challenged the returning backs to improve this offseason.

"The message is we have to step it up, and (Henry) has been doing that," Byner said. "I am excited for Chris because I think he is really standing up to the challenge.''

Henry still needs to improve in pass protection, Byner said, but has a better understanding of what the offensive linemen are doing on run plays, and where he should place himself after taking a handoff.

Said Young: "What I like about Chris is he is very balanced in the running game and also getting to the edge catches passes. I really feel like no linebacker can hold him because of his speed.''

Although it seems unlikely the Titans would've drafted another running back so early if they were convinced Henry was on the verge of breaking out, Coach Jeff Fisher said Henry is on the right track.

"Chris played a role for us on special teams last year and when he got called upon in games he made plays for us,'' Fisher said. "If there is (pressure) it is outside (the team), it is not inside. Chris is heading into his second year and is improving.''

And so far this offseason Henry's attitude has been nothing but upbeat.

"I am excited about this season,'' he said. "I think it is set up well for me, and the team, to do well. I definitely feel like you're going to be seeing a lot of me on the field. I am excited.''

I think Henry's place is firmly established. He is a special teams talent who needs to hustle and work to continue earning some stripes. He is the most dynamic package of power, hands and speed among the RBs. He is raw and developing. He was, for a brief run late in his junior season, a very solid and productive RB, regardless of all the "he sucked in college chatter". I think the project continues to the expiration of his rookie contract, and moreso, I think he becomes a valuable addition to the team. Fantasy value is another story that I'm patient to watch develop.

See what I've said above about White. Put Chester Taylor behind the Titans line last year and he would have averaged well over 4 ypc. Maybe a healthy White will see 4 ypc in '08.

I know you didn't like White as a rookie prospect. I did...sort of... then had my doubts during the bizarre run up to the draft. I think LenDale is about a 50-50 proposition to become a long-term productive entrenched feature back.Nice to see someone mentioning LenDale's health issue. I don't know if it's been discussed elsewhere around here, but LenDale played 16 games on a torn knee ligament last year. That had to hurt his production.

This is the current team report at USA Today. This link changes with breaking news.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White revealed Tuesday that he played the entire 2007 season on a torn meniscus.

White, who had arthroscopic surgery on the knee in January, took part in organized team activities Tuesday after being limited to individual drills the previous week.

"This happened last year in preseason. I tore my meniscus," White said. "I played on it all season. Contrary to what people believe, I am a soldier. I played on it all year and I didn't complain, not once. I waited until the season was over to get it fixed and now I'm feeling good."

espite his success, White said the injury was plenty bothersome at times last year. He says the knee is now close to 100%.

"It affected me a lot, because it took me a long time to get warmed up. It was catching a lot and it hurt on certain days," White said. "When we played San Diego, it was hurting bad. I came in and tried to put Ben Gay on it and Flexall 454, and I tried to get it warmed up as best I could. But now, I'm back and it's 100% and it feels good."

He should look better this year than he did last year. I think he'll run more animated and fight through more junk for tougher yards. Those are things you cannot do while trying to protect a gimpy knee. He can be surprisingly explosive. I question his overall ability too, but I'm not convinced he isn't an excellent fantasy sleeper.

 

[sho nuff]

Chow gone = trouble for LenDale. Having your main supporter leave is not a good thing for a marginal sub 4.0 a carry RB.

It would be trouble if White were trying to get drafted by them again...I don't think it has any bearing on White getting carries in this offense.Eddie George...career 3.6 ypc. 2700+ carries with Jeff Fisher.

George averaged 3.9 ypc his first 5 years. He was firmly established as the heart of the team before he started slipping. His ypc was right around the average for the league during that time, and was a 4 time pro-bowler. White's 3.7 last year matches the 4th and 5th worst team averages. If you think Fisher will stick with White like he stuck with George, you're delusional. (of course, Henry has to show he can block before he takes over, which may or may not happen)

I think Fisher will stick with him as long as he continues to pound the ball...show up for every game...and not leave the ball on the turf. Chris Brown was certainly a more exciting runner...but he could not stay healthy and fumbled alot in bad times...

Perhaps. My assumption is Henry will improve his blocking and will compete. He is the more dynamic runner and can accomplish what White does. My assumption could be wrong though, and White keeps the ball by default. White is not George, he was drafted in part because Fisher thought he could be, but he has yet to show the other traits (aside from just the ball pounding) that George did.

I have yet to see Henry be able to move forward and push through a pile the way Lendale can. I don't think it was totally mentioned in this thread yet...but he was good last year in not losing yards (that is huge to Fisher as well).

 

[Abraham]

I have yet to see Henry be able to move forward and push through a pile the way Lendale can. I don't think it was totally mentioned in this thread yet...but he was good last year in not losing yards (that is huge to Fisher as well).

Some of us have already mentioned that, but not with much response. Seems that only Titan fans from Eddie's era realize that getting 2, 3 or 4 yards EVERY TIME can be just as useful (and oftentimes more so) then getting 2, -4, 10.

 

[Travo]

LenDale White is seriously underrated. No, he's not flashy or exciting. No, he'll likely never be a stud, fantasy or NFL-wise. No, he doesn't look too good with his shirt off. Yes, he seems to be a bit of a knucklehead. But:

A.) 2007 wasn't nearly as bad a year for him as some people seem to think. He had 303 tough carries, primarily against defenses stacked to stop the run, due to the total lack of any threat from the Titans' passing game. He gained 1170 yards rushing, and caught 20 balls for another 114 yards. He started 16 games. 3.7 YPC is far from great, but far from totally rank, either, considering LenDale's style and the tons of eight-in-the-box D the Titans faced.

B.) The Titans will run the ball alot. A whole lot: They ranked #1 in the NFL in rushing attempts last year, and have been in the top-5 in rushing yardage two years in a row. There is likely to be enough total touches/yards for the Titans to produce two relevant fantasy RBs. I think that Fisher and Co. will be perfectly happy to see their RBs have 550+ touches in 2008.

C.) The competition for touches is a mirage. Chris Johnson (who I like a lot) has a totally different skill set from LenDale White. He really isn't part of this discussion. Johnson will play multiple positions on offense. He will catch lots of passes, and likely have a bigger NFL impact in situations where the Titans can single him up on a LB in pass coverage. He will not make a living in the NFL carrying the ball between the tackles. Chris Henry? Really? He didn't look that good to me, or evidently to the Titans, either, as had only 31 carries in 7 games. He received less carries each weeks from weeks 1 - 5, then had 9 carries for a stellar 15 yards in week 7, before being done for the year. He sucked in college. He will be lucky to remain the Titans' primary backup RB.

D.) Fisher and the Titans are perfectly content to bang away at 3.7 YPC. Eddie George is evidence of that. Eddie ground out 300+ carries for the Titans at 3.7 YPC or less and astounding 5 times in 6 years, including years of 403(!!!) and 348 carries at 3.7, and 343 at 3.4 -- Fisher likes to win with strong defense and a punishing ground game, and the Titans have been pretty successful with this formula, coming within one yard of a title and making lots of playoff appearances. LenDale is no Eddie George, but he is cut from the same cloth as a player (at least on the field).

Anyway, as far as projections go, I think that LenDale will see 300+ carries again, including the vast majority of the red zone work, while Johnson gets under 100 carries and makes big plays in the passing and return games. Henry is an afterthought and strict backup, with under 100 touches. LenDale's upside comes in the form of possible improvement by the Titans passing game -- more red zone opportunities and less defensive attention. Really though, any improvement over last year is icing on the cake, considering where he likely gets drafted. LenDale will be one of the best value plays at RB again this year.

^ This guy got it right. I'll also add that the Titans brought back Heimerdinger, their OC from the McNair/George days, and that their personel is looking very similar the team that went to the SB. The Titans look like they'll be even better in the trenches on both sides of the ball than they were last year (http://www.titansradio.com/mkeithblurb.html), improved blocking and health should lead to more production from White. Also be on the lookout for great production from Alge Crumpler, he's a big time free agent acquisition that is flying under the radar. He seems to be healthy and in good spirits, he's close to a lock in my opinion for 60-70 rec. 800 yds 5-8 td's. Just look at how many receptions Wycheck consistenly got with the Titans in a similar offense, and how productive Crumpler was with a mobile QB (Vick).From a recent article:

Though they've only worked together a short time, both Vince Young and Alge Crumpler feel they are developing some chemistry on the field. "Crump is a big target, he is smart. At the line of scrimmage we kind of give each other the eye before we snap the ball because he is seeing what I am seeing," Young said. "I really feel like he is going to help me out a whole lot because he is a vet and he knows what to do out there. He is going to be a good guy for me." The Titans signed Crumpler in March after four Pro Bowl seasons in Atlanta. "It has been a match made in heaven this early in the offseason," Crumpler said. "I am excited about it, and I know Vince is excited about it, too."

 

[Todem]

Hey Max,As a Lendale owner I have followed this siutation closely.Fisher is very commited to his start and Lendale will get all the touches he isused to.Chris Johnson has impressed everyone with his speed and Vince Young said "he even jogs fastLendale has been quoted as saying he doesn't mind if they use the two of them like him and reggie bush back at USC. Even in that scerenio Lendale will get the bulk of the touches. he will also get all of the goaline carries.

Oh you are a definate Lendale owner.Chris Johnson will be a very big part of the offense. White will get the tough yards and Johnson will get plenty of passes and carries between the 20's. This is going to be a full blown RBBC and White's value will be tempered. I am not a White fan at all. His conditioning is suspect at best. Chris Johnson will become a ppr beast and will be an impact NFL player. White to me is a plodding out of shape soon to be jouneyman RB.

Ummm...his post was spot on. Call him a homer you want...and speculate that its full on RBBC all you want...it will not make it true.His conditioning was so bad that he held up just fine with all of those carries last year?Johnson will get some carries, and same passes...but with him being a rookie, White will still get a large majority of the carries. Not just because Johnson is a rookie...but because despite the thought by some on this message board about his size or plodding or 3 ypc...he is the kind of back Fisher has leaned heavily on and likes to have pounding the ball and controlling the clock.

Only one back was a worse starter last season in my mind. Cedric Benson. Lendale White was not a good RB last season.

Judging by how I have seen you evaluate things...I take this with a grain of salt.

 

[munchkin]

Only one back was a worse starter last season in my mind. Cedric Benson. Lendale White was not a good RB last season.

So you liked Tatum Bell, Lamont Jordan, Shaun Alexander, Edge and Travis Henry? For where White was drafted I like what he did more than those guys.

That doesn't mean LW doesn't have a lot of work to do to get where his "potential" could take him.

 

[Fear & Loathing]

Even after all of these draft picks spent on backs, I still don't think Tennessee has "the guy" on its roster right now. Johnson will get catches and is worth a look in PPR leagues. I don't expect him to ever be a full-time guy though.White has some value as a RB2/RB3 in deep non-PPR leagues. He could have a little bit of upside if he can get into college shape.

I agree. Gregg Rosenthal and I chatted about LenDale's value earlier today:

GRosenthal : i see you slamming poor lendaleFear & Loathing (12:33:53 PM) : he's awful. he's one of the few guys I've noticed we clearly don't see eye to eye onGRosenthal : i like the certainty - sounds like meGRosenthal : although we def disagreeGRosenthal : i think hes a little blah but playing through a torn knee ligament shows a little something and not whining about it like a reggie bushGRosenthal : i dont love him but i do think fisher will get him close to 300 carriesFear & Loathing : i don't. i think fisher is dying to replace him once he gets a better option back thereFear & Loathing : and i think he's a serious problem for fantasy owners who need to rely on him weeklyGRosenthal : then why draft a scat backGRosenthal : i think fisher is just super old schoolFear & Loathing : b/c they needed explosiveness in their offense, and they didn't feel they could get that with a 1st round WRGRosenthal : the packers would draft 1-2 rbs every year when they had 2 hall of famers in the backfield - its obviously a different era, but fisher thinks like thatGRosenthal : he wants to run it 450 timesFear & Loathing : oh, i agree with that. what are you going to say about LenDale when they sign Kevin Jones too?GRosenthal : i do think white is more of a borderline rb2/3 - not exactly every week starterGRosenthal : but at that price i love himGRosenthal : signing is a lot diff than kicking the tiresGRosenthal : every team should be kicking tires like the patsGRosenthal : if theysign kevin jones, for sure that changes thingsFear & Loathing : I hate him at any price. he's a weekly kill for fantasy leaguers b/c he doesn't catch the ball and the team stops going to him completely once they get behindFear & Loathing : for dynasty leaguers, i think it's very relevant that titans are constantly looking to upgradeGRosenthal : hes good in pass game thoughGRosenthal : a ridiculous blockerGRosenthal : 20 catches isnt greatGRosenthal : but that will keep him on fieldFear & Loathing : it's going to be less with johnson around, and he doesn't do anything with the catches he gets despite his reputation as "underrated in the passing game"GRosenthal : he reminds me a little of portis in that his lazy rep is different than his rep on fieldGRosenthal : i dont think hes a great pass catcherGRosenthal : but hes a top five blocker in the nfl and that keeps you on fieldFear & Loathing : it didn't keep him on the field last year in passing situations. he got taken out for huge chunks whenever the Titans were playing from behind or in hurry up modeGRosenthal : i didnt see that muchGRosenthal : he still hit 300 carries despite the slow startGRosenthal : top5-8 in carries, top 10 in touchesFear & Loathing : yeah, you expect that to continue. i'll believe it when i see itFear & Loathing : i do think he's worth much more in re-draft than dynastyFear & Loathing : and even more in non-ppr, non-yardage leagues. in basic TD-heavy leagues, he may be startabelGRosenthal : yeah i dont think dynasty really in generalunless its my leagueGRosenthal : mostly non ppr redraftFear & Loathing : my blog thinking is always dynasty, and i think he's probably one of those guys where there's a big difference in dynasty vs. re-draft. Bigger even than someone like T.O. if you ask meGRosenthal : i disagreeGRosenthal : respectfullyGRosenthal : hes young, on an offense that runs like crazy, and i think fisher likes him a lotGRosenthal : they had to get another backFear & Loathing : sounds a lot like willie parkerGRosenthal : and you talk with playing timeFear & Loathing : or chester taylor the year beforeFear & Loathing : or lamont jordan the year before thatGRosenthal : the difference is chris johnsonFear & Loathing : the similarity is that he's eminently replaceable and the team is constantly looking to upgrade which makes flirting with kevin jones & ron dayne just another reminder that his value is basically week-to-week -- horrible situation for dynasty league owners