Titans' RB situation (1 Viewer)

[VICK-tory]

I read this at draftsharks today. Interesting take. I'd love to hear opinions on Brown/White/Henry,

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Anyway, where does Chris Brown fit into the fantasy landscape? After all, the Tennessee running game always seems to surprise with lesser-known offensive linemen. Travis Henry rushed for 1,211 yards last year and didn’t even get the job until week 5. His 4.5 average per carry was 4th best among backs with 250+ carries. I see Brown as a motivational tool for LenDale White. The Titans thought drafting Chris Henry in the 2nd round would wake White up but it didn’t work – the rookie reportedly can’t pick up the offense. Yes, Brown got $1.8m for one season (more than the other two RBs combined) but will it stick? I believe Brown has to survive the 53-man roster cuts on September 1st to have that salary guaranteed. And remember, they already cut him once. The shark move is to watch the fantasy herd push White down draft boards (“Aw man, they signed Chris Brown, he’s pretty good, he’ll beat out White”) then scoop him up in the 9th or 10th round for optimum value. The ex-USC star’s been with OC Norm Chow for years and remains the best bet to start. Now you can draft him late with absolutely no risk.

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[Guinis72]

I have a feeling that Brown was brought in to fill in for a year while TEN gives LenDale 1 more yr to prove he can handle the job. If LenDale doesn't get his act together, I could see them going after Turner next year or drafting one of the many skilled RBs in the '08 draft as Brown signs elswhere.

TEN took a chance taking Henry as high as they did. The fact that he had the offense all to himself during OTAs then TEN decided to sign Brown does not bode well for him, IMO.

This year I'd say Brown will start off as the starter until he gets hurt or LenDale is doing well with limited chances.

 

[Jon_Moore]

It'll be clearer come draft time. White's a panzy, plain and simple. I was thrilled when we got him in round 2, thought we stole one, boy, have I been wrong so far.

Early word has been that Henry hasn't exactly been lighting it up, and well, you know the story on Lendale. Until I start to hear anything positive on him, I'm staying away.

We were 1 win away from the playoffs last year, and we can taste it now. As much as I hate to say it, the Pacman suspension could be enough to keep us out, but we're darn sure not going into the season with that mindset. Not the team, and darn sure not the fans. I believe Brown is going to give us the chance to win now. White's still very unproven, and so far very lazy. The raw talent may be there, but the onfield production won't unless something changes.

You won't kill your team drafting him in the 9th or 10th round, but no one is going to be calling you a shark later for doing so.

 

[ceo3west]

 

[Rev]

I read this at draftsharks today. Interesting take. I'd love to hear opinions on Brown/White/Henry,----Anyway, where does Chris Brown fit into the fantasy landscape? After all, the Tennessee running game always seems to surprise with lesser-known offensive linemen. Travis Henry rushed for 1,211 yards last year and didn’t even get the job until week 5. His 4.5 average per carry was 4th best among backs with 250+ carries. I see Brown as a motivational tool for LenDale White. The Titans thought drafting Chris Henry in the 2nd round would wake White up but it didn’t work – the rookie reportedly can’t pick up the offense. Yes, Brown got $1.8m for one season (more than the other two RBs combined) but will it stick? I believe Brown has to survive the 53-man roster cuts on September 1st to have that salary guaranteed. And remember, they already cut him once. The shark move is to watch the fantasy herd push White down draft boards (“Aw man, they signed Chris Brown, he’s pretty good, he’ll beat out White”) then scoop him up in the 9th or 10th round for optimum value. The ex-USC star’s been with OC Norm Chow for years and remains the best bet to start. Now you can draft him late with absolutely no risk. ----

As a White owner, I can safetly say that this was the most optimistic post I've ever seen. I hope your right Vicky. I hope you're right.But in reality, unless the Titans want to compete for the top pick in next year's draft, they can't afford to leave the offense in LenDale's hands, or Henry for that matter. Brown will at least be solid and dependable with the chance at good.I started the Official LenDale White Bandwagon, and I'd love to Rev it up again, but until I see some gas in the tank, we're sitting on the side of the road watching Chrissy Brown run by.

 

[FBGPoker]

The motivating LenDale theory is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing i've ever read on these boards.

If getting the starting job isn't enough to motivate a player a team isn't going to waste a 2nd round pick + sign a guy for 1.8 million for the sole purpose of motivating their previous 2nd round pick who they don't have much financial investment in.

I've seen some doozies on here, but the spending money and wasting picks to motivate another 2nd round pick has to take the cake.

 

[BigRed]

I think it's Browns' job by default, but I'm not exactly running to sign any Titans to my team this year.

 

[CA_7]

I check out the Titans message board at titansonline frequently and can tell you their views are all over the board.

A lot of them are pissed at LenDale but a few others seems to think he can duplicate what he did at USC. Regarding Chris Henry, many like his passion but others are pissed because they feel the pick was a huge reach. With probably the most uncertain RB situation in the, NFL virtually all of them were happy to see the return of a RB who ran for a 1000 yards as a Titan.

Most see Chris Brown as the #1 right now and will probably be overvalued in FF drafts, White and Henry undervalued, especially depending upon what each of the last two can show in the pre-season. Personally, I am not counting on White until he shows an ounce of dedication to football.

Point is, no one knows what is going to happen this early on.

 

[enfuego]

I have a feeling it will be a roller-coaster ride for FF owners of Titan RBs this year. It's way too early to crown a king in Tennessee this year. Fisher likes to go with the hot hand...

 

[lions327]

I read this at draftsharks today. Interesting take. I'd love to hear opinions on Brown/White/Henry,

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I see Brown as a motivational tool for LenDale White.

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I hoped this thought would be gone along with Tatum Bell.

 

[lions327]

It seems pretty simple to me: The Titans felt very uneasy about leaving the RB position in the hands of White and/or Henry, so they picked up a player they know and feel comfortable having. Brown has rushed for over 1000 yards before.

I can't see them spending 1.8 mils or whatever Brown signed to motivate someone.

 

[FBGPoker]

It seems pretty simple to me: The Titans felt very uneasy about leaving the RB position in the hands of White and/or Henry, so they picked up a player they know and feel comfortable having. Brown has rushed for over 1000 yards before.I can't see them spending 1.8 mils or whatever Brown signed to motivate someone.

You mean you can't see them paying 1.8 million and using a 2nd round pick to motivate a guy who is making less then 500k a year and has shown nothing thus far?There is so little logic in the motivating LenDale theories that it baffles me there are people who buy into it.

 

[waylander]

The Titans signed Brown because they wanted a relatively inexpensive backup plan. If they had no faith in Lendale or Henry, why not sign Brown to a long term deal?

I think they are going to let the youngsters get some carries and see if they can outperform Brown.

 

[-OZ-]

Wow, this is overanalyzed.

You have a rookie RB who isn't Peterson or Lynch.

You have a 2nd year RB who is out of shape and appears lazy.

You have one of the better young QBs in the league, but no proven WR.

You see your former RB still available, and he'll sign fairly cheaply for ONE YEAR.

Does anyone really not understand why you'd sign Chris Brown under these circumstances? It's not like they traded a lot for Turner or signed a top RB to a long term contract.

At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

 

[waylander]

I'm with Oz on this one.

 

[VICK-tory]

Yah I think Brown could be cut before Sept 1 and they don't owe him anything. So its win-win to bring him in off the street. I think D-sharks is based out of Nashville too, they stay on top of Tenn. pretty good. Here's the LenDale updates page.

http://draftsharks.fanengine.com/content.p...ayerid/WhitLe00

 

[Jon_Moore]

Wow, this is overanalyzed.

You have a rookie RB who isn't Peterson or Lynch.

You have a 2nd year RB who is out of shape and appears lazy.

You have one of the better young QBs in the league, but no proven WR.

You see your former RB still available, and he'll sign fairly cheaply for ONE YEAR.

Does anyone really not understand why you'd sign Chris Brown under these circumstances? It's not like they traded a lot for Turner or signed a top RB to a long term contract.

At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

I agree. I think in the early going Brown will see the majority of the touches, and then the others will be worked in, once/if ever White is in shape, and Henry shows he's ready. They all could be serviceable at different points in the season. For fantasy purposes, You can't go wrong taking one of them as a late round flier, I think I'd be most likely to gamble on Brown than the other 2 at this point.

 

[TaxMan]

It seems pretty simple to me: The Titans felt very uneasy about leaving the RB position in the hands of White and/or Henry, so they picked up a player they know and feel comfortable having. Brown has rushed for over 1000 yards before.I can't see them spending 1.8 mils or whatever Brown signed to motivate someone.

Sure, 1.8mil wasn't done to motivate anybody, but rather for INSURANCE. If they really think he' their guy, why wait all this time to sign him, and also sign him to a 1-year deal?

 

[TDavi118]

Michael Turner will be a Titan in '08. Fischer "had a plan" and it was to acquire MT. Chargers wanted too much and Fischer's plan fell through. They'll sign him 1st day of free-agency in '08. IMO

 

[FUBAR]

Who’s The Best Chris?Brown Returns, But Henry Still The Titans RB To OwnBy: Paul HickeyJune 21, 2007On Monday, June 18, the Tennessee Titans did something that could confuse fantasy owners until at least week three of the 2007 regular season – they signed free agent running back Chris Brown to a one-year, $1.85 million contract. Consider this article your warning – Chris Brown is NOT an NFL starting running back. This translates into, quite simply – don’t consider Chris Brown for your fantasy team. To understand why I’m saying this, we must take a quick look at his history…Brown has already been there and done that. In 2004, his second year in the league out of the University of Colorado, he took over for departed veteran RB Eddie George. Brown performed extremely well, rushing for 1,067 yards and six TDs on 220 carries in 11 games. His 4.9 yards per carry turned many heads and created a wide belief among fantasy owners that he would be the next great top 10 fantasy RB. There was only one problem – his extremely unorthodox upright running style caused him to become injury prone. He missed five games that season with knee and back issues due to his tendency to stand straight up while running and become vulnerable to big hits.While Jeff Fisher and the Titans coaching staff were fond of Brown, they immediately noticed the problem and did something to correct it. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. They didn’t work with Brown to try and coach him through the problem and correct his issue – at least not hard enough…they instead brought on board disgruntled former back-to-back 1,300 yard rusher Travis Henry to compete with Brown for the job.It became quite clear that Henry wasn’t just injury insurance during 2005, but he was Brown’s eventual replacement. After Henry recovered from previous injuries suffered while a member of the Buffalo Bills and became entirely familiar with the Titans offense, he completely took Brown’s job in 2006.Brown was ultimately benched for all but five games last season, while Henry rushed for 1,211 yards and seven TDs – leading to the 26 year-old Brown not being re-signed initially my the team after his contract ran out following the season.I now ask you this – If he’s already been given the opportunity, been surpassed, and not been retained by the team once – what makes you think he’s the guy this time around?Exactly. Keep this in mind – Brown was an unrestricted free agent for nearly five full months before the Titans finally brought them back. Nearly half of the teams in the NFL had openings at first string RB and nearly all of them had openings at either first or second string RB, but still – NOBODY SIGNED BROWN.Don’t let the Brown signing confuse you…he won’t be the guy in Tennessee this season…it will be a guy with his first name, and the Titans’ 2006 starting RB’s last name – Arizona rookie Chris Henry.Chris Henry was taken in the second round (50th overall) and has a great blend of speed and power, despite not garnering eye-popping statistics in college. The 6-0, 228-pounder has the size and build of an NFL featured back, and coaches are intrigued with his work ethic and durability.Henry is the breath of fresh air at the running back position that the Titans need, and while it may take until early October, he’ll eventually be the running back to own in Tennessee.Brown has been there and done that, and pudgy second-year RB Lendale White is just a mess that doesn’t appear to have the intangibles to succeed at the pro level. While Brown’s signing makes sense from a football perspective, as far as having a veteran body to plug in if need be – he’s not a fantasy option. While Henry won’t have the starting job handed to him, he’s still the best fit of the three for the gig. The end result will be the same, but the rookie Chris will be better having had the solid competition from the veteran Chris.This article is also featured on Athlon/GROGAN'S Fantasy Football, your spot for Cheat Sheets updated daily and Fantasy tools to manage your team all year long.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Who’s The Best Chris?Brown Returns, But Henry Still The Titans RB To OwnBy: Paul HickeyJune 21, 2007On Monday, June 18, the Tennessee Titans did something that could confuse fantasy owners until at least week three of the 2007 regular season – they signed free agent running back Chris Brown to a one-year, $1.85 million contract. Consider this article your warning – Chris Brown is NOT an NFL starting running back. This translates into, quite simply – don’t consider Chris Brown for your fantasy team. To understand why I’m saying this, we must take a quick look at his history…Brown has already been there and done that. In 2004, his second year in the league out of the University of Colorado, he took over for departed veteran RB Eddie George. Brown performed extremely well, rushing for 1,067 yards and six TDs on 220 carries in 11 games. His 4.9 yards per carry turned many heads and created a wide belief among fantasy owners that he would be the next great top 10 fantasy RB. There was only one problem – his extremely unorthodox upright running style caused him to become injury prone. He missed five games that season with knee and back issues due to his tendency to stand straight up while running and become vulnerable to big hits.While Jeff Fisher and the Titans coaching staff were fond of Brown, they immediately noticed the problem and did something to correct it. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. They didn’t work with Brown to try and coach him through the problem and correct his issue – at least not hard enough…they instead brought on board disgruntled former back-to-back 1,300 yard rusher Travis Henry to compete with Brown for the job.It became quite clear that Henry wasn’t just injury insurance during 2005, but he was Brown’s eventual replacement. After Henry recovered from previous injuries suffered while a member of the Buffalo Bills and became entirely familiar with the Titans offense, he completely took Brown’s job in 2006.Brown was ultimately benched for all but five games last season, while Henry rushed for 1,211 yards and seven TDs – leading to the 26 year-old Brown not being re-signed initially my the team after his contract ran out following the season.I now ask you this – If he’s already been given the opportunity, been surpassed, and not been retained by the team once – what makes you think he’s the guy this time around?Exactly. Keep this in mind – Brown was an unrestricted free agent for nearly five full months before the Titans finally brought them back. Nearly half of the teams in the NFL had openings at first string RB and nearly all of them had openings at either first or second string RB, but still – NOBODY SIGNED BROWN.Don’t let the Brown signing confuse you…he won’t be the guy in Tennessee this season…it will be a guy with his first name, and the Titans’ 2006 starting RB’s last name – Arizona rookie Chris Henry.Chris Henry was taken in the second round (50th overall) and has a great blend of speed and power, despite not garnering eye-popping statistics in college. The 6-0, 228-pounder has the size and build of an NFL featured back, and coaches are intrigued with his work ethic and durability.Henry is the breath of fresh air at the running back position that the Titans need, and while it may take until early October, he’ll eventually be the running back to own in Tennessee.Brown has been there and done that, and pudgy second-year RB Lendale White is just a mess that doesn’t appear to have the intangibles to succeed at the pro level. While Brown’s signing makes sense from a football perspective, as far as having a veteran body to plug in if need be – he’s not a fantasy option. While Henry won’t have the starting job handed to him, he’s still the best fit of the three for the gig. The end result will be the same, but the rookie Chris will be better having had the solid competition from the veteran Chris.This article is also featured on Athlon/GROGAN'S Fantasy Football, your spot for Cheat Sheets updated daily and Fantasy tools to manage your team all year long.

"So your telling me theirs a chance" Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber.

 

[zed2283]

Chris Brown will be the starter in week 1 and (if he doesn't get hurt) the rest of the season. They'll try to work the others in, but Brown is the man.

 

[EBF]

That guy is smoking crack.

Chris Brown >> Chris Henry

LenDale White >> Chris Henry

Chris Henry couldn't beat out Mike Bell. 'Nuff said.

 

[turkishkamel]

Wow, this is overanalyzed.You have a rookie RB who isn't Peterson or Lynch.You have a 2nd year RB who is out of shape and appears lazy.You have one of the better young QBs in the league, but no proven WR.You see your former RB still available, and he'll sign fairly cheaply for ONE YEAR.Does anyone really not understand why you'd sign Chris Brown under these circumstances? It's not like they traded a lot for Turner or signed a top RB to a long term contract. At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

 

[msommer]

Wow, this is overanalyzed.You have a rookie RB who isn't Peterson or Lynch.You have a 2nd year RB who is out of shape and appears lazy.You have one of the better young QBs in the league, but no proven WR.You see your former RB still available, and he'll sign fairly cheaply for ONE YEAR.Does anyone really not understand why you'd sign Chris Brown under these circumstances? It's not like they traded a lot for Turner or signed a top RB to a long term contract. At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

I agree with the entire post by Oz until the last sentence. From a logical point of view nothing he wrote until then points to the conclusion he made. Until the deductive leap is explained thoroughly I'll go by Brown was signed to be a one year stop gap.

 

[LHUCKS]

Paul Hickey has been added to my moron list.

 

[msommer]

Paul Hickey has been added to my moron list.

 

[-OZ-]

Wow, this is overanalyzed.You have a rookie RB who isn't Peterson or Lynch.You have a 2nd year RB who is out of shape and appears lazy.You have one of the better young QBs in the league, but no proven WR.You see your former RB still available, and he'll sign fairly cheaply for ONE YEAR.Does anyone really not understand why you'd sign Chris Brown under these circumstances? It's not like they traded a lot for Turner or signed a top RB to a long term contract. At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

I agree with the entire post by Oz until the last sentence. From a logical point of view nothing he wrote until then points to the conclusion he made. Until the deductive leap is explained thoroughly I'll go by Brown was signed to be a one year stop gap.

I'm not sure why this doesn't make sense to you.They signed a veteran RB who had success for them before, but only to a 1 year deal. The fact that they signed him tells me he'll play some.The 1 year deal means (IMO) they will give White and Henry a chance to play and see if they deserve to be the lead back or duo, next year. I suppose, if Brown is dominant, he stays healthy, and the Titans are winning, they'll keep him going, but he's never played 16 games and only ran for over 1,000 yards once - so I wouldn't bet on that.

 

[msommer]

What I said was that you did not state your case.

Even if your scenario comes true, that does not mean that none are FF worthy - for a limited time.

I doubt that we'll see a Texans like morass from last year where no one knows who the starter will be from week to week.

I tink Brown will start the season as a starter. When (and probably not if) he gets either injured or ineffective someone else will take over. repeat until they are out of RBs. Brown has previously shown that he is capable of putting up FF stats. I think he will again. I doubt he will after week 10-11-12.

Who will at that time no one knows, although the coaches might want White to step up.

Would I draft Brown for more than RB4 - probably not. But he might be worth a flyer, more so than the other two.

 

[Warhogs]

I have Chris Brown for $2 in a $150 salary cap dynasty league. Teams are looking for bargains as they try to get under the cap so I think I am going to trade Chris Brown and his bargain contract now as I think his value might never be higher again.

 

[msommer]

I have Chris Brown for $2 in a $150 salary cap dynasty league. Teams are looking for bargains as they try to get under the cap so I think I am going to trade Chris Brown and his bargain contract now as I think his value might never be higher again.

Maybe week 3

 

[-OZ-]

What I said was that you did not state your case.Even if your scenario comes true, that does not mean that none are FF worthy - for a limited time.I doubt that we'll see a Texans like morass from last year where no one knows who the starter will be from week to week.I tink Brown will start the season as a starter. When (and probably not if) he gets either injured or ineffective someone else will take over. repeat until they are out of RBs. Brown has previously shown that he is capable of putting up FF stats. I think he will again. I doubt he will after week 10-11-12.Who will at that time no one knows, although the coaches might want White to step up.Would I draft Brown for more than RB4 - probably not. But he might be worth a flyer, more so than the other two.

We're pretty much in agreement here I think, when you say you wouldn't draft Brown higher than a RB4. We may just define "impact" differently.

At the year's end, we'll probably see 3 RBs who have ok stats, but none will be an impact for FF, consistantly anyway.

Impact = difference maker in FF. a RB4 (unless your team is stacked) is not an impact player IMO.I agree that Brown starts the season. However, I think Fisher and Chow attempt to get White and/or Henry involved as much as possible, thereby severely limiting Brown's FF value. It's not so much that we won't know who's starting, it's that the starter simply won't get enough work to be FF-worthy. You're right to say Brown has done it. 3 years ago. There's a reason he was available this late.ETA: this has nothing to do with how high Henry or White were selected, but it has to do with Brown not being the complete back they'll need and not a good fit in the system. He wasn't even wanted until recently. That does show White and Henry aren't ready to be workhorses, but if they really liked Brown as their lead back, wouldn't they have signed him earlier?

 

[ltaylor]

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with most of you here. The TEN RB that emerges from the threesome will actually be a value play mid- level RB2. Jeff Fisher is not going to "play all three guys and see who can take over next year" as many of you are stating. Jeff Fisher is going to ride the hot hand just like he did last year with Travis Henry. Going into last season all of you were saying the same thing. T. Henry, Lendale, and Brown were supposedly going to share the load.

The Titans are hungry and want a playoff spot. Whichever RB steps it up will be handed the rock early and often and assuming they stay healthy will put up near 1,000 yards. In my eyes Chris Henry is not even in the picture. At this point I am leaning towards C. Brown coming out with a vengenance and being taken in the 10th round he represents a low risk, high reward pick IMO.

 

[womb]

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with most of you here. The TEN RB that emerges from the threesome will actually be a value play mid- level RB2. Jeff Fisher is not going to "play all three guys and see who can take over next year" as many of you are stating. Jeff Fisher is going to ride the hot hand just like he did last year with Travis Henry. Going into last season all of you were saying the same thing. T. Henry, Lendale, and Brown were supposedly going to share the load.The Titans are hungry and want a playoff spot. Whichever RB steps it up will be handed the rock early and often and assuming they stay healthy will put up near 1,000 yards. In my eyes Chris Henry is not even in the picture. At this point I am leaning towards C. Brown coming out with a vengenance and being taken in the 10th round he represents a low risk, high reward pick IMO.

The Titans are not about grooming a RB for the future, they are about getting to the playoffs. They will do what is necessary. If they so wanted a RB, they would either trade for Turner as widely speculated or trade up to snatch De. Williams, J. Addai, L. Maroney in last year's draft or A. Peterson, M Lynch in this year's. They are betting on 2nd rounders. There is nothing wrong with betting. It just does not mean much.Many teams have bet on RBs in 2nd rounders in the past. That does not mean they have invested high stock in them and they will change everything in their game plan so that they may eventually pan out. Let's revisit these dudes from not far back and if they were in the future plans of the drafting teams:'05 JJ Arrington - pick 44 - brought in E James'05 Eric Shelton - pick 54 - drafted D Williams'04 Kevin Jones - pick 30 - brought in T Bell'04 Tatum Bell - pick 41 - not in Denver's plans - brought in T Henry'04 Julius Jones - pick 43 - drafted M Barber'03 Musa Smith - pick 77 - no 2nd rounders in '03 this is the highest we get - brought in W McGahee & never utilized him all these years.From '02 we can safely say that teams did not really invest their future in either M Morris - pick 54 or L Betts - pick 56 as Washington brough in Portis in 2004 and on contrary to conventional wisdom S Alexander never got traded, never was demoted and was even given a huge contract at his FA year.From '01 we can make even easier deductions. Anthony Thomas - pick 38 was alomost nothing, Lamont Jordan - pick 49 was only a backup the Jets did not even care to match, Travis Henry - pick 58 was a dude that was a starter from day 1 yet Bills bring in McGahee two years later.And lastly the year '00. Trung Canidate - pick 31 is someone everyone wants to forget about, & Travis Prentice - pick 63 is someone everybody already has.Honestly people, what makes you say Titans long-term plans emphasize grooming a feature 2nd round pick RB as opposed to focusing on a successful year behind the red hot franchise QB they have found in VY?I am not saying Chris Brown is the man. But this investing in the future, Henry & White being the long-term plans argument is historically and statistically flawed. It can only be just a gut feeling or perhaps the dsillusionment of being a fantasy owner of these dudes that makes one ration it that way, but really that ration has almost never worked since the beginning of this millenium. Remember that river in Egypt!

 

[NorrisB]

Paul Hickey has been added to my moron list.

 

[David Yudkin]

Chirs Brown in 2004-2005: 92 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TD per game

Travis Henry in 2006: 92 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TD per game



I have no idea what will happen in TEN this season, but drafting another RB and then re-signing a RB that the team strangely did not even want to play the season before IMO ***IS NOT*** a vote of confidence in LenDale White.

 

[-OZ-]

I am not saying Chris Brown is the man. But this investing in the future, Henry & White being the long-term plans argument is historically and statistically flawed. It can only be just a gut feeling or perhaps the dsillusionment of being a fantasy owner of these dudes that makes one ration it that way, but really that ration has almost never worked since the beginning of this millenium.

Remember that river in Egypt!

Since 2000, 13 RBs have been drafted in the 2nd round. (not including 07)JJones, MJD, Clinton Portis, DeShaun Foster, Lamont Jordan, and Travis Henry have had reasonable success.

That's 6 out of the 13

Together, they started 58 games last year

4 of them would have started every game if not for injury.

Go ahead and quote the players that haven't panned out, but don't forget those who have.

Practically half of the 2nd round RBs are starters now, yet

...almost never worked since the beginning of this millenium.

 

[womb]

Since 2000, 13 RBs have been drafted in the 2nd round. (not including 07)

JJones, MJD, Clinton Portis, DeShaun Foster, Lamont Jordan, and Travis Henry have had reasonable success.

That's 6 out of the 13

Together, they started 58 games last year

4 of them would have started every game if not for injury.

This argument is quite irrelevant as relative success is not the point here. The point is whether the drafting team really cares about the draftee enough to see the prosperity of that investment. Or in other words, did they see whether these dudes were in their long-term plans.Taking that into account, let us look at those aforementioned 6 players:

Julius Jones - are we sure he is the man in Dallas? What is the deal with the draft & the utilization of Marion Barber. It is not like he was drafted for insurance.

Lamont Jordan - what did he do in New York except for sharing some carries in his last year of contract? More importantly, did the Jets think he was the long-term solution? Not really. Curtis Martin was 30+, yet the Jets did not choose to match the offer by Oakland. His somewhat success in Oakland has nothing to do with the Jets long=term investment plans.

Travis Henry - was an absolute diamond in the rough. He was a stallion for all those fantasy teams who owned him. Well, what happened with the McGahee the first round pick in 2003? Was Travis Henry hurt? No. Wait a minute, McGahee was hurt and he was hurt real bad. Yet the Bills spent a 1st rounder on him and put him on the field as soon as he was healthy and that was the end of Travis Henry. That was the end. Henry catching on with Titans or now a late first round fantasy pick has nothing to do with the Bills perception of Travis Henry.

Clinton Portis - is a guy I have man love for. He is an absolute beast. Nevertheless, despite all his success, did Shanahan think he was pivotal for future? No. Denver jumped on the trigger faster than lightning in a deal the year Portis was about to be needed to sign a long-term contract. Instead of investing in Portis, he wanted to invest even more money at the time (correct me if I am wrong when I say way way more money) in the shut-down corner and at-the-time moneywise disgruntled Champ Bailey. I think this was a great deal for both parties, but that is not the point here. Portis was not the long-term investment. At the time, people were joking at the boards that if Shanny put them on the field, heck they could run for a 1000+ yards with Denver.

Same thing with Tatum Bell (though not mentioned here)... shipped away fast again for another DB.

Deshaun Foster - was a groomed to start right after Stephen Davis which he did. Starting with the following year, Carolina invested a 2nd and then a 1st rounder on Shelton and D Williams. That should be enough for how much stock the Panthers have for their long-term plans.

MJD - does not have much that tells me that the Jaguars have him as their go to guy. It is not like Del Rio will make Fred Taylor sit or not look at long and hard on Greg Jones. We just do not know yet.

So all in all, the point OZ is making is that investing in a 2nd rounder has moderately paid off for a fantasy team. I do not deny this. If you waited long enough, half the time your guy caught success, and even long-term success, but probably with another team than the one that drafted him. Or as in the case of JJones or DFoster, you are wondering about what the future hold for your guy in Dallas & Carolina, respectively.

What I am saying is what ITaylor is saying. NFL teams have a game plan that is different. They want to achieve their goal of getting to the playoffs and then to the Superbowl. Since the beginning of this millenium, there is almost not a single 2nd round pick the drafting team has invested long and hard enough to groom him for their future.

Therefore, I am saying is that the logic behind the Titans having invested two second rounders the last two years and therefore one of them need to be the guy for the future is flawed. History shows the Titans will care less about their investment. The history also shows there is a bigger chance that these dudes may be traded for other needs.

Hence, if Fisher can find a hot guy who will help the team win, he will not care if he is a one year gap or a franchise RB. He will just ride him. He will not care about future development of his 2nd round picks unless the Titans fall out from contention or unless he can not find that hot guy.

When I talk about that river in Egypt, I am talking about fantasy owners betting Fisher will groom either Henry or White just because the team has thought highly of them at the time of the draft and has invested a 2nd round pick in them. Not gonna happen. Not until they prove to be a guy that will help them win games.

 

[Q-Bert]

Chirs Brown in 2004-2005: 92 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TD per gameTravis Henry in 2006: 92 yards from scrimmage and 0.5 TD per game :(

So you're saying that we should pencil in 92 yards from scrimage and 0.5 TD per game for whoever the starter is in Ten this year? Very good point though. The Ten RB situation has produced reasonably successful running backs for three seasons in a row. If I felt that the team believed in any of the three guys on their roster I would feel confident in draftin one of them as a RB3 who could start in a pinch. I just don't see that any of these guys are going to get it done this year.

 

[JAA]

The motivating LenDale theory is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing i've ever read on these boards.If getting the starting job isn't enough to motivate a player a team isn't going to waste a 2nd round pick + sign a guy for 1.8 million for the sole purpose of motivating their previous 2nd round pick who they don't have much financial investment in.I've seen some doozies on here, but the spending money and wasting picks to motivate another 2nd round pick has to take the cake.

seriouslythe dude was handed ... HANDED ... the starting job and he shows up to camp overweight and outtashape?:rofl:

 

[Banger]

Chris Brown without a doubt will be feature back for the Titans next year. Then it's on to M. Turner from 08 on....

 

[BigJim®]

The motivating LenDale theory is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing i've ever read on these boards.If getting the starting job isn't enough to motivate a player a team isn't going to waste a 2nd round pick + sign a guy for 1.8 million for the sole purpose of motivating their previous 2nd round pick who they don't have much financial investment in.I've seen some doozies on here, but the spending money and wasting picks to motivate another 2nd round pick has to take the cake.

seriouslythe dude was handed ... HANDED ... the starting job and he shows up to camp overweight and outtashape?:rofl:

 

[VICK-tory]

More on this three-headed monster. Draft-sharks hammers on Brown relentlessly,

Titans RB Chris Brown is eager to prove he can be the starter over LenDale White and Chris Henry. Brown was just re-signed last week after being released early in free agency. "I can't do too much talking," Brown said. "I just have got to go out there and show them, leave no doubt in their minds. That's how I have to look at it." We're skeptical. Most sites believe this Brown signing is a slam on LenDale White, but we're hearing from Titans sources it's actually a hedge on Chris Henry. Either way, Brown has a bum left toe that's been flaring up since 2003, plus two ankle surgeries, a broken hand, and other shoulder and hammy problems. There's a reason Tennessee let him walk the streets this spring.

http://draftsharks.fanengine.com/content.php/news/list

 

[cstu]

More on this three-headed monster. Draft-sharks hammers on Brown relentlessly,

Titans RB Chris Brown is eager to prove he can be the starter over LenDale White and Chris Henry. Brown was just re-signed last week after being released early in free agency. "I can't do too much talking," Brown said. "I just have got to go out there and show them, leave no doubt in their minds. That's how I have to look at it." We're skeptical. Most sites believe this Brown signing is a slam on LenDale White, but we're hearing from Titans sources it's actually a hedge on Chris Henry. Either way, Brown has a bum left toe that's been flaring up since 2003, plus two ankle surgeries, a broken hand, and other shoulder and hammy problems. There's a reason Tennessee let him walk the streets this spring.

http://draftsharks.fanengine.com/content.php/news/list

The reason they let him go is because he can't stay healthy and wanted a multi-year contract, not because he can't run the ball. When he settled for a one-year deal then I'm sure the team was happy to get him back. They wouldn't re-sign him for that kind of money (not a lot, but not chump change) if they didn't think he'd contribute much this year. Brown is the only proven RB they have right since I don't think anyone in the Titans organization really knows what they have in White or Henry. Either one could emerge as the star but I don't think the Titans wanted to take the chance.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I did a search for "upright" and found this thread.

August 21, 2007, 13:45Titans :: RBTitans RB C. Brown Leaving Competition BehindTerry McCormick, Nashville City Paper - [Full Article]Tennessee RB Chris Brown hasn't officially been named the starting running back, but he's well out in front of the pack and has been given a strong endorsement from RB coach Sherman Smith. "I think it's Chris Brown. This guy is showing that he's been consistent." said Smith, who also said of RB LenDale White, "We've had two preseason games, and LenDale hasn't played in one of them. That kind of puts him in a position where you can't say you're competing for a starting job if you're not practicing and not playing.

 

[gman8343]

I did a search for "upright" and found this thread.

 

[RalphMouth]

I did a search for "upright" and found this thread.

August 21, 2007, 13:45Titans :: RBTitans RB C. Brown Leaving Competition BehindTerry McCormick, Nashville City Paper - [Full Article]Tennessee RB Chris Brown hasn't officially been named the starting running back, but he's well out in front of the pack and has been given a strong endorsement from RB coach Sherman Smith. "I think it's Chris Brown. This guy is showing that he's been consistent." said Smith, who also said of RB LenDale White, "We've had two preseason games, and LenDale hasn't played in one of them. That kind of puts him in a position where you can't say you're competing for a starting job if you're not practicing and not playing.

thanks for the info- CB is a nice later round pick as Tenn has a good O-line

 

[joffer]

but it's Lendale's job to eat lose???

 

[Colin Dowling]

I think Lendale is at the end of the line, and I've been as big a supporter as anyone. HE was held out last week against the Pats even though he ran before the game. Fisher had decided to start Henry regardless of Lendale's status. For being so awesome in college, I think that White may actually be battling for a roster spot since both Gather and Moore have been playing out of their minds in camp while Lendale has been on the bench. At some juncture - which we are past - Lendale needs to rub some Ben Gay on whatever ails him and get to work. As it is now, I imagine he'd start the season inactive. It is my well-informed opinion that Lendale will need to play out of his mind the next two weeks to sniff any snaps during the season. Could it happen? Certianly Will it? I'm beginning to lean towards a "no" bet.

For Fantasy, all 3 are dogs right now. Seriously, I'd take Henry in dynasty leagues as RB 4 or 5 (AP, Lynch, Jackson, Booker/Henry, Henry/Booker, Irons, Bush) but otherwise I'd steer clear.

 

[3C's]

I think Lendale is at the end of the line, and I've been as big a supporter as anyone. HE was held out last week against the Pats even though he ran before the game. Fisher had decided to start Henry regardless of Lendale's status. For being so awesome in college, I think that White may actually be battling for a roster spot since both Gather and Moore have been playing out of their minds in camp while Lendale has been on the bench. At some juncture - which we are past - Lendale needs to rub some Ben Gay on whatever ails him and get to work. As it is now, I imagine he'd start the season inactive. It is my well-informed opinion that Lendale will need to play out of his mind the next two weeks to sniff any snaps during the season. Could it happen? Certianly Will it? I'm beginning to lean towards a "no" bet.

For Fantasy, all 3 are dogs right now. Seriously, I'd take Henry in dynasty leagues as RB 4 or 5 (AP, Lynch, Jackson, Booker/Henry, Henry/Booker, Irons, Bush) but otherwise I'd steer clear.

typo I assume. I could use a crazy shot to the arm like Henry stealing the starting gig.