WRs and "Size Concerns" - Yay or Nay? (1 Viewer)

[massraider]

Once we start drafting 5'9, 180 pound "scrappy, strong for his size, plays bigger than he is" types, I'm out. I'll take the RB/QB/TE.

I think you can get into a spot where guys this size are useful, but aren't difference makers, and you can always trade for those fantasy numbers.

 

[Ilov80s]

Do you give stock to WR size in 2023?

Not as much as maybe 5 years ago. Devante Smith is tiny, yet a stud. There's a place for the little guy

Smith is thin but he’s plenty tall/long. I think I’m less worried about weight and more worries about these Rondale types who are built more like 3rd down backs. The lack of length is worrisome. I think Wandale and Rondale types can be successful, it just requires a coach to use them in a very specific way.

I've always thought Rondale Moore is playing wrong position. He should be a 3rd down RB. He could be a true gamebreaker there, as a WR he's got a hell of a time getting off the line, but he looks very good whenever he does. His true value would be as a poor man's Austin Ekeler.

Yep I’ve said since his draft year that he should be used in a Sproles role. Seems obviously honestly.

 

[wgoldsph]

So what I'm getting from this whole thread is I shouldn't draft Achane?

 

[travdogg]

So what I'm getting from this whole thread is I shouldn't draft Achane?

Or that he'll be an excellent value pick because of the people avoiding him.

I've got Achane 1.6 (RB3) in my rankings.

 

[wgoldsph]

So what I'm getting from this whole thread is I shouldn't draft Achane?

Or that he'll be an excellent value pick because of the people avoiding him.

I've got Achane 1.6 (RB3) in my rankings.

I've been flipping around the 3rd tier of rbs (Bijan and Gibbs get their own tiers) on my ranks all summer long. Trade back and let the last remaining one fall to me seems to be the best option.

 

[jm192]

I've talked about this a ton in some of the small receiver threads.

I used to really covet the 6'3 220 build. If you weren't that, you were knocked down a point for each inch below that. 5'10 is laughable. 5'8? Get out of here.

The NFL has changed. These smaller dudes can succeed now. "Small" isn't a death sentence for their fantasy value.

Keep in mind when looking for comps--you've got to go to the Combine to get their real height. Tyreke Hill is listed as 5'10 on every website: Wikipedia, ESPN, Yahoo, Rotoworld, NFL.Com, etc. If you dig his combine measurments back up--he was 5'8.

Jaylen Waddle was 5'9 and change.

Devonta Smith's weight/BMI was supposed to keep him from having a fantasy impact.

Now, you're gonna say "Those dudes are elite talents though." Sure they are. And a lot of 5'8/5'9 guys are going to fail. That said, a lot of 6'2 and 6'3 guys don't pan out, either.

I think the take away is: You don't eliminate a guy for his size. If the rest of his game is going to put him in a position to have fantasy success--don't write him off simply due to being too short or too skinny.

Now I'm not telling you that I never have pause over a guy's size. But it's calmed down a lot compared to 3-4 years ago. There's probably a limit. Tutu Atwell at 155 Lbs still makes me think we're probably too far out from under the bell curve.

 

[travdogg]

So what I'm getting from this whole thread is I shouldn't draft Achane?

Or that he'll be an excellent value pick because of the people avoiding him.

I've got Achane 1.6 (RB3) in my rankings.

I've been flipping around the 3rd tier of rbs (Bijan and Gibbs get their own tiers) on my ranks all summer long. Trade back and let the last remaining one fall to me seems to be the best option.

I can get that. Though truthfully my tier is just Achane (who could also be a tier of his own) and Charbonnet. I personally don't think guys like Kendre Miller or Roschon Johnson are very talented, in fact I'd probably have Miller a tier below Roschon with guys like Chase Brown, Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby.

I kinda feel like I might be driving the Achane bandwagon though, which isn't surprising as I'm very much on the size really doesn't matter train.

 

[wgoldsph]

So what I'm getting from this whole thread is I shouldn't draft Achane?

Or that he'll be an excellent value pick because of the people avoiding him.

I've got Achane 1.6 (RB3) in my rankings.

I've been flipping around the 3rd tier of rbs (Bijan and Gibbs get their own tiers) on my ranks all summer long. Trade back and let the last remaining one fall to me seems to be the best option.

I can get that. Though truthfully my tier is just Achane (who could also be a tier of his own) and Charbonnet. I personally don't think guys like Kendre Miller or Roschon Johnson are very talented, in fact I'd probably have Miller a tier below Roschon with guys like Chase Brown, Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby.

I kinda feel like I might be driving the Achane bandwagon though, which isn't surprising as I'm very much on the size really doesn't matter train.

Miller, to me at least, looks like your traditional 2 down back. His biggest knock is he might not get more than 20 targets. Situation is what bumps him into the 3rd tier in my book, Kamara looked toast when he was on the field and there's a good shot he won't be.

 

[rockaction]

in fact I'd probably have Miller a tier below Roschon with guys like Chase Brown, Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby.

What's curious is you have fourth round draft capital that didn't test off the charts ahead of three third rounders and that you've lumped a fifth rounder in there with those guys.

I mean, to each their own, but this hardly seems like a good reading of the tea leaves.

 

[travdogg]

in fact I'd probably have Miller a tier below Roschon with guys like Chase Brown, Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby.

What's curious is you have fourth round draft capital that didn't test off the charts ahead of three third rounders and that you've lumped a fifth rounder in there with those guys.

I mean, to each their own, but this hardly seems like a good reading of the tea leaves.

Draft capital is a little overrated in my eyes. Roschon has the least proven talent ahead of him. I like Herbert, but he's likely not on the level of guys like Kamara, Mixon, Etienne, or especially Henry.

If I were ranking on just talent, I'd have Spears at the top of that group, but he's behind Henry, and may not contribute at all this season. I'd have Bigsby 2nd, but Etienne is a solid (though overrated in my eyes) player who has at least 2 more years in Jacksonville. In my opinion, Miller is the least talented of the group (despite his draft capital) and is likely 3rd on the depth chart. I have Miller as a mid-2nd round dynasty pick, and it completely blows my mind when I see him going in the top-6 overall.

What's really strange to me, is that I think Achane is more talented than any of those guys, and has less competition, and yet gets lumped in with them. Which brings us back to the whole size issue, and it being overblown in my opinion.

 

[Biabreakable]

I know I have talked about a really nice analysis of this for all positions several times here before. It was a real eye opener for me is why. On my phone right now so sorry no link and it's pretty old by now anyways, about 10 years ago.

Anyhow the analysis found that certain combine measurements including height and weight mattered differently for different positions. Including defensive positions as well.

Except for one position which was WR where none of the metrics had strong correlation to the relative success of those players careers.

Conclusion?

Route running, ability to separate and good hands much more important for this position than metrics are.

 

[LawFitz]

Size alone doesn't tell the story. A player could be short like Tyreek, but still not be small (look at dude's neck). Or he could be short and small(ish) but have the heart and toughness of a lion, a la HOF Steve Smiff or Honey Badger as a DB counterpart that comes immediately to mind. Some players are skinny, but skinny strong, like Randy Moss or a more recent example for me is the drunken Raider who shall not be named, but is about to serve 3+ years for being a stupid ****. ARB is another dude who is small(ish) but strong like bull. And then there's also the aspect of being so lightning quick, agile and fast that it doesn't matter if you aren't the biggest or strongest like prime DJax or some of the latest scrawny no brawnies like Devonte Smith and Jameo Williams.

Bottom line is there are all sorts of flavors of elite WR play, and if we think back long and hard enough there always were. Cliff Branch was a 5 foot something, 100 and something dude who had trouble catching the ball, but still lit up and changed the league in his day - a half century ago.

 

[Bri]

Do you give stock to WR size in 2023?
Does it matter to you at all? A bit? A lot?

Where are you on the spectrum of it being a concern in big 2023 and beyond and how does it affect the way you draft?

Me , personally.... Used to be a pretty big concern. I was a "draft the prototype" guy, for maybe too long. Cost me some WRs that I was huge on in college that I passed on in the NFL. I didn't go with my gut, and I didn't read the trends properly.

Now? I'm taking my guy whether he's 160pnds or 190 or 220. If he's a baller, the size barely matters to me.

What say you?

Probably similar but that developed a radar here- I know (and am wrong 🙃) which ones are worth the risk and which aren't

 

[finfansteve]

This whole thread has me thinking about charbonnet vs achane and who might be the 3rd rb in this class. My past favors Charbonnets size bit common sense tells me Achane. I’ll let camp tell me who to draft if they are both still on the board when I pick but I can see arguments for both