Treff's Rb rankings 2014

[TKOSpikes]

Why do people think the Broncos can't be as good? I think they can be better! Maybe not 56 TD passes, but guess who takes away some of those? That's right, the Ball carrier! Everyone with another year under their belt in the Peyton system can only mean better execution. Losing Decker does absolutely nothing to this offense.

 

[wilwhite]

Losing Decker does absolutely nothing to this offense.

I don't think that's true. Decker was a bright guy which I suspect helps most in the mid-range routes - and the kind of guy Peyton appreciates. Not gonna gut the offense obviously, but it will have a little impact.

I'd be shocked if Peyton doesn't have 40+ TDs anyway.

And, to the big point: it's not like there are RBs out there on a better offense.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

With Ball you just have to look back over Manning's career and realize RB's in his offense are fantasy gold. In the 2000's the top RB for fantasy points was of course LT. After him though was actually Edgerrin James. No RB will face easier boxes than that of one playing with Peyton. Last year I think close to 70% of the snaps the Broncos faced 6 or fewer in the box. Moreno did good but not great in these situations. Ball over the 2nd half of the season was actually the better runner of the two. Have to think in year 2 Ball will be even better as that is the year most players make the biggest leap in playing ability. Throw in the Broncos did increase the OL with Clady coming back and moving Franklin inside to give the Broncos now the biggest Inside OL players in the league.

How do you explain Addai? He was pretty terrible on mannings team. Edge was a very good back and Moreno can catch it out of the backfield. Ball is more of a bruiser and not much of a receiver. I think that hurts him a lot in mannings offense. I don't disagree that ball will be a good back, I'm just playing devils advocate and poking holes in your theory.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

The Broncos like Ball as both a runner and a pass-catcher, and they like him at the goal line. He's young, as far as I can tell he's never missed a game, and Peyton now trusts him.

I think only injury or fumbles could keep him below 250 FF points; 275 is probably a better guess.

Is ball a good pass catcher? I seem to remember people saying that was his weakness.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Throw in broncos have said they plan on running more this season than last.

Yeah, I don't believe this. Manning will run when the defense is clearly playing the pass. The broncos will run when manning calls for it. The coaches will just supply him with run and pass options.

 

[TREFF]

I'd have to double check. . But off the top of my head Addai was a pretty darn good fantasy back for a 3-4 year stretch

Edited. . Double checked. .3 of 4 year stretch. .7 tds, 10, 12 tds..2 1000 yard seasons. . Not the greatest fantasy back, but not bad either.

Than injuries piled up and he lost his edge

 

[wilwhite]

In all three seasons where he played at least 15 games with Peyton, Addai was a top-10 fantasy RB.

In 2007 he was top-3.

After 2 catches in his first nine games last season, Ball had 18 in his last 7 (as a non-starter).

 

[cdumler7]

How do you explain Addai? He was pretty terrible on mannings team. Edge was a very good back and Moreno can catch it out of the backfield. Ball is more of a bruiser and not much of a receiver. I think that hurts him a lot in mannings offense. I don't disagree that ball will be a good back, I'm just playing devils advocate and poking holes in your theory.

Others have already said but Addai is not as bad as you make him out to be here. First 2 years with the team he rushed for over a thousand yards (one of those he didn't even start a single game) and actually was a pretty darn good fantasy back scoring a decent number of touchdowns. Injuries though really hurt him and then later he just struggled with conditioning. Not much Manning can do to help with those 2 things.

Ball struggled at the beginning of the year as a pass catcher. I think some of that is most RB's coming out of college are not the greatest receivers as they are not asked to play that role as much. He also struggled at the beginning of the year trying to learn the offense (this was in both pass and rushing). A Manning lead offense is very cerebral so if you can't get that down then you are going to struggle. I think he was thinking too much for the first 8 games. After that though he actually did pretty decent catching the ball. It is also said that there were 3 things he worked on this off season...Conditioning (wants to be ready to handle the load for a full season), Pass blocking technique, and catching the football. Media at the Broncos OTA's were left impressed with Ball's receiving skills as he made some very difficult catches that last year he was dropping.

We shall see though. He is definitely getting very hyped up at the moment and probably won't live quite up to where he is expected but there are a lot of positives to his game and to his situation that I think he stands a very good chance to be a top-10 Fantasy back if not top-5 like Moreno was last year.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Good stuff per norm gents. I could see Ball falling in the top 10. Probably put him in the 10-15 range as of right now.

 

[cdumler7]

Just to get off the Ball train for a while a guy that I really like that you don't have in your top-10 is that of Alfred Morris. Had a drop off this past season just a bit from his rookie year but I think a lot of that has to do with getting 50 less carries while also having an injured RGIII. Now that RGIII is healthy and really there are quite a few weapons around him now I could see some easier running room for Morris than what last season offered. I see him as that potential 1,500 yard rusher with at least 10 touchdowns like he was his rookie year again.

 

[TREFF]

Just to get off the Ball train for a while a guy that I really like that you don't have in your top-10 is that of Alfred Morris. Had a drop off this past season just a bit from his rookie year but I think a lot of that has to do with getting 50 less carries while also having an injured RGIII. Now that RGIII is healthy and really there are quite a few weapons around him now I could see some easier running room for Morris than what last season offered. I see him as that potential 1,500 yard rusher with at least 10 touchdowns like he was his rookie year again.

Know I don't like Alf all that much? He's not the best RB on his team, yet he's the starter. Helu will, rightfully so, take enough action that Alf won't be a RB1.. but that's just my opinion

 

[cdumler7]

I guess I just don't see it. Since Morris came to town Helu has had 62 or less carries in a season. Heck there is talk that he could even lose his 3rd down role on the team as he isn't quite as dynamic as a couple of the guys they brought in.


Now I will say new coaching staff leaves things up in the air a bit with him as he was a perfect fit for a Shannahan lead offense but might not be as much for a Gruden lead offense. I still though like his chances of seeing easier boxes with a more dynamic passing game this year. Throw in RGIII being healthier leaving teams to have to worry about him taking off. Morris is hurt in the fact that he is a horrible receiving RB in the league but his work around the goal line is hard to pass up.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Man, I need to catch up. I though Shannahan was still in Washington. I was going to say that you never draft Shannahan ruining backs.

 

[TKOSpikes]

Helu's work, or lack there of, has nothing to do with his talent. He was injured (I believe for a while), for a time, and didn't really get the time deserved under Shananigans. In the same breath, Alf is not a horrible receiving RB. He was just painted that way and wasn't given a shot. All that being said, if Alf is given 3-down duty, I would have him in the top 10 too, but I don't see much of a change in usage from last year for either... I believe the only difference in Morris' two seasons is the TD factor, so can't really predict that, therefore I like the ranking... but I'm not as high on Helu as Treff (I don't think any of us are).

 

[TKOSpikes]

I might add, I was very anti-Morris in his rookie year, continuing to say he won't keep this up... and he did. Nothing that he did last year changed his value, IMO. The offense as a whole suffered, therefore he didn't see many endzones... I guess that's up to RG3.

 

[TREFF]

Lol.. no, no one around here is as high on ol'Roy as I am. But you hit it in the head. .Helu entered the year two seasons ago as the nearly undisputed starter, got injured in camp and Alf was adequate in his absence. The Shannahan's never really gave him another shot at it since then. I look at this new regime as a shot for things to shake out as they should, Helu the main guy, Alf as a short yardage/goal line socialist. But I'm realistic enough to understand that won't happen. . As the incumbent, he'll have a big advantage. . And he's not quite bad enough to lose the job without doing something to cause it. .ie.. fumbling issues, bad blitz pick ups, etc..

 

[wilwhite]

Alf as a short yardage/goal line socialist

Now THAT's a unique role.