Philip Rivers

[DMD]

Philip Rivers comes off a career best year with 4254 yards and he's topped 4000 yards for two straight seasons while averaging 32 touchcdowns per season. Those are elite numbers to be sure but this year Rivers has been going in several different places in various drafts.

 

Both Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeill are holding out and may not play at all this year. LaDainian Tomlinson is also gone.

 

Then again, Ryan Mathews could be like LT of old and catch the ball as well. Macolm Floyd could step up and fill at least some of the void left by Jackon. If Rivers truly is a good QB, won't he just figure out how to remain productive? Look at Romo last year without Terrell Owens. Antonio Gates is still there. Darren Sproles too.

 

Where does he fall in your eyes?

[Scooby's Hubby]

Sure Vincent Jackson is leaving. However, that creates a question mark for the opposing defense. With no 'go-to-guy', opposing defenses will have to guess more, and it is difficult for a defense to cover both Gates and Mathews at the same time.

 

Rivers has not changed one bit, just his supporting cast. And really, SD improves at RB position with Mathews & TE Gates is now feeling 100%. At WR, inexperience could lead to a few more INT's but let's not start categorizing Rivers with Tier 3 QBs. This guy has become a proven winner in a short time. I still have Rivers near the bottom of the top 7 QBs.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Scooby's Hubby

[BeeR]

Nice recap by scooby; I'll just agree w/that on all counts. Jackson is good but not amazing. McNeil is a much bigger loss and my only real concern. I'd let him fall a bit more than otherwise but not much.

[TheAdonis2010]

got him as the 2nd pick in round 5 of a 12 team league (pick 50 overall) he was the 8th qb taken and I was just going to get 3 lesser qbs like alex smith, stafford,henne and juggle them but i think there is a huge dropoff after rivers and couldnt pass him up. I think the production and stats will drop some but should still be a top 10 qb by seasons end

 

my other options i considered at this pick were j.finley but i felt a big more comfortable with a solid qb rather than a solid te at this point in the draft

 

team after 5 rounds (ap,roddy,miles,jahvid best,philip rivers)

[darin3]

No thanks. There are oodles of other QBs I'd rather have.

[Rovers]

I just don't trust the SD O line or the WR's. In a draft I just finished (12 team) Rivers went at 4.4 and I went E Manning at 7.11. Last year Rivers scored 380, 32 points better than Manning in this scoring system (6pt/td, performance). Even if Rivers outscores Manning by 70 points this year, I'll get those points back with the players I drafted in the 4th through 6th rounds easilly, and then some.

 

He lost his best WR. His LT will play... maybe. I think his numbers will drop this year, especailly if Mathews continues to run the ball well. I'm not sure Mathews preseason success translates into the regular season though, as teams aren't even installing game plans until week 3 of the preseason. With no VJ, a safety has one less thing to worry about, and can be put on Gates. Floyd and Nanee won't scare defensice backfields. Maybe they should play Sproles in the slot.

 

Picking at 1.11, if I wanted Rivers, I'd have to have used my 3.11 on him... vs. 7.11 for Manning. Rivers isn't P Manning, Rodgers Brees or even Brady, QB's worth a very early pick. Call them teir one QB's, and my 2nd teir is a short list... Scahuab, Romo and Favre. His ADP is QB7. I think that's too high, and people will jump even that ADP.

 

No thanks.

[MTSuper7]

No thanks. There are oodles of other QBs I'd rather have.

 

+1000

[Capt. Stanky]

I have Rivers in a deep keeper league, so the optomist in me wants to believe that he will still thrive without his top WR and his probowl caliber blindside protector. I think it really depends on how Ryan Mathews performs. If he comes out of the gate on fire then it will force defenses to respect the run. If Mathews sputters teams will focus on stopping the passing game. Personally, I think Ryan Mathews, barring injury is going to have a great year, but I am a Rivers owner, so take this with a grain of salt.

[Riffraff]

I just took him mid 3rd round of an 18 team league, so I gues that would be the 4th round for other leagues. The analogy I used was when Brees didn't have Colston, did people drop Brees down the charts substantially? Nope, Bress just threw it to the scrubs Henderson and Meachem and was just fine. I feel the same way about Rivers. He isn't a "lock on the #1 WR" type QB. He spreads the ball around so much that I think he'll still be upper tier.

[Avernus]

I just took him mid 3rd round of an 18 team league, so I gues that would be the 4th round for other leagues. The analogy I used was when Brees didn't have Colston, did people drop Brees down the charts substantially? Nope, Bress just threw it to the scrubs Henderson and Meachem and was just fine. I feel the same way about Rivers. He isn't a "lock on the #1 WR" type QB. He spreads the ball around so much that I think he'll still be upper tier.

 

 

that's more like 4th round...still a reach imo...I would have waited another round and see if he was still there...

[Riffraff]

that's more like 4th round...still a reach imo...I would have waited another round and see if he was still there...

Guy drafting 2 spots behind me was supposedly going to take him. Next round would have been about 30 more picks. Definitely gone.

[darin3]

I just took him mid 3rd round of an 18 team league, so I gues that would be the 4th round for other leagues. The analogy I used was when Brees didn't have Colston, did people drop Brees down the charts substantially? Nope, Bress just threw it to the scrubs Henderson and Meachem and was just fine. I feel the same way about Rivers. He isn't a "lock on the #1 WR" type QB. He spreads the ball around so much that I think he'll still be upper tier.

Problem is, Rivers' WRs are actually scrubs... whereas Brees' "other" options were/are actually decent WRs.

 

We'll see how/if Floyd can step up, and if the guy from Star Wars can actually get it done.

[Avernus]

Problem is, Rivers' WRs are actually scrubs... whereas Brees' "other" options were/are actually decent WRs.

 

We'll see how/if Floyd can step up, and if the guy from Star Wars can actually get it done.

 

 

who is this Star Wars guy you speak of?....the only player in the NFL that is from Star Wars is Mike Sims-Walker

[BearBroncos]

+1000

 

+1001

[nimal]

Dont know why people are acting as if Rivers lost Gates this offseason....Gates has always been his number 1 option not Vjax. Vjax has never been a 9 catch 120 guy, hes a 5 catch 120 guy...and that means just a deep threat. Nanee I feel should be able to fit pretty well in Vjax's role. The only thing concerning me as a Rivers owner is the loss of the blocker.....that could and probably will hurt him a bit....

 

Still all in all, Rivers scheudle is a joke and I think will still end the season a Top 5 QB despite what he is missing...

 

Brees

Manning

Rodgers

Romo

Rivers

 

Schuab

Brady

[gsxunv04]

You all think Naanee will produce more than Floyd?

[Rovers]

Dont know why people are acting as if Rivers lost Gates this offseason....Gates has always been his number 1 option not Vjax. Vjax has never been a 9 catch 120 guy, hes a 5 catch 120 guy...and that means just a deep threat. Nanee I feel should be able to fit pretty well in Vjax's role. The only thing concerning me as a Rivers owner is the loss of the blocker.....that could and probably will hurt him a bit....

 

Still all in all, Rivers scheudle is a joke and I think will still end the season a Top 5 QB despite what he is missing...

 

Brees

Manning

Rodgers

Romo

Rivers

 

Schuab

Brady

 

Now way is Rivers teir one this year.

Rodgers

Manning

Brees

 

Brady

Schaub

Romo

 

Rivers

E Manning

and a few others

[nimal]

Now way is Rivers teir one this year.

Rodgers

Manning

Brees

 

Brady

Schaub

Romo

 

Rivers

E Manning

and a few others

 

Dont like Brady's schedule, an aging less motivated Moss and potential question mark that was his best receiver in Welker....

 

I would take Rivers over Brady....the others I can agree with...

[Chargerz]

You all think Naanee will produce more than Floyd?

No.

[bankerboy]

Dont like Brady's schedule, an aging less motivated Moss and potential question mark that was his best receiver in Welker....

 

I would take Rivers over Brady....the others I can agree with...

 

If I recall correctly, both Brady and Moss are playing for a new contract....sounds like extra motivation...not less.

[bostonsoxandy]

If I recall correctly, both Brady and Moss are playing for a new contract....sounds like extra motivation...not less.

 

Well Brady will get his contract....there is no way the Pats don't pay him top dollar and there is no way the Pats let him go either so....

[bostonsoxandy]

Besides, Rivers MADE VJax not the other way around. His No. 1 Favorite option is still their in Gates and the running game is improved this year...

[McBoog]

For what it is worth, in a non-PPR last year, he was a top ten scorer and in a PPR league he was # 25.

 

Gates is healthy this year, he hasn't been for two years. If anything, I haven't see the Chargers stretch the field as much this pre-season. I think yards could drop some with more completions in the mid-range with a stronger running commitment/production. TDs will probably be around the same and he will continue to spread it out to 5-7 receivers a game.

 

Turner and Hunter will scheme as they have everywhere else to protect Rivers blind side and Dombrowski has been very good against some of the better ends the first few games.

 

I think it is all a wash compared to last year and he will have an equivalent season. He is the type of guy that will get it done one way or another.

 

BTW - Naanee will be a steal for whoever gets him this year.

 

ETA:

 

Look for more of the balance you saw from three years ago and more of a Turneresque Cowboys style (when he was there) and when Frank Gore broke out under him. Mathews could have a HUGH year for a rook!

Edited August 28, 2010 by McBoog

[Tyler]

I was so so on Rivers entering this year didnt mind if I got him but wasnt planning on getting him. I dont worry about Jackson at all because I think he is one of the most overrated wideouts in the game. I worry more about the left tackle but, I do think that situation will work out. I was planning on getting Cutler and another cheaper QB late in the auction but, Rivers kept slipping and slipping. I had my main starters/back ups and some extra cash toward the end of the auction so I was estatic to get him for only $15 considering all of the QB rated above him went in the $30 range or more. I actually was a second away from getting him at $8 but, one owner refused and kept bidding me up. All in all I think Rivers will put up similar numbers maybe a little less than last year and yes he is an elite NFL QB.

[gsmayes]

I ended up with Rivers in both the leagues I've drafted so far: 5.09 in one, then at the 4-12/5.01 turn in the other. I have Rivers as my last solid starting QB before you have to go with a committee approach. Personally, I think VJax was overrated and Rivers will be fine this year.