Anybody think Jahvid Best is this Year's Ray Rice?

[splotchman]

Interested in hearing if folks think that Jahvid Best is going to break out similarly to Ray Rice last year in PPR leagues. Last year Rice was ranking about 15-20 about this time of year and ended up top 3-4 in most PPR scoring formats.

 

Clearly Best's line is not nearly as good as the Raven's, but he does have some nice receiving + rushing combo potential.

 

Any thoughts in the confidence level folks have in Best as a solid RB2?

Edited August 25, 2010 by splotchman

[MoOnshine22]

Hmm, Best is nearly impossible to breakdown right now. I do, though, think Kevin Smith will be a bigger factor than people think. I think the Lions will be heavily-oriented on the pass this year (successfully), so Best will see a good amount of catches, but I don't think he'll put up numbers anything near Rice. Best gave me headaches everytime I thought of fantasy football so I just traded him hahaaa

[kpholmes]

Which question do you want answered?

 

Is Best the Ray Rice of last year in PPR leagues?

 

No.

 

Is Best a solid RB2?

 

Possibly.

Edited August 25, 2010 by kpholmes

[cvbfantasyfootball]

I think the Lions will ride him like a mule all season long. I think Ray Rice numbers are very possible.

[kpholmes]

I think the Lions will ride him like a mule all season long. I think Ray Rice numbers are very possible.

 

 

At 5'10"/200Lbs Jahvid Best is not a mule running back. And if you're drafting him to be one,

[MoOnshine22]

^ So you think that's going to happen again? Freak injuries are the injuries you don't expect to happen again

[jetsfan]

I am snagging Best in all of my drafts like I did Rice last year, in short, yes.

[Brentastic]

If we're comparing Best and Spiller, I'm taking Spiller.

[Go Skins]

I was just pondering this this evening while looking at last year's draft board. I took Rice in the 5th and felt great about it. I think Best has a great shot to be a solid RB2, although seems like you have to take him in the 4th. So, an RB2 in the 4th is not the same "value" as an RB1 in the 5th, like Rice was last year. In short - he could be the poor mans' Rice this year...

[Capt. Stanky]

I like Best, but I just can't see him having close to the year Rice had last year. Rice is 5'8" 205. Best is 5'10" 195. In short, Rice's short stocky build can withstand the punishment better than Best's taller slinder frame. I do think Best has special talent, but If Det trys to use him as much as Balt uses Rice I see him breaking down at some point.

[Avernus]

I was just pondering this this evening while looking at last year's draft board. I took Rice in the 5th and felt great about it. I think Best has a great shot to be a solid RB2, although seems like you have to take him in the 4th. So, an RB2 in the 4th is not the same "value" as an RB1 in the 5th, like Rice was last year. In short - he could be the poor mans' Rice this year...

 

 

I think that if you can draft Foster, Best and Charles you can end up with one of them possibly being your #1 RB

 

..and remember, Rice was sharing a lot with McGahee and he was at times putting up better numbers then Rice because he was getting majority of the GL work - it wasn't until week 5 or 6 where Rice started really flourishing...so this can apply to Charles if he is the more explosive back when compared to TJ...

[Capt. Stanky]

I think that if you can draft Foster, Best and Charles you can end up with one of them possibly being your #1 RB

 

..and remember, Rice was sharing a lot with McGahee and he was at times putting up better numbers then Rice because he was getting majority of the GL work - it wasn't until week 5 or 6 where Rice started really flourishing...so this can apply to Charles if he is the more explosive back when compared to TJ...

 

I think you're on to something with those 3. They are all boom or bust. I actually like Foster's situation the best.

[ABearWithFurniture]

JMHO but I think Best last's no more than 4-5 games and then experiences another injury like he's done year after year in the college ranks...I think he's got great skills but the Lions are going to pound him into the ground with 20-25 touches a game for the 1st month.

 

I'd give him 3 games and then try to sell him as high as possible...

[kpholmes]

JMHO but I think Best last's no more than 4-5 games and then experiences another injury like he's done year after year in the college ranks...I think he's got great skills but the Lions are going to pound him into the ground with 20-25 touches a game for the 1st month.

 

I'd give him 3 games and then try to sell him as high as possible...

 

As a Cal homer, I will tell you - Best is one of the most explosive players to watch on the field, but if he is overused, he will drop like a fly.

He is too undersized to be a premiere back, and needs to stay under 20 touches a game to keep himself healthy.

 

All gonna come down to how he is used by the Lions.

[euphy]

Ummmm no. Best will get hurt week 3. Seriously.

[Rovers]

Rice had a better O line than Best has this year. Best has that whole concussion history. Smith is still hanging around. A little too much risk for me.

 

As for drafting Best, Charles and Foster, you will hgave to burn two pretty early picks to get Best/Charles. Add Foster later, and then hope one of them is your RB1? While you had to pass on reliable players at other positions? Risky appraoch IMO. Now, if one drops... fine. but targeting those 3 is far too risky if you lack a more secure, less risky RB1.

[electricrelish]

Rice had a better O line than Best has this year. Best has that whole concussion history. Smith is still hanging around. A little too much risk for me.

 

As for drafting Best, Charles and Foster, you will hgave to burn two pretty early picks to get Best/Charles. Add Foster later, and then hope one of them is your RB1? While you had to pass on reliable players at other positions? Risky appraoch IMO. Now, if one drops... fine. but targeting those 3 is far too risky if you lack a more secure, less risky RB1.

 

You're right Rovers, but Charles, Best and Foster are three sexy picks. You get style points on draft day. You give up way too much to get that combo. It's not worth it.

[Avernus]

Rice had a better O line than Best has this year. Best has that whole concussion history. Smith is still hanging around. A little too much risk for me.

 

As for drafting Best, Charles and Foster, you will hgave to burn two pretty early picks to get Best/Charles. Add Foster later, and then hope one of them is your RB1? While you had to pass on reliable players at other positions? Risky appraoch IMO. Now, if one drops... fine. but targeting those 3 is far too risky if you lack a more secure, less risky RB1.

 

 

what you say is true, but I'm getting ready to draft in my local where I'll be taking one of these guys in the 4th round at the earliest....

[Trots]

Best is explosive while Smith is boring and predictable. Arian is, at this point, a shoe in for 1500 yards and 12-18 tds. I have no idea why he is not being drafted as a slam-dunk RB2/ RB1 - ahead of Grant, Charles, Addai, etc. Houston is explosive and Slaton is working with the kickoff return team. Seriously... draft him!

[alexgaddis]

Arian is, at this point, a shoe in for 1500 yards and 12-18 tds.

[Square]

Detroit has 3 running backs so I really don't think that Best will be over-used that much. Maurice Morris actually did fairly well when pushed to the #1 spot in Detroit last year. Ksmith has plenty of people thinking he will bounce back ahead of schedule from his injury. I'm not in love with Best as much as many of you because I think he is being drafted to high on a throwing team that will probably be playing from behind a good portion of the time (Detroit's secondary is shaky at best). So he will be good, but his touches will be limited IMO and the Lions can usually only run the ball so much because they get into shoot outs with good teams.

[Bronco Billy]

Kevin Smith and Marice Morris were both getting 1st half work vs DEN while Best was still in the game

 

I don't see Best as being capable of being a bell cow, and I don't think the DET coaches see it either. He may put up some decent RB3 numbers, but I can't see him performing as anything better than a midrange RB2 under optimal circumstances and given his ADP I think htere are other RBs in that area of the draft with higher upside.

 

And and thinking he can hit 2009 Rice numbers this coming year.

[Bronco Billy]

 

+1

[JUMbotron]

"Anybody think Jahvid Best is this Year's Ray Rice?, In PPRs."

 

I do. I don't know about 70+ catches but yes, 1200 rushing yards and a big handful of TDs (many from 20+ yds out).

I wrote this back in mid-July when my Best itch really needed scratching:

 

The Rookie RB to watch is Jahvid Best, not Ryan Mathews.

 

As the Ryan Mathews bandwagon leaves the station, I'm standing back at the terminal... waiting for the Jahvid train. I’m all over him. Do you realize Best went off the board in the 8th round in ESPN’s staff mock on June 23rd? I plan on taking him in the 5th round if need be. Jim Schwartz traded back up into the first round of the NFL draft to get Best. Remember, Schwartz once coached against Chris Johnson every day in practice at Tennessee. He knows demonic speed & jock-dropping wiggle scores points. The ex-Titans defensive coordinator can barely contain himself either… He told SI's Michael Silver: “Some people watch adult videos on their computer. I go to YouTube and watch Jahvid Best highlight clips. That’s what gets me going.”

 

I’ve been able to garner tapes of four or five of Mathews’ games at Fresno State. Admittedly, I barely knew who he was since I don’t watch WAC games. Watching the tape, I see Mathews with good footwork, not much of a burst in pads, seems to have a good “lean” where he falls forward for an extra yard and a half. Nothing really blows me away. And it’s easy to fall forward against Utah State and Wyoming. I heard someone on Sirius liken Mathews to a “bigger version of Emmitt Smith.” I’m thinking a “smaller version of Anthony Thomas.”

 

Jahvid Best is gunpowder in cleats. Dude is sudden, man! He had 34 runs of 20+ yards in 31 career games at Cal, including 11 of 60 yards or more. I’ll never forget Best’s 19-carry/311-yard/4-TD explosion against the Huskies. Folks he left the game with 10 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, and Cal up 38-0… otherwise he smashes LaDainian Tomlinson’s Division 1-A single-game record of 406 yards!

 

The Lions have four of their original five O-line starters from opening day last year. They added veteran LG Rob Sims from Seattle too. Meanwhile, Ryan Mathews is running behind a Chargers’ O-line that frankly isn’t near what it was from 2006 to 2007. And what happens if their best offensive lineman – the disgruntled Marcus McNeill – holds out for the first 10 weeks?

 

http://www.thehuddle.com/x10/articles/jm-100716-wake-up.php

[damageinc]

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog/roto_...=fantasy-264939

 

First Down: Jahvid Best is 2010's version of Ray Rice

By Brad Evans

 

A decade ago last December, Barry Sanders performed his last trick in Detroit. Known for his mystifying cutbacks and spellbinding spin-moves, the legendary master of illusion shockingly disappeared into thin air. Though still in peak physical condition and performing at an All-Pro level at age 30, the great Houdini decided to retire his cape and wand. The Lions’ culture of losing was too much to bear.

Since Sanders’ departure, several average, generally ineffective rushers have come and gone, failing to captivate silver-clad supporters and Tecmo Bowl enthusiasts’ attention. James Stewart and Kevin Jones(notes) each amassed noteworthy seasons in 2000 and 2004 respectively, but neither was able to establish perennial consistency. Kevin Smith(notes), who coincidentally flirted with Sanders’ collegiate rushing record while at Central Florida, showed potential during his first two campaigns. Unfortunately, injuries, a general lack of pizzaz and Detroit’s record-setting futility severely hindered him – a classic case of wrong place, wrong time.

Enter Jahvid Best(notes).

The first-round pick from Cal without a doubt is the organization’s most electric rusher since Sanders. Intelligent, versatile and blazing fast – he ran the fastest 40-yard dash among RBs at the NFL combine (4.35) – Best possesses sensational skills. Over his final two seasons in Berkley, he averaged an incredible 7.6 yards per touch. He may be the primary reason why the Lions finally crawl out from the winless depths of the NFC North.

Jim Schwartz most certainly agrees.

After drafting Best 30th overall last April, the candid coach provided arguably the finest quote about a recent draftee ever. From Yahoo!’s own Michael Silver:

Best was the only other player in the draft Detroit’s brass regarded as an elite runner, and I knew Schwartz wanted him badly. In January, he’d confided to me that he coveted the dynamic breakaway threat to a degree that some might find unhealthy.

“Some people watch adult videos on their computer,” Schwartz had told me. “I go to YouTube and watch Jahvid Best highlight clips. That’s what gets me going.”

For the fantasy masses, Best’s talents and situation are unquestionably arousing. His ankle-breaking moves, between the tackles fearlessness and playbook acuity have him firmly entrenched as the Lions starter. With an emerging passing attack spearheaded by Matthew Stafford(notes) and Calvin Johnson(notes) and an improving offensive line, the rookie should yield a bounty of riches in almost every format.

Granted it’s only two preseason games, but Best has definitely looked the part, averaging 6.1 yards per touch. As Schwartz noted after Detroit’s last exhibition effort, the rookie impressively “hasn’t blinked.” The quick study has adjusted rapidly to the pro game.

Critics will argue his injury-plagued past is reason enough to circumvent the youngster in drafts. However, keep in mind Adrian Peterson and Aaron Rodgers(notes) entered the league with similar concerns. Both have proven durable. Additional contentions over Best’s unsavory Reggie Bush-labeled role, Detroit’s below average offensive line, deeply dug scoreboard holes and second-toughest RB schedule will also be voiced.

Let the naysayers talk.

Yes, Best will be used in a variety of roles. Against Denver he saw action as a slot receiver, flanker and Wildcat quarterback. Schwartz has designed plays for the explosive runner to operate in space. But unlike his New Orleans comparison, he will rack at least 18-22 touches per contest, refreshing to see in an age dominated by platoons. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan isn’t a fan of timeshares.

Based on workload alone, he will greatly exceed his current 42.2 ADP (RB19), especially in PPR formats. Drafting him ahead of Beanie Wells(notes) and Knowshon Moreno(notes) is a savvy move. This time next year, owners will be contemplating Best in the late first round. After all, he’s only an “a” short of being a BeAst.

With Best toting the load, magical feelings may soon return to Detroit.

Fearless Forecast (15 games): 228 carries, 1,048 rushing yards, 48 receptions, 394 receiving yards, 9 total touchdowns