Jump to content
[[Template core/front/custom/_customHeader is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]]

Help me understand the interest in Plaxico Burress


Recommended Posts

Every time I turn on ESPN I hear speculation as to the destination this year of Plaxico. The gist of it all seems to be that he was such a transcendent talent that at age 34, after two years away from the game, and after having been shot in the leg, that he could come back and make an impact, that he could be the final key piece for some playoff bound team which will propel them to the superbowl.

 

Here's my quandry. I thought he sucked. My memory is that he was a prima donna. A high draft choice that generated pedestrian numbers while being a distraction to his team. I thought he had physical gifts, but that he lacked concentration, inexplicably dropping easy balls and stalling drives.

 

Given my memory I looked up his stats and he was in fact more or less exactly as I remember him. His averages per year were 57 catches, 873 yards, and 7 T.D.'s. Presumably age, injury, and distance from the game would have a negative effect on those numbers, as would any adjustment to a new team or new system, and those are numbers that cannot suffer much.

 

Why waste our time, ESPN, speculating on a pedestrian player who fancies himself far more relevant than he ever was?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Burress is going to want a bigger contract since he this is probably his last one. I don't see how the Eagles can pay him what he wants for being a WR4 behind Jackson,Maclin, and Avant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no way that I will touch Burress in any draft no matter where he goes. Someone else will always want him more than I do. The only thing I can think of why Burress is even getting mentioned is that Michael Vick has returned from the slammer and been successful. But he was only 28 when he left prison. Burress is 34 years old and has not played for two years. His YPC was already in decline. It doesn't even matter that he is a knucklehead who never did much more than around 70 catches for 1000 yards per season. The only receivers who will be older than Burress this year are Terrell Owens, Derrick Mason, Donald Driver, Torry Holt and Hines Ward. Only five guys and all of them are in decline and they've all been better WR's than Burress ever was.

 

I agree - Burress is something to talk about when there is nothing else. But he's not likely worth a mention when it all starts up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I drafted Burress in one league which was a new Dynasty startup in hopes that he gives me 1 year of decent filler. He might shine for a year, but that's going to be about it. The first 6 games, I expect big things from him but after that, people will have his number and his lack of conditioning will shine through. Then, he will retire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unlike Vick, who would touch the ball on every play, being away for two years for a guy that might touch the ball 6-9 times a game is less of an risk, IMO. With so many WR weak teams, I can see someone taking a flyer on him as a red zone WR/ 3rd WR on an incentive laden deal similar to TOs the last few years.

 

Especially with a lot of new, young signal callers, having someone you can just throw it up to and he will come up with it due to his height has its appeal . . . . I also dont seem to remember him being a locker room diva or headcase like TO or Randy Moss. The Giants were also a pretty good run team when he was there . . wasnt he a pretty solid downfield blocker?

 

I could see quite a few teams taking a shot on him, and him being a surprise producer like Big Mike Williams was in seattle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantasy-wise, I see very little value, unless it's a 32-team league (in which any living/breathing player has SOME value). Strictly speaking in terms of his value as a football player, though, I could see somebody taking a chance on him, as a red-zone threat. Not sure he's much worse than Owens, Moss, or Ochocinco, basically. Not any better, but not much worse, either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantasy-wise, I see very little value, unless it's a 32-team league (in which any living/breathing player has SOME value). Strictly speaking in terms of his value as a football player, though, I could see somebody taking a chance on him, as a red-zone threat. Not sure he's much worse than Owens, Moss, or Ochocinco, basically. Not any better, but not much worse, either.

 

Really, Ocho? Ocho in the right situation could be fantasy gold /cough "NE" /cough

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I seem to recall that in his last year playing he was suspended for a game or two. He has always demanded more money than his production would justify. Couple that with the fact that to sign this very average player historically, who has every reason to have deteriorated, that you would have to deal with the headache that is Drew Rosenhaus, and you have in my mind the worlds biggest Red Flag ever hoisted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my quandry. I thought he sucked.

Being fantasy relevant and being a decent NFL receiver are two wholly different things. Fantasy football is not the real NFL. Dudes getting 60 catches with 800 yards and 6 touchdowns regularly get big contracts. Teams have 6 receivers, being even a number 3 receiver has a big impact on a team. Plaxico was more than that. He was a huge physical presence who the Giants wouldn´t have won the 2007-8 playoffs without. He can be a shell of his former self and still be a good addition to a team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being fantasy relevant and being a decent NFL receiver are two wholly different things. Fantasy football is not the real NFL. Dudes getting 60 catches with 800 yards and 6 touchdowns regularly get big contracts. Teams have 6 receivers, being even a number 3 receiver has a big impact on a team. Plaxico was more than that. He was a huge physical presence who the Giants wouldn´t have won the 2007-8 playoffs without. He can be a shell of his former self and still be a good addition to a team.

 

 

Actually I'm pretty sure he just sucks, but established a reputation on one game, essentially. The numbers I cited in my opening post are accurate. They are enlightened by the fact that to get his average of 57 catches per year he had to be thrown to 115 times. As big a target as he is, the fact that he is not being targeted way downfield like a speed burner, but shorter as a more possession type guy, and he still manages to snag less than 50% of the targets coming his way means he is pedestrian at best. When you factor into it that he has always had better than average Q.B.'s it becomes worse. He underperforms while getting overpaid.

 

On top of that he has been, if not a cancer, at lest a precancerous mass. He sort of whined his way out of Pittsburgh. He whined in NY and managed to get suspended during a season. And then he went out and got himself shot in season indulging some juvenile gangsta fantasy leaving his team short handed and then of course missing two years, years in which his team had to fight him to get back money he clearly had not earned.

 

His entire rep was made on one game, granted a Superbowl. I don't see fantasy relevance nor actual real world football relevance even remotely in line with the attention he gets or the salary he has commanded. His production per dollar spent is sad.

 

Just my take. I'm old and my memory sometimes fails me so forgive my innaccuracies. Your mileage may vary. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being fantasy relevant and being a decent NFL receiver are two wholly different things. Fantasy football is not the real NFL.

 

 

WHOA!!! The new guy just gave me some relevance!! That is MUTO-ish right there fella's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information