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Pats Backs


mroban
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Since this is Belichick land, who knows how things will shake out, but here is how I see things:

 

1. Redraft Leagues: Law Firm still has the most value. He and Ridley play the same role essentially - big pile mover. Only Ridley probably is more talented. But for this year, Law Firm probably keeps the job and Ridley becomes next years Thunder guy. Vereen probably is a bit more interesting in redraft PPR leagues because he is wayyyyyy more talented than Woodhead (as much as we all love the little guy) and Faulk is past it. If Vereen is healthy and catches on, I see him getting alot of third down work eventually and certainly will be a change of pace guy. Vereen is easily the most explosive back they have on the roster and something the Pats are sorely missing. Vereen was a 2nd round pick because he is "undersized" but they said that about Maurice Jones Drew too. Nobody is going to be a bell cow here and there are sure to be lots of guess work every week. But gut feeling says you cant keep Vereen out of the lineup if healthy and up to speed on the offense and blocking schemes.

 

2. Keeper Leagues: In PPR leagues, I dont see how Vereen isnt the future in NE (unless of course he ends up being a bust, but I am talking about talent here and assuming Ridley and Vereen end up playing at least as well as their draft positions or exceeding). But Ridley probably at some point whether this year or early next moves past BJGE and we will see a Jacobs/Bradshaw type work share in NE giving both of them value but neither of them top 10 back type status. In a PPR I can see Vereen being a top 15 Bradshaw type guy and Ridley being a Brandon Jacobs type RB3 or RB2. Vereen is simply a very explosive type player who will thrive in a passing offense like the Pats. He can get deep too (watch his YouTube highlights to see how Cal utilized him) and you can see why the Pats took him in the 2nd round.

 

Given the lack of explosiveness in the Pats backfield, Vereen is my bet to emerge this year as having the most value simply because he is the only game changer they have back there. Ridley will be battling Law Firm for the role of pile mover/short yardage guy while Vereen only has to battle Woodhead and Faulk for the role of change of pace/3rd down back and neither of those guys were ever considered game breaking talents. Vereen potentially is.

 

Just my two cents in looking at that picture. Vereen probably doesnt do anything for the first 4-5 games but I can see him this season being a 7-10 carry 3-4 reception guy who pops a few big plays. Tough to plug a guy in to your lineup like that, but if Law Firm goes down with an injury that total could easily go up a great deal. Or Vereen could be as good as I think he is and by mid season be a guy that is hard to take off the field.

 

I wouldnt be that high on a guy like Vereen in a lesser offense, but behind the Pats offensive line with that passing guy, his skills are tailor made to put up numbers and he could easily end up being the 2nd best rookie fantasy back behind Mark Ingram this season - or maybe even better.

 

I am decidedly NOT a Pats fan though so Pats fans let me know if I am on glue or not. Either way, i picked him up for a buck with the last pick in my keeper/auction league and if I am wrong I am wrong. Not pinning my championship hopes on the guy.

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As much as everyone loves Woodhead (and he is a huge fan favorite) neither BJGE nor Woodhead are exactly gamebreakers. Both hardworking over achievers. I agree BJGE is going to have a good year and hard to see him giving up his role just yet. But Vereen is a totally different type back. I guess we will see. BJGE is very underrated right now and Vereen is the guy with the upside (who could easily do nothing this year). Seems we are all pretty much on the same page here. I still think if Vereen is "getting it" he usurps Woodhead's role at a certain point and takes carries away from Law Firm too.

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As much as everyone loves Woodhead (and he is a huge fan favorite) neither BJGE nor Woodhead are exactly gamebreakers. Both hardworking over achievers. I agree BJGE is going to have a good year and hard to see him giving up his role just yet. But Vereen is a totally different type back. I guess we will see. BJGE is very underrated right now and Vereen is the guy with the upside (who could easily do nothing this year). Seems we are all pretty much on the same page here. I still think if Vereen is "getting it" he usurps Woodhead's role at a certain point and takes carries away from Law Firm too.

 

BJGE is dependable, knows the system and takes care of the rock. Talent is not enough in BB's system. Just ask Maroney.

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BJGE is dependable, knows the system and takes care of the rock. Talent is not enough in BB's system. Just ask Maroney.

 

 

I was about to say pretty much the same thing: Belichick puts as much value on smarts as he does on talent. Unless Vereen goes all Gayle Sayers, if he's not where he's supposed to be 100% of the time he might not have the opportunity. Keep in mind that a few years ago, in PPR leagues Kevin Faulk ended the season in the high teens at RB. This is a plum spot, but you need brain cells to win it as much as 'gamebreaking ability.'

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  • 3 weeks later...

Stevan Ridley - RB - New England Patriots Posted 10/3/11 4:21pm et

 

The Boston Herald suggests that rookie Stevan Ridley was "underused" in Week 4, despite career highs in snaps (19) and touches (11).

 

"You could say he showed some explosion," writes beat reporter Greg Bedard. Ridley has outperformed BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead since early in the preseason. It's interesting to note that the Pats are employing Ridley on outside zone runs, and he has all kinds of burst getting to the corner. Ridley has 20 touches on the year. He's averaging 7.95 yards per play.

 

New England Patriots RB Stevan Ridley, who had 10 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in Week 4, could see an increased role if RB Danny Woodhead's (ankle) sprained ankle causes him to miss time.

 

Huddle Up: Woodhead missed the entire second half vs. Oakland so Ridley played a career-high 20 snaps and made the most of his touches. Ridley's a must-grab in 12-team leagues as a "Who knows, just maybe" type of pickup. Woodhead's dinged up and it's not like BenJarvus Green-Ellis is locked into 20 touches like Matt Forte or Ray Rice.

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