chodan Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Terrel Davis like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) My response from the rookie RB thread as to why Torain may be a shoe-in at RB for DEN: 1) That no DEN RB has asserted themselves despite Shanahan giving each an ample opportunity to do so. 2) That Torain was rising quickly up the depth chart in preseason right before he got hurt. 3) That his running style fits the DEN running game to a tee. 4) That despite being 3-0 on Friday, that Shanahan & Cutler among others are speaking about his return 5 weeks from now: Link Broncos report: Shanahan, Cutler await Torain's expected return By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Published September 26, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. Broncos rookie running back Ryan Torain, who suffered a fractured left elbow and ligament damage in early August, is improving and could be in uniform for the Nov. 2 home game against the Dolphins. What is this? A secret weapon? Not exactly. "Just maybe one people don't expect," Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler said. Somewhat lost in all the numbers the Broncos offense has put up in three games is the fact the guy who just might have been their starting running back is close to returning to practice. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday that rookie Ryan Torain is on track to return to practice in the days leading up to the Broncos' Oct. 20 game in New England. If all goes well, Torain could play after the Broncos' Oct. 26 bye. The Broncos will face the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 2 at Invesco Field at Mile High. "From what we saw in camp, the kid is an explosive runner and in the second half of the season, guys get worn down and we're going to pop this fresh kid in there," Cutler said. "It's going to be exciting to watch." Torain suffered a fractured left elbow and some ligament damage that required surgery in early August. At the time, he steadily was moving up the team's depth chart, with Shanahan saying, before any preseason games had been played, that Torain was headed toward being the team's starter. At the time, Shanahan called him "one of the most gifted running backs I've been around, and I've been around for a long time, very similar to Terrell Davis when he came in." Torain, who still is wearing a brace on his left arm for much of his day around the Broncos' Dove Valley complex, has been doing conditioning work and exercises to regain the range of motion in his arm. "I'm excited, I'm just going to keep working hard and get back," Torain said. "I started running, and that's when it started to feel like it's getting closer, like I was taking some strides. It's going to be fun." At 225 pounds, Torain is considered the team's best power/speed combination in the backfield. In two seasons at Arizona State, he averaged 5.4 yards per carry, and he rushed for 1,229 yards as a junior. He played in only six games as a senior because of a foot injury that required surgery. Some teams didn't like his speed at the scouting combine - he ran in the 4.6s in his 40-yard dashes, 4.71 on the electronic clock - but others believed his speed would improve as he continued to recover from his foot surgery. Shanahan consistently has pointed to Torain's ability to cut at nearly full speed during the Broncos workouts, which enable a runner to play faster than his timed speed. Torain showed enough in the first two weeks of camp that the Broncos kept him on the 53- man roster rather than place him on injured reserve for the season. "The guys on defense were saying that all along," Cutler said. "He's going to have some impact for us." For Torain, this week has been slightly disappointing. The back who went to high school in suburban Shawnee Mission, Kan., was hoping to play in Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. Torain almost certainly will face the Chiefs on Dec. 7 in Denver, but he will have to wait until next season to play in front of family and friends. "It would have been great to play Sunday," Torain said. "It would have been great for the family to come out and watch me. But the Chiefs still have got to come here, and my family is still coming out for that." Edited September 30, 2008 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I picked him up in my local hoping he makes noise at the tail end of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LayLow Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I grabbed him in one league, and instantly my friend grabbed him in another. He should be owned in all leagues right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chodan Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Great reply Billy, i think you've just convinced me. I will pick him up asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myhousekey Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) Just playing devils advocate..... Why should we believe Shanahan will deviate from the RBBC approach that he has already stated he likes? Why should we believe that any of the guys are going to be worn down later in the season when the RBBC approach should be keeping them fresher? Wouldn't it make more sense that Torain just becomes another piece to this RBBC when he gets healthy and even further dillutes any of the Denver RB's fantasy value? http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008...-in-pass-happy/ "What we're doing is five plays at a time," Shanahan said. "It's five plays, five plays, then put Michael Pittman in there in short-yardage and goal-line and some third-down situations, or second-down situations when substituting personnel. I'm trying to keep all these guys fresh, because I've got a lot of confidence in all of them."The plan, though, might have been different had rookie Ryan Torain not been hurt in training camp. He's expected to be back in early November and could further muddy the mix of playing time. http://www.gazette.com/sports/three_40961_...os_carries.html Coach Mike Shanahan is happy with how the tailback committee is working. He said he likes the rotation, and given the results, he's unlikely to change it.The rotation should keep all three backs fresh the entire season, and in less than two months rookie Ryan Torain is slated to return from an elbow injury to perhaps spread the workload even more. Edited September 30, 2008 by myhousekey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Just playing devils advocate..... Why should we believe Shanahan will deviate from the RBBC approach that he has already stated he likes? Why should we believe that any of the guys are going to be worn down later in the season when the RBBC approach should be keeping them fresher? Wouldn't it make more sense that Torain just becomes another piece to this RBBC when he gets healthy and even further dillutes any of the Denver RB's fantasy value? Week 5 into the season where some people are in need of a RB. Worth taking a chance on? Thats all he is valued on right now no matter what anyone says. Out of the free agents in most leagues he has the most upside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) Just playing devils advocate..... Why should we believe Shanahan will deviate from the RBBC approach that he has already stated he likes? Why should we believe that any of the guys are going to be worn down later in the season when the RBBC approach should be keeping them fresher? Wouldn't it make more sense that Torain just becomes another piece to this RBBC when he gets healthy and even further dillutes any of the Denver RB's fantasy value? Those are good & reasonable questions. My response would be that Shanahan by nature is a one-hoss RB type of coach. He finds a RB he likes and that becomes his go-to guy all season. He only goes to RBBC when forced to do so. Right now he is forced to do so. Hall & Young aren't effective inside runners - which is where the DEN running game lives - and Pittman has age issues as well as not being being capable of running the stretch play as well - which is DEN's counter to its inside game. The 3 guys right now combined have all the pieces, but none of them have all the required qualities themselves. The only evidence offered is the way Shanahan has used RBs in the past when they are capable of running all facets of the running game. TD, Anderson, Portis, and even Gary for a short time got the rock a LOT because they could run between the tackles effectively and they could get to the edge and run the stretch with the cut back. DEN RBs aren't required to catch the ball much - the FB does that out of the backfield more. If Torain has all those qualities - and watching him a bit in college and then in OTAs and early preseason he looks like he does - he'll be the hoss and get the ball. Right up until when he got hurt, he was bypassing the vets who are currently manning the running game like they were standing still. I personally think it says an incredible amount that Shanahan would't IR the rookie and use the additional roster spot even though he knew he'd lose Torain for almost 1/2 the season, and that Shanahan didn't bring in one of several vets to at least temporarily fill the RB slot in hopes of latching onto lightning in a bottle. Shanahan is expecting Torain to return, and he appears to be expecting a lot of good things from him. The running game right now is well below DEN standards and he isn't making any kind of move other than waiting for Torain - and he's also made that abundantly clear to Cutler, who feels the same way about Torain. Edited September 30, 2008 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ernie McCracken Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I'd been waiting, but as his return draws closer his name keeps popping up. I'd say anyone looking for the upside or who's vested in the Denver running attack should move on him soon. As BB astutely pointed out the Denver staff doesn't seem to trust Young enough to feature him. I think at some point Shanny will want to slow games down and protect a so far porous defense. I have been an annual Denver Rb kool-aid drinker and have regretted it more often than not, but old habits are hard to break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LayLow Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I'd been waiting, but as his return draws closer his name keeps popping up. I'd say anyone looking for the upside or who's vested in the Denver running attack should move on him soon. As BB astutely pointed out the Denver staff doesn't seem to trust Young enough to feature him.I think at some point Shanny will want to slow games down and protect a so far porous defense. I have been an annual Denver Rb kool-aid drinker and have regretted it more often than not, but old habits are hard to break. +1 If you don't have him after this week you probably WON'T get him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 He's expected back in 4 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) BTW, for what it's worth, I own Torain in all 5 leagues I play in - including 2 redraft leagues - and have owned him since before the season started in all 5. I'm backing up what I've put forth here (and well as being candid because I can't pick him up in any more leagues... ) - which means if he crashes & burns in the second half of the season, I'll have pissed away that roster spot as well as placing a bullseye firmly right in the middle of my forehead here. This guy just has all the earmarks of being a potential difference-making RB. He did in college, and he did before he got hurt in the bigs. We'll see. We know what an impact Ryan Grant made in the second half of the season last year. Torain could be capable of doing something similar. Edited September 30, 2008 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 He's expected back in 4 weeks? After DEN's bye week is when I'd look for him. That's week 8, so week 9 would likely when he'd get his first opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulrebel Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Sounds like Torain might be the guy to go after this week. I'm 0-4 in my 12-team local, and in need of desperate help. I've got M. Lynch, R. Grant, J. Stewart and D. Sproles as my RBs, and I'm thinking I'll dump Sproles for Torain this week. The other options are L. McClain and D. Ward, but it seems like Torain has the most upside. Thanks for the insight, folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) I'd like to see Pittman play more. I think Pittman has been their most effective RB. But I also think Shanahan knows with Pittman's age that any chance of his repeatedly giving a team 15-20 carries is extremely low. I do agree with the DEN passing game that running Pittman even with his limitations gives DEN its most effective offense. Edited September 30, 2008 by Bronco Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish247 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 ...This guy just has all the earmarks of being a potential difference-making RB. He did in college, and he did before he got hurt in the bigs. We'll see. We know what an impact Ryan Grant made in the second half of the season last year. Torain could be capable of doing something similar. Stashed Torain away last week based on this hunch alone. Fresh legs, not much (if any) other RB competition, and by then Shanny will probably want to start balancing out the offense as the playoffs approach and the weather starts getting worse. Stranger things have happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 BTW, for what it's worth, I own Torain in all 5 leagues I play in - including 2 redraft leagues - and have owned him since before the season started in all 5. I'm backing up what I've put forth here (and well as being candid because I can't pick him up in any more leagues... ) - which means if he crashes & burns in the second half of the season, I'll have pissed away that roster spot as well as placing a bullseye firmly right in the middle of my forehead here. This guy just has all the earmarks of being a potential difference-making RB. He did in college, and he did before he got hurt in the bigs. We'll see. We know what an impact Ryan Grant made in the second half of the season last year. Torain could be capable of doing something similar. He's not a FA in any leagues I'm in. He may be dropped by some in re drafts, but I haven't seen him hit the waiver wire yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimm74 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I am 1-3 in a Auction keeper league. I just traded C Perry for R Torain. This may have been a little premature but I am rolling the dice on a late season rally. Perry has shown me a little upside but considering Perry is on very bad team, and the Bengals play Pitts and Balt twice a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish247 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 On second thought... in recent seasons, the best Denver RB to own has been the one that is NOT currently starting. So here's to Torain not not becoming the starter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCDOG Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I think the relevant question is how good is Torain at pass blocking? You always hear about head coaches being reluctant to start rookie RBs because of their poor pass blocking skills and the risk that their franchise QB gets injured. Does anyone know how he fairs in this regard? I have to think that Shanny will want to protect Cutler as best he can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I think the relevant question is how good is Torain at pass blocking? You always hear about head coaches being reluctant to start rookie RBs because of their poor pass blocking skills and the risk that their franchise QB gets injured. Does anyone know how he fairs in this regard? I have to think that Shanny will want to protect Cutler as best he can. Shanahan wouldn't have spoken so highly of him if his pass blocking was even mediocre.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Shanahan wouldn't have spoken so highly of him if his pass blocking was even mediocre.. Shanahan compared Griese favorably to Joe Montana in the past... I watch his actions a lot more than give credibility to his words - and his actions tilt towards Torain in this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Shanahan compared Griese favorably to Joe Montana in the past... I watch his actions a lot more than give credibility to his words - and his actions tilt towards Torain in this one. two things, though....he's had trouble scouting QB's....RB's are his strong point... plus you're taking someone's abilities vs someone being able to pass block... ...along with his size, I think he's at least decent at pass blocking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rileyrott Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Why would anyone want to get involved with the Shanahan carousel at RB??? Isn't it an unwritten rule in FF to stay far, far away from Denver RB's?? I know I have been burned by Shanahan many times in the past, and while I'm a Broncos fan, I will never have any Denver RB's on any of my FF rosters, ever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish247 Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) Why would anyone want to get involved with the Shanahan carousel at RB??? Isn't it an unwritten rule in FF to stay far, far away from Denver RB's?? I know I have been burned by Shanahan many times in the past, and while I'm a Broncos fan, I will never have any Denver RB's on any of my FF rosters, ever! You're only really involved if you're relying on one or more of the following turds as a low end RB2/RB3... Young/Hall/Pittman. Like I said, lately the Denver RB to own has been the one that is not starting. This is mostly due to Shanny trying to catch lightning in a bottle with low end picks and FAs. Garbage in, garbage out... but all it takes is for Shanny to guess right on one of those low end picks. That kind of upside isn't too shabby for the guy taking up a last roster spot. Edited October 1, 2008 by kingfish247 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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