Will Reggie Bush Ever Become a Fantasy Star?

Three years ago, this man was supposed to be Superman.

In fact, the entire NFL world thought the Texans were crazy for bypassing the heavily touted back from USC and felt the decision to take Mario Williams for less money would be one that lived in infamy.

And fantasy owners alike figured that Bush would be the first or second player off the board every year, as his prolific career at SC, both in rushing and receiving, surely signaled a superstar in the making.

But only three years later we’re all asking will he ever arrive.

Bush’s career for the most part has been marred by injury and disappointment. And in the land of fantasy football, it’s been middle of the pack at best. And even that could be reaching.

One thing which became apparent early on was that Bush wasn’t faster than everybody on the football field, which was a bit surprising because of the ease of which he blew by defenders in college.

But this is the NFL, and only the best collegiate players can make it at this level. So his speed wasn’t the difference maker we all thought it’d be.

Next, we found out that he’s unable to run inside; the interior of defenses eat him alive so his only shot for success is to get to the outside.

But defensive coordinators are paid a lot of money to adjust and have countered this by bringing the corner or safety up for support.

The one area which he has done well in, is receiving—either out of the backfield or in the slot.

When he was drafted in ’06, Mel Kiper said he would’ve been a first round receiver had he come out at only that position. And he’s excelled thus far because no linebacker can keep pace with him; it’s not possible.

Even last year, while he only rushed for a disappointing 402 yards and two TDs in 10 total games, he caught 52 balls for 440 yards and 4 TDs in that same time period.

The receiving totals helped fantasy owners justify to an extent that second round pick that they used on him.

Just a quick look back at his first two seasons and we see his numbers are very similar to 2008.

Overall, he’s averaged 517 yards on the ground and four TDs per season. He’s had much greater success in the receiving department, averaging 71 catches, for 533 yards and roughly three TDs per.

Being only 24 and with a lot of football still ahead of him, the question remains: can Bush reach fantasy stardom?

I don’t think so.

One thing that needs to be measured, which can’t be, is drive.

Bush was a star from the get go and seemed to have his head elsewhere after his solid rookie campaign. Instead of practicing in the Saints’ off season workouts, he was busy playing in celebrity basketball tournaments at the All-Star game and vacationing with girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

Next, it’s apparent that he’ll never become a good inside runner in the NFL, and with the speed of outside linebackers and defensive backs, there won’t be much wiggle room to break it to the outside.

And third, in what was supposed to be an easy transition from Deuce McAllister to him, he’s now been surpassed by young, undrafted FA Pierre Thomas, who’s already shown that he can be a much more effective runner between the tackles and has the durability to hold up over a season.

But value still remains.

With Colston, Meachem, Moore and Shockey putting pressure on the back seven, you can bet that Brees will be looking to exploit one on one matchups with Bush out of the backfield and in the slot this year. And this will give him the opportunity to put solid numbers on the board.

But much more than that doesn’t seem realistic based on what we’ve seen thus far.

So, if you’re in a league that gives points for catches, then a second round pick is warranted. However, if your scoring is only based on yards and TDs, an early third appears to be his ceiling.

Brett Favre to the Minnesota Vikings Will Happen, Guaranteed

Ever since the Jets cut Brett Favre loose last week, rumors have been swirling that the future HOF QB might be contemplating another comeback.

Of course, his initial reaction to those rumors was that this time he was finished, that his desire to play football was no longer there.

And can you really blame him based on how the 2008 season ended?

After leading the Jets to an AFC East best 8-3 mark, and being prematurely hyped for the Super Bowl by the New York and National Media, they lost four of their final five games to miss out on the playoffs.

And he was beat up in the process.

So he told GM Mike Tannenbaum following their season ending defeat to the Dolphins that it was over.

And in turn, the Jets traded up for the right to draft QB Mark Sanchez out of USC and released Favre from their roster, thus avoiding a salary cap hit in 2009.

A day after this took place, and you can decide for yourself whether it was mere coincidence or not, Vikings’ brass was on a plane down to Mississippi to meet with No. 4.

The Favre camp once again reiterated that it was nothing more than a conversation.

But was it? Is a potential comeback in the works? I wouldn’t bet against it.

One thing we can be certain of is the fact that Favre was not happy with the treatment he received from the Packers’ organization and GM Ted Thompson after his initial comeback attempt.

But Thompson can’t be blamed for how he handled the situation. His first responsibility is to the organization, not the aging QB trying to hold the franchise hostage.

So after Favre announced his retirement following the 2007-08 season – and said it was final, Thompson decided to move on and make Aaron Rodgers, who had been waiting in the wings for three seasons, the starting QB.

And once he made that commitment, he wasn’t going back on his word.

Otherwise Rodgers, a former first round pick, would’ve bolted Green Bay at first opportunity after being relegated to the bench in his first four years in the NFL.

So when Favre decided to make his first comeback, he was informed he’d be welcomed back…but as a backup.

Favre countered by asking for an outright release. Apparently, after being treated as royalty over his 15-year tenure in Green Bay, he thought he’d parlay that “royalty” into a no strings attached release allowing him to sign with whomever he chose.

But Thompson wasn’t going to let Favre, who clearly had something left in the tank, walk for free and end up in…I don’t know, Chicago or Minnesota.

He did agree however to move the aging QB.

And he even asked for a list of his top choices—outside of the division of course.

Tampa Bay was No. 1, while the Jets didn’t make his fave five.

30 minutes later he was a member of the New York Jets. And as a part of the trade, the Packers smartly inserted the “poison pill” into the deal; if the Jets decided to ship him to the Vikings, they’d have been obligated to send three 1st round picks to Green Bay.

But now the circumstances have changed.

Should he choose, he’s free to sign with the Vikings.

Why would he even want to at this point? Because reports are now coming out that he loathes Green Bay, and because he probably would like nothing more than to stick it to his former franchise, and in particular, GM Ted Thompson, at a minimum twice in 2009.

And the move would make a lot of sense.

Minnesota’s only a QB away from raising its ceiling to more than a Wild Card Playoff game.

They’ve already got an excellent supporting cast assembled: the great Adrian Peterson, a big, solid, offensive line, a highly touted first round pick in Percy Harvin to go with burner WR Bernard Berrian, and an aggressive, play making  defense.

And there’s no doubt that Favre has already wrapped his mind around all of this.

So while he continues to say – and will continue into the summer – that this time his retirement’s for real, it’s no different than when former CEO Dick Fuld promised that Lehman Brothers was not another Bear Stearns in the wake of the company’s implosion last March.

The writing is on the wall.

See you in Minnesota, Brett.

NFL Mock Draft: Picks 11-20

Pro Football 101’s mock draft continued. Picks 11-20.

 

11. Buffalo Bills: DE Everette Brown. While some think the Bills will look to add an offensive lineman to replace OT Jason Peters with this pick, the Bills are in need of a solid pass rusher off the edge. And this is what Brown brings to the table. A quality offensive lineman can be found later in the draft and we think the Bills could target one at pick No. 28 or in the second round.

12.  Denver Broncos: DE Tyson Jackson. HC Josh McDaniels now finds himself with even more holes to fill than when he was hired, but the most pressing area is still on defense.

It’s the main reason why Shanahan and Cutler are gone. Had Denver been able to stop anyone, they’d have been a playoff team in 2008 and their entire outlook would be different. So look for them to scoop up Jackson, who will provide pressure off the edge and be stout against the run.

13. Washington Redskins: OT Michael Oher. The Skins are looking to beef up their line and will be happy to find Oher on the board with their pick. They run the football first, pass it second.  And finding a complement to LT Chris Samuels will help them execute their offensive game plan more effectively. He’ll also be groomed as Samuels eventual replacement.

14. New Orleans Saints: CB Malcolm Jenkins. Although some mocks have Chris “Beanie” Wells going at this pick to replace the departed Deuce McAllister, the Saints need help on defense. It’s the main reason why they’ve missed the postseason the last two seasons. Jenkins provides excellent value at this point and will provide the Saints with a young, talented secondary. Last year’s second round pick, CB Tracy Porter, was playing extremely well before an injury put him out for the year.

15. Houston Texans: LB Brian Cushing. The Texans need to get better defensively if they are going to compete in the AFC South. Offensively, they’re strong; it’s the defense that needs an upgrade. After building up its defensive line over the past few years, it’s time to solidify the linebacker position. Cushing is a nice fit and will make his presence felt early on.

16. San Diego Chargers: LB Ray Maualuga. The Chargers still have a deep and talented roster but are a bit thin at the line backing position. Maualuga is a big-time talent and will provide a boost to a defense that was banged up at the position last year after Shawne Merriman was placed on IR. This move should turn a weakness into a strength.

17. New York Jets: QB Josh Freeman. The Jets are apparently in love with Freeman’s athleticism and he is set to become this year’s Joe Flacco—the guy who rises out of nowhere to be a first round pick. And with the QBs currently on the roster can you blame them?

New York’s not the best place to throw a kid “into the fire,” but if they bring him along slowly and let him adapt to the speed of the game, this might be a pick that pays huge dividends in 2010 and beyond.

18. Denver Broncos: LB Robert Ayers. The Broncos could go running back at this pick, but defense should be the theme in round one. Ayers provides a big body at the LB position and will help boost a unit that performed poorly in 2008.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Peria Jerry. The Bucs’ defense is still the team’s backbone, but they’re lacking a big body in the middle of the defensive line. Jerry would solve this problem.

And after watching the Panthers’ impressive RB tandem tear this unit apart last December, stopping the run is of utmost importance.

20. Detroit Lions: DE Aaron Maybin. After taking Stafford at No. 1, look for the defensive minded Schwartz to turn to his roots: defense. And landing Maybin with the 20th selection would be a steal for the Lions.

It’s virtually impossible to be successful in today’s NFL without having pass rushers who can get to the QB, and Schwartz addresses a problem area here at pick No. 20.

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