Jordan Howard: Stock Up?

[Prickler]

Someone help me understand why Jordan Howard gets no love. I know he doesn't have elite speed. I know he's not a flashy runner. I know he's a boring runner on a boring team but......He's been a RB1 and top 5 in rushing yards both years he's been in the league despite the fact that he's been on awful teams and defenses stack the box against him. He can catch the ball when it's actually thrown to him. Fairly consistent week to week. No health issues or off field issues.

My team is heavy at RB so I've been looking to trade him for WR. Exactly ZERO people in my league are interested in him at all. I'm not trying to get Hopkins or OBJ or Evans or Thomas. I'm asking about Julio, TY, Adams, Theilen and Diggs types. Those players' owners wont even engage in dialog. They simply say "I don't like Howard". I'm not even opposed to adding to Howard for these players but it doesn't even get that far.

It's really frustrating considering underachieving players like Cooper and Watkins are always in demand. Is it simply a WR vs RB thing? Now that he actually has a team around him maybe I should just keep him on my team and draft WRs. I can start 5 RBs. I'm not asking for Team advice here, I simply asking why people think Howards value is so low. Thanks!!

I think you answered your own question by trading Howard instead of one of your other RB's.

[zelldawg26]

It's mainly his draft cap in the 5th round and the fact that he's just an average pass catcher. His rookie year he was great and so they'll maybe give him another shot without a Cohen split this upcoming season but I think most people don't see him as the long term answer and that is where his value takes a small hit.

[Defender]

So this thread confirms the no love for Jordan Howard theme. Mostly only the Howard owners have good things to say about him. Out of curiosity what WR would you trade straight up for Howard? Are we all the way down in Crowder or Westbrook or Kupp land? I dont have to move him and I probably wont. After I draft Barkley he will be my 5th RB but I'm just shocked at the lack of interest. Thank you for all the responses!

that is def part of the problem, your leaguemates can clearly see you are stacked at RB and if you want one of their top WRs they are expecting your top RB or one that even you yourself obviously value higher than Howard.

I think thats whats going on, if i had to guess

Right. Trade away your 3rd or 4th best RB for a good WR. Then your with Howard as your 4th best, you will still be stacked. If you are hesitant to do this, then perhaps you are much lower on him than you thought.

[PigeonBoys]

It's mainly his draft cap in the 5th round and the fact that he's just an average pass catcher. His rookie year he was great and so they'll maybe give him another shot without a Cohen split this upcoming season but I think most people don't see him as the long term answer and that is where his value takes a small hit.

This makes me think you’re saying he was bad last year. Here’s an exercise:

Player A: 276 carries 1122 yds 9tds 4.1 ypc
Player B: 242 carries 983 yds 7tds 4.1 ypc

Player A is Howard while player B is Zeke. All I’m saying is I don’t see anyone saying Zeke had a poor year. Not saying the two are the same caliber of players, just that I think the hate on Howard is getting a bit much considering he’s averaged over 250 carries, 1200 total yds, 8 tds and never missed a game in his nfl career.

[lukkynumber13]

It's mainly his draft cap in the 5th round and the fact that he's just an average pass catcher. His rookie year he was great and so they'll maybe give him another shot without a Cohen split this upcoming season but I think most people don't see him as the long term answer and that is where his value takes a small hit.

This makes me think you’re saying he was bad last year. Here’s an exercise:

Player A: 276 carries 1122 yds 9tds 4.1 ypc
Player B: 242 carries 983 yds 7tds 4.1 ypc

Player A is Howard while player B is Zeke. All I’m saying is I don’t see anyone saying Zeke had a poor year. Not saying the two are the same caliber of players, just that I think the hate on Howard is getting a bit much considering he’s averaged over 250 carries, 1200 total yds, 8 tds and never missed a game in his nfl career.

Here's an exercise: pay very little attention to YPC - it is not indicative of future success.

[Phaded]

Zeke also played six less games - and had 3 more receptions, 144 more receiving yards and 2 more receiving touchdowns than Howard's 16 game numbers..

[PigeonBoys]

Zeke also played six less games - and had 3 more receptions, 144 more receiving yards and 2 more receiving touchdowns than Howard's 16 game numbers..

The point I was making is Howard and Zeke had the same Ypc, so would you be saying the same about how Zeke played last year? Probably not. This had had nothing to do with receiving numbers. I just think all the news about Howard’s inabilities receiving overshadow how good of an rb he actually is considering receiving is not a part of his game.

[Phaded]

And Bell had a YPC of 4.0, does that mean that you think Jordan Howard is better than Bell?

Or maybe Alvin Kamara & Dion Lewis are the two best running backs in the NFL..
(okay, some may argue Kamara - but Lewis?)

As lukky said, YPC "can" be useful in "some" circumstances but is a very subjective stat and really means very little in this instance.

[GoodellsPaycheck]

Jordan Howard might be the most boring fantasy player in the league. Dont get me wrong, he's definitely a solid player but alot of fantasy is getting players you're excited to watch and Howard just doesn't scratch that itch lol

[PigeonBoys]

And Bell had a YPC of 4.0, does that mean that you think Jordan Howard is better than Bell?

That’s exactly what I said wasn’t my position above. I’m making a point about the perception of Howard relative to his rb peers with similar production.

[Phaded]

By referring to a statistic that suggests Howard is better than Bell and that Dion Lewis was the 2nd best running back in the league last year.

[bsp27]

Howard finished RB12 in 0.5ppr leagues last year.

He is considered a guy who cannot catch but two things for me make him a solid buy. Are his pass catching numbers really going to be worse than last year?? Is his TD potential really going to be worse than last year??

New coach, basically new QB, new WRs, new TE and same 3rd down/pass catching RB (Tarik)....I think he can break the top 10 if the new offense/scoring opportunities increase (which they should) and of course Chicago does not draft a RB in first 4 rounds. One thing is for sure if Mitch,A-Rob and Trey B get on same page quickly, there won't be 9/10 guys in the box every play to stop the run.

I think you value Howard much higher than the bears actually do. Howard removed all his bears pics from his instagram and trade rumors were swirling. They spent a 5th round pick on him, and that was the past regime. He is not going to get the same volume when an intelligent coach with a modern scheme takes over. Howard benefitted from having a coach operating a medieval offensive scheme.

[hjernazian]

I got offered J. Howard for 1.07 and Evan Engram. Didn't even consider it honestly. Felt Engram for Howard straight was fair, the other side didn't think so. But I am not giving up a first rounder and a dynasty TE for the next decade for a RB that doesn't catch balls, will lose work to Cohen even in a Nagy offense, and who probably has a shelf life of 2-3 years. BUT I do have a need, AND i would have traded Hilton or Sammy for him had the owner been willing.

I actually feel the opposite is true. It's not that no one is willing to take on Howard, it's that his owners have hard on for him and have unreasonably high expectations.

[skip]

I actually feel the opposite is true. It's not that no one is willing to take on Howard, it's that his owners have hard on for him and have unreasonably high expectations.

He was asking for too much but just Engram was also not enough. A pick at the end of the 1st or possibly the early 2nd would have been correct.

There is a very clear division when it comes to Howard. I wish the attitude of his owner in my league was as negative as many I'm seeing on this forum. Playing up the Instagram pictures or the coach speak about Cohen (never mind skipping over everything posirivee the coach is also saying about Howard) isn't changing my view. He's been very productive his first two years in the league and I don't see evidence that's going to change.

[Tvols]

Howard maybe boring, Hell the bears are or were boring it’s a John fox offense but the kid produced and is very underrated .. shame some guys put up numbers and don’t ge there due and I own Howard nowhere .. but this kid has put up numbers in a poor driven qb team