The Todd Gurley Thread - Currently FA

[ericanadian]

Interesting blurb on rotoworld today, referencing the fact that Cunningham spelled him so much on passing downs that defenses had no choice but to play completely against the run every single down with Gurley in, because statistically it was almost ALWAYS a run every play.

Maybe just narrative street, idk... But interesting nonetheless!

No different for a lot of running backs. Blount is an example. People used to use this excuse for Ingram a while back as well. A lot of backs come out on passing downs.

[Jfever]

AP has been coming out on passing downs for most of his career, yet, pretty sure he'll be a first ballot HOF'er. Wonder if the defenses in the NFL have ever caught on to that?

[IBall2]

AP has been coming out on passing downs for most of his career, yet, pretty sure he'll be a first ballot HOF'er. Wonder if the defenses in the NFL have ever caught on to that?

In 2012 AP almost had more rushing yards than Christian Ponder had passing yards... I'm pretty sure no NFL team that season cared to think about the Vikings passing game and AP still rolled his way to 2000+ yards.

Edit: That season Ponder averaged 6.07 yards per pass attempt and AP averaged 6.03 yards per rush attempt... just take a minute to appreciate that.

[Jfever]

Some running backs are transcendent talents and perform at exceptional levels despite their situations. We are all looking for those rb. Sometimes we are quick / too quick to anoint them. Some, we see coming; AP and Barry come to mind. Gurley is not at that level. He just isn't. Lets first admit that.... Yes he is talented, but a generational talent.... well, I'm not one that is that quick to award that honor. As far as comparing Gurley and his talent / situation to a peer - Well, an elite talent- M.Gordon is not. But, in fantasy, to be relevant, to be impactful, to be helpful, to be valued, the thing is; rb don't have to be "that" good, they don't have to be an elite physical phenom, or have the best of the best measurables to be valuable. Situation does matter and matter a great deal to some running backs. That isn't a good nor is it a bad thing. It's just a thing. I do not think Gordon's situation is really that good nor do I view it as "that" bad even though his oline was very poor - and I don't think Gurley's situation is good. I think actually, Gurley's situation is worse / or at least was worse.

I think I've seen enough of each of Gurley and Gordon to actually now value them much closer than I thought I ever would have.

[Jason3123]

I think the problem with people claiming Gurley was generational was that we hadn't had a blue chip RB prospect come through in years, except maybe Trent. It's been a long time since dominant college workhorse RB's were coming into the draft and going so high in the draft. Now that we see there might be a couple over the next seasons, Fournette, Chubb, Cook, Barkley, he's not so generational.

[Dynastychamp111]

I think the problem with people claiming Gurley was generational was that we hadn't had a blue chip RB prospect come through in years, except maybe Trent. It's been a long time since dominant college workhorse RB's were coming into the draft and going so high in the draft. Now that we see there might be a couple over the next seasons, Fournette, Chubb, Cook, Barkley, he's not so generational.

Well Said!

[Jason3123]

Additionally we were starving for a stud bellcow RB so we also all embraced it. Now it looks we finally have some, and unfortunately for those of us who have invested highly in Gurley he isn't the cream of that crop. But that's okay. You still have an excellent RB who should be productive and in your starting lineups more often than not.

[dm1129]

The idea that there are transcendental talents that perform at exceptional levels despite their situations is naive. AP has been shut down many, many times in his career with better O-lines and passing attacks than the current Rams. What is being missed by many is his coaching staff would make adjustments-some subtle, some significant to place him in a position to have a chance to succeed. That is what the NFL is all about, adjustments. There is not a single player in the league that can take on an opposing defense by himself. When opposing defenses recognized what Gurely could do and placed nearly their entire defense in the box, what did Fisher and his staff do to counter that? NOTHING. This also applied to the passing game. The Rams receivers would run the same very simple route combinations repeatedly. Defenses had absolutely no uncertainty facing the Rams. The NFL is truly a game where inches and split-seconds are the difference between success or failure. With McVay calling plays, I don't think it is unreasonable to think he will be able to get Gurley in situations to succeed in the not too distant future.

[Jfever]

The idea that there are transcendental talents that perform at exceptional levels despite their situations is naive. AP has been shut down many, many times in his career with better O-lines and passing attacks than the current Rams. What is being missed by many is his coaching staff would make adjustments-some subtle, some significant to place him in a position to have a chance to succeed. That is what the NFL is all about, adjustments. There is not a single player in the league that can take on an opposing defense by himself. When opposing defenses recognized what Gurely could do and placed nearly their entire defense in the box, what did Fisher and his staff do to counter that? NOTHING. This also applied to the passing game. The Rams receivers would run the same very simple route combinations repeatedly. Defenses had absolutely no uncertainty facing the Rams. The NFL is truly a game where inches and split-seconds are the difference between success or failure. With McVay calling plays, I don't think it is unreasonable to think he will be able to get Gurley in situations to succeed in the not too distant future.

Is calling Barry Sanders a Transcendent talent that performed at exceptional levels despite his situations Naive?

If so.... I should just quit all of this and start playing fantasy soccer.

I think you are a Gurley fan and probably an owner, and that is ok. And - I think you are searching quite hard to make all of this work. Maybe it works with McVay, maybe you along with many others (myself included as I had him as the 1.01 in his rookie draft year and a top 3 dynasty rb heading into last year) were just a little premature in our evaluation of value of Gurley. It is possible. Could he rebound and perform better than an avg rb2? maybe. Could he struggle again, maybe.

[joekool]

Something wrong with Fantasy Soccer?

[maxhyde]

Is calling Barry Sanders a Transcendent talent that performed at exceptional levels despite his situations Naive?

If so.... I should just quit all of this and start playing fantasy soccer.

I think you are a Gurley fan and probably an owner, and that is ok. And - I think you are searching quite hard to make all of this work. Maybe it works with McVay, maybe you along with many others (myself included as I had him as the 1.01 in his rookie draft year and a top 3 dynasty rb heading into last year) were just a little premature in our evaluation of value of Gurley. It is possible. Could he rebound and perform better than an avg rb2? maybe. Could he struggle again, maybe.

Sanders teams were not great but they weren't atrocious either. They could run the ball pretty effectively and most years they were pretty solid passing. Sanders was a great player and he made the Lions better for certain but he didn't take them to the playoffs on his own. The Lions had some pretty good teams when Barry played. Good teams could stop the Lions much the same way any team can beat the Rams...stuff the run and make the QB beat you. I think the Lions were always better at QB/WR than Case Keenum/Austin/Britt/Quick

[SteveMaddensShoes]

What's the deal these days with the idea that Gurley isn't a PPR back? I keep hearing this idea from one source and then another and another that he isn't a pass catching back. I haven't played dynasty that long. I didn't have any high draft picks the year he came out and didn't pay much attention to the rookies that year. But I still feel like everyone thought he was the complete package, an all around 3 down back who could do it all. Now I hear he's nothing but a 2 down back who isn't worth his price point in PPR. Can someone fill me in here? Was I wrong in what I'm remembering? Or was he thought to be a 3 down back and his NFL tape shows differently? Or is it just recency bias? Did Jeff Fisher just not know how to use him properly? What's going on here? I don't have the knowledge to dissect his NFL tape and know. Anyone have any thoughts or input?

[dm1129]

Is the person telling you he is not worth the price point trying to trade you for him? Gurley is an excellent receiver, Jeff Fisher was terrible. The Rams' new coach seems to be very good at using his players strengths and Gurley should benefit.

[_yeti]

I keep trying to buy and the Gurley owner isn't selling. Committee mind has infected everyone bc there are so few A.P. and Gurleys left. They go to bad teams because of how good they are. We'll see if the Rams can take a step forward this year. They have to draft a WR (or three). He needs any other threat, anything to stop defenses from stacking him so hard. Selling now is like selling Gronk now. Worse timing possible. People want backs to be Leveon Bell WRs or they're "useless in ppr." Dont believe the hype, Gurley is still a top 1-5 dynasty back (if you put Gurley on Dallas, Arizona, or Pittsburgh these past two years everyone makes the case he is 1-3). That's what landing spots do to backs. This time last year Zeke was good at everything, great at nothing and very "overrated" according to the masses. Now he's worth twice that

[onetwothree]

Rams did add Dunbar though so not sure how much opportunity Gurley will have to PPR.