Official/Final 2020 Rookie RB Ranks

[cantguardjake]

I think the last thing anyone wants is to try and silence dissenting opinions. The whole purpose of a message board is to get feedback from a wide variety of viewpoints on any given topic. Telling people to not comment/go read elsewhere if they disagree just creates an echochamber where people aren't actually formulating opinions here, but rather just funneling only the information which supports their already formed opinions and further entrenches them there. If that's what people are looking for, turn on the news station of your political preference.

I think OCR has done quite an admirable job of going out of his way to NOT make things personal, and using exact quotes from Mike himself to debate with him so as to keep it relevant and based in fact. The only real bias I see leaking into this thread are a few people who seem to be ignoring the conversation all together to come in and "white knight" for Mike (which never saw him ask for or encourage, kudos) without providing any real context to the debate. Sorry if people disagreeing makes you uncomfortable, but don't stifle good conversation because of that. I know the openness and differing of opinions on these boards are what keeps me coming back. If I wanted chalk echochamber stuff, I'd listen to Matthew Berry spend an entire off-season never talking about anyone outside of the top 20 players in the league.

It’s got nothing to do with “creating an echo chamber”. OCR is entitled to his opinion but there comes a time when it’s just beating a dead horse and only serves to derail the actual discussion at hand, just look at the last few pages of this thread, or any thread, that he begins the anti Mike crusade.

Some of us come here to discuss the players, not the posters - it’s got nothing to do with silencing a difference of opinion.

[OhCruelestRanter]

I think the last thing anyone wants is to try and silence dissenting opinions. The whole purpose of a message board is to get feedback from a wide variety of viewpoints on any given topic. Telling people to not comment/go read elsewhere if they disagree just creates an echochamber where people aren't actually formulating opinions here, but rather just funneling only the information which supports their already formed opinions and further entrenches them there. If that's what people are looking for, turn on the news station of your political preference.

I think OCR has done quite an admirable job of going out of his way to NOT make things personal, and using exact quotes from Mike himself to debate with him so as to keep it relevant and based in fact. The only real bias I see leaking into this thread are a few people who seem to be ignoring the conversation all together to come in and "white knight" for Mike (which never saw him ask for or encourage, kudos) without providing any real context to the debate. Sorry if people disagreeing makes you uncomfortable, but don't stifle good conversation because of that. I know the openness and differing of opinions on these boards are what keeps me coming back. If I wanted chalk echochamber stuff, I'd listen to Matthew Berry spend an entire off-season never talking about anyone outside of the top 20 players in the league.

It’s got nothing to do with “creating an echo chamber”. OCR is entitled to his opinion but there comes a time when it’s just beating a dead horse and only serves to derail the actual discussion at hand, just look at the last few pages of this thread, or any thread, that he begins the anti Mike crusade.

Some of us come here to discuss the players, not the posters - it’s got nothing to do with silencing a difference of opinion.

Are there not several other threads to talk about Akers? The thread became derailed when it shifted from discussion of Mike’s rankings to complaints of whether or not his rankings should be allowed to be criticized at all.

[cantguardjake]

I think the last thing anyone wants is to try and silence dissenting opinions. The whole purpose of a message board is to get feedback from a wide variety of viewpoints on any given topic. Telling people to not comment/go read elsewhere if they disagree just creates an echochamber where people aren't actually formulating opinions here, but rather just funneling only the information which supports their already formed opinions and further entrenches them there. If that's what people are looking for, turn on the news station of your political preference.

I think OCR has done quite an admirable job of going out of his way to NOT make things personal, and using exact quotes from Mike himself to debate with him so as to keep it relevant and based in fact. The only real bias I see leaking into this thread are a few people who seem to be ignoring the conversation all together to come in and "white knight" for Mike (which never saw him ask for or encourage, kudos) without providing any real context to the debate. Sorry if people disagreeing makes you uncomfortable, but don't stifle good conversation because of that. I know the openness and differing of opinions on these boards are what keeps me coming back. If I wanted chalk echochamber stuff, I'd listen to Matthew Berry spend an entire off-season never talking about anyone outside of the top 20 players in the league.

It’s got nothing to do with “creating an echo chamber”. OCR is entitled to his opinion but there comes a time when it’s just beating a dead horse and only serves to derail the actual discussion at hand, just look at the last few pages of this thread, or any thread, that he begins the anti Mike crusade.

Some of us come here to discuss the players, not the posters - it’s got nothing to do with silencing a difference of opinion.

Are there not several other threads to talk about Akers? The thread became derailed when it shifted from discussion of Mike’s rankings to complaints of whether or not his rankings should be allowed to be criticized at all.

That’s disingenuous lol.

But anyway, I’ve said my piece - moving on

[moishetreats]

Please stop, folks. I don't want this thread to get locked, and I think that we are teetering on that edge (if we haven't fallen over already).

[Cult of Dionysus]

There hasn't been any ad hominems or incivility in this thread. There is no basis at all to lock it.

And if someone puts out a ranking, and there's reason to question the motivation behind some of those rankings, based on previous admissions the person made, I think that's fair game.

The same is also true in analyzing the fact that sometimes Mike seemingly moves the goalposts. Again, think it's totally fair to point that out.

People need to stop being so sensitive. Look at Mike, he hasn't shied away from our input and criticism, and I applaud him for that. Instead he's engaged and at times address some flaws in his rankings (like Akers 3rd round valuation).

[cantguardjake]

Back to Akers, I was deadset on not drafting him. My post history is littered with talk of him being overrated, but actually pulled the trigger when he was sitting there at 8 so here’s to hoping Mike actually is wrong

I still think he has some serious flaws to his game, but for the most part attempted to keep it inside (didn’t bounce all that much from what I saw, and when he did he needed to), and fought for extra yards regularly. The upside at the Rams felt to good to pass up - but I’m not thrilled about the pick

[OhCruelestRanter]

Back to Akers, I was deadset on not drafting him. My post history is littered with talk of him being overrated, but actually pulled the trigger when he was sitting there at 8 so here’s to hoping Mike actually is wrong

I still think he has some serious flaws to his game, but for the most part attempted to keep it inside (didn’t bounce all that much from what I saw, and when he did he needed to), and fought for extra yards regularly. The upside at the Rams felt to good to pass up - but I’m not thrilled about the pick

Superflex or 1QB? Who went before him?

[cantguardjake]

Back to Akers, I was deadset on not drafting him. My post history is littered with talk of him being overrated, but actually pulled the trigger when he was sitting there at 8 so here’s to hoping Mike actually is wrong

I still think he has some serious flaws to his game, but for the most part attempted to keep it inside (didn’t bounce all that much from what I saw, and when he did he needed to), and fought for extra yards regularly. The upside at the Rams felt to good to pass up - but I’m not thrilled about the pick

Superflex or 1QB? Who went before him?

1 QB half PPR - CEH, Taylor, Dobbins, Jeudy, Swift, Lamb, Reagor, Akers

Jeudy and Reagor were to WR needy teams.

[MEuRaH]

Back to Akers, I was deadset on not drafting him. My post history is littered with talk of him being overrated

Wow, you're right. Your post in January looks like something I posted later on. Did I copy you?

Akers is nothing special. He seems decent enough in pass protection and for the most part has nice hands out of the backfield, but he runs stiff and doesn’t seem to have too much feel for the running back position. Didn’t surprise me at all when I saw that he played quarter back in high school after watching his tape.

I doubt he’s anything more than a fourth round NFL selection, maybe a late third at best if he blows the combine out of the water (which I doubt will happen).

But then...

but actually pulled the trigger when he was sitting there at 8 so here’s to hoping Mike actually is wrong

Whoa there, buddy. Two questions:

1) Why did you change your mind?
2) Wouldn't you also hope YOU are wrong?

[Jigga94]

Because at 8 in a 1QB you've likely seen 4 other RB and Jeudy and Lamb gone plus one other. Ruggs or Akers would be my board...

Those 2 carry the same upside/risk in this draft for me

[MEuRaH]

I do give him credit for having the cojones to make his own rankings, and post them here for all to see, discuss, and mock.
So while I don’t agree 100% with your rankings, and maybe I see different things than you do with some of these players, I do appreciate the time and courage to post them and open yourself up to the criticism. Is always helpful to get other opinions from a different set of eyes.

This and other such replies mean a lot, thank you. I didn't quote all the nice stuff you guys said but I did read them and I appreciate it.

I mean, he’s getting paid for this, no?

No. I'm paid for front page articles, FF ranks, and management of the forums. Posts/replies are optional.

He could put them all up behind the paywall and not post them here, right?.... it takes a lot of time and energy, especially if you are going to lay out your thought process and detail all your reasonings. So to pass them along for your benefits and also harassment, it is not nothing. I’ll tell you right now I wouldn’t give mine away. Not because they are any good or better, but because you can’t have my hard work for nothing but insults and questions. Lol so I say Kudos to Mike.

There are ~40 DLF staffers who write articles, make podcasts, and do rankings. I'm the only one who posts mini articles and replies to user created threads. Some have tried but they never are able to stick around. One new DLF staffer made an account this past December and was ridiculed on his very first ever reply. He never came back. They all use twitter. You have more control that way.

[cantguardjake]

Back to Akers, I was deadset on not drafting him. My post history is littered with talk of him being overrated

Wow, you're right. Your post in January looks like something I posted later on. Did I copy you?

Akers is nothing special. He seems decent enough in pass protection and for the most part has nice hands out of the backfield, but he runs stiff and doesn’t seem to have too much feel for the running back position. Didn’t surprise me at all when I saw that he played quarter back in high school after watching his tape.

I doubt he’s anything more than a fourth round NFL selection, maybe a late third at best if he blows the combine out of the water (which I doubt will happen).

But then...

but actually pulled the trigger when he was sitting there at 8 so here’s to hoping Mike actually is wrong

Whoa there, buddy. Two questions:

1) Why did you change your mind?
2) Wouldn't you also hope YOU are wrong?

I went back and watched some more tape and felt like I was initially a little harsh on him. I still think he has some flaws, but he is also a lot more explosive than I initially gave him credit for, and unlike a lot of guys I previously haven’t liked (Darwin, Mont etc) I feel like he at least tries to keep it inside and only bounces when he has to (for the most part) which I like to see, and is a big reason I drafted Sanders. I like to see solid 5-10 yard runs up the middle that show some X factor, which Sanders had in spades, and I think Akers also shows this at times.

The team I drafted him in is set at wide receiver, so the upside at RB was too hard to pass up as well as the positional scarcity (felt like I could grab a decent wide receiver with a latish second still).

I did qualify later on that I would potentially take a flier on him as I liken him to a Tevin Coleman like prospect, explosive looking athlete in the receiving game that may give him some value for a while - but may never take the full workload.

But I’m not 100% sold on the pick, so yes I do hope I am wrong

[cantguardjake]

Because at 8 in a 1QB you've likely seen 4 other RB and Jeudy and Lamb gone plus one other. Ruggs or Akers would be my board...

Those 2 carry the same upside/risk in this draft for me

Pretty much exactly this. I’m not a Ruggs fan (also in my post history) so it’s was Akers v Aiyuk (who I have been a fan of for a while). If my team was WR needy I would have gone Aiyuk, but RB was the need in this instance.

I liked the prospect of Akers / Claypool, Edwards tier WR over Aiyuk / Vaughn (who I think is a total bust), Moss (RB2 ceiling) just based on team needs.

[Sriracha]

Because at 8 in a 1QB you've likely seen 4 other RB and Jeudy and Lamb gone plus one other. Ruggs or Akers would be my board...

Those 2 carry the same upside/risk in this draft for me

Pretty much exactly this. I’m not a Ruggs fan (also in my post history) so it’s was Akers v Aiyuk (who I have been a fan of for a while). If my team was WR needy I would have gone Aiyuk, but RB was the need in this instance.

I liked the prospect of Akers / Claypool, Edwards tier WR over Aiyuk / Vaughn (who I think is a total bust), Moss (RB2 ceiling) just based on team needs.

This is why I dont understand all of the Akers hate. He carries the biggest bust risk of the top 5, but his explosion and “x-factor” as you put it wouldve made him my 1.01 if he came out in 2019.

I dont understand how you can hate Akers as a prospect just because he’s not as safe as the top RBs this year if you loved Sanders (who I did).

The hate on him is a bit irrational

[cantguardjake]

Because at 8 in a 1QB you've likely seen 4 other RB and Jeudy and Lamb gone plus one other. Ruggs or Akers would be my board...

Those 2 carry the same upside/risk in this draft for me

Pretty much exactly this. I’m not a Ruggs fan (also in my post history) so it’s was Akers v Aiyuk (who I have been a fan of for a while). If my team was WR needy I would have gone Aiyuk, but RB was the need in this instance.

I liked the prospect of Akers / Claypool, Edwards tier WR over Aiyuk / Vaughn (who I think is a total bust), Moss (RB2 ceiling) just based on team needs.

This is why I dont understand all of the Akers hate. He carries the biggest bust risk of the top 5, but his explosion and “x-factor” as you put it wouldve made him my 1.01 if he came out in 2019.

I dont understand how you can hate Akers as a prospect just because he’s not as safe as the top RBs this year if you loved Sanders (who I did).

The hate on him is a bit irrational

Because I didn’t see any flaws in Sanders game (outside of fumbling, but even that was overstated) and happily spent pick 3 on him. I wouldn’t spend pick 3 on Akers, even in last years class - but will take the risk based on his upside at 8 over Ruggs, Aiyuk et all who are equally as risky if RB is a need.

Sanders was just a far and away better prospect in my opinion, so it’s not really irrational.