How sought after was Reggie Bush (and others) in dynasty leagues as a rookie?

[ArrylT]

Ironically enough it is not out of the realm of possibility that Bush could have had a Sproles like 2nd career if he had not had that freak injury (slipped on the concrete and tore ACL).

[Life of Pablo]

Since Reggie Bush is a little far back... how about Trent Richardson?

Surely there's more people in here that can recall what his value/hype was like when he came into the league in 2012. I didn't start dynasty until 2014 so can't share any stories unfortunately.

[Mjvb5]

Since Reggie Bush is a little far back... how about Trent Richardson?

Surely there's more people in here that can recall what his value/hype was like when he came into the league in 2012. I didn't start dynasty until 2014 so can't share any stories unfortunately.

Basically zeke level hype that only increased after year 1

[Paul717]

Reggie Bush obviously went 1.01 in my league that year. I had the 1.02 and grabbed DeAngelo Williams. Each had a few great years, some mediocre years.

If it helps, for context, I recall I was offered the 1.01 if I was willing to pay the 1.02 and a piece like Lee Evans at the time. So...I don't think he was as hyped as a guy like Barkley for example.

[Vcize]

Reggie Bush came about a decade too early. The NFL hadn't figured out how to maximize guys like that yet.

This is just not true. The dude was drafted by Sean Payton for goodness sake. His replacement when he washed out there was Darren Sproles who was instantly amazing in the same role.

Bush's problem was that he couldn't shake even the tiniest of arm tackles in the NFL until he bulked up, at which point he lost all of his dynamic ability. Sproles was significantly more efficient than Bush in the same role.

You don't think Payton learned from that? They tried to make Reggie Bush a RB first who could then line up wide and catch passes. They mainly used Sproles as a change of pace guy where the bulk of his work came in the passing game and out in space.

Reggie Bush was Payton's first experiment with that type of back. Sproles was the 2nd (and more efficient) try at it. Kamara is benefiting from the trial and error of those two before him.

C'mon. In 2010 Bush as a receiver averaged a woeful 4.9 YPT and 6.1 YPR. The very next year when Sproles replaced him he averaged 6.5 YPT and 8.3 YPR. You're telling me you think Payton magically learned how to use a receiving back between 2010 and 2011, coincidentally at the same time Sproles came in?

I owned Bush everywhere. I watched those games religiously. To imply that they didn't get the ball to Bush out in space is crazy. He was barely even getting carries anymore his last two years in New Orleans (an averaged of about 75 carries per 16 games from 2009-2010).

His problem wasn't that he didn't get the ball in space. It's that he sucked with the ball, even in space. I watched all those games. He'd get the ball in space and the first guy that got near him would either take him down with an arm tackle or slow him down so much that the rest of the team could swarm him. He was indecisive and weak.

[notweswelker]

Since Reggie Bush is a little far back... how about Trent Richardson?

Surely there's more people in here that can recall what his value/hype was like when he came into the league in 2012. I didn't start dynasty until 2014 so can't share any stories unfortunately.

Basically zeke level hype that only increased after year 1

Which was ridiculous because he was just a volume based plodder. Pretty much the Leonard Fournette of a few years ago. I'll never understand the Fournette hype, even now the owners who think he's going to be an elite NFL rb just baffle me.

[ninotoreS]

I remember it being a huge deal that the Texans passed on him for Mario Williams.

I remember that decision being lauded by many pundits.

[jenkins.math]

C'mon. In 2010 Bush as a receiver averaged a woeful 4.9 YPT and 6.1 YPR. The very next year when Sproles replaced him he averaged 6.5 YPT and 8.3 YPR. You're telling me you think Payton magically learned how to use a receiving back between 2010 and 2011, coincidentally at the same time Sproles came in?

I owned Bush everywhere. I watched those games religiously. To imply that they didn't get the ball to Bush out in space is crazy. He was barely even getting carries anymore his last two years in New Orleans (an averaged of about 75 carries per 16 games from 2009-2010).

His problem wasn't that he didn't get the ball in space. It's that he sucked with the ball, even in space. I watched all those games. He'd get the ball in space and the first guy that got near him would either take him down with an arm tackle or slow him down so much that the rest of the team could swarm him. He was indecisive and weak.

No that isn't what I'm saying at all. I said he learned from Reggie Bush and quit trying to fit a square peg in a round hole by giving that type of RB a bunch of carries. I didn't say he figured that out in one offseason. I guess you're trying to say they learned absolutely nothing from the Reggie Bush experience then? I find that pretty hard to believe.

Reggie Bush got 9.6 carries/gm his rookie season, then 13, 10.6, 5, and 4.5. Not coincidentally, Bush's best season in NOLA was his rookie year when he was targeted 121 times.

You know the highest average carries/gm Sproles had in NOLA? 5.5. Yet he averaged 6.9 targets in the passing game during that same stretch.

To me it is pretty clear Sean Payton and company learned how to better utilize a pass catcher out of the backfield and quit giving those guys carries they couldn't handle. RB's weren't getting targeted like that before Bush (or at least that wasn't happening at the level it is now) and I honestly don't think Payton had figured it all out yet. Whether Bush would have put it together, stayed healthy, etc are all up for debate. But that is a debate I don't care about having.

[MrUbuto]

Reggie Bush had the hype slightly akin to what Barkley had coming out.

However as mentioned above, the dynasty landscape has changed a ton.

Yes. Bush was seen as a true once in a decade running back. I can't remember anyone who didn't believe the hype, myself included.
Looking back the two biggest warning signs were his team, and his size. Pete Carrol's USC team was stupidly dominant, and if you look back at his highlights, the dude is running through GAPING holes a lot of the time. Obviously things look clearer in hindsight, and he was undoubtedly talented, but watching the tape should have given people more pause than it did, we all bought the hype and the NFL did too.

I'd say more so than Barkley and Peterson. He was the next Barry Sanders. He was playing on national TV every night winning national championships. It was a sure a thing as I can remember. Maybe except trent Richardson he was considered a no doubt sure thing too.

[chubnubbin]

I forgot about trent richardson.

[MrUbuto]

I forgot about trent richardson.

Lucky..

[Finfansteve]

I wasn’t a fan of bush coming out I was more of a Laurence Maroney fan but maroney had a few good years while bush had the longer career so I guess it was sort of a wash

[ArrylT]

I wasn’t a fan of bush coming out I was more of a Laurence Maroney fan but maroney had a few good years while bush had the longer career so I guess it was sort of a wash

I remember Maroney for sure. Unfortunately thanks to his receiving prowess, Bush beat out Maroney on most years, even before he had 2 (almost 3) 1k rushing seasons (a feat Maroney never reached).

For example in his rookie year Bush was RB 9 vs. Maroney RB27 in ppr & 17 vs 29 in std.

Maroney did beat Bush in one year - 2009 - in std (but not ppr) but every other year Bush outdid Maroney, and then some (ie Maroney was done after 2009).

----

For those curious here were Bushs career results in typical ppr

2006 - RB 9
2007 - RB 13
2008 - RB 27
2009 - RB 29
2010 - RB 58
2011 - RB 13
2012 - RB 14
2013 - RB 7
2014 - RB 42

[MrUbuto]

RB 7 in 2013?? I have no memory of that

[Vcize]

RB 7 in 2013?? I have no memory of that

He bulked up and became a reasonably effective between the tackles, traditional RB late in his career.