Yeh All Yopu Willie Lovers I have Bad News

[BALCOBOMBER]

If Bettis, Parker and Staley all split carries, it's going to hurt all their fantasy values.

Umm.........DUH!

Look, wait until Willie runs wild on the Texans in week 2 then try and trade him for value.

[Heavyg25]

If Bettis, Parker and Staley all split carries, it's going to hurt all their fantasy values.

Umm.........DUH!

Look, wait until Willie runs wild on the Texans in week 2 then try and trade him for value.

It gets a little more complicated when you are talking about a keeper league. I think he has alot more value when you are talking about having him next year.

[PSU All Day]

I took Willie in the last round of my draft and I will play him until I see one of 2 things happen:

1 - He stops getting the bulk of the carries
2 - He stops being effective with the bulk of the carries
3 - Bettis comes back and takes over the goal line carries

Other than one of those three things happening I will just keep on playing him and being thankful that I can.

[Plindsey88]

"Yeh All Yopu"? What in the world...

I'll take "Reasons not to Drink and Post" for $1000, Alex.....

[Dan Lambskin]

i drafted him way late knowing Duce and the Bus were banged up and that he might have a shot at starting. bonus that he started week 1 and looks to be starting week 2.

i plan to ride him while he's hot, and if he never plays another down after week 2, i'll still be happy because i took him way late as a gamble and he paid off.

i dont think anyone drafted this guy to carry their team, so if he does become worthless again, i'm guessing most Willie owners have other capable backs they can plug in

[wizbang]

This will ultimately come down to YPC. As long as Willie is above 5 YPC and unless he fumbles a LOT he will get around 20 carries. If his YPC drops to the mid-4s or below for a few games in a row he will lose more carries. Staley isn't flashy but he's a fairly solid mid 4s YPC rusher (as he was with essentially the same OL and system last season - 4.3 to be exact).

The key is how much leeway will Cowher give Willie? EVERY RB has a bad week or two. Will Cowher shift toward Staley if FWP has a few weeks in the high 3s or low 4s? It's impossible to predict but right now I think Cowher and perhaps more importantly the Steelers clubhouse is solidly behind FWP. Bettis sure as hell looked like the biggest FWP fan last Sunday and to me that says a LOT.

[ramrodderz]

So how do y'all think Big Willie's burst on the scene affects Big Ben's fantasy value? I'm thinking he gets a little boost...

[Keyser_WV]

Duce Staley comments on benmaller.com:

Willie Parker received another vote of confidence as the Steelers' starting halfback yesterday, this one from the former starter. Duce Staley took more extended snaps in the backfield in practice as he works his way back from Aug. 8 knee surgery. But he said even when he's healthy, the pecking order might have changed among him, Jerome Bettis and Parker. "If he's out there running and doing what he's doing and putting up great numbers and we're winning, without a doubt, leave him in there," Staley said of Parker. "You have to understand, we went through the same thing last year. I was out there, I got hurt; Jerome went in and we didn't miss a beat. Here we go again: Willie comes in and we don't miss a beat."


The Steelers have a team first attitude and they know a super bowl is a real possibility.

If WP performs, he will get the majority of the carries.