RBs - 5 booms 5 busts

[2ksports]

5 booms, 5 busts, 3 reasons each.

Booms

Knowshon Moreno -
1) improved DEN D = more TOP
2) talent
3) was getting 2:1 drive ratio until injury last week

Darren McFadden
1) last year vs KC stats
2) 17 carries vs SD
3) improved D provides more opportunities to score

Darren Sproles
1) possibly no LT
2) BAL can stop schemes, but you can't stop pure talent
3) If your starting RB ran for 5 yards and Darren Sproles ran for 5 yards, Darren Sproles ran for more yards than your starting RB.

Ronnie Brown
1) MIA will run to keep Manning off field
2) He's uber-talented
3) he didn't do bad last week, just not enough carries

Fred Jackson
1) opportunities
2) BUF defense allows him to be on field more
3) Edwards = captain checkdown

Busts

Steve Slaton
1) TEN vs Willie Parke
2) Lack of goaline opportunities
3) TEN vulnerable through the air

Matt Forte
1) bad matchup
2) lacks elite talent
3) they will throw

Mojo
1) bad matchup
2) no WR help = stacked box
3) sit in standard, but must-start in PPR.

Joseph Addai
1) lacks talent
2) Miami rush D
3) lack of carries / opportunities

Cadillac Williams
1) RBBC - lack of opportunities
2) bad matchup
3) one-dimensional, not a rec threat

Sneaky start
Ahmad Bradshaw
1) TB ran all over DAL last week
2) Bradshaw had more YPC than Jacobs last week and enough opportunity to score
3) NYG offensive line

[34=Sweetness]

You know that Slaton gashed Tennessee for over 100 rushing yards both times last year, right? And now they don't have Haynesworth?

[mattb47]

You know that Slaton gashed Tennessee for over 100 rushing yards both times last year, right? And now they don't have Haynesworth?

Is it last season? What happened last season really doesn't mean a whole bunch right now...Slaton was running all over a lot of teams last season and yet he couldn't really manage to do a thing last week and the Titans defense is just as talented as the Jets defense is. They will most certainly be looking to shut down Slaton and that running game so I don't think projecting him as a "bust" for this week is a crazy thing at all.

[joejlitz]

You know that Slaton gashed Tennessee for over 100 rushing yards both times last year, right? And now they don't have Haynesworth?

Is it last season? What happened last season really doesn't mean a whole bunch right now...Slaton was running all over a lot of teams last season and yet he couldn't really manage to do a thing last week and the Titans defense is just as talented as the Jets defense is. They will most certainly be looking to shut down Slaton and that running game so I don't think projecting him as a "bust" for this week is a crazy thing at all.

I don't think it is crazy, but I do believe that a player's history success is important. Some offensive coordinators know how to scheme against opposing defenses and that sets the players up for success.

[MrTwo94]

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that Knowshon Moreno (knee) and Correll Buckhalter will continue to split carries. "We're going to play everybody here," offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. "There will be a certain rotation we're going to have, depending on the way the game is going. We have a plan going in how to play each guy, and the same thing with the receiver group. We're going to play those guys 'X' number of plays and get them in there, and we're going to keep certain guys in for certain plays." McCoy also said the team would be willing to be flexible if a hot hand emerged during the game.

There is a chance you are right about Moreno, but he only got 8 carries last week in a tight game (but they were ahead the vast majority of the time) and it sounds like they've got the same game plan. FWIW, I'm starting Bradshaw over him in the flex while P.Thomas gets better. Your other points all sound reasonable, though. I'm from Houston and I definitely benched Slaton for Jamal this week. Slaton is totally dependent on big plays, so if he finds one, he could possibly defy this prediction. But he won't be getting a lot of 6 yard carries against TEN. If anything it'll be a handful of 1-2 yard carries with a 50 yard TD scamper thrown in. I'm just not betting on that long TD. I expect more receptions out of him this week, though.

[moochman]

I can't go with Sproles busting out vs the Raves. LJ and Charles didn't exactly light up the Raves
Cannot agree at all with Addai not having talent. He could have a very nice game vs Phins{.

[Azrael]

I would hold my judgment on declaring Oakland and Denver defense being "improved" based on one week. Obviously Oakland is improved with Seymour. I think people are going to find out that SD's offensive line is really not what it was. Like I said before, Marcus McNeil is not the all-pro guy his was years ago. I don't know what happened to him. And their right side is just not very good without Goff and Olivea (gone couple years now). Didn't Bengals receivers have something like 7 or 8 drops, one which caused a turnover?

I do think Moreno will eventually work from a time share to more of a feature role as the season goes along though.

[FatFoot]

Love your thoughts on this stuff. Know you have the Ronnie Man-Crush though.

Boom Problems:
Moreno: Will he be used enough to have a real CHANCE at a boom?
Ronnie: By the BEARD of ZEUS, what is going on over there with the play calling. There's a very real chance that this guy just doesn't get enough touches, between Ricky and Pennington... is it play-calling, or what are we missing? I have this guy, and I'm a believer, but something smells!

Bust Problems:
Slaton: Well, Willie had 4 touches all preseason, and he sucked on and off last season... the TEN run D stats could be a product of FWP's problems. TEN D could be better than last year, but I doubt they're significantly so. Slaton should be back this week, IMO. Tennessee vulnerable through the air is good for Slaton, who is a good pass catching RB.

Good stuff, all around, though.

[FatFoot]

You know that Slaton gashed Tennessee for over 100 rushing yards both times last year, right? And now they don't have Haynesworth?

Is it last season? What happened last season really doesn't mean a whole bunch right now...Slaton was running all over a lot of teams last season and yet he couldn't really manage to do a thing last week and the Titans defense is just as talented as the Jets defense is. They will most certainly be looking to shut down Slaton and that running game so I don't think projecting him as a "bust" for this week is a crazy thing at all.

Last season TOTALLY matters for the first few weeks, because what else are you going to use to predict things? Are the Cardinals really the best rush D? Panthers really the best pass D? The numbers from game 1 + preseason rumors + last season's results + your own analysis are all we go by at this point. If it were anything else, we'd be able to draft the sure winner every season, etc.

I don't think predicting Slaton as a bust is crazy. But neither is it crazy to consider that he ran all over TEN last season.

[Dan Lambskin]

I can't go with Sproles busting out vs the Raves. LJ and Charles didn't exactly light up the Raves
Cannot agree at all with Addai not having talent. He could have a very nice game vs Phins{.

Mooch...i dont care if it was the 2nd coming of the 85 Bears defense...you dont stop pure talent like Sproles, you can only hope He decides to show some mercy

When the Ray Lewis goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Darren Sproles.