Analyzing the Detroit Running Game and Jahvid Best

[moochman]

K Smith didn't break tackles last year at all, don't see how recovering from an injury is going to make him more likely to break a tackle. At least Best will have fresh legs working for him.

I'm not trying to say Smith is going to be good now, following the injury.

I'm saying that he WAS pretty good, given the situation... And I don't feel like Jahvid Best is going to be significantly better, statistically, than Smith was.

Football is a dynamic game, playing conditions change year to year, game to game. The team Best gets to play on is as different from the team Keven Smith played on is the player Kevin Smith is not than then. Sure, Best may not be a strong a runner as Smith used to be (or maybe even is) but you break tackles by getting through a hole just a tick quicker, making a shifty move just a little faster. Its not all about being a bulldozer, simply making people miss that little bit to change a helmet sticking, bone jarring collision into an easier broken arm tackle. I am hoping Best will bring that element to the Lions run game.

[mattb47]

I think that Best is a lot better at running between the tackles than most people seem to want to give him credit for...I think he showed better ability to do that than Spiller did in college and I think that barring injury, he's going to be a better player in the NFL than Spiller is as well. I think that this is a guy who can be a real game-changer for the Lions this year and adding him in with weapons like Calvin Johnson on the outside and now Sheffler and Pettigrew at TE and you have an offense with actual potential.

[LS2throwed]

I think that Best is a lot better at running between the tackles than most people seem to want to give him credit for...I think he showed better ability to do that than Spiller did in college and I think that barring injury, he's going to be a better player in the NFL than Spiller is as well. I think that this is a guy who can be a real game-changer for the Lions this year and adding him in with weapons like Calvin Johnson on the outside and now Sheffler and Pettigrew at TE and you have an offense with actual potential.

This.


I can't lie though, his injury history does have me concerned, Spiller has been durable all through his career, carried Clemson on his back, and scored from a variety of different ways without getting injured. If not for injury concern I think Best is destined to be a star in this league, when you watch tape of him he'll amaze you, and Detroit pretty much has everything in place on offense except that LT, but definately enough for Best to produce.


I'm definately going to look for him in redrafts, he's going to be as close to a feature back as you can get, and if your in ppr leagues he'll rack up lots of passes.

[bagobonez]

After being burned by Calvin Johnson all Lions players are off limits to me until the Lions claw out of the perennial cellar.

[Kensat30]

Jahvid Best is potentially the 2010 version of Ray Rice.

You've got a guy with a lot of talent who should work his way into a full-time two way role relatively quickly. Already there are reports out that this guy will spend some time out in the slot, to me that reads 50-70+ receptions = big points. Good news regarding Kevin Smith's injury recovery will only help to create value in a guy like Best. Kevin Smith never had anything close to the talent that Best possesses even when he was at full health, that guy is a borderline NFL backup at this point.



With a consensus 4+ round draft ADP at this point, where is the downside here? People want to gamble a 2nd on Ryan Matthews right now, what is the major difference in the player and even the situation. This isn't a Matthews vs. Best comparison, but rather a 2nd round versus 4th round comparison. Bad teams can produce terrific fantasy RBs as long as the team has the commitment to give that player the right type and number of touches.

I voted 4th-6th round ADP, but I wouldn't mind Best as a RB2 really. I could easily envision taking him in the 3rd round right now.