What's wrong with MJD/Ray Rice?

[LS2throwed]

3 weeks in, the consensus #3 and #4 pick have yet to really impress or have that big game your expecting from either. What's the problem here, or for either? Is Boldin eating into Rice's contribution? Is Jacksonville being so sorry hurting MJD, or is his knee bothering him?


Do you guys see things changing for either one as the season goes on?

[PuntinFool]

Since I have both on one team and have noticed the same thing, I'm chalking it up to bad luck.

It doesn't help that Garrard can barely get it to his receivers effectively in Jacksonville, so there probably isn't as much room to run for MJD as there would be with a threatening pass attack. For Rice I'm more uncertain about, but I'm hoping it's because the pass defenses have been easier to disassemble than the running defenses. He should've had a better game against Cleveland, though.

[CBMGreatOne]

For both, the problem has been the woes of their offenses as a whole. Garrard has been no worse than last year, so I guess in MJD's case the offensive line is largely to blame, and it certainly doesn't help that his team has been behind by multiple TDs for like 75% of the time that they've been on the field.

For Rice, he had 2 absolutely brutal matchups to start the year. While he had a handful of good games in bad matchups a year ago, he was never "matchup proof" so to speak. He should have been better in Cleveland of course, but one game, in which the offense as a whole finally played well, can be chalked up to bad luck.

I'd buy low on Rice, but I might sell on MJD. His team is just so poor offensively that the surrounding pieces limit his upside as a fantasy player. You can't have a 1500 yard 15 TD rusher on a team that is poor overall offensively. The Jags look like they might be in trouble this year.

[mattb47]

That's not really true about Rice last year...he was essentially matchup proof all season because he contributed so heavily in the passing game that even against great rushing defenses he would have big games through the air. I think the addition of better options in the passing game has hurt his overall upside because he's no longer "needed" to be as big a focal point in both the rushing and passing games as he once was.

I think he'll get better but I don't know if we're going to see the guy that most people drafted him for as a top 4 pick who was the weekly stud all season last year. I mean he's still on pace for about 50 receptions or so, but nowhere near the effectiveness (just 6.5 yards per catch) and chances are it won't get exponentially better which is what it would need to for him to reach the potential we expect from him.

[LS2throwed]

For both, the problem has been the woes of their offenses as a whole. Garrard has been no worse than last year, so I guess in MJD's case the offensive line is largely to blame, and it certainly doesn't help that his team has been behind by multiple TDs for like 75% of the time that they've been on the field.

For Rice, he had 2 absolutely brutal matchups to start the year. While he had a handful of good games in bad matchups a year ago, he was never "matchup proof" so to speak. He should have been better in Cleveland of course, but one game, in which the offense as a whole finally played well, can be chalked up to bad luck.

I'd buy low on Rice, but I might sell on MJD. His team is just so poor offensively that the surrounding pieces limit his upside as a fantasy player. You can't have a 1500 yard 15 TD rusher on a team that is poor overall offensively. The Jags look like they might be in trouble this year.

Yea but wasn't the Jax offense bad last year just the same, and really the year before? They have been bad for awhile I thought, not much has changed really, it's not like their passing game has just dropped off all that much from what I remember.

[bagobonez]

The answer to the question is.... I have them both on my teams for the first time ever.

[David592207]

I've got Rice on my team as well and have been really disappointed so far. I think the comments about the increased number of choices for Flacco to throw to have some validity in both reducing Rice's targets out of the backfield and the percentage of run versus pass plays. The Ravens have always been a pound-it, run-first team that would win ugly with a strong ground game and defense. But after the first several games last year, it seems like Flacco really started emerging as a passer, getting the ball to Heap and Mason for big gains. They started to win "pretty" and Flacco's fantasy value soared. This really opened things up for Rice in my opinion.

Now, however, Flacco has been inconsistent and the team certainly doesn't seem to be picking up where they left off last year. I really think this has something to do with the O-line in both run-blocking and pass protection as well as, to a certain extent, the play calling/coaching.


H2H Non-PPR 1RB/2WR No Flex 12 Team League

QB(1)- Schaub, Kolb
RB(1)- Rice, S. Jackson, Forte, Charles
WR(2)-R. Moss, C. Johnson, Jennings, Crabtree
TE(1)- Z. Miller
D/ST(1)- Broncos, Dolphins
K(1)- Kasay

[shawngee03]

I've got Rice on my team as well and have been really disappointed so far. I think the comments about the increased number of choices for Flacco to throw to have some validity in both reducing Rice's targets out of the backfield and the percentage of run versus pass plays. The Ravens have always been a pound-it, run-first team that would win ugly with a strong ground game and defense. But after the first several games last year, it seems like Flacco really started emerging as a passer, getting the ball to Heap and Mason for big gains. They started to win "pretty" and Flacco's fantasy value soared. This really opened things up for Rice in my opinion.

Now, however, Flacco has been inconsistent and the team certainly doesn't seem to be picking up where they left off last year. I really think this has something to do with the O-line in both run-blocking and pass protection as well as, to a certain extent, the play calling/coaching.


H2H Non-PPR 1RB/2WR No Flex 12 Team League

QB(1)- Schaub, Kolb
RB(1)- Rice, S. Jackson, Forte, Charles
WR(2)-R. Moss, C. Johnson, Jennings, Crabtree
TE(1)- Z. Miller
D/ST(1)- Broncos, Dolphins
K(1)- Kasay

1 Rb 2 WR no flex...wow is that a boring league

im curious as to why it is set up that way. seems more luck on who you pick to play each week than building a good deep team

[David592207]

I've got Rice on my team as well and have been really disappointed so far. I think the comments about the increased number of choices for Flacco to throw to have some validity in both reducing Rice's targets out of the backfield and the percentage of run versus pass plays. The Ravens have always been a pound-it, run-first team that would win ugly with a strong ground game and defense. But after the first several games last year, it seems like Flacco really started emerging as a passer, getting the ball to Heap and Mason for big gains. They started to win "pretty" and Flacco's fantasy value soared. This really opened things up for Rice in my opinion.

Now, however, Flacco has been inconsistent and the team certainly doesn't seem to be picking up where they left off last year. I really think this has something to do with the O-line in both run-blocking and pass protection as well as, to a certain extent, the play calling/coaching.


H2H Non-PPR 1RB/2WR No Flex 12 Team League

QB(1)- Schaub, Kolb
RB(1)- Rice, S. Jackson, Forte, Charles
WR(2)-R. Moss, C. Johnson, Jennings, Crabtree
TE(1)- Z. Miller
D/ST(1)- Broncos, Dolphins
K(1)- Kasay

1 Rb 2 WR no flex...wow is that a boring league

im curious as to why it is set up that way. seems more luck on who you pick to play each week than building a good deep team

You are absolutely right...boring! THis is my first year in a buddy's league and I don't know why he eliminated the second RB and Flex. There is too much luck involved in choosing a RB. You try to put in the guy with the hot hand and then the guy you benched has a great game. It's like chasing your tail!

[RBManiac]

dont know if im repeating whats already said..i didnt have the time to read it all

Is Boldin eating into Rice's contribution? Is Jacksonville being so sorry hurting MJD, or is his knee bothering him?

meh.,..boldin being more productive is a great thing, im sure it will start to keep defenses honest.

rice did have a little issue recently with his knee, but it was said to be just a bruise. Bruises on the knee dont concern me much with an RB as long as he takes it easy. Rice does have the steelers this week, so you cant expect much yet, but what i see is RIces 5.3+ YPC the last 2 games. I like that, and like i said...the emergence of the pass game keeps the D's honest. I see rice moving foward...I used to watch the guy at rutgers often...hes really tuff...he just keeps getting up and going forward everytime. A true work horse. I have no doubts in him this year.



MJD on the other hand is a major concern. I stayed away from him in drafts...that offense is indeed in shambles. I also expect him to hurt himself even more if they keep pusing him on the field. Hes not the type to handle full workloads back to back years. Gore can doo that stuff just fine. He is no gore for sure. I think the best thing jags can do right now is spread the workload between him Jennings , and karim. I think we might just see that going forward. I hope my boy Karim gets some playing time and runs with it. Im just going offf subject now


you get my point though