A friend of mine is a huge Buccs fan (we get together for the Battle of the Bays whenever we can) and we have been locked in an argument for the past few days.
He says that Charles Lee is going to have a breakout season this year, that he'll eventually become the number ONE receiver over McCardell and Joey Galloway - by no later than week 3, he says.
I, on the other hand, would like to think that there are too many wideouts in TB to spread the ball to for Charles Lee, of all people, to become a fantasy stud, but he insists that the Galloway acquisition was bogus, that McCardell's year last year was a fluke (I agree with him on that one), and that Joe Jurivicius is on his way out.
I told him that Jurivicius is very valuable to the Bucs because of his size - he's an instant mismatch with most DBs - and familiarity with the system. I just can't see them getting rid of him just because Charles Lee could be a star someday. And I'm not going to deny that Lee has mad talent, but I'm also not going to use a third-round pick on him, as my friend Matt insists he will. I don't see any point to this - even if he does produce third-pick-worthy numbers there's no way that he won't fall past that. I'm telling him to re-think his draft strategy to get him in the later rounds, but he insists that Lee is a lock for his starting lineup at WR.
Am I totally missing something about Lee that is very apparent to diehard Buccs fans, or is my friend simply a doofus?
Slowkidz wrote:your friend should go buy a ticket for the Clue Bus.
And do you think this is this because Charles Lee is not going to make a fantasy impact, or because of wasting a third-round (and this might be an exaggeration - but he said he'd be picking Lee up as soon as there was no one else that could potentially outperform him. He's just got it stuck in his head that Lee's going to have a Boulden-type year this year) pick on him?
I think Lee's going to stay the Buccs' #4 receiver unless an injury moves him up, but I also recognize that he could be decent. Not fantastic...but kinda like Dennis Northcutt or Peter Warrick.
Jurevicius is becomming the next Wayne Chrebet. What he did for TB last yr endeared him to a lot of Bucks fans, and it'll be pretty tough to get him out of the lineup.
What game was that last yr where he pretty much had the 2 best TD catches Ive ever seen in the same game? That tippy-toe ice cream cone snag in the absolute corner of the endzone was jaw dropping, but to better that snag with the tip-to-himself TD? Just wow. JJ is an immediate fan favorite and management will have a tough time letting him go.
Dont get me wrong, I think Lee will be a solid WR in the NFL - but for the points you made about the TB offense, I dont see how he is going to be a standout fantasy wideout this yr.
TheBigBakedBean wrote:I think Lee's going to stay the Buccs' #4 receiver unless an injury moves him up, but I also recognize that he could be decent. Not fantastic...but kinda like Dennis Northcutt or Peter Warrick.
Lee could be decent. He filled in last year when he needed to do so. But now all of TBs WRs are healthy and fighting for a spot. The only guarantee is McCardell. I wouldn't touch him in the draft. I see Lee as a #4 WR at most. The same time, I wouldn't have drafted Northcutt or Warrick either. Northcutt had a few decent games, but he's not noteworthy of a draft choice. Warrick has been streaky over the last few years, but he did finally settle down last season. Now he has to work with a rookie QB. I see CJ getting more looks than Warrick. Again, maybe a decent WR down the road, but no one I'd spend a draft pick on. There has to be someone more worthwhile on the board that I wouls look at picking up, which includes TEs, Ks, and Defenses.
Cornbread Maxwell wrote:What game was that last yr where he pretty much had the 2 best TD catches Ive ever seen in the same game? That tippy-toe ice cream cone snag in the absolute corner of the endzone was jaw dropping, but to better that snag with the tip-to-himself TD? Just wow. JJ is an immediate fan favorite and management will have a tough time letting him go.
As much as it pains me to say it, that was the season opener vs. the Eagles. Without those 2 physics defying grabs the game would've been most defensive and probably most boring Monday Night game ever.
The one in the back of the endzone was pure skill, just a career-highlight kind of catch. The defense played him near-perfect, he just made a flawless play.
The 2nd one, that one convinced me fate had cursed the Eagles. The ball was tipped, to the right, JJ runs around the defender (running left), hooks back to the right, and snatches the ball right when it looked like the Eagles might have a game changing interception on their hands. That one was more luck than skill, but the best players make their own luck, and I'm leaning towards JJ and McCardell, or JJ and Clayton to be the standout WRs for the Bucs this year.
I agree Lee could have a good year, but it is too much of an unknown. As for picking him in the third, there is just no way. Taking a late round gamble on Lee is all he is worth ...... now anyways.
Let's not forget that the Bucs also used their first round draft pick on a WR: Michael Clayton.
When Jurevicious was healthy last year, Lee was the #3 WR. Now, they've brought in a guy that's been a #1 WR his whole career (team wise, not fantasy wise), and a first round draft choice...That doesn't look like a good fantasy situation for Charles Lee to me...
Before Galloway came in, I thought Lee had a good chance to put up good #2 WR stats. Lee was the only vertical speed threat they had. Now Galloway can instantly come in immediately and fill that role as the guy who takes advantage of mismatches and double teams on Joey J. At this point, Lee is undraftable until I see something in preseason I like. Clayton won't be much of a factor this season.
Last edited by KingGhidra on Fri May 14, 2004 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by TheBigBakedBean » Fri May 14, 2004 10:23 am 
