Football Outsiders: Organizational Rankings

[Pinkerton Security]

This is an ESPN Insider article ranking the NFL teams based on under-25 talent.

22. Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf)
The Bills have a lot of young players on offense; unfortunately, none of them appear to be any good. Okay, C.J. Spiller (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=13203) should be the exception, but we don't know anything about what he'll do in the NFL. He has potential, but so did Marshawn Lynch (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10456), who failed to develop whatsoever. Buffalo has nearly a dozen qualifying players at wide receiver and tight end, but the best of the group might be 2008 second-rounder James Hardy (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11275), who's caught 10 passes in two seasons and showed up to OTAs overweight. Promising guard Eric Wood (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=12627) broke his leg last year and may never be 100 percent again. There is hope on the defense, though, where safety Jairus Byrd (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=12613) tied for the league lead in interceptions as a rookie and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11245) appears to be the next one up in the assembly line of great Bills corners. Unfortunately, those corners all seem to leave. Linebacker Paul Posluszny (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10478) is a supreme talent, but he struggles to stay healthy, and health is a skill.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?page=FootballOutsiders2010OrganizationalRankings

[wmoz11]

I don't necessarily disagree with the number, but not even mentioning Levitre? Health is a skill? Not qualifying the reason Hardy only has 10 catches (injury) and why he showed up out of shape (injury again) reeks of ******ation.

I guess that's to be expected when you think that health is a skill.

[Mike13]

Tim Graham usually posts the AFCE Insider stuff on his blog.

[SABURZFAN]

Hardy just doesn't get it. :shakeno:

[jamze132]

Lynch failed to develop whatsoever? Back-to-back 1000 yrd seasons and a Pro Bowl.

This article is ****ing clownshoes.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Sheesh. Reading this makes me feel like a flippin' optimist in comparison.

[tampabay25690]

Lynch failed to develop whatsoever? Back-to-back 1000 yrd seasons and a Pro Bowl.

This article is ****ing clownshoes.

I agree with the artice on this...
ANY starting RB should rush for 1000 yards a season now.....SO back to back 1000 yrd seasons for LYNCH is nothing...

[Jan Reimers]

Lynch failed to develop whatsoever? Back-to-back 1000 yrd seasons and a Pro Bowl.

This article is ****ing clownshoes.
And Wood may never be 100% again? Is this guy a friggin' doctor, too?

[psubills62]

I agree with the artice on this...
ANY starting RB should rush for 1000 yards a season now.....SO back to back 1000 yrd seasons for LYNCH is nothing...
Any starting RB? I wouldn't necessarily say that. Getting 1000 rushing yards isn't as big a deal now as it used to be, but it's not as easily done as people assume it is. There were 15 RB's who reached 1000 rushing yards last year, and two of them were on the same team (Carolina). That means the majority of the starting RB's (18 of them, to be exact) didn't reach 1000.

Similar case for 2008. 16 RB's crossed the millenium mark, but two were on the same team - NYG.

[mikemac2001]

Any starting RB? I wouldn't necessarily say that. Getting 1000 rushing yards isn't as big a deal now as it used to be, but it's not as easily done as people assume it is. There were 15 RB's who reached 1000 rushing yards last year, and two of them were on the same team (Carolina). That means the majority of the starting RB's (18 of them, to be exact) didn't reach 1000.


Good post

[OpIv37]

Any starting RB? I wouldn't necessarily say that. Getting 1000 rushing yards isn't as big a deal now as it used to be, but it's not as easily done as people assume it is. There were 15 RB's who reached 1000 rushing yards last year, and two of them were on the same team (Carolina). That means the majority of the starting RB's (18 of them, to be exact) didn't reach 1000.

Similar case for 2008. 16 RB's crossed the millenium mark, but two were on the same team - NYG.

how many of those 18 started every game? How many were on "running back by committee" teams?

In a 16 game season, 1000 yards is a 62.5 yards per game average. It really isn't anything spectacular.

Getting back to the article though, I'm surprised there was no mention of Nelson. At this point, I'd say he has a greater chance of breaking out and becoming a contributor than Hardy.

[chernobylwraiths]

Nothing about Maybin?

[WeAreArthurMoates]

To leave Levitre and Nelson off that list is foolish. Levitre is going to be a good one and if Nelson can beat the migranes will become a serious receiving threat.

[psubills62]

how many of those 18 started every game? How many were on "running back by committee" teams?

In a 16 game season, 1000 yards is a 62.5 yards per game average. It really isn't anything spectacular.

Getting back to the article though, I'm surprised there was no mention of Nelson. At this point, I'd say he has a greater chance of breaking out and becoming a contributor than Hardy.

That's part of my point. Starting RB's nowadays aren't necessarily the workhorse of their offense anymore. So many teams are going with a timeshare at RB that 1000 yards is getting harder and harder to reach. Injuries also play a role. Even if a player technically starts every game, that doesn't mean he'll get 20-25 carries. I'll bet Fred Jackson "starts" most of the games for the Bills, if not all. Doesn't mean he'll get more than 15 carries a game on average.

[Night Train]

Off-season filler with 2nd hand info.

Not impressed.

[Pinkerton Security]

Off-season filler with 2nd hand info.

Not impressed.

thats ESPN for you, even if it is Insider. Their NFL "Insider" info is crap.

[jamze132]

Sorry, but anytime your team has 2 backs that see significant time in each game and one of them reaches 1000, it is a success and no a "failed to develop" thing like that asspounder of a writer would have the sheep believe.