Fred Taylor - underrated?

[lomoman 0]

Just curious if anyone thinks that Fred Taylor is underrated going into this year?

 

If you look at his game log last year, he was extremely effective when he logged carries. He was better than Greg Jones. The only reason he was splitting carries at the end of last year was due to injury.

 

His "fragile Freddy" reputation, once warranted, is a bit exaggerated as he has played 57 games in the last 4 years averaging over 1200 yds/year even taking those 7 missed games into consideration.

 

He is supposedly lighter than he's been in years and it wouldn't shock me if he turned in the kind of bounceback year that C-Mart had 2 years ago.

 

I haven't seen FT on too many lists so far, but if you take something other than a RB with your first two picks, I wouldn't be too upset with Freddy as my #2.

 

Opinions?

[ellisonb11 0]

i wouldnt call him underated at all, cuz he has let down a lot of fantasy owners with injuries. this year he is healthy, and i think is a solid number 3 back and may emerge as a decent number 2.

[shutdown 40]

I had Taylor last year. You cannot look at his season stats and extroplate them into points per week with him. Not only does he miss 4-5 games each year, but there are another 2-3 games that he'll play when listed as questionable in the IR report. If you have any RB depth you don't start him those weeks either. You wind up with a back that you can only use 1/2 the year. Jacksonville has 4 other RB's they've drafted on the roster (Drew, Jones, Pearman, Toefield). That scares me away from him even more. The obviously don't have faith that this guy can stay healthy either.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

You cannot look at his season stats and extroplate them into points per week with him. Not only does he miss 4-5 games each year, but there are another 2-3 games that he'll play when listed as questionable in the IR report.

 

Exactly. Basically he shows up for 4-5 great games a year, 4-5 ok games, 6-8 outs/questionables. When he is healthy and has a good matchup he is a #1 RB, but for the other 11 games he a waste of roster space.

[Mike MacGregor 20]

Great talent, but doesn't find the end zone enough and the Jags seem disinterested in making him a focal point of the offense.

 

Fred Taylor

[Fumbleweed 547]

Exactly. Basically he shows up for 4-5 great games a year, 4-5 ok games, 6-8 outs/questionables. When he is healthy and has a good matchup he is a #1 RB, but for the other 11 games he a waste of roster space.

 

A bit unfair here. Taylor was healthy all of 2002, 2003, and 2004. Last year was his first year to have health difficulties since 2001.

[Kitsnow 0]

This boils down to a simple solution. If you like him draft him if you don't don't. Let your records decide for you.

[stonecoldsoonerfan 0]

A bit unfair here. Taylor was healthy all of 2002, 2003, and 2004. Last year was his first year to have health difficulties since 2001.

 

actually he played 14 games in 04, but i can see what you're getting at.

 

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12753

[TimmySmith 2,782]

A bit unfair here. Taylor was healthy all of 2002, 2003, and 2004. Last year was his first year to have health difficulties since 2001.

 

2004 10 games of less than 80 yards and 0 TDs

2003 8 games of less than 80 yards, in those games he had 1 TD total

2002 11 games of less than 85 yards

 

Even though he played alot, 46 of 48 games, he only had about 15 decent ones. By decent I mean some were great, some were good. In 29 he simply showed up and my guess is that he was dinged in most of those. 5-12 fantasy points in 70% of his games over those 3 good statistical years shows season stats can be very misleading.

[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon 0]

2004 10 games of less than 80 yards and 0 TDs

2003 8 games of less than 80 yards, in those games he had 1 TD total

2002 11 games of less than 85 yards

 

Even though he played alot, 46 of 48 games, he only had about 15 decent ones. By decent I mean some were great, some were good. In 29 he simply showed up and my guess is that he was dinged in most of those. 5-12 fantasy points in 70% of his games over those 3 good statistical years shows season stats can be very misleading.

 

 

 

Spoken by the man that had 1 great game and is in jail

[mggoilers 0]

Great talent, but doesn't find the end zone enough and the Jags seem disinterested in making him a focal point of the offense.

 

Fred Taylor

 

Exactly a great talent, the offense in Jacksonville has never used him correctly. Ask NFL players about him, and they all show him the most respect. He's a top 5 back in the league based on measurables, but he's had some bad luck and some questionable offseason conditioning programs. He may be figuring out how to take care of his body a little too late.

[Junkie 0]

I drafted him as a #3 overall pick in 2001, and week 1 he tore his groin. I stayed away from him for a couple of years and he didn't miss a game and posted respectable #'s. I took a chance on him again last year as a #2 after going RB, WR, WR in the first 3 rounds. He let me down again. I don't care what is said about his conditioning, or how he looks. I'll never trust him as anything more than a #3 or #4 RB on any of my teams.

 

What was said above is true. He's one of the most talented RBs in the league, but the Jags will never use him like one.

[ellisonb11 0]

What was said above is true. He's one of the most talented RBs in the league, but the Jags will never use him like one.

 

well last season he got about 38 carries in one game, and id say they used him like a talented RB.

[Parkers99 0]

In my main auction league everyone hates the guy. I draft him almost every year because he's so cheap and then trade him to the first team to suffer a RB injury. It's been a pretty good strategy for me

 

I have little doubt I'll draft him again this year and then he'll be on someone else's team by week 4.

[HawgWild 0]

I took him last year as my RB3 and then Deuce went down for the year and I had to play Fred and i must say he was a disappointment most of the time.. One or two good weeks but most of the time he was either hurt or just ineffective... I will try to avoid him this year...

[Bigbrotherisback 0]

He will most likely end up as a 3rd back in most leagues and fall within 25-30 RB taken range. In drafts where he falls in this range he will be either valued correctly (due to injury risk factor) or even undervalued if he can stay healthy. With the loss of Jimmy Smith the Jags may actually focus on the running game just a wee bit more - although I doubt that transfers to Taylor in workload or production. Taylor is also 30 years old now. Only the greatest of backs can produce at the level you and I need for a first team fantasy back at that age.

 

Projection 1000 Total yards and 4 TD's (half of this total in 4 games)

[Franknbeans 46]

I'd stay away from all Jags players except their D this year

[listen2me 23 1,873]

man he had or has talent.....

 

I remember his rookie year when he had a great year.....and i found him being on my team....I was expecting him to be the next best fantasy football monster....and really liked the way he ran...

 

too bad now that I look back at his career.....

 

he had one of the best rookie years for a RB ever....

[bgard72 10]

I don't think underrated at all. 3 TD's in 2005, 3 TD's in 2004, and he is definitely injury prone.

 

I'd stay away from him...unless he drops way down in your draft.

[SoloMatisse 0]

If Fred Taylor is underrated at this point in his career, it is for good reason. he's older, injury prone, coming off an injury marred season, and on a team with a slew of capable backs. imo, he's rated right where he belongs.