Reggie Bush: RB, New Orleans Saints

[Kilroy 0]

Reggie Bush, the highly hyped second overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, hasn't lived up to expectations through his first two seasons at the pro level. Averaging just over 150 carries per season, Bush has rushed for 1139 yards in his young career, but is averaging just 3.66 yards per carry in the process.

 

On the plus side, Bush has proven to be a valuable receiver out of the backfield for the Saints under head coach Sean Payton. In just two seasons, he has already caught 162 passes for an impressive 1165 yards and 4 touchdowns. Combined with his rushing totals, the former star out of USC has scored a very respectable 14 touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons.

 

With Deuce McAllister having dealt with his fair share of injuries in recent years, Bush may be in position to be the primary ball carrier for the Saints this season. Should McAllister faulter however, he may still find himself competing with Aaron Stecker and Pierre Thomas in the backfield.

 

Will this be the season Bush takes over as the primary ball carrier in the Saints backfield? If so, will he be able to be effective and average more than 4.0 yards per carry in the process? Or will Bush's primary value continue to be in leagues that reward points for receptions? Give your take and let the board hear your opinion.

[kmbryant09 1]

Bush obviously has added value in PPR leagues. In such a league, he should finish in the 10-12 RB range, as he is a lock to catch 75 balls. Even with his mediocre rushing numbers, he basically serves as a solid WR #3. He has averaged a TD every 33 touches throughout his first two seasons, and that number should only get better as he matures/gets healthy/given the high-powered Saints offense. He should put up ~600 rushing yards, 75-85 catches for 650-750 and 9-10 total TDs

[Borat33 17]

Down. I will never draft that POS again. He is a horrible running back. Look at the numbers both Stecker and Thomas put up once that pu$$ got hurt. Just convert to WR already ya bum!!

[TD Ryan2 315]

Bush is a fantastic talent/athlete.

However, that doesn't make him an effective NFL RB.

 

it really breaks down to this:

PPR - Bush is an OK #2 Fantasy RB

non-PPR - Bush is a good #3 Fantasy RB

 

at this point, we know what we'll get out of Bush. He's a reception machine at RB.

There is no longer a mystical "upside" to Bush, he isn't an effective every-down runner in the NFL so the rushing yards and TDs will not couple with all the receiving to create the next Marshall Faulk/Priest Holmes of fantasy football.

[BLS 313]

I don't see Bush as a viable NFL running back, at least not as a full time ball carrier.

He just doesn't have the power.

[pee-diddy 27]

PPR league = stepping up.

 

I think we know what Bush is capable as far as receptions (75 - 90 receptions).

 

But the fact that he can only go up in rushing stats means to me that he will only do better in 2008.

[BringBackBernie 0]

Bush is a fantastic talent/athlete.

However, that doesn't make him an effective NFL RB.

 

it really breaks down to this:

PPR - Bush is an OK #2 Fantasy RB

non-PPR - Bush is a good #3 Fantasy RB

 

at this point, we know what we'll get out of Bush. He's a reception machine at RB.

There is no longer a mystical "upside" to Bush, he isn't an effective every-down runner in the NFL so the rushing yards and TDs will not couple with all the receiving to create the next Marshall Faulk/Priest Holmes of fantasy football.

That is incorrect. In a PPR league, Bush is a #1 back, not #2. And, Bush is a very consistent scorer in a PPR format.

[kmbryant09 1]

That is incorrect. In a PPR league, Bush is a #1 back, not #2. And, Bush is a very consistent scorer in a PPR format.

 

I'd have to agree that Bush is more than an OK #2 back, but he is a weak #1 or strong #2. I wouldn't draft him in the first round of a PPR league, but would feel good about him as my second back behind someone who will actually score TDs...

[Joey Gladstone 33]

He HAS to step up if he ever wants to be considered a primary back. I don't think he can. Nice RB in PPR leagues. In standard leagues, I'd only draft him if he slipped to me in the 4th, which would never happen because he's Reggie Bush.

 

Most over-hyped player ever.

[Borat33 17]

That is incorrect. In a PPR league, Bush is a #1 back, not #2. And, Bush is a very consistent scorer in a PPR format.

 

 

This is why I don't use PPR. Scrubs like Bush are gfood in that format but in reality dude is sh!t.

[pee-diddy 27]

This is why I don't use PPR. Scrubs like Bush are gfood in that format but in reality dude is sh!t.

 

Hence the term FANTASY football, right? Or is your league the only one called Reality Football?

[NorthernVike 2,080]

This is why I don't use PPR. Scrubs like Bush are gfood in that format but in reality dude is sh!t.

 

 

Personally I enjoy PPR. It brings more scoring to the table hence more fun. More teams can stay in the 'money' keeping interest in the league trough out the year.

[phlegmish 4]

Hence the term FANTASY football, right? Or is your league the only one called Reality Football?

 

 

Or Retarded Pole Smokers

 

his ideal backfield would obviously be Charles Way and Mike Alstott....every Sunday he would have 9 carries, 13 yds and 3tds!

[FlaHawker 24]

Steppin' up

 

This is fantasy football and PPR leauges are awesome; thus Bush is inddeed a valuable player. Last year Bush finished # 14 with 212.8 points even though he missed the last 4 games of the year. Had he played in those games and just produced his yearly average to that point he would have finished with 283.6 points good for an overall finish at # 6, top 10 material. I'm not sold on Deuce's health after two ACL injuries and Stecker and Thomas while nice role players aren't really a threat to Bush. I love the perception of Bush as a underachiever becasue he will slip in drafts and I hope to sang him in third round of my keeper league. I'm trying to trade up to the top of round 3 to ensure getting him.

[Wildman 0]

I hear a lot of people talk about Bush's poor ranking on a Football Outsiders metric that shows he was bad at getting yards on plays were most RBs were productive. From a numbers standpoint this is scary, but when you watch how Bush has been running differently than he did in college (it's a subtle difference although it may not seem like it) or take into account he played hurt until he couldn't play any more, I think Bush will improve as a between the tackles runner.

 

 

During Bush's college career, we saw a lot of highlight reel runs where Bush reversed his field and weaved through a secondary at will. What was also on the tape was his ability to be decisive, hit a small hole very hard and make one cut down field. This is why I rated Bush highly two years ago. He didn't dance when he got the ball. He didn't think about what he was going to do, he simply played.

 

In the pros, Bush has often found himself in the open field on a short pass and tried too hard to set up a big play by hesitating or dancing rather than just running forward and cutting where he could to gain maximum yardage. This has been disconcerting to me and other folks I know who watched his college film as closely as I. He wasn't like this in college. It's like he's trying too hard to bust it loose on every down.

 

I believe he's too smart of a player to continue doing this in season number three. He's worked hard in the off season and I believe he'll show improvement as an every down runner, although the expectation might not be there for him to carry the load in each game.

 

Count me in as someone who believes Bush will step up...

[kmbryant09 1]

I hear a lot of people talk about Bush's poor ranking on a Football Outsiders metric that shows he was bad at getting yards on plays were most RBs were productive. From a numbers standpoint this is scary, but when you watch how Bush has been running differently than he did in college (it's a subtle difference although it may not seem like it) or take into account he played hurt until he couldn't play any more, I think Bush will improve as a between the tackles runner.

During Bush's college career, we saw a lot of highlight reel runs where Bush reversed his field and weaved through a secondary at will. What was also on the tape was his ability to be decisive, hit a small hole very hard and make one cut down field. This is why I rated Bush highly two years ago. He didn't dance when he got the ball. He didn't think about what he was going to do, he simply played.

 

In the pros, Bush has often found himself in the open field on a short pass and tried too hard to set up a big play by hesitating or dancing rather than just running forward and cutting where he could to gain maximum yardage. This has been disconcerting to me and other folks I know who watched his college film as closely as I. He wasn't like this in college. It's like he's trying too hard to bust it loose on every down.

 

I believe he's too smart of a player to continue doing this in season number three. He's worked hard in the off season and I believe he'll show improvement as an every down runner, although the expectation might not be there for him to carry the load in each game.

 

Count me in as someone who believes Bush will step up...

 

I agree - i've posted he'll certainly get 500-600 rushing yards, but it does seem like the oportunity is there to double that...You make good points about his college to pro adjustments, and given the dedication he's put in this offseason, a lot of that can be fixed. I don't think McCallister will be returning at 100%, and can't see him getting more than 8-10 carries a game IF he stays healthy...And P. Thomas and co. will take a backseat to Bush. Given the Saints passing attack, and the spread offense, I think that will open up some more lanes for Bush. While i highly doubt he'll ever lead the league in rushing yards (or even be top 3-5 for that matter), he isn't far from becoming a 1,000 yard rusher, 80 catch/600 yard 12-15 total TD back = top 3 numbers in PPR leagues...

[SpiritCat 0]

I think Bush also got the big head last year after his rookie season. He spent the off season being a rock star. He was not prepared or in shape at the start of last season and it showed as the season wore on. This year I am hearing much better things about his preparation.

 

--SC

[fantasymind 1]

I agree completetly with Wildman's assessment of Bush's change from college runner to pro runner. The best games that Reggie has had as a pro (the end of his rookie season against Dallas, SF, NY Giants, and the playoffs, as well as his game against the Seahwaks last season) all shared one thing in common---Reggie getting the ball in his hands and moving forward decisively, rather than dancing on the perimeter, trying to set up a huge gain. I felt like, early in his rookie season, he was pressing too much, trying to hit a homerun every time he touched the ball. As the season wore on, he seemed to begin adapting his game to the pro level and saw his best output as a pro. I think he regressed a bit last season, but also think that a number of factors contributed to his regression (chiefly, the high expectations to start the season followed by the 0-4 and the loss of Deuce). Add in an injured wheel on a guy who uses speed as his primary weapon and his poor sophomore season shouldn't be seen as a shock.

 

As for this season, I am in the "steppin up" camp. As a third year guy, I believe that this is the season that Reggie either puts it all together and becomes the elite level talent many thought he would or else becomes a more highly hyped version of Kevin Faulk. While I am not as confident now as I was two summers ago, I still believe that Reggie will become an All-Pro level player who is a dual threat at the Rb position. I don't beleive Reggie will ever be a 300 carry guy, but I also firmly believe that he can be used in the same way that the Eagles use Westy and produce some of the same types of numbers. For this season, I am forecasting 800 yards rushing, 80 receptions for 650 yards and 10 total tds.

[Barberian24 0]

I hear a lot of people talk about Bush's poor ranking on a Football Outsiders metric that shows he was bad at getting yards on plays were most RBs were productive. From a numbers standpoint this is scary, but when you watch how Bush has been running differently than he did in college (it's a subtle difference although it may not seem like it) or take into account he played hurt until he couldn't play any more, I think Bush will improve as a between the tackles runner.

During Bush's college career, we saw a lot of highlight reel runs where Bush reversed his field and weaved through a secondary at will. What was also on the tape was his ability to be decisive, hit a small hole very hard and make one cut down field. This is why I rated Bush highly two years ago. He didn't dance when he got the ball. He didn't think about what he was going to do, he simply played.

 

In the pros, Bush has often found himself in the open field on a short pass and tried too hard to set up a big play by hesitating or dancing rather than just running forward and cutting where he could to gain maximum yardage. This has been disconcerting to me and other folks I know who watched his college film as closely as I. He wasn't like this in college. It's like he's trying too hard to bust it loose on every down.

 

I believe he's too smart of a player to continue doing this in season number three. He's worked hard in the off season and I believe he'll show improvement as an every down runner, although the expectation might not be there for him to carry the load in each game.

 

Count me in as someone who believes Bush will step up...

 

The same Football Outsiders who have hyped Ronnie Brown and Frank Gore as supplanting LT? The same Football Outsiders who seem to have a pulse on the AFC East being Pats backers? I love what they do but I see some bias as well. I took a quick gander and saw a huge downgrade on my beloved Cowboys. Besides upgrading their weakest offensive position, adding a legendary OL coach, snagging a top cover corner in the draft and via trade, and signing one of the headiest (easy on the Zach disses ) lbs for the D, they havent improved at all.

 

As for Reggie. I think 1200 yds and 8 tds which I believe was his rookie number is not a bad year considering Jamal Lewis had similar numbers for total yds and tds last year in his BIG year. It took a long time for the fantasy community to give the proper respect to backs like Tiki and Westie. I think Bush will get his eventually. His talent is too prodigious for it not to. Better to be a year early than a year late

[Foghorn Leghorn 0]

I hear a lot of people talk about Bush's poor ranking on a Football Outsiders metric that shows he was bad at getting yards on plays were most RBs were productive. From a numbers standpoint this is scary, but when you watch how Bush has been running differently than he did in college (it's a subtle difference although it may not seem like it) or take into account he played hurt until he couldn't play any more, I think Bush will improve as a between the tackles runner.

During Bush's college career, we saw a lot of highlight reel runs where Bush reversed his field and weaved through a secondary at will. What was also on the tape was his ability to be decisive, hit a small hole very hard and make one cut down field. This is why I rated Bush highly two years ago. He didn't dance when he got the ball. He didn't think about what he was going to do, he simply played.

 

In the pros, Bush has often found himself in the open field on a short pass and tried too hard to set up a big play by hesitating or dancing rather than just running forward and cutting where he could to gain maximum yardage. This has been disconcerting to me and other folks I know who watched his college film as closely as I. He wasn't like this in college. It's like he's trying too hard to bust it loose on every down.

 

I believe he's too smart of a player to continue doing this in season number three. He's worked hard in the off season and I believe he'll show improvement as an every down runner, although the expectation might not be there for him to carry the load in each game.

 

Count me in as someone who believes Bush will step up...

 

I agree. It took Tiki Barber several years to adjust to the Pro level, but he seemed to do quite nicely once he did. I'm willing to give Bush the benefit of the doubt.

 

Steppin' up.

[Geohound 0]

Bush was my first round pick last year in a PPR keeper league, so obviously that specific league gives him added bonus and I'm definitely hanging onto him. Do keep in mind that Bush missed the last 4 games of the season and that obviously took a bite out of his numbers on the season, especialy considering the easier schedule those weeks provided (@ATL, home for ARI and PHI, then at CHI). Which Aaron Stecker owners last season, myself included in keeping the handcuff, can attest to.

 

But also, I tried to sneak in as much of the Saints as I could via Sunday Ticket, thanks to fantasy football. And personally, keeping an eye on Bush on every play, the truth is he's not near as bad as some of his detractors would make him out to be. Many of whom I gather don't see enough of him to truly have a clue, to see how hard he did run the ball and the things he did. The Saints offensive line was the most disappointing facet of their offense last season, thankfully they did marginally improve as the season wore on but still they left some to be desired, their constant penchant for big play-nullifying penalties and other costly mistakes hurt the whole unit. Timely drops from the receivers included, as the offense just found ways to not sustain drives and or touchdown-scoring opportunities. But I saw Bush make first downs that few other backs could, even if he initially caught the ball on some of those plays.

 

Bush isn't some fraud who doesn't want to play football but is in it to cash in. He's working hard every offseason, and wants to be a great player. So while his first two years leave some to be desired, I do expect him to step up in this season and beyond. Obviously being in a PPR league means a great deal, I'm not going to say Bush will rush for 1K and 10 TDs in '08. But on the ground and through the air, I think he'll have better numbers than last year and probably his rookie year too. Plus one of his toughest match-ups next season is the Chargers, I think Bush gets a benefit in that being the London game and the Chargers having to travel from the west coast.

 

My one question is if there is a viable handcuff, given a depth chart that currently includes McAllister, Stecker, and Thomas.

[BringBackBernie 0]

I'd have to agree that Bush is more than an OK #2 back, but he is a weak #1 or strong #2. I wouldn't draft him in the first round of a PPR league, but would feel good about him as my second back behind someone who will actually score TDs...

Bush finished 9th in scoring as a rookie RB in my PPR league.

He finished 11th last year despite missing 4 games. If I remember right, Bush was the 6th ranked back before the injury, and his PPG scoring is very consistent due to the number of receptions.

 

I have the 11th pick this year in a redraft PPR league, and will be very happy if I can land Bush.

[Geohound 0]

Thankfully he lasted until the final pick of the 1st round for me last year, where I was able to snatch him up with the 14th overall pick.

 

Of course with the next pick, the first pick in the 2nd round, I took Travis Henry.

[CornKobb 48]

where do you draft reggie bush in a ppr league??????????