Philly RB Situation

[The Commish 2022 1]

So I've been down on this team's RB situation all pre-draft, but I ended up pulling the trigger on Penny in one league and Swift in another.  It just stunk of NE RB unreliability.  NE RB runs for 150 yds - 3 TD's and the next week he's on the bench because he missed breakfast with Belichick.  I had Swift because he was #1 on the depth chart and Penny doesn't even dress and they go with the #3 RB from last year.  I'm hoping this was some "let's fool the Pats" strategy, but should I roster Gainwell and drop swift/Penny?  Or should I find some other none Philly option?

[weepaws 2,814]

Gainwell was the their rb1 all through camp, and the preseason,  I would pick him up over Penny, I would have drafted Gainwell over Penny.   

[Ray_T 687]

I am thinking of grabbing Gainwell to be my #3 RB as one of my RB's is now injured (thanks Dobbins)

the usage in week 1 would suggest he should be rostered

 

[Showboat 166]

I think the Philly RBs will be hit-or-miss all year.  I'm sure Swift will have some big games, but good luck figuring out when that will be.  Plus the week you think you you have it figured out they'll give Boston Scott 3 goal line carries.

[Ray_T 687]

1 hour ago, Showboat said:

I think the Philly RBs will be hit-or-miss all year.  I'm sure Swift will have some big games, but good luck figuring out when that will be.  Plus the week you think you you have it figured out they'll give Boston Scott 3 goal line carries.

a lot of people thought Swift would be the actual starter.   Clearly that didnt happen.   and I had heard that there was a chance Gainwell would get the start.  I just wasnt 100% believing that.

I had planned to avoid this backfield, but now with Dobbins hurt I'm forced to look at them.  

If I cant get Williams from the Rams, hes my second choice.  I'm putting out waiver claims on both via FAAB.

unfortunately there is risk with both.    Akers could actually still be the starter in LA.  hes still listed as #1 on the depth chart there.

Gainwell could actually just be leading a committee or may be part of a committee where the lead changes from game to game (frustrating)

sadly no other good candidates exist on the wire in my league so this is more or less it.

[gridirongoofs 94]

2 hours ago, Ray_T said:

 

If I cant get Williams from the Rams, hes my second choice.  I'm putting out waiver claims on both via FAAB.

Who's your first choice?

[Ray_T 687]

1 minute ago, gridirongoofs said:

Who's your first choice?

williams is my first choice

Gainwell is my second choice 

(at least among those available on the wire in my leagues)

 

[The Commish 2022 1]

6 hours ago, Ray_T said:

Gainwell could actually just be leading a committee or may be part of a committee where the lead changes from game to game (frustrating)

sadly no other good candidates exist on the wire in my league so this is more or less it.

Exactly.......I feel this is NE all over again....

[The Commish 2022 1]

3 hours ago, Ray_T said:

williams is my first choice

Gainwell is my second choice 

(at least among those available on the wire in my leagues)

 

What is it with Akers?  It's like the Rams and him don't click until weeks 13-18. Didn't he run for like 29 yrds on like 22 carries??  You feel that confident in Williams?

[The Commish 2022 1]

22 hours ago, weepaws said:

Gainwell was the their rb1 all through camp, and the preseason,  I would pick him up over Penny, I would have drafted Gainwell over Penny.   

Where were you seeing that.....everywhere I checked had Penny, then after preseason week 3 it was Swift.  I'm obviously not tracking in the right areas.

[Ray_T 687]

10 minutes ago, The Commish 2022 said:

What is it with Akers?  It's like the Rams and him don't click until weeks 13-18. Didn't he run for like 29 yrds on like 22 carries??  You feel that confident in Williams?

I am not sure what it is.  McVay does not seem to like him a whole lot.  not sure if its the little things such as blocking he does not like but all of last year it seemed he was in the doghouse.

now, through some sources I have, it sounds like the Rams have liked this Williams kid right from the early days of camp.    Now this happens and I have to think there may be some substance to this.

I was the one suggesting akers was a good pickup based on what he did at the end of last year, but now I see this game and Williams gets the carries while the game was in doubt.  Akers only gets mop up duty after the game was clearly over.    who had the more important carries?

clearly they trust the kid.   what is a bit puzzling is that Akers is still listed as the #1 on the depth chart.

this leads me to one of two possible conclusions:

1)  Akers maybe has an undeclared injury that is affecting him and he actually is the #1.

2) Williams is the starter and McVay is being a bit sneaky about it to make it look like this is a shared backfield when in fact, it isnt.

I suppose there is the possibility that a third option exists....

it is possible the Rams didnt forsee this outcome and the plan was to save Akers for the 4th quarter to squeeze out a tight game which ended up not being close. 

in the end, Williams I think is here to stay.  for me its a question of how many carries he gets.

Mcvay does not have a history of going with a committee at RB, which leads me to dismiss the possible third option.    and Akers looked pretty good when he did run so I dont think #1 is the answer.   it just happens that Williams looked better which brings me back to option 2.

[Ray_T 687]

1 hour ago, The Commish 2022 said:

Where were you seeing that.....everywhere I checked had Penny, then after preseason week 3 it was Swift.  I'm obviously not tracking in the right areas.

no I checked, there were some reports that Penny was on the outs and Gainwell was the guy.  I thought like you did until someone (I think on this board) clued me in.  once I looked into it the signs were there.   this did not come out of the blue.

[Showboat 166]

54 minutes ago, Ray_T said:

I am not sure what it is.  McVay does not seem to like him a whole lot. 

It's really more of a love-hate relationship.  6-7 months after the achilles injury they gave him the feature back role in the middle of the playoffs and for the Super Bowl when he hadn't played all season.  Then a few games into last season it was a forgone conclusion that he had played his last down with the Rams - suddenly he starts tearing it up at the end of the year.  Now he starts the season behind Williams?  None of this makes sense.  There has got to be more to this story that is going on behind the scenes.

[Ray_T 687]

21 minutes ago, Showboat said:

It's really more of a love-hate relationship.  6-7 months after the achilles injury they gave him the feature back role in the middle of the playoffs and for the Super Bowl when he hadn't played all season.  Then a few games into last season it was a forgone conclusion that he had played his last down with the Rams - suddenly he starts tearing it up at the end of the year.  Now he starts the season behind Williams?  None of this makes sense.  There has got to be more to this story that is going on behind the scenes.

I'm sure that there is.  but I doubt we will ever hear about it.

[plasma george 57]

Sports talk radio here is killing the coaching for terrible play calling, very vanilla (maybe due to a quick Thursday night game), Gainwell is not a feature back (more change of pace), and questioning why Swift was not more involved.  I'm thinking it was rust and lack of Preseason play by starters, Eagles never play starters in Preseason, that's on the coaches for not having the team full throttle week 1.

FWIW, I think Thursday night's home game, may see a completely different offense.  I have Mostert or Swift at Flex, and I'm torn I may miss out on Swifts first game in front of Philly fans and show why they brought him here.

[Nomad99 585]

Gainwell out!

[Ray_T 687]

9 hours ago, plasma george said:

Sports talk radio here is killing the coaching for terrible play calling, very vanilla (maybe due to a quick Thursday night game), Gainwell is not a feature back (more change of pace), and questioning why Swift was not more involved.  I'm thinking it was rust and lack of Preseason play by starters, Eagles never play starters in Preseason, that's on the coaches for not having the team full throttle week 1.

FWIW, I think Thursday night's home game, may see a completely different offense.  I have Mostert or Swift at Flex, and I'm torn I may miss out on Swifts first game in front of Philly fans and show why they brought him here.

I think sports talk radio needs to wise up.

The Patriots are a tough week 1 opponent with a good defense.   the shortened pre season gives the advantage to the defense in week 1 and it showed.  lots of games were defensive struggles in week 1 and I think the offense did just fine against these guys.    More importantly,  they got the win.   thats what counts.

 

[show me the murray 49]

The Philly RB situation feels like a mess but Gainwell being out gives Penny a chance to run with the job IMO. He’s definitely more explosive than Gainwell, and I can’t see Swift having a bell-cow role. Wouldn’t start Penny, can’t even guarantee he’s active, but if he is I think I’d want to roster him just to see how he does. 

In my 14-team league I’m putting in waiver claims for Q Johnston, Charbonnet and Penny (in that order) and if I get Penny that will be my plan going forward. 

[weepaws 2,814]

Chargers wr J Palmer had himself a very good camp, I would take Charbonnet first.  

[polecatt 445]

Philly is like New England when it comes to RBs

Good luck figuring it out

[The Commish 2022 1]

1 hour ago, polecatt said:

Philly is like New England when it comes to RBs

Good luck figuring it out

Exactly what I said.....makes no sense to their logic. LOL

[plasma george 57]

On 9/13/2023 at 1:16 PM, plasma george said:

 

FWIW, I think Thursday night's home game, may see a completely different offense.  I have Mostert or Swift at Flex, and I'm torn I may miss out on Swifts first game in front of Philly fans and show why they brought him here.

Humble brag

[bimmer 7]

Swift finally showed up tonight... hopefully the trend continues....

[show me the murray 49]

Wow. Called that wrong, definitely didn’t see him having a bell cow role. That’s the second most carries he’s ever had and only second time he’s had 20+. Not sure he holds up with that every week so worth watching going forward, but congrats if you started him. 

One thing’s for sure, Penny isn’t worth holding on to.