Tag Archives: Michael Crabtree
Can Darrius Heyward-Bey Shed the Bust Label?
Last year Darren McFadden make the jump from bust candidate to NFL superstar. While Darrius Heyward-Bey won’t make nearly the transition into superstardom, can he at least do his part to shed the bust label?
.
Part of DHB’s problem was the fact that he was drafted earlier than most NFL Draft pundits thought he would go (thanks Al Davis). Suddenly he was full of unnecessary pressure of being the seventh overall pick. Even though Michael Crabtree has yet to live up to his promise either, that hasn’t stopped the criticism.
.
Looking at the numbers it would be easy to lave Heywad-Bey a bust. After catching nine passes for 124 yards and one touchdown as a rookie, DHB only progressed to 26 catches for 366 yards and a score in his second year.
.
Given the fact that he’s been missing practices for the Oakland Raiders, along with his past lack of production, I’m hesitant to either endorse DHB or draft him in fantasy leagues. I just couldn’t commit to a player with his question marks.
.
That said, he is a third-year receiver, which has been a magical year for many receivers in the past. Does DHB have what it takes to shed the bust label and join the third-year club? Though it doesn’t seem likely, I wouldn’t discount him completely. If he gets going I’ll be sure to seek him out on the waiver wire and give him a shot. If not, his chances could be running out.
.
.
Also check out:
- 2011 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings - PPR
- 2011 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Football DEF Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Football IDP Rankings
Click here to enter the 2011 LestersLegends fantasy football team name contest!
.
NFL Quotes of the Week: Week 4 Edition
A look across the NFL at some the stupidest, craziest, weirdest, greatest, and just funny quotes.. There were too many to list, but here are some of the Week Four’s best:
“You always hear about how tough they are and all that stuff. I don’t think they are tough. I think they are cheap, and it was one of the cheapest games that I’ve ever seen out of some of those players. I thought the refs did a good job of keeping it under control.
“It’s ridiculous. If that is the type of player Cortland Finnegan wants to be, then he is a cheap player – he is not a good player.”
– Denver QB Kyle Orton talking about the lack of respect he has for the Titans.
I’ll give Orton a break here becasue well, he’s playing so well he can say say whatever he wants. I’d watch my back you go to Nashville though Kyle.
“My whole life was a lie, Jim. Everything from A to Z.”
–Eagles QB Michael Vick in a interview with Jim Mora Jr., his coach in Atlanta.
The whole interview was outstanding. Check out more of the revealing interview here.
“Everybody makes mistakes in their lives, and they made one last year.”
–Redskins QB Donovan McNabb after the ‘Skins 17-12 victory over the Eagles in Philly.
Nice burn by McNabb. You can tell he’s still got some hard feelings for the organization and i don’t blame him. Good for McNabb.The victory must have been so sweet for him.
“Straight up, I couldn’t stand him. He was one of the only coaches you would see running up and down the field like he was playing in the game. Running up, jumping and high-fiving with his players. They over there dogging us and you just sit there watching them have all this fun like, ‘Man, what is he doing? Run me to that sideline so I can hit him one time.’”
-New Sehawks RB Marshaw Lynch on his now coach, Pete Carroll, back when Lynch was at Cal and Carroll at USC
That must have been an awkward conversation when Lynch went into to Carroll’s office to meet his new coach that just traded for him.(Note: I said last year near the trade deadline that the Seahawks should trade for Lynch).
“Mike Johnson did his thing. He did what he was supposed to do. He got everybody the ball. Only thing is, Mike Johnson can’t throw the ball. He can just call plays.”
–49ers WR Michael Crabtree commenting on new offensive coordinator Mike Johnson.
This is a blatant shot at QB Alex Smith. Crabtree really is living up to his whole “diva” reputation. Maybe he should take a look in the mirror first (11 catches, 139 yards, 0 TDs) before calling out other people, especially your quarterback a.k.a. the guys that’s going to thrown you the ball. Well, probably not much anymore.
Darius Heyward-Bey “Fatigued”
As if the already rocky start to the career of Darrius Heyward-Bey could get any worse, it appears it did.
The former number seven overall pick (ahead of Michael Crabtree) recently missed four days of training camp. When asked on why he was absent from camp, coach Tom Cable said the young receiver was “fatigued.”
“He is fatigued. We wrap him up, we keep him out of things,’’ Cable said. “When it gets to the point where if we push it anymore he might get injured, I’m not going to do that. I backed off.’’
When it was suggested to Cable that Heyward-Bey may have over-trained in the offseason, he said, “Yeah. I think guys do that now, especially with the way the offseason are and as long as they are and all that. He’s OK. I’m just not going to put him a situation where it may get us a negative outcome.’’
When asked exactly what that meant Heyward-Bey responded.
“Body, legs, you know just fatigue,’’ Heyward-Bey said. “Doing a lot of running. Receivers, we’re low in numbers anyway. I feel bad for the other guys out there and me missing. But we’re working hard out there, so it takes a toll.’’
“You gotta be smart out there. You have to ask yourself, ‘Can I play at the level they want me to play at?,’ ” Heyward-Bey said.
I can’t remember ever seeing a 23 year old needing four days off practice off to rest. This is his second year, the year he is supposed to show that he was worthy of a top ten pick. But he’s too bust resting, while the rest of their teammates are busting their asses off out there. I’m scratching my head over this one. Could the Raiders have been hiding an injury? Who knows what goes on behind the scenes in Oakland. Reports said that Heyward-Bey improved in “some ways” but “there has been little on the field to suggest he is anything approximating the No. 7 pick in the 2009 draft.” After catching only 9 passes in your rookie season, it’s hard not to improve so I’m not expecting a breakthrough from Heyward-Bey this season. This is not what you want to see from a player that is collecting $21.4 million this year. But then again, decisions like that are why the Raiders have lost at least 11 games for seven straight seasons.
49ers Draft Review
San Francisco 49ers:
Picks: WR Michael Crabtree, RB Glen Coffee, LB Scott McKillop, QB Nate Davis, TE Bear Pascoe, S Curtis Taylor, DT Ricky Jean-Francois
The 49ers struggled early last season which led to the dismissal of coach Mike Nolan mid season. With Mike Singletary as coach the 49ers played well down the stretch finishing with a 7-9 record. With their first pick the 49ers were elated to see Michael Crabtree, superstar wide receiver from Texas Tech, fall to them. Crabtree fell due to a foot injury he suffered and his inability to run a 40 time for NFL teams and also a rumored “diva” like attitude. Crabtree was one of the top players in the draft and they couldn’t afford to pass on him even though they probably had bigger needs. The 49ers then traded their second round pick for a 2010 first round pick with Panthers. In the third round they selected running back Glenn Coffee from Alabama. He should be a nice compliment to starter Frank Gore although running back wasn’t that big of a need. Fifth round pick Scott McKillop should at worst be a solid special teams players with the potential to start at linebacker. The 49ers also took a chance on Ball State QB Nate Davis in the fifth round. Davis had an outstanding year at Ball State but slipped in the draft due to a learning disability. If he can overcome that he could be a steal here in the fifth round. Bear Pascoe, who they took in the sixth round, should a good blocking tight end. In the seventh round they took a pair of LSU players in safety Curtis Taylor and defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois who never played up to his potential in college. The 49ers got a stud in Crabtree but the rest of the draft class will determine how good this draft actually was.
Grade: B
