Deep Handcuffs (Peyton Barber vs Charcandrik West) (1 Viewer)

[xenon]

For those carrying Spencer Ware and/or Jamal Charles OR Doug Martin and/or Jizz Rodgers, if you have bench space would you consider picking up Charkandrick West or Peyton Barber as a handcuff?  

With Charles knee still not right and Martin being brought along slowly from his injury, I am thinking given bench space that either of these two guys might be worth snagging and holding especially if either RB tandem is affected by injury aggravation (Jamal/Martin) or a brand new injury (Ware/Jizz) in which case they both West and Barber become viable handcuffs who will get touches. 

For myself, I have both Ware and Jizz so with an open space on my bench, I am trying to decide which is the better guy (West or Barber) to pick up.  I am leaning West....Thoughts?

 

[shadrap]

West performed pretty well last year.

 

[xenon]

West performed pretty well last year.

My thoughts exactly and a variable as to why I lean towards him over Barber...

 

[btemp]

Definitely West IMO. Barber hasn't looked good at all.  Not sure he can be an NFL RB, at least not yet.  He may not even be the handcuff, while West certainly is. 

 

[Bayhawks]

Definitely West IMO. Barber hasn't looked good at all.  Not sure he can be an NFL RB, at least not yet.  He may not even be the handcuff, while West certainly is. 

I think I've seen you post this in two threads now (if I'm mistaken, I apologize in advance).  Not sure where you're coming from with this take; I haven't seen anything to corroborate it.  I watched the game, and while his production came in garbage time, he looked fine to me.  Not going to give away subscriber info, but Waldman's top-10 article contradicts your take as well.  Without going to much into Waldman's take, he doesn't believe Barber will challenge Quiz/Martin, but he had positive reviews of his performance & believes that Barber does, in fact, have a future as an NFL RB.  Furthermore, for much of the season, I've heard the guys on the Audible podcast say to keep an eye on Barber.

Now, that doesn't mean my eyes are correct, that Waldman is correct, or that the Audible guys are correct, but could you give more of an evaluation than "he hasn't looked good at all?"  Because the prevailing opinion seems to say the opposite.

 

[btemp]

Well I've watched every carry and some reporters have said the team isn't high on him.  He also struggled in the preseason.  The narrative was different with Rodgers where the team wasn't hyping him but did have positive things to say.  All of that plus my eyes tell me not to expect much.  

As well, he only average 2.5 YPC in the preseason.  And without that 44 yard run against a broken down 49ers defence at the end of the game (where I don't believe he was even touched) he's averaging 3.3 YPC on the season.  It's totally a small sample size and normally I'm not a fan of picking and choosing which stats to count, but I think the long run was an aberration and that he's a JAG at best.  Could totally be wrong though.  

I also wonder if Antone Smith cuts into his carries.  Don't know enough on that though as he was more a gimmick player with the Falcons. 

 

[Bayhawks]

Well I've watched every carry and some reporters have said the team isn't high on him.  He also struggled in the preseason.  The narrative was different with Rodgers where the team wasn't hyping him but did have positive things to say.  All of that plus my eyes tell me not to expect much.  

As well, he only average 2.5 YPC in the preseason.  And without that 44 yard run against a broken down 49ers defence at the end of the game (where I don't believe he was even touched) he's averaging 3.3 YPC on the season.  It's totally a small sample size and normally I'm not a fan of picking and choosing which stats to count, but I think the long run was an aberration and that he's a JAG at best.  Could totally be wrong though.  

I also wonder if Antone Smith cuts into his carries.  Don't know enough on that though as he was more a gimmick player with the Falcons. 

I don't know that he'll be special; but he doesn't need to be.  Rodgers isn't special either.  The situation is where his value (may) lie.

TB has seemingly gone all-in on a running philosophy.  Whether it's because Koetter doesn't trust Winston, or he feels his O-line is better suited to run-blocking, or something else entirely, he seems to be determined to run the ball.  Normally, you have a #1 overall pick @QB, and your top-2 RBs are down, you don't give the ball 60 times in 2 games to a 5'6", 200 lb RB, journeyman RB. 

As for his long run, the hole was clogged, so he bounced it a little, avoided 1 diving tackle, then was untouched after he got past the line.  His vision and lateral ability was necessary to bounce it.  Was it Sanders-esque?  No, but it did take talent. 

Barber's YPC if you take out his long TD drops to 3.3 YPC, but the same thing happens to Rodgers.  He had a 45 yard run on Sunday.  If you take that out, his YPC in his 2 starts drops to 3.8. 

Again, I don't think Barber is going to steal Rodgers/Martin's job.  If, however, Rodgers can't go and Martin isn't back, he inherits a situation that is pretty nice:  good schedule & a coach who seems determined to run the ball, come hell or high water.  There's value there. 

 

[KCBuc]

West.

Tampa has Charles Simms still there. He's not a great back but he would cut into production. West is the guy if Ware goes out (JC may hurt the rest of this year).

 

[MNTom]

West.

Tampa has Charles Simms still there. He's not a great back but he would cut into production. West is the guy if Ware goes out (JC may hurt the rest of this year).

Sims on IR. Not going to do much this year.

 

[KCBuc]

Whoops. I stand corrected. I missed that one.