Joique Bell (1 Viewer)

[mere blitzianity]

First off, I'm new to the shark tank and absolutely love all the banter and analysis. I wasn't able to find an old thread on this guy, so I thought I'd start one and get the ball rolling. Now, I know Smith is the starter and Leshoure is back this year from his Achilles injury/suspension in week three, but I think this kid could be very productive if given the opportunity. I like Smith's skillset and understand he's entrenched as the starter, but given his proclivity to get nicked up, I think it's only a matter of time before Bell gets an opportunity to get some meaningful carries. In case you're wondering, I have no faith in Best being available this year, and so I'm leaving him out of the conversation.

As it pertains strictly to Bell, he jumped on my radar when the Eagles signed him from Buffalo's practice squad a few years ago. I had followed his college career at Wayne St. (division II) and although he didn't play against stellar competition, all he did was amass a total of 8,055 total yards. At 5'11/220 pounds, I thought he could be the power back the Eagles so desperately needed. Well, fast forward two years and we all know that never came to fruition. Unless I'm crazy, I really like what I see from this kid when I watch him play and hope he gets a shot at some point during his career. He's played well thus far this pre-season, albeit it against second and third stringers, but he seems to possess the skills necessary to be a decent RB in this league. It's easy to root for a kid like Joique, especially given his tough childhood and strong work ethic--all you hear is effusive praise from coaches and teammates.

I realize he's undraftable right now, but if Smith or Leshoure get banged up again, I see no reason why he can't step in and become relevant. I would love to hear more info from Detroit homers, or others who have a good handle on him.

 

[Boone22]

He did the same thing last year in the preseason. All the kid does is produce, yet several teams have passed on him and I can't understand why. NO had him on the practice squad last year which makes some sense because of their depth at RB, but why everyone else passed is a mystery to me.

 

[rickyg]

The guys on the audible covered him extensively in July and they really like him too. As a Kevin smith owner in dynasty I am targeting bell late in my auction as a cheap bench stash for this season.

 

[Bruce Hammond]

Kevin Smith and Keiland Williams were getting reps with the starters last night, Bell not until backups were in. Assuming LeShoure eventually makes his way onto the field after his 2 game suspension, Bell would then be 4th and would have to pass K Williams to be assured of staying on the roster.

This all assumes Best ends up on PUP to start the regular season.

 

[GroveDiesel]

I may be wrong, but I seem to remember him being atrocious in blitz pickup. And struggled catching the football maybe?

 

[mere blitzianity]

I may be wrong, but I seem to remember him being atrocious in blitz pickup. And struggled catching the football maybe?

I guess this makes sense, especially since they can't put an RB in the game that is going to get Staffird killed. Anyone else know more about his receiving/blocking skills?

 

[Lott's Fingertip]

He actually has skills... I think he is a very good instinctual runner, good vision, wiggle, decent power.

But the dude is slow. 4.7 forty slow.

 

[mere blitzianity]

He actually has skills... I think he is a very good instinctual runner, good vision, wiggle, decent power.But the dude is slow. 4.7 forty slow.

Yeah, he ran a 4.68 at the combine, but when you watch him, it's evident that he could get the job done. In fact, his short shuttle time was almost as fast as Jahvid Best's! Hard to believe but in fact true. IMO, forty times are overrated and Bell is fast enough to start in this league

 

[Boone22]

Kevin Smith and Keiland Williams were getting reps with the starters last night, Bell not until backups were in. Assuming LeShoure eventually makes his way onto the field after his 2 game suspension, Bell would then be 4th and would have to pass K Williams to be assured of staying on the roster. This all assumes Best ends up on PUP to start the regular season.

I think the question from a Dynasty perspective is, if we doesn't make Detroit's 53, does someone else pick him up?

 

[Addai's Adidas]

I think he will be the Lions 3rd down back, possibly the last RB on the team when Best goes on PUP. I think he will surprise in that role and keep his job.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

I noticed him after the first preseason game.

I noticed him while watching that game, didn't see him last night but he impressed me soo much after the first game that I commented on his play.

My link

Posted 11 August 2012 - 05:22 AM

The guy who impressed the hell out of me last night was Joique Bell.

The guy lead the legaue in preseason yards last year and he's well on his way to doing the same thing this year.

What is the story on this guy? Why hasn't he gotten a shot?

The kid can run, great vision, great cuts, burst, speed to turn the corner. Absolutely nothing wrong with his running so what is the issue because he should be playing on Sundays.

Nobody responed but I feel he's too good to not get a shot at some point and I think he will respond and produce.I don't know the weakness in his game but his game speed is fine.

 

[mere blitzianity]

I think most of us are in agreement that he has enough talent to be a starting RB in the league. I'm buying in my dynasty league

 

[Hoosier16]

I think he will be the Lions 3rd down back, possibly the last RB on the team when Best goes on PUP. I think he will surprise in that role and keep his job.

Being a 3rd down back would require him to pickup the blitz. Anyone know his ability here?

 

[djmich]

I think most of us are in agreement that he has enough talent to be a starting RB in the league. I'm buying in my dynasty league

I don't think that is an accurate description of the input in the thread. Does he have some skill, yes. Could he prove to be a starter with a bigger body of work...maybe. Would he beat out any of the other starters in the league...I don't think so. Dude is 5th on the Lions RB depth chart, behind Keiland Williams, thats gotta count for something.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Nice update from this morning.

My link

Detroit Lions view running back Joique Bell as a potential closer

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have been putting more faith in running back Joique Bell by the week.

It's not just the fact that Bell has seen an increased workload each of the first three games, going from a single carry in the season-opener against the St. Louis Rams to nine touches in the Lions' overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans. It's also the timing of those touches.

On Sunday, all five of Bell's carries, plus all four receptions, came in the fourth quarter or overtime.

"We really feel like Joique is going to be a game closer, a guy that's going to be able to be fresh in the fourth quarter," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "It doesn't eliminate the other guys, but it certainly highlights him playing a little more in those situations."

Bell has bounced around the league -- from practice squad to practice squad -- since going undrafted out of Wayne State in 2010, but it appears he's fitting in nicely back home in Detroit.

"Joique had taken advantage of the carries he's gotten," coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's also carved out a little of a special teams role, and that's something he never really had in his past, or done in his past. That's been part of his progression. He's a young player. He's still a little bit of a work in progress, but he's taken advantage of the opportunities he's had."

Even though Bell let a critical second-down pass slip through his hands late in the overtime session, Schwartz has been pleased with the running back's overall production.

"He's made plays when he's been in the game. He's made guys miss, he's got tough yards, he's ball secure, he's been assignment sound. He's done a nice job."

Bell finished the game against the Titans with five carries for 23 yards and added four receptions for 44 more. He welcomes the possibility of being a late-game closer in Lions' backfield.

"It's always good to know (the coaches) trust you when the game in on the line," Bell said. "It shows a lot about what they think about me and that hard work really does pay off."

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Oh and listening to the Football Today podcast, some intersting breaking news >>

My link

They say that RB Mikel LeShoure is QUESTIONABLE for Sunday's game.

KFFL backs this up and their source is DETROITLIONS.COM so I feel its safe to post.

My link

Lions | Mikel Leshoure limited

Detroit Lions RB Mikel Leshoure (groin) was limited in practice Thursday, Sept. 27.

2012-09-27 13:30:11 | Source: DetroitLions.com

I would imagine Joique Bell would be up for more carries or more if LeShoure isn't full-speed.

 

[pollardsvision]

Picked him up in my 2 main leagues this morning.

Terrible match-up and I assume Leshoure plays, but it seems like a decent, longshot stab at grabbing the Week 5 waiver darling before he's actually the week 5 waiver darling.

 

[SameSongNDance]

Picked him up in my 2 main leagues this morning. Terrible match-up and I assume Leshoure plays, but it seems like a decent, longshot stab at grabbing the Week 5 waiver darling before he's actually the week 5 waiver darling.

Yeah, it's too bad they have a bye in week 5 though. Even if Leshoure misses the game he'll have plenty of time to recover. The upside to this is that they might rest Leshoure knowing this depending on the severity of the groin injury.

 

[Chazzhawk]

In later drafts this year Kevin Smith was being taken any where from the 5th to the 8th round, now a back that has never played a game in the league comes back from injury and suspension and he gets zero touches, and to make matters worse he isn't even the back up anymore. Best will attempt a comeback around week 7 which makes you wonder what is going to happen to Leshoure's touches, how about Bell's touches, will Kevin Smith be a healthy scratch? Not to mention this team has a knack for getting down early and forcing them to throw a lot, and the fact the O line is a horrible run blocking line. I find it hard to believe that the 3rd or 4th string running back on this team should be owned at all. The only thing I would want from this back field right now is Leshoure and even he scares the crap out of me. It took him 26 rushes to get 100 yards, against that team, and when is the last time a Lion's running back had 26 rushes in a game? Barry Sanders?

 

[macknova]

Cutting Peyton Hillis for Joique Bell.

This back field should produce some PPR points all season. If Leshoure struggles this week or gets banged up even more, Bell could easily be the guy in this backfield next week. Leshoure has zero track record, so Bell is not a bad speculative add. He's produced this year.

I wouldn't drop anyone important for him. Smith could still be a factor on 3rd downs, Best could come back eventually, and Leshoure will be the guy when he's healthy/productive. But at this point, I'd rather drop a Hillis and stash Bell this week, and then cut Bell next week for another possible waiver gem.

 

[Deadzone21]

As a Leshoure owner, I think it's a good idea to cuff with J.Bell if you have the roster room. As for starting in week4, I'm hoping for more definitive news on his health, and Det plans to use him. With the questionable status, i'd still start him as a flex, but may make it a gtd for no flex leagues if I have another rb2 option. If not, he could be a boom/ bust at rb2.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

From this morning, an update on RB Mikel LeShoure from Doctor Jene Brammel.

My link

Sunday AM Notes and Fantasy Recommendations (W4)

Posted by Jene Bramel on September 30, 2012

... Mikel Leshoure has been limited all week with a groin injury. Jim Schwartz said Leshoure was just fatigued after the game, but is notorious for his misinformation campaigns on player injuries. Leshoure’s limited practice time could be part of a normal maintenance plan in his ongoing recovery from last season’s Achilles tear, but I think it’s more likely that the groin is a significant issue and that he’s more questionable to play than the local writers have suggested. Detroit has a bye week in Week 5. If there’s any concern in pre-game warmups, I think Leshoure sits. If he’s able to go, I expect the Lions will try to lean on him heavily, but he’s a risky fantasy play. Fantasy recommendation: Use Leshoure as a RB2 if active, but not at the expense of another RB2 or better option.

 

[Sea Duck]

"The injury is more serious than previously reported, but if he plays he will get a heavy workload"

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Update on Joique Bell.

My link

November 5, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Productive RB Joique Bell proves to be keeper for Lions

Allen Park — When the Lions' season began, running back Joique Bell was considered one of the final players to make the team, but so far he's been one of the Lions' most productive offensive weapons.

Bell, who went to Wayne State, had 13 carries for 73 yards, both career-highs, and a touchdown in Sunday's win at Jacksonville.

"When we played the opener, I think people were surprised to see us put him in on the goal line and get that touchdown," coach Jim Schwartz said Monday. "We sort of had a laugh about that, but the reason is we had confidence in him even in the first game, and he's done nothing but reward that confidence that we've had in him."

Bell added three catches for 36 yards against the Jaguars, and his 263 receiving yards are third in the NFL among running backs behind only New Orleans' Darren Sproles (323 yards) and San Diego's Ronnie Brown (292).

"He's a talented guy and he has very good run instincts, and it's difficult for the first guy to bring him down," Schwartz said.

My link

... Bell averaged an impressive 5.6 yards while rushing 13 times for 73 yards and one touchdown, and caught three passes for 36 yards. Bell also hurdled two players and, in the process, jumped to the forefront of everyone's consciousness.

Can Bell, an undrafted third-year player from Wayne State whom the Lions claimed off waivers from New Orleans in December, suddenly be one of the biggest keys to the run game?

"He's a talented guy, and he has very good run instincts, and it's difficult for the first guy to bring him down," coach Jim Schwartz said of Bell, a 5-foot-11, 220-pound bruising runner. "He's a heavy runner.

"But I think he also benefits from some of the defenses that we've seen. There's some air underneath. If teams choose to try to take deeper stuff away, then it opens some stuff up for our running backs, and he's done a good job of taking advantage of that both."

That has been the plan all along for the offense. If opponents choose to take away Calvin Johnson and the potent passing attack, then the run game is supposed to make them pay.

But that's only starting to happen in the past two games with Bell's emergence as a sort of closer who, combined with Mikel Leshoure's early effort, punishes tired defenses late in games.

... "Thought we got good contributions out of the run game," Schwartz said. "Not just from Mikel in the first half, but Joique, particularly, in that last drive. I think we only got to one third down in that. We were 100% efficient in that drive and took not only a lot of time off the clock but went and scored a touchdown."

-- Running backs Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell are forming a first-half, second-half tag team for the Lions, with Leshoure’s workload decreasing and Bell’s increasing after halftime. Their stats:

LESHOURE

-- First half

ATT 61 YDS 229 AVG 3.8

-- Second half

ATT 30 YDS 147 AVG 4.9

BELL

-- First half

ATT 15 YDS 44 AVG 2.9

-- Second half

ATT 24 YDS 124 AVG 5.2

Sunday the Lions got an early lead for the first time in a long time and were able to run the ball, helps when facing the Jags poor run defense. Mikel LeShoure was the big fantasy news and deservedly-so scoring three TDs but Joique Bell had a heck of a game tooET RB Joique Bell

JAC - 13 carries for 73 yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions for 36 yards

Joique Bell is gradually building into something and this seems to be flying under the radar. To date he's racked up grand total of 452 combined rushing and passing yards with 2 TDs.

In the first four games he only had 13 carries for 40 yards. In the past two weeks, 20 carries for 98 yards with 7 receptions for 69 reception yards over the past two weeks where he has 167 combined yards with a touchdown. For comparison Mikel LeShoure has 26 carries for 116 yards with 3 receptions for 9 ayrds for 125 combined total yards and of course those 3 TDs.

Side-by-side comparision of Mikel LeShoure and Joique Bell over the past two games

Mikel LeShoure

26 carries for 116 yards 3 TDs

3 receptions for 9 yards

29 combined touches for 125 yards and 3 TDs

Joique Bell

20 carries 98 yards 1 TD

7 receptions for 69 yards

27 combined touches for 167 yards and 1 TD

I would have expected at least one over-exaggerated post or two for any RB with those numbers at this time of the year but I see ... nothing...

No reason to over-hype Joique. He's been performing well all year but lately he's been given more opportunities and he's continued to put-up solid numbers. Not an even split on carries with Mikel but it seems like lately it is getting closer to an even split in combined touches so I thought this situation warranted an update because it seems that Joique Bell is slowly emerging and anytime a RB begins to emerge it warrants some discussion.

 

[BoomBoom]

Not to make it wdis, but for those who own both you still probably start LeShoure? I play in a ppr owning both and Bell almost seems like the safer play. If they get behind, he's going to see work...if they get a lead, he is the closer too?

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Not to make it wdis, but for those who own both you still probably start LeShoure? I play in a ppr owning both and Bell almost seems like the safer play. If they get behind, he's going to see work...if they get a lead, he is the closer too?

The Jaguars have the 27th ranked rush defense, they give up:137 yards a game on the groundLeShoure had 26 rushes back in the third game againt Tennesseee where he ran for an even 100 yards, this is his carry numbers from that game on:TEN - 26 carries for 100 yards 1 TDMIN - 13 for 26 yardsPHI - 15/70CHI - 12/63SEA - 10/46JAC - 16/70 3 TDsHe simply isn't getting the carries but had his best scoring game against one of the worst run defenses.Over the past five games Joique's carries have been, 1, 7, 3, 7, and 13. Bell's receptions have remained more even-keeled over the same five-game period, 6, 1, 3, 4, and 4.LeShoure's carries and total touches have remained the same with a one-game bump in scoring which does seem the anomoly whereas Bell's carries have gradually been creeping up. I wouldn't anticipate 13 carries as that seems the anomoly but 3 TDs is an anomoly for most NFL RBs but 13 carries isn't and Joique's total touches have been ticking upwards. The article that points out the second-half touches probably answeres your question but it would seem that you'd want to study the matchups and project numbers. Bell had his best game against a team where the Lions had a big early lead so it wouldn't seem that his highest value is to put him in against teams where you expect the Lions to be playing from behind. I think the lesson of the above numbers is that Joique Bell holds value whether or not the Lions are ahead or behind. It seems he's gauranteed at least 'some' value and he might be gradually creeping up into more touches which means more value.

 

[tombonneau]

Not to make it wdis, but for those who own both you still probably start LeShoure? I play in a ppr owning both and Bell almost seems like the safer play. If they get behind, he's going to see work...if they get a lead, he is the closer too?

I have Leshoure and have picked up Bell off and on as hancdcuff (ML is my rb3 so no drastic need for handcuff). Just readded bell and will likely b permanent. I think you're right in ppr bell might be more consistent start with ml greater upside bu I'd have trouble starting him over ml.