Lelie a bust....

[Ray Finkle]

I guess he never paid atention to last season....

blue (nashville, tn): Should I drop Lelie?

SportsNation Scott Engel: Yes - he is overrated, and at this point of his career, it is clear he is a bust.

[Florida_Bronco]

He sure hasn't done alot this season...but he's nowhere near a bust.

[Ray Finkle]

teams are covering the deep ball better and Jake has been off with another couple throws....

[Taco John]

He's a fantasy bust, but based on how much our running game has been opened up, I'd say he's getting respect downfield.

[bronco militia]

lol...right now, Tatum Bell is more of a bust - in fantasy football

[dbfan4life]

Ahhhh......Fantasy Football. If it only translated to reality on the football field.

[OrangeShadow]

Jakes just not taking as many chances as before which im prefectly fine with

[bendog]

bench him but hold. Seriously, defenses were starting 8 up, and then the wC horozontal is making them back out. They'll have to cheat up the safties sooner or later to deal with the underneath stuff. Lelie is running the corners off to open up the short stuff. Once the safties cheat up, the opportunity will be there.

[Odysseus]

From a fantasty standpoint I wouldn't pick up any Denver offensive player. I would be all over the Denver Defense.

I refuse to play in a league where you cannot pick individual defensive players anymore.

I miss fantasy football. I guess retiring with two championships allows me to lie about what a FF stud I USED to be.

[NaptownChief]

Marcus Nash is the epitome of a bust. Lelie isn't a bust, disappointment to some degree but not a bust.

[Dagmar]

On a positive not Adams looks GOOD...

[bronco militia]

Originally Posted by quiettiger

I refuse to play in a league where you cannot pick individual defensive players anymore.

!

damn, that's the way I like to play but it is so hard to get people to even try to play with D players...it makes the draft a lot more intersting plus adding more draftible players means larger leagues.

[Popps]

Lelie has been dumped two times in our league, which is interesting because there ARE a few Bronco fans. But, no one is going to touch a guy putting up 1 pt a week.

"Bust" is a strong word, but he's a disappointment. I think Bronco fans are just going to have to have realistic (lower) expectations. I'll just be happy if he can contribute in some way... even if it's just stretching the defense. Maybe we'll use one of our high picks on a WR next year.

[DomCasual]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

I guess he never paid atention to last season....

blue (nashville, tn): Should I drop Lelie?

SportsNation Scott Engel: Yes - he is overrated, and at this point of his career, it is clear he is a bust.

I'd dump him right now and pick up Dwayne Carswell.

If I had one wish before I died, it would be that I could come back as an NFL or Fantasy Football expert.

[DomCasual]

Originally Posted by quiettiger

From a fantasty standpoint I wouldn't pick up any Denver offensive player. I would be all over the Denver Defense.

I refuse to play in a league where you cannot pick individual defensive players anymore.

I miss fantasy football. I guess retiring with two championships allows me to lie about what a FF stud I USED to be.

I want to see proof of this - trophies, earnings checks, something!

Personally, I think you made this two championships story up to impress women.

There, I said it!

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by dbfan4life

Ahhhh......Fantasy Football. If it only translated to reality on the football field.

its not all that far off often enough. sure there are outliers all the time. but this fantasy slump of lelie's IMO is slump of his overall impact on the game.

[Vegas_Bronco]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

I guess he never paid atention to last season....

blue (nashville, tn): Should I drop Lelie?

SportsNation Scott Engel: Yes - he is overrated, and at this point of his career, it is clear he is a bust.

You forgot the rest of the quote:

SportsNation Scott Engel: And - Pick up Dwayne Carswell in place of Lelie, he is on pace to be another pro bowl TE, it is clear he is a bus. Mike Anderson is a bust, Jake Plummer is a bust on all odd weeks, and Rod Smith is an undrafted WR - bust, bust, bust.

[Crushaholic]

Lelie can only be considered a "bust" in fantasy football circles. Corners respect his homerun threat ability so much that they cover him. That leaves the middle up to the safeties to protect and often creates one-on-one matchups.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by Crushaholic

Lelie can only be considered a "bust" in fantasy football circles. Corners respect his homerun threat ability so much that they cover him. That leaves the middle up to the safeties to protect and often creates one-on-one matchups.

and if they didnt respect him they wouldn't cover him? I don't buy ur interpretation at all. I think its more like last year ppl didnt weight their coverage of lelie to deep routes as much. now they know he is a significant threat there they are treading more carefully. this adaptation has caused a reduction in production, hopefully it will pickup some. but lets face it lelie isnt drawing constant doubles, he is not an elite wr. there is no more personnel emphasis on covering him then on covering david givens or kevin curtis or tim dwight.

[bloodsunday]

Originally Posted by Popps

"Bust" is a strong word, but he's a disappointment. I think Bronco fans are just going to have to have realistic (lower) expectations. I'll just be happy if he can contribute in some way... even if it's just stretching the defense. Maybe we'll use one of our high picks on a WR next year.

I don't know what to think. Lelie had a good year last year. I think he has a role and plays it pretty well. He's not the typical WCO smooth-route, possession WR, but that doesn't make him a bust. I bet Lelie would flourish in a different system (like the Rams or Vikings) or with a better QB (like Brady).

He has the tools to do some things that our offense doesn't allow him. For example, he could probably take a slant route to the house if Jake could hit him in stride. Instead, all our WR have to stop and reach behind them to catch balls and typically take unncessary hits. I'm not doggin' Jake as much as saying the truth. This team is not as pass-oriented as it once was or as it could be with a franchise QB. That makes the expectations that we have for Lelie tough to evaluate fairly.

Our OL is not a pro-typical 5-step drop kind of OL either. We are most effective at play-action and role outs. Again, its tough to evaluate a 2-WR offense when you are really utilizing a fraction of your playbook and the field. This year we are getting our tightends involved a lot more again as well. We are playing tough defenses, which means that our roleouts are less effective and those big plays that Lelie got on busted plays last year get diminished.

Lelie's numbers are a function of how he's utilized in this offense and the talent of the players around him, IMO. I don't think he's the next Jerry Rice, but he is no slouch either. Hell, I think Adams has the goods, but its the same story. This is a one WR offense right now.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by bloodsunday

I don't know what to think. Lelie had a good year last year. I think he has a role and plays it pretty well. He's not the typical WCO smooth-route, possession WR, but that doesn't make him a bust. I bet Lelie would flourish in a different system (like the Rams or Vikings) or with a better QB (like Brady).

He has the tools to do some things that our offense doesn't allow him. For example, he could probably take a slant route to the house if Jake could hit him in stride. Instead, all our WR have to stop and reach behind them to catch balls and typically take unncessary hits. I'm not doggin' Jake as much as saying the truth. This team is not as pass-oriented as it once was or as it could be with a franchise QB. That makes the expectations that we have for Lelie tough to evaluate fairly.

Our OL is not a pro-typical 5-step drop kind of OL either. We are most effective at play-action and role outs. Again, its tough to evaluate a 2-WR offense when you are really utilizing a fraction of your playbook and the field.

I will agree, with a better qb and a more vertical system, especially the rams. lelie might be more dangerous and productive.

[bloodsunday]

Originally Posted by yavoon

I will agree, with a better qb and a more vertical system, especially the rams. lelie might be more dangerous and productive.

It's not just Lelie though. We haven't exactly had the best of luck with our #3 WR either. This offense is just designed around one WR and the TEs. Last year Lelie had a good year because we went more vertical without Sharpe. Hell, if Jake throws for 4,000 yards again this season then Lelie will probably have another 1,000 yd season. This could be a function of scheme and limiting the reads that Jake has to make as well. Mediator or SoCal (anyone that watches game film) might be able to back me up, but I suspect that the majority of our routes have one WR as the primary target and then a TE/RB check down.

[Popps]

Originally Posted by bloodsunday

For example, he could probably take a slant route to the house if Jake could hit him in stride.

Jake doesn't have Troy Aikman-like accuracy, but I'll guarantee you he can hit a WR in stride on a deep ball. I've said it before... Griese couldn't develop any chemistry with Lelie, either. (Given, he was early in his career) Now, Plummer seems to be on the same page with every receiver except Lelie.
I just think the guy runs poor routes and has questionable instincts. He got by in college because he was faster than everyone else. Well guess what? That doesn't cut it in the pros.

As time goes on, and Jake develops more chemistry with the other receivers, this stuff will continue to become more evident. Lelie is just not a great receiver. He's fast, and he's got decent hands when he can manage to be where he's supposed to be. I'll take Adams/Watts any day, and I wish we'd give either of them a chance to runs some posts/go-routes.

[Crushaholic]

Originally Posted by yavoon

and if they didnt respect him they wouldn't cover him? I don't buy ur interpretation at all. I think its more like last year ppl didnt weight their coverage of lelie to deep routes as much. now they know he is a significant threat there they are treading more carefully. this adaptation has caused a reduction in production, hopefully it will pickup some. but lets face it lelie isnt drawing constant doubles, he is not an elite wr. there is no more personnel emphasis on covering him then on covering david givens or kevin curtis or tim dwight.

You answered your own question. Opposing teams are taking into account the "Lelie factor". They are now gameplanning to stop him. That means they respect him. Otherwise, they would leave him out there uncovered and worry about stopping other people. I've seen it so many times where receivers are wide open downfield and the quarterback just doesn't see them. Lelie continually being covered downfield is a sign of respect.

[DarkHorse30]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

teams are covering the deep ball better and Jake has been off with another couple throws....

You might recognize that Denver has expanded it's playbook to include a flurry of short outs and screens....which does more to defeat a good passrush than waiting for Lelie to get open deep. You might also recognize that Denver will have faced 4 top 10 defenses in the first 5 weeks......which may also limit the strengths of the long-bomb threat. AND, you might recognize that 4 of the first 5 defenses Denver will face ALL have pretty good pass defense. Facing a good defense is a lot more than chucking it to Lelie anytime you can....there are WAY too many risks with that approach. Much better to have Plummer take care of the ball and engineer long clock-eating drives...which is what Denver has always been good at. I'm sure Jake would rather take 16-25 150yd 2TD day over a 30-54 345yd 2TD 2int day EVERY time.

It's hilarious to see the "we hate Lelie now" crowd stumble to the front of the orangemane when there is little else to complain about. The fact is, Lelie is more of a deep threat than a possesion WR. Denver has been spreading the ball around pretty well....including some key tosses to a pretty good TE group, except for that first game. Why not celebrate Adams pushing Watts for that #3 spot in some very tough matchups? As has been mentioned before, Denver's offense is growing to the point where it can really test an average defense. I'm sorry you took Lelie on your fantasy squad, but the schedule probably should have clued you in about not playing him against really good defenses....that really goes for any WR, except maybe Terrell Owens.