![]() ![]() I expect to project Morris for at least 1,300 total yards and at least nine touchdowns this season. Morris is better than Green-Ellis, don't you think? Besides, Gruden was part of the Bengals brain trust that signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis in the spring of 2012 and then gave him 278 carries. New head coach Jay Gruden won't mess with him, I don't think. Now there's some concern that he might get someone taking reps from him this season but I will say this: Morris has done nothing to lose his grip on the primary rushing workload. That opens up a world of possibilities for Morris' stats. With D-Jax on one side and a very quick Pierre Garcon on the other, there will probably be few situations where the safeties will drop into the box and "dare" the Redskins to throw like they did last season. What Jackson offers the Redskins is a playmaker with great deep speed - the kind of speed that forces defenses to play back their safeties so they don't get burned. Morris' precipitous drop in statistics went clear across the board, as Washington's offense fell to shambles last year.Alfred Morris is near and dear to my heart, so take this with a grain of salt, but I think the Redskins' decision to sign DeSean Jackson will be huge for him. *Ranking out of running backs with 100-plus carries Morris' play declined in 2013, but that was a direct result of the entire offense flattening out after a bizarre falling out between Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III. Pierre Garcon led the league in receptions, rookie Jordan Reed proved to be a capable tight end target, and Alfred Morris provided some stability, compiling the fourth most rushing yards in the league. Washington struggled in 2013, but there were some bright spots for the offense. Early camp reviews of Morris' pass catching ability have been glowing, too, as perhaps Washington aims to make their former Pro Bowl running back more multidimensional. Morris isn't a terrible option out of the backfield and produces quite well when throw to hopefully Gruden finds ways to exploit that in 2014. There's a preconceived notion that Morris is an unreliable receiver, but numberFire's NEP score tells another story. However, on a per target basis, Morris trumped Helu in productivity. ![]() I would never lend any colour to it, and I at once dropped my attempt to learn Welsh. But just how efficient was Helu when given his opportunities?Īfter more than tripling Morris' targets, Helu understandably has the advantage over Morris in his Reception Net Expected Points (NEP) score, as this is a cumulative statistic. Alfred Edwin Morris (1894-1971) said of himself, I was the first. Helu stands the most to gain as Gruden's "pass-catching" back, as he led all Washington running backs picking up a quiet 31 receptions last year. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) When Alfred Morris meets me after Redskins practice for our pedicure in Ashburn, he sits down in the chair and slowly pulls. ![]() The depth chart behind Morris consists of the oft-injured Roy Helu, the undersized Chris Thompson, the seldom used Evan Royster, and two rookies in Lache Seastrunk and Silas Redd fighting for roster spots. numberFire's own Joe Redemann referenced how Gruden often deployed running back committees in Cincinnati, with a lead power running back complemented by a receiving back. Gruden's running backs have been far from exceptional, and are often platooned in a dynamic manner. So what does all of this mean for Morris? Gruden's help as the offensive coordinator led the Bengals to three straight playoff appearances, and there's hope he'll to do the same in Washington after their one-year hiatus. An adept passing guru, Gruden saw some success mentoring Andy Dalton, turning the former second round pick out of TCU into a solid fantasy quarterback a season ago. The former Cincinnati Bengal offensive coordinator takes over a team that struggled with inconsistencies in hopes of providing stabilization. ![]() How is a young back with ample rushing opportunities, proven production, and no health concerns falling to the 13th running back being drafted in fantasy football? New Sheriff in TownĪfter the abrupt dismissal of former head coach Mike Shanahan, the Washington Redskins quickly found their new replacement in Jay Gruden. He has yet to miss a game during his brief NFL tenure, but Washington Redskin Alfred Morris seems to continue losing traction as the season nears. He's a true workhorse - a rare back who's averaged over 300 carries, 4.7 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns per season over his career. Hovering near the turn between the second and third rounds of fantasy drafts is a young running back who's posted 1,000-yard seasons each year he's been in the NFL. ![]()
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