Eric Decker underrated?

[Dobber]

Am I the only one who thinks this guy is gonna top 1000-1200++ yards this year? Why is he still being taken 30th or 40th WR off the board? Manning is the QB...why the hesitation? There must be something I'm missing...

[kushmoney]

I think its a risk between a few factors.
1-Peyton's health is not necessarily set in stone so nobody knows.
2- Thomas seems to be to get a high number of the looks in the offseason.
3- PEyton does favor the TE at times, so I think thats probably the most value in the offense.
4- People dont believe in his physical tools to be a consistent threat.

I think that if he ends up in a Welker role then he can be deadly, but he just doesn't (in my eyes) have the physical tools to be able to be that successful. A lot of his success last year came not because he was out matching people but because he was out working them on broken plays due to poor qb decisions. Thats just not there anymore.

[Dyv]

One of the odd things is how few people really know he's a good player. Ask your average NFL fan about Eric Decker and they're thinking 'who?' while they say 'he's alright...'

He doesn't yet have that one game-winning, defining moment where people say, "Oh.... THAT dude"

Good grab on the value meter for sure. He's at least the same value as Demaryius Thomas who's going way ahead and has the same Peyton problems...

[Spec7ral]

I had Decker in for one of his fat games last year, so everyone in my league knows who is unfortunately...

I ended up dropping him on the wire due to RB problems and another owner picked him up and beat me that week due to another one of his bigger games.

He'll be Peyton's favorite target easily because he can run crisp routes. Manning is all timing. Thomas has NO TIMING OR ROUTE RUNNING. Decker above Thomas every time for me.

[Spec7ral]

I think its a risk between a few factors.
1-Peyton's health is not necessarily set in stone so nobody knows.
2- Thomas seems to be to get a high number of the looks in the offseason.
3- PEyton does favor the TE at times, so I think thats probably the most value in the offense.
4- People dont believe in his physical tools to be a consistent threat.

I think that if he ends up in a Welker role then he can be deadly, but he just doesn't (in my eyes) have the physical tools to be able to be that successful. A lot of his success last year came not because he was out matching people but because he was out working them on broken plays due to poor qb decisions. Thats just not there anymore.

The comparisons to Welker are silly because Decker has about half a foot and 50 pounds on him. He has ALL the physical tools.

[casimiri]

In a PPR, I believe Decker is the DEN receiver to own. Add to the fact that you can select him two rounds after Thomas, makes the steal even sweeter.

I think Collie is a better player comparison, in terms of offensive role.

[PocketRockets05]

Have to agree with the posters above - especially the timing comment made by Spec7ral and how that makes Manning-Decker an ideal combo.

[Dyv]

Why do people think Decker is a possession guy but Demaryius isn't?

I realize Manning is a different QB, but last year:

Decker 95 Targets, 44 receptions, 612 Yards, 46.3% completion

Thomas 70 Targets, 32 receptions, 551 Yards, 45.7% completion

Looks to me like Decker had a few more targets and therefore more receptions and yards but that they are basically the same as far as being a possession receiver. Possession types, Welker for example, made 122 receptions on 172 targets for a 71% completion ratio.

Neither Decker or Thomas profile as a possession guy - so I don't get the myth that Decker will thrive but Thomas won't. Their #'s are due for an increase simply because Tebow was horrid and really isn't a QB. BOTH have great opportunity to pop for 1000 yards. Which one pops more? Heck, ask Peyton who he likes better?

[Spec7ral]

Sorry, wasn't trying to say he was possession. Just saying that Thomas can't run a slant or hook to save his life. He is all run down the field and turn head. He reminds me of Dez in that regard.

Decker is just more polished and cerebral in my estimation. HE compares more to a Harrison or a Wayne is more what I was getting at.

[Spec7ral]

Thomas:

Big games were:

Against Minnesota (a terrible team on D by all accounts, namely mine) 2 of his 4 TDs came in this game
In a 41-23 drubbing at the hands of the PAts (garbage time?)

The only game he had over 10 pts in standard scoring other than the two above was Week 14, a 13-10 win over Chicago (nice)

Thomas STarted every game after the Bye, but did not have a snap before that.

Decker:


Big Games were:

Week 2: 100+ yds and 2 TDs in a 24-22 win over Cincy
Week 4: only 49 yds but 2 TDs in a drubbing by GB 49-23

After the Bye (and Thomas joining the team)

He is a bit maddeningly inconsistent but does put up another 4 TDs and has 10 or more points in each of those games

The other thing that should be mentioned. Guess who WASN'T the QB for the first 5 games before the Bye?

I sort of used similar stats to sway it my way, but really, under the same QB with the same Games Started, Thomas has more yards and the same amount of TDs. But you literally have a QB that is throwing about 4 hail marys at the end of a game to get Thomas those yards. That is NOT how 99% of the rest of the QBs in the league play, let alone P-Bird.

Take if FWIW!

[kushmoney]

Sorry, wasn't trying to say he was possession. Just saying that Thomas can't run a slant or hook to save his life. He is all run down the field and turn head. He reminds me of Dez in that regard.

Decker is just more polished and cerebral in my estimation. HE compares more to a Harrison or a Wayne is more what I was getting at.

yowsa!!!!!!!!!!!! did i hear harrison?

[Dyv]

Preseason will tell us so much about these guys - but bottom line with a good QB, both are capable of catching passes - to judge either on what they did or didn't do last year is somewhat unfair. To determine they are capable and skilled... that's fair.