Let the tournament begin! As previously stated, our first match up is between the Colts new franchise quarterback Andrew Luck and running back Lamar Miller; who was chosen by the Miami Dolphins with the second pick of the fourth round. Vote for who you think is going to score the most fantasy points next season.
Rookie Fantasy Football Bracket Match Up: Andrew Luck Vs Lamar Miller
Why vote for Luck?
Luck is the most well-rounded, NFL ready quarterback the league has seen in quite some time. He was the first overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Colts for that reason. From week one, he'll be ready to play like he's been a veteran quarterback in the league for years. He knows how to best manipulate defenses to get good match ups and has the accuracy and the arm to take advantage of those match ups. The NFL is becoming more and more of a passer friendly league, and a guy like Luck could benefit with plenty of yards and touchdowns. The Colts drafted a pair of tight ends in former Stanford teammate Coby Fleener (his favorite target in college) and Dwayne Allen to target. Throw in veteran Reggie Wayne, and Luck has some weapons to play with.
More on why to vote against Luck, and the pro’s and con’s of voting for Lamar Miller after the jump.
Why vote against Luck?
As good as Luck is, he’s more than happy to hand the ball off all day long. Stanford was a run-first team in college and Luck was committed to this. If he see’s a defense he likes, he wont hesitate in checking out of a pass into a run play. This could take away from his passing attempts, and therefore fantasy points. Sometimes he can be too smart for his own good. Brought to light by Jon Gruden on his QB Camp, Luck broke the natural order of progressions to throw a pass on the backside of the play. He was intercepted for a touchdown. NFL defenses are much too smart for that.
Also, he’s a rookie quarterback. The formula for successful rookie quarterbacks in the NFL is to have a strong running game to lean on. Again, this could limit his passing attempts. Rookie quarterbacks can also have a tendency to throw interceptions.
Why vote for Miller?
Lamar Miller could see more playing time than the average fourth rounder would. Prior to the draft, many people saw him as a second round talent. With a chip on his shoulder, and the talent to go with it, Miller could be very effective for the Dolphins this year. He's an explosive, change of pace back that will likely see his way onto the field as a third down back. That means he could gain receiving yards on top of his running yards. The more the merrier as far as fantasy owners are concerned. Another thing in his favor is that the Dolphins drafted quarterback Ryan Tannehill with the eighth pick of the draft. There is a fairly solid chance that Tannehill starts early in his Dolphins career. As I said with Luck, rookie quarterbacks tend to spend a lot of time handing the ball off.
Why vote against Miller?
The Miller pick was somewhat of an odd selection for the Dolphins. There isn't much that Miller can do that incumbent starter Reggie Bush doesn't already offer. Miller will be competing for a back-up role with last year's second round pick, Daniel Thomas. Thomas is a bigger, stronger back and offers something different to Bush and Miller's speed and quickness, making it likely Miller will fall to third on the depth chart. Miller's time on the field could be heavily limited barring an injury to Bush and/or Thomas. That will hinder his ability to rack up fantasy points this season.
Who did you vote for and why? Let us know in the comments below.
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