Buy or Sell: Joique Bell

Joique Bell
ADP: 52.9
RB: 20

Joique Bell has led Detroit in rushing the last two seasons. With Reggie Bush moving on it looked like Bell might finally claim the main job for himself, until Ameer Abdullah was drafted in the second round.

Some say Abdullah was drafted to take over the starting job as soon as possible. But Bell has been a solid contributor now for three years running and he sounds confident he’s going to grab hold of the starting job, now that Reggie Bush is out of town.

He’s getting drafted in the early sixth round. Is that a pick you would make?

Buy: Andy

Ameer Abdullah has arrived in the Motor City as the flashy new kid in town. He ran for 4,500 yards at Nebraska, averaging six yards per carry the last two years he was there. And he scored 22 TDs combined, on the ground and through the air in his final season.

But … don’t forget about Joique Bell.

Sure, Bell isn’t the sexiest RB out there. He kind of came out of nowhere, the guy with the weird name who was playing because Reggie Bush was hurt, again, and the Lions needed someone who wouldn’t screw things up.

But lo-and-behold, Bell turned out to be a decent running back. He eclipsed 800 yards rushing and 1,166 total yards while catching 34 passes and compiling eight scores along the way in 2014 – and he did that starting just six games, while operating on knee and Achilles injuries that both needed repair in the offseason.

The year before he ran for 650 and added 547 more on 53 catches, again notching eight scores. In 2012, he caught 52 passes in a much more limited role. No, he’s not flashy and he’s not well known, but Joique Bell does not suck.

No, I don’t expect that he’s going to put up the 1,200 yards he claimed was his minimum goal. I’m not taking this guy in the first couple rounds. But get me to the fifth and I’ll start taking a solid look at a guy who reliably gets the job done when asked. He’s a decent RB2, especially for a team that has compiled some stars elsewhere. He’s a great RB3, injury and bye-week fill in.

Abdullah is flashy and he’ll have a role. But as long as Joique keeps plugging along, picking up yards and scoring the pig, there will be a role for him. And it will continue to be enough of a role where he will be a fantasy contributor in a good, solid way.

Sell: Vomhof

Joique Bell won’t be on any of my fantasy teams this year.

For a guy going in the mid-5th round, there’s just not much to like and a whole lot to dislike.

First off, age is a concern. Bell will turn 29 years old before the season starts. Sure, there’s tread left on the tires—he only has 471 career carries—but I’d much rather taken my chances on a young, talented running back.

Secondly, injuries are a big concern. For the second consecutive offseason Bell has been hobbled with injuries. In fact, the guy has undergone three surgeries in the past 12 months, including procedures on his knee and Achilles tendon earlier this year.

Thirdly, and frankly most problematic, is that he simply isn’t that good. Bell put up some impressive per-carry stats in very limited action in 2012, but he’s been very pedestrian since, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry in each of the past two years.

Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. And those are all big strikes.

All of that is especially concerning when you consider that the Lions used a 2nd Round pick on Ameer Abdullah, a much younger and more explosive running back. I think there’s a better than 50-50 chance Abdullah takes this job outright before the end of the year.

So, I’ll pass on Bell in the 5th round (and even the 6th or 7th) and wait to grab Abdullah at his 10th-round ADP.

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