Buy or Sell: Le’Veon Bell

Le’Veon Bell
ADP: 4.2
RB: 3

Le’Veon Bell was a monster in 2014, rushing for 1,361 yards and contributing another 854 through the air while totaling 11 scores.

He’ll miss the first two games of the season for conduct issues, though that was reduced this week from three. According to ESPN, however, the forced sideline time has not dramatically affected his average draft position.

He’s still the third-ranked RB coming off boards and is going at an average of 4.2 overall. Is he worth it?

Buy: Andy

I’m a diehard “do the opposite (copyright Paul Charchian)” guy. While many, if not still most, fantasy football players load up on RBs in the first few rounds, I’m chasing the elite WRs, QBs and sometimes TEs. I’ve had a lot of success with that strategy over the years – but there are guys for whom I would make an exception. One is Le’Veon Bell.

I love Bell – and I think I like him even more with the suspension than I would have without him. Sure, you have to find someone later to fill in those first couple weeks while he sits. But when you get Bell back, you’re getting a guy who had at least 100 combined yards in 13 of 16 regular season games for the Steelers in 2014. And he did so while only getting 290 carries.

How?

One of the things I look for in RBs I’m going to take high is their contribution in the passing game. And in that area Bell excels. He caught 83 passes, adding 854 yards in 2014. So, while he contributed 2,215 total yards, he did so on 373 touches – fewer than 200 of which involved crashing into the defensive line.

Bell hit triple digit yardage in the first eight games, then had two off games. He then exploded for a three-game stretch during which he contributed 711 total yards. And he scored 11 combined TDs.

Give him two games on the sidelines and that means you’ve got an explosive back who is just getting started as fantasy football is getting going full swing. He’ll be fresher and he’ll be even further away from hitting the dreaded 400 touch mark. And he’ll do so on a team with a QB/WR combo in Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown that will allow him to be just the second weapon teams have to scheme for.

So, yes, I love Le’Veon Bell as a fantasy RB this season. Take Le’Veon Bell without reservations. Take him early. Consider taking him first overall. You will not regret it.

Sell: Vomhof

Le’Veon Bell was an absolute beast last season, I won’t argue that. But last year’s points don’t count anymore.

I do like Bell, and I’d consider drafting him in the mid to late first round. I just can’t pull the trigger on him in the top five picks, where he’s going now. (And some are still pounding the table for taking him first overall.)

Adrian Peterson is my No. 1 overall pick this year, and I’d take Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy and Marshawn Lynch over Bell, too. I’d also give Rob Gronkowski a long look.

The main reason, of course, is that Bell will miss the first two games of the 2015 season due to a suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Peterson, Charles, Lacy and Lynch are all comparable fantasy RBs, and you get them for a full 16-game season.

Also, keep in mind that, as great as Bell was in 2014, he only rushed for 100 yards four times and he had eight games in which he failed to find the end zone. His stats were padded by big games against weak opponents. He ran for 204 yards and a TD against Tennessee, the second-worst run defense in the NFL. He also had monster games against Cincinnati (No. 20 vs. the run), Atlanta (21), New Orleans (29) and Cleveland (32).

Will he be able to maintain his gaudy stats without the cupcake schedule? This year, he’ll face top-notch defenses like Seattle, Denver and Arizona.

I still expect Bell to be a solid RB1 whenever he’s on the field, but proceed with caution if you plan to buy at his sky-high price.

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