Can Kevin Smith improve upon a solid rookie season? It looks like the RB1 spot is his on what should be a bad Detroit team again. Will the addition of Stafford help?

I like him a lot in PPR leagues, Its a safe bet the Lions will be down in the second half a lot and Smith has shown the ability to catch the football. I think he will be a poor man's Frank Fore.

When this team gets down and goes pass happy, I'd think Mo Morris will get a lot of that action. FWIW.

I hate to point out the obvious here guys but he posted ...
976 rushing 8 TDs 286 Rec last year.
This was on a team that was 0-16. So I can tell you being a lions fan they were down a lot last year and blown out of their share of games. I only got to watch like 10 games due to the blackouts. :-(

So any arguments that they will be pass happy should be ruled out. He did not start as RB1 last year and he posted this. I see around 1000-1200 yards this year (due to Morris picking some carries) rushing and the Lions should win 4-5 games this year.

I see 1150 and 8

Wow, really? Even in a second season?

Not sure how to respond here.
Yes? even in a second season... I don't expect 1,400 and 15 TDs.
How many guys do that anyway?

I see a team with a rookie QB, a weak Oline, a stud WR, a rookie WR on the other side, and a quality 2nd year RB.
Not to mention a soft defense and coming off a 0-16 season....
To me, this is not a recipe for many 100 yard games or many ground TDs.

I expect him to do less, not more...

I hear you... I posted what I think is his upside.
Take into consideration he started only 12 games last season (3,8,5,4 carries in the 4 games he did not start) and I expect his numbers to increase modestly. He had 238 carries last season and that should tick up closer to 280-300, imo...

Granted it was Conference USA, but Kevin Smith's Senior year at UCF (2007) he went:

450-2567-29TD

Sick, just sick... the guy has the skills, just needs some improvement around him.

Something else to think about, the Lions are moving away from the Zone blocking scheme where Smith excelled for his college and short NFL career. He'll basically be a rookie all over again. That and even know they were behind all the time last year they had no QB that could throw anyways so they kept running the ball. This year if they get behind and they are losing all year again they will try and at least give Stafford experience. If you are expecting Smith to be anything more then a RB3 this year then I want to be in your league.

If I had a dollar for every time a fantasy sports star posts this line...

K.Smith will make a fine RB2 this year if taken in the 4th-5th rd range. I think he'd be a stellar RB3.

I want to be in your league.



Didn't mean to be a sports authority or anything...I will requalify that...I want to be in your league if you think Kevin Smith will be a RB1 or RB2 in a 10 or 12 team league. If it is a 14 or more team league, yeah I would consider him for a RB2 if it was the 4th or 5th round. Of course after looking at some sites I see him as high as the #16 RB. They have him higher than Ryan Grant and Ronnie Brown, I would take either of those two before Smith.

So in short, you just got another dollar.

I think he does pretty much exactly what he did last year. He will get more opportunity's starting, but they also traded for MoMo and I see them using him to change it up everyonce in awhile... almost to the point that if MoMo does good they go with RBBC.

I think he will be Forte '09, with a lil bit of a drop off.

May sound crazy, but very similar QB situation as Forte last year... inexperienced poorer end of the QB spectrum. Weak overall offense: line, weapons (minus CJ). No real comption for carries. While I dont believe in M.Morris to take over a big share, I dont think Smith will be 80% involved with the offense - or whatever that crazy number was for Forte last year - he will be on the field a lot, and getting a lot of those dump offs and working for yeards/td's. I can see real value here. Basically if u believe in his talent - which i do - the situation is there for significant upside.

You do realize there is more than one person in a league...right?

If Kevin Smith gets 300 carries - which is realistic - he should be good for 1,100 yards.
TDs fluctuate, but since he'll also have the goaline work he'll have at least 7TDs.
Throw in some receptions and maybe 1-2 TD catches through the air and you'll have better then RB3 stats.

I see 290-1,150 and 8 TD on the ground, 45-325-1 through the air (he had 39-286 last season and with a rookie QB I see more checkdowns... Momo will get some, but will not be a huge factor).

So, that's 1,475 total yards and 9 TDs...

For what it's worth, that's much better than RB3 material.

I think Kevin Smith is in for a solid year. Not a breakout season, but definitely a solid season. Perfect #2 running back for those going RB/WR/WR in the first 3 rounds.

He will have a good year both on the ground and receiving as well. I expect improvement in both because he's been working hard this offseason.

thats kinda what ive been thinking as well.

well said. i would consider even bumping him up some in those stats cus ur basically giving him a 3.6ypc average. he had a 4.1 ypc average last year so i would say he gets minimal 1200 -1300 rush yds. add in a conservative receiving and td total and ur looking at RB.2 or more likely RB1. Way better than last year i would say

Yep. A LOT of upside for a Rd.4/Rd.5 guy. Definately one to target imo

good luck trying to get him that late in your draft

I see Kevin Smith being drafted late 3rd round to early 4th round in recent mocks. It sounds about right due to his upside, and he is being chosen before, between, or after Ronnie Brown and Pierre Thomas...
Thomas will be splitting touches with Reggie Bush, but with the success of the Saints offense, I would choose him before Smith or Brown. He seems to be the best gamble of the three, IMO. Am I off?
I see Smith around:
1100 rushing
280 receiving
6-7 TDs

is the word out yet. god i hope not. hes my no.1 value this year at rb so far

Im drafting #11 in a 12 man ppr, and would love to grab k.smith in the 4th on the wrap around. rb2 or rb3

I think you're dreaming. Been doing a ton of 10 team mocks and usually doesn't make it to the end of rd4 there, much less at the end of 4 in a 12 team league. Count me in as KSmith fan. Dude was the shiz at UCF. If he can put up the numbers he did as a rookie, on the 0-16 Lions, starting the season off behind Rudi freakin Johnson, I say there is all kinds of upside on improving those numbers.

The dude is the shiz fo' rizzle.

His current ADP is 36.4, meaning the last pick of the 3rd round. 5th round is out of the question, but I don't think getting him in the first half of the 4th round is unreasonable.

I think Smith makes for a great RB2 this season for 10+ team leagues. Anyone who thinks Maurice Morris is a threat is wrong...Smith is a well rounded RB who will be on the field the majority of the time. He isn't a liability at all on passing downs, which means Morris is a true backup. For a RB expected to see 280-300 carries and probably catch 35-50 passes, even if it's on a below average offense, his late 3rd/early 4th round ADP is good value.

the shizzy for rizzy

I've been getting him with the first pick in the 5th round of 12 team mocks... regularly. Hell, I just drafted him in the 5th a few seconds ago. Maybe I need a better mock draft interface.

i think a big question that hasn't been addressed is his health status. if i remember correctly he was a question mark about half the year last in 2008. i think he'll have about a 20% increase in stats this year . mo mo will be a bigger factor than most realize inside the 20 and 3rd downs , i recommend handcuffing him in late rounds.

I agree. He's totally under the radar. He's a solid back and he's currently not being drafted in some 12x20 leagues. He's a nice deep handcuff for sure.

Kevin Smith is going to have an excellent year .. he's gonna be one of those guys by week six where you say .. how did the guy who picked him a round or two early know. The run game was abandoned last year by early third quarter and he still managed almost 1000 yds and 8 touchdowns.

This year with Terrelle Smith leading the way and a more run focused coaching staff .. Smith will be a feature back toward 1200 yds and double digit touchdowns.

Agreed. He's a great RB2 to target if you are looking to grab a couple of WRs or a QB early.

I've been doing a bunch of mock drafts, and it seems no one really wants this guy. I always end up scooping him up in the 4th or 5th rounds. Whats the good word on him? Seems like he's in store for a heavy work load this year unless there is a RBBC I'm missing...

Search around on the different PPR threads here. You'll get a bunch of opinions ranging from he'll just build on last year to he might not be able to hang the entire season. If you are picking him up in the 5th round he will probably out perform relative to where you are drafting him. How much is the question on everyone's mind though.

I never really thought I would say this, but I'm excited to have Kevin Smith on my team.

This video will automatically give you a new perspective on this kid.... It did me anyway.


Like the guy above, I never thought I'd say it either, but I'm glad I own Kevin Smith.


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he looked good tonight!

I was about to trade him away cause I needed a WR but after watching that youtube clip and some of the game tonight that's a no can do.

Curiously, have the lions gotten any upgrades on their O Line? Not that it matters because he seemed to do just fine with what he had last year but I was just wondering.

dang in a recent mock draft he went 17th im a 12 team standard scoring.

Kevin Smith is the best RB2 in my opinion. Took him in late round 3 in a league where you get 12 points for RBs catching TDs. I think they'll have to screen and dump it to him because Cullpepper/Stafford won't have any time to look down field. Smith gets going and he'll be gone. Big year for the second-year guy.

I picked him up with the 2nd pick in the 4th round of a 12 man PPR league.

After grabbing Moss and A. Johnson with my first two picks he was there for me and I think he can do some good.

As a Lions fan I really hoped the Lions would take Mendenhall, but I do like Smith in the short term. His college workload will catch up with him eventually though.

Pros: Either a rookie QB or a mediocre veteran. He should be a valuable check-down making him a very nice PPR option. He's got a nice build for being an every down back. He's going to be full-time and see a ton of touches. He proved in college he can handle a ton of touches.

Cons: The Lions won't be ahead a lot. He's not going to be force fed carries like a lot of backs when their teams are trying to close out games. In dynasty leagues I question his long-term value since he was so overused in his final season of college.

I don't think the Lions were ahead alot last year when they went 0-16, but he still managed 976 RuYards and 8 TDs

So true. 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns wouldn't be that huge of a step for. I'd absolutely love 1,200 yards and 12 TDs, but it'll probably be close to what he had last year.

Don't forget Smith has almost no competition for playing time. Should get 1400+ total yds & 9 TD's. Gonna catch a lot of dump passes when defenses key on Johnson

I am thrilled to have Kevin Smith as my RB2, paired up with MJD in a PPR. He came on fantastically in the second half last year and I am hoping for a big step up this year.

Count me on board the Kevin Smith Express!

1200 yards and 12 TDs is what he was on pace to put up last year. Remember, he only started 12 games because the Lions tried out that moronic Rudi Johnson experiment.

Smith's numbers over 16 games with 12 starts: 238 att, 4.1 ypc, 976 yards, 8 TDs plus 39 catches for 286 yards. He was barely used in the 4 games he didn't start, getting only 33 carries. He did get 12 catches, but 7 of those were in 1 game.

I personally expect around 1,200 rushing yards for 9 TDs and 40 catches for 300 yards and 2 TDs. If he maintains his 4.1 ypc, then he only needs 19 carries per game to rack up that yardage. The TDs are a little bit more iffy, but he's got the strength to punch in at the goal line.

Kevin Smith is the reason why going WR-WR in rounds 2 and 3 is perfectly okay.