<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>DENVER -- The Broncos said Monday that undrafted rookie Mike Bell is now the No. 1 running back headed into the preseason opener this week at Detroit.Denver's coaching staff also said top draft pick Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt has been elevated to No. 2 behind starter Jake Plummer. That puts Cutler ahead of former Colorado State star Bradlee Van Pelt.Bell had been running as third-string running back behind Ron Dayne and Tatum Bell (no relation). Dayne said Mike Bell has earned the top spot, given the way he's been working in camp.Before camp began, Denver coach Mike Shanahan said the running back position was wide open since last year's leading rusher, Mike Anderson, is now in Baltimore. But most expected Dayne or Tatum Bell to emerge as the starter, and Cedric Cobbs has also been impressive.Mike Bell, however, has turned heads with his toughness. Bell rushed for 3,163 yards and 17 touchdowns at Arizona, but as recently as last week said he was just hoping to land a job.Bell, who lived in Denver until he was 10 years old, grew up a Broncos fan and idolized former star Terrell Davis.</div>Thoughts? If he's done well in camp by Shannahan's standards, he'll probably be the latest 1,000 RB.http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2542300
He must be real good if he beat Dayne and Tatum for the spot, both those guys were impressive last year. I'm interested in seeing this guy play...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JHair @ Aug 7 2006, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wanted to draft him for my fantasy team but he wasn't available</div>Yeah...lol.Just went to pick him up in the NFLC league and he wasnt even listed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 7 2006, 12:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wow, thats really supriseing to me.</div>Yeah same here, I wouldn't have thought that Mike Bell (undrafted) would beat out a guy like Tatum Bell, who everyone had a stiffy for last season.
Crazy. And no one listened to me when I said Tatum Bell wasn't a solid RB to rely on for your fantasy team....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 8 2006, 02:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And no one listened to me when I said Tatum Bell wasn't a solid RB to rely on for your fantasy team....</div>What was your reasoning for saying that? Did you think they were going to pick up a FA RB, Tatum Bell would get injured, they would start Dayne? Or this?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JHair @ Aug 8 2006, 08:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 8 2006, 02:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And no one listened to me when I said Tatum Bell wasn't a solid RB to rely on for your fantasy team....</div>What was your reasoning for saying that? Did you think they were going to pick up a FA RB, Tatum Bell would get injured, they would start Dayne? Or this?</div>1. He split reps with Dayne as the number 1 in camp.2. Cedric Griffen.
Cedric Griffin? He's on the Vikings... and he plays Cornerbackand if you're talking about QUENTIN Griffin, he's on the Chiefs.Anyways, Dayne splitting handoffs at #1 with Tatum just means the coaches were trying to see who could take on the job better, and apparently it was neither. But if you have to compare Dayne and Tatum Bell, Tatum is definitely the better back and fits into their system MUCH better, he's very fast and behind those blockers he does some incredible things, Dayne has good vision but he's not as quick as Bell so when he's rushing he does well but he can't pick up huge chunks of yards as well.All I know is no one could of predicted what REALLY has happened with them putting Mike Bell in.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JHair @ Aug 8 2006, 10:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Cedric Griffin? He's on the Vikings... and he plays Cornerbackand if you're talking about QUENTIN Griffin, he's on the Chiefs.Anyways, Dayne splitting handoffs at #1 with Tatum just means the coaches were trying to see who could take on the job better, and apparently it was neither. But if you have to compare Dayne and Tatum Bell, Tatum is definitely the better back and fits into their system MUCH better, he's very fast and behind those blockers he does some incredible things, Dayne has good vision but he's not as quick as Bell so when he's rushing he does well but he can't pick up huge chunks of yards as well.All I know is no one could of predicted what REALLY has happened with them putting Mike Bell in.</div>You're right, I meant Quentin Griffin. Lol, and you missed the point.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bleed Green @ Aug 8 2006, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This kills my fantasy team I have Bell was my runningback</div>Well every team's got 4 more pre-season to go before the actual season starts, so Shanahan might just be making Mike Bell the #1 for right now to send a message to the other backs in the system that they need to get their asses in gear if they want to start because he's more than content to start an undrafted rookie in front of them. A lot can change and Tatum still may start (or even Dayne), so don't worry yet.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Punisher @ Aug 8 2006, 02:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>DAMN IT! HE'S STARTING FOR ME! FUCKER!</div>You have Portis...
I agree with Jhair it's probably just a message to hype up Dayne and Bell to do better and get more out of them and make them work hard. There's no way an undrafted rookie is better than a former heisman winner and an experienced rb like bell. Tatum will start when it's all said and done.
[quote name='Jon_Vilma' post='63109' date='Aug 8 2006, 01:58 PM'][quote name='JHair' post='63103' date='Aug 8 2006, 10:51 AM']Cedric Griffin? He's on the Vikings... and he plays Cornerbackand if you're talking about QUENTIN Griffin, he's on the Chiefs.Anyways, Dayne splitting handoffs at #1 with Tatum just means the coaches were trying to see who could take on the job better, and apparently it was neither. But if you have to compare Dayne and Tatum Bell, Tatum is definitely the better back and fits into their system MUCH better, he's very fast and behind those blockers he does some incredible things, Dayne has good vision but he's not as quick as Bell so when he's rushing he does well but he can't pick up huge chunks of yards as well.All I know is no one could of predicted what REALLY has happened with them putting Mike Bell in.[/quote]What about Terrel Davis? He didn't have great speed and yet he ran for 2,008 yards back in the kick ass season that was 1998-99