Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Matt Harmon is joined by Dr. Edwin Porras to discuss why Panthers rookie RB Jonathon Brooks, coming off a collegiate injury, could have a rookie season similar to Todd Gurley’s rookie year. Hear the full conversation on the “Yahoo Fantasy Football Show” podcast – and subscribe on , or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Jonathan Brooks, uh Carolina Panthers rookie running back.
He was the consensus top back in the draft.
It was Jonathan Brooks.
He went as the top back in the draft, but there’s a chance he could have gone much higher.
Uh, if he did not tear his AC L in his final year at Texas, which, uh Edwin, I do believe that was a November AC L tear.
So a lot of the same kind of criteria that you just drew out about Nick Chubb with like the nine months.
The whole thing does apply to the rookie here from Carolina 100%.
So, um, surgical date was December 5th of 23.
So nine month return right around the opening day of the NFL season.
So we are right on the cusp.
Uh, you know, we could, we could to discuss how sharp the Panthers have or have not been the sharp move to, you know, in an honest moment would probably be let’s sit Brooks for 23 weeks and then bring him back.
But hey, he could be back week one.
But yeah, let’s, let’s review those criteria again very quickly.
We can be a little quicker this time, nine months to rehab.
Uh close.
Not quite right.
No cigar.
You really want the guy to be in camp, training with the team, you know, taking reps by the time they get to camp, he’s not quite there.
High draft capital 26 years or younger.
It’s good, minimal complexity.
Everything we know he’s good.
Top five athleticism score.
Mm close but not too close.
Not, not quite there.
He’s, he’s no Bruce Hall.
He’s no Sequa Barkley projected catch.
And this again, I want your take again because this is such a skeleton key here, projected pass, catching high touch volume, the closest comp and I’m treading lightly here.
I’m not saying that Todd Gurley is the same prospect as Jonathan Brooks here.
I’m not saying that but he’s the closest comparison, right?
So Todd Gurley had the same injury around the same time, had surgery around the same time, got drafted by the Rams.
Um He finished that season as RB eight on a Fantasy points per game basis.
The thing with Gurley that year when he finished RB eight, his efficiency really wasn’t that great.
It wasn’t anything, you know, groundbreaking, but he had 10 rushing touchdowns and he added every game so per game, he added three points just from receiving work, right?
That’s a lot of guys don’t get that at all.
So that’s what that, what was helpful for him.
Um I’m optimistic on Jonathan Brooks and really the I think I was thinking about this last night and it really, that’s when it hit me and I was like, God, I just, the panthers just aren’t gonna be that good.