Buffalo Bills RB C.J Spiller Rookie Of The Year?

And the 2010 Offensive Rookie of the Year goes to.........

It’s a topic many analysts and fans are fiercely debating right now. It's always one of those preseason questions that people show a lot of interest in. Names like Ryan Matthews and Dez Bryant pop up in the conversation a lot this year. But there’s one name that should be right at the top of the list–C.J. Spiller.

There’s reasons to believe Spiller won’t have much success this season considering Buffalo’s backfield is a crowded one with veterans Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch looking for carries. The Bills also enlist one of the worst offensive lines in the league to handle run blocking duties.

Those factors are enough to shed doubt on even the most skilled of players, but sometimes, there are just rare rookies who can persevere through it all.

C.J. Spiller is one of those players.

Spiller is that “other world” type of talent. That type of pure speed and grace that you see once every 10 years or so.
C.J. Spiller is the best running back prospect we’ve seen this millennium.

Maybe because he played off at Clemson, which is a certainly a big school but it doesn’t necessarily have the cache of some of the more prestigious names of the sport. He was accomplishing so much, but Clemson’s continued failure in the biggest spot of the season–the ACC Championship Game–never allowed Spiller the chance to show off his talents on a BCS Bowl stage.

In this era when we over-analyze every top quarterback prospect ad nauseum, maybe we should have spent a little more time this offseason watching a tape of C.J. Spiller.
Instead of watching Tim Tebow’s terrible throwing motion 10 times a day in super slow motion, we should have been watching C.J. We should have been giving him his due.

Not even an invite to the Heisman ceremonies?

For a kid who totaled more than 4,500 yards in his four-year college career.

Shame on us.
But now I have feeling Mr. Spiller has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

He may have one of the worst lines in the sport, but he also has something else that’s a bit dangerous –something to prove.

“O.K. Seattle, O.K. Cleveland, you guys wanted to pass on me, now it’s time to show you I was worth it.”
If that’s Spiller’s type of attitude and motivation for the season, then he could really do some special things.

Buffalo Bills: Monday Player Notes, Rookie Report, Injury Report

Veteran free agent linebacker Reggie Torbor, 29, who played a backup role in Miami the past two seasons, was on track to winning a starting job with the Bills until suffering an undisclosed injury in last week's preseason win over Indianapolis. Torbor, who was No. 1 on the depth chart at weak outside linebacker ahead of Aaron Maybin, Buffalo's 2009 first-round pick, will miss at least three weeks, coach Chan Gailey said. That makes his status for the regular season opener Sept. 12 against Miami questionable. While the door is open for Maybin, Torbor's experience in the 3-4 scheme and his muscle -- he's a legitimate 250 pounds while Maybin is not -- will be welcomed upon his return. Torbor's bulk makes him much more effective at the point of attack. "We kind of knew coming in what he would bring to the table. He's helped us," said Bills defensive coordinator George Edwards, Torbor's position coach with the Dolphins. Maybin has been replacing Torbor in Buffalo's nickel package. Torbor's injury will give more run-down reps to Chris Ellis, who has been backing up Chris Kelsay on the strong side.
PLAYER NOTES
--TE Shawn Nelson will miss the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He'll be eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 4.
--RB Marshawn Lynch, who injured his ankle Aug. 13 in a preseason game against Washington, is running better on his own and could return to practice this week. If all goes well, he could play in Saturday's third practice game against Cincinnati.
--WR James Hardy, who has missed two preseason games with a leg injury, could play Saturday against Cincinnati.
--WR David Nelson, who suffered a minor Achilles' injury last week, is running on his own. He could return to practice this week.
--TE Derek Schouman, whose season was cut short last season by a major knee injury, will miss 3-6 weeks after he suffered yet another knee injury in last Thursday's win over Indianapolis.
--LB Reggie Torbor, who was on track to win the starting weakside linebacker job, will miss at least three weeks with an undisclosed injury, coach Chan Gailey announced. Torbor was hurt in a preseason win over the Colts.
BATTLE OF THE WEEK
Joique Bell vs. Chad Simpson for the No. 4 running back job -- Bell, a free agent rookie, had a very nice game against the Colts' backups, rushing 11 times for 80 yards and a 2-yard TD. Simpson had eight carries for eight yards. Buffalo's first cuts come after Saturday's preseason game against the Bengals.
OTHER BATTLE FRONTS
Trent Edwards vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm for the starting QB job -- Edwards has earned both preseason starts so far and is expected to start Saturday's game at home against Cincinnati. If so, then this really wasn't an open competition because neither Fitzpatrick nor Brohm had time with the first unit.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
WR Chad Jackson -- The 2006 second-round pick of the New England Patriots is not just making a serious bid to revive his career, he could wind up starting for the Bills alongside Lee Evans. In Buffalo's preseason win over Indianapolis, Jackson caught a team-leading five passes for 52 yards, including a pretty grab along the right sideline from Brian Brohm that set up a field goal. The 6-1, 223-pounder has consistently made big plays all camp while Steve Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter when camp opened, has been less impressive.
ROOKIE REPORT
C.J. Spiller lived up to his billing as the team's No. 1 pick, rushing for 54 yards on 10 carries and scoring on a strong 31-yard run in the team's preseason win over Indianapolis. ... NT Torell Troup continues to have a strong camp. He's been very good at the point of attack and in pursuit of the ball. ... WR Marcus Easley (knee), OT Ed Wang (thumb) and LB Danny Batten (shoulder) are candidates for season-ending IR.
INJURY REPORT
Safety Jairus Byrd's electrifying rookie season was cut short by lingering problems with his groin. Now that injury has resurfaced, threatening to sideline the team's interception leader past the regular season opener on Sept. 12 vs. Miami. Byrd underwent surgery last week on his bothersome groin, the third procedure he's undergone in 13 months. "It looks like he's going to be out for a while," Coach Chan Gailey said. "We're hoping first game, but it may be not." George Wilson has moved into Byrd's starting free safety spot.