Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Matt Harmon is joined by Dr. Edwin Porras to discuss why Panthers rookie RB Jonathon Brooks, coming off a college injury, could have a rookie season similar to Todd’s rookie year Gurley. Listen to the full conversation on the “Yahoo Fantasy Football Show” podcast — and subscribe at , or wherever you listen.
Video transcript
Jonathan Brooks, rookie running back for the Carolina Panthers.
He was the consensus draft pick.
It was Jonathan Brooks.
He was the top pick in the draft, but there’s a chance he could have gone much higher.
Uh, if he didn’t tear his ACL his senior year at Texas, which, uh, Edwin, I believe was a torn ACL in November.
A lot of the same criteria you just outlined about Nick Chubb in the nine months.
The whole thing applies 100% to the rookie here at Carolina.
So, the surgery date was December 5, ’23.
So, nine months payback close to the opening day of the NFL season.
So we are at the limit.
Uh, you know, we could, we could discuss how sharp the Panthers were or weren’t, the sudden change to, you know, in an honest moment, it would probably be, let’s sit Brooks for 23 weeks and then bring him back.
But hey, he might be back in the first week.
But yes, let’s review these criteria again very quickly.
This time we can be a little faster, nine months for rehabilitation.
Uh, close.
Not very sure.
No cigar.
You really want the guy to be in camp, training with the team, you know, doing reps by the time he gets to camp, he’s not there yet.
High draw capital aged 26 and under.
It’s good, minimal complexity.
All we know is that he’s good.
Top five athletics scores.
Mm close, but not too close.
No, not exactly there.
He’s no Bruce Hall.
It is not a party designed by Sequa Barkley.
And that again, I want your opinion again because this is a master key here, projected passing, capturing high touch volume, the closest comparison and I’m treading lightly here.
I’m not saying Todd Gurley is the same prospect as Jonathan Brooks here.
I’m not saying that, but he’s the closest comparison, right?
Then Todd Gurley had the same injury around the same time, had surgery around the same time and was drafted by the Rams.
Um, he finished that season as an eight RB based on fantasy points per game.
What happened with Gurley that year, when he finished RB eight, his efficiency really wasn’t that good.
It wasn’t anything, you know, groundbreaking, but he had 10 rushing touchdowns and he had it every game, so per game, he had three points just for getting work done, right?
A lot of guys don’t understand that.
So that’s what was useful for him.
Um, I’m optimistic about Jonathan Brooks and I actually think I was thinking about this last night and that’s really when it hit me and I was like, God, I just, the Panthers are just not going to be that good.
