Markus Wheaton’s chance to shine for Steelers

[Still Curtain]

NFL superstars rarely come fully formed out of the draft like Andrew Luck. More often than not, these talents wait for several years before their opportunity arrives. Aaron Rodgers had to wait his turn behind Brett Favre for a few years. For a long time Steve Young was a benchwarmer for Joe Montana. NFL teams […]
Markus Wheaton’s chance to shine for Steelers (http://stillcurtain.com/2015/09/08/markus-wheatons-chance-to-shine-for-steelers/) - Still Curtain (http://stillcurtain.com) - Still Curtain - A Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more. (http://stillcurtain.com)


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[steelreserve]

NFL superstars rarely come fully formed out of the draft like Andrew Luck. More often than not, these talents wait for several years before their opportunity arrives.


Bullshit. The really great ones are ready to go from day one; Rodgers and Young just happened to be in situations where they were behind Hall of Fame QBs who could still play. That is the exception rather than the rule.

Anyway, how that relates to Wheaton ... I think he has the chance to be good, but not great. Otherwise he would've shown enough flashes to force his way into the starting lineup already. He has had opportunities.

A guy who has a debut like Bryant shows the potential to be great. Wheaton may well prove himself to be a solid receiver here, but I don't think his ceiling's anywhere near as high.

[ALLD]

Wheaton is like Sanders in that he will get the benefit of the #1 WR being double teamed. His hands are good, but not great. When I saw Hines Ward start dropping passes at the end of his career I knew it was over. He normally had hands like fly paper. Wheaton can have some good games in him, but he is no HoFer.

[teegre]

Bullshit. The really great ones are ready to go from day one;

John Stallworth had a whopping 43 total receptions in his first three seasons... and then, in year four, he emerged as the Hall of Famer that he is.

[steelreserve]

OK, so occasionally you get one like that. But I don't think it's anywhere near "More often than not, these talents wait several years before their opportunities arrive." You ask me, they've got that completely backwards.

[teegre]

OK, so occasionally you get one like that. But I don't think it's anywhere near "More often than not, these talents wait several years before their opportunities arrive." You ask me, they've got that completely backwards.

Hines Ward's first year: 15 receptions

Lynn Swann's first year: 11 receptions

[teegre]

Antonio Brown's first year: 16 receptions

Yancey Thigpen's first three years: 10 receptions total

...et cetera...

[tube517]

Antonio Brown's first year: 16 receptions

Yancey Thigpen's first three years: 10 receptions total

...et cetera...

Weegie Thompson: 17 receptions in year 1 :chuckle:

[teegre]

Weegie Thompson: 17 receptions in year 1 :chuckle:

:applaudit:

[SteelerFanInStl]

Bullshit. The really great ones are ready to go from day one; Rodgers and Young just happened to be in situations where they were behind Hall of Fame QBs who could still play. That is the exception rather than the rule.

No, I think that you've got it backward. The rookie that can step in and play day one is definitely the exception. Most of them take 2 or 3 years to get going.

Rodgers benefited greatly from sitting behind Favre for a couple of years. Steve Young started his NFL career in Tampa Bay where he wasn't very good and that was after a couple of years in the USFL.

[steelreserve]

No, I think that you've got it backward. The rookie that can step in and play day one is definitely the exception. Most of them take 2 or 3 years to get going.


Not "most" of them. OK, so there is some not insignificant amount of them who take a while to reach their full potential. I'd still say the majority of really good players do something in their first year or two to serve notice that they're going to be good. For every John Stallworth or Yancey Thigpen example you can show me, there's a Plaxico Burress, Louis Lipps or Santonio Holmes counterexample. More to the point, I think Wheaton has had some opportunities to show his stuff already, and proven himself to be projecting as pretty good but not great. It would be nice if he surprised me and really took off, but I'm not holding my breath.

Mind you, I'm not saying the good players come in as rookies without missing a beat and play the best football of their pro careers. Just that they're often pretty decent as soon as they have a chance to get on the field. You want to talk about Antonio Brown having a lackluster rookie season, he wasn't on the field. As soon as he got the chance, he was amazing. I don't think the key to his success was sitting on the bench most of his rookie year, any more than the key to Bryant's success last season was sitting on the bench for the first eight games.



Rodgers benefited greatly from sitting behind Favre for a couple of years.

Really? How do you know? Near as I can tell, in Rodgers' first full season, he threw for a lot of yards but also the most interceptions of his career, and they went 6-10. Looks to me like a guy still working out the rookie mistakes, only he was in his fourth season. There is not really a substitute for game action if you want to develop as a player. Better to get it over with and get your legs under you as soon as possible.



Steve Young started his NFL career in Tampa Bay where he wasn't very good and that was after a couple of years in the USFL.

It wasn't just him, those Tampa Bay teams were terrible. As soon as he went to San Francisco, he was immediately good enough to create a QB controversy. I don't think he benefited from sitting behind Montana one bit; it just happened that they had two good quarterbacks. Hell, even their third QB (Steve Bono) turned out to be an acceptable starter. A far cry from Landry Jones.

[teegre]

For every John Stallworth or Yancey Thigpen example you can show me, there's a Plaxico Burress, Louis Lipps or Santonio Holmes counterexample.


Wheaton, Burress, Holmes, and Lipps walk into a bar during their second season.

52, 53, 59, & 66 receptions were caught... but, by whom?

[Count Steeler]

Didn't Wallace take the anti-trek? Great 1st and 2nd year and then fell off a cliff.

[teegre]

Didn't Wallace take the anti-trek? Great 1st and 2nd year and then fell off a cliff.

Actually, no.

As as much as some of us hate to admit it, Mike Wallace was pretty consistent... and consistently pretty good. 39, 60, 72, 64. Add to that 32 TDs during his tenure here.

The problem was/is: he would not fight for the "important" catches. No heart... not clutch.

[Mojouw]

The third year wr breakout is a documented phenomena. These guys need 2 years or so in the NFL to adjust to not simply being physically better than the man lined up across from them.

All the great ones talk about how it took time to learn to mentally prepare, run routes at an NFL level, read defenses and make sight adjustments, etc.

Not saying Wheaton is going to be amazing or anything, but he has yet to fall off the developmental curve. This season will be telling.

[Count Steeler]

Actually, no.

As as much as some of us hate to admit it, Mike Wallace was pretty consistent... and consistently pretty good. 39, 60, 72, 64. Add to that 32 TDs during his tenure here.

The problem was/is: he would not fight for the "important" catches. No heart... not clutch.

His receptions did stay reasonable, but I think his yards fell off each year. Especially when he got to Miami.

[steelreserve]

Wheaton, Burress, Holmes, and Lipps walk into a bar during their second season.

52, 53, 59, & 66 receptions were caught... but, by whom?

the gay rabbi.

[tube517]

the gay rabbi.

Randy Grossman was gay?

[SteelerFanInStl]

Not "most" of them. OK, so there is some not insignificant amount of them who take a while to reach their full potential. I'd still say the majority of really good players do something in their first year or two to serve notice that they're going to be good. For every John Stallworth or Yancey Thigpen example you can show me, there's a Plaxico Burress, Louis Lipps or Santonio Holmes counterexample. More to the point, I think Wheaton has had some opportunities to show his stuff already, and proven himself to be projecting as pretty good but not great. It would be nice if he surprised me and really took off, but I'm not holding my breath.

Mind you, I'm not saying the good players come in as rookies without missing a beat and play the best football of their pro careers. Just that they're often pretty decent as soon as they have a chance to get on the field. You want to talk about Antonio Brown having a lackluster rookie season, he wasn't on the field. As soon as he got the chance, he was amazing. I don't think the key to his success was sitting on the bench most of his rookie year, any more than the key to Bryant's success last season was sitting on the bench for the first eight games.


Well, now you've changed what you said previously so there's no point in taking it further. I agree with what you said here.

[GBMelBlount]

Randy Grossman was gay?

Gay is really gross, man. :uhoh:

- - - Updated - - -

btw, I do think Wheaton will shine. He is ready.

[ALLD]

Makes Martavis Bryant's suspension more frustrating. The guy was ready for a humungous season and he messes it up.

[Rotorhead]

Let's just hope he straightens up after this.

[teegre]

the gay rabbi.

Well played. :applaudit:

[TD's & Beer]

I'm pretty tempted to flex him in my line-up this game, you know they will be triple covering AB

[teegre]

I'm pretty tempted to flex him in my line-up this game, you know they will be triple covering AB

Speaking of FF, I got Wheaton in the 17th round. :lol:

Why did I wait so long? I already had AB, ODB, Martavis Bryant, Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Amari Cooper.

[steelreserve]

Well, now you've changed what you said previously so there's no point in taking it further. I agree with what you said here.


Well, yeah. Wheaton's had two years, which was the point of saying that. Anyway, I hope he makes the most of these first four games and then I'll be happy to say I didn't know what I was talking about.

[teegre]

His receptions did stay reasonable, but I think his yards fell off each year. Especially when he got to Miami.

Youre right.

800 in years 1, 4, 5, & 6.
1200 in years 2 & 3.

[TD's & Beer]

Speaking of FF, I got Wheaton in the 17th round. :lol:



I got Bell and Antonio Brown back-to-back picking 12th/13th in a 12 man league - drunk and stupid, that's how I like my fantasy opponents

[teegre]

drunk and stupid, that's how I like my fantasy opponents

Drunk.
Stupid.
You must mean my brother-in-law... who a few years ago, drafted Troy Polamalu in Round 1. :scared:

[hawaiiansteeler]

Speaking of FF, I got Wheaton in the 17th round. :lol:

Why did I wait so long? I already had AB, ODB, Martavis Bryant, Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, and Amari Cooper.


I think Jordan Matthews is going to have a breakout year playing in Chip Kelly's system.

[TD's & Beer]

How sweet this turned into FF thread - I love it

My other team I'm going all youngins with Amari Cooper, Davante Adams and Ameer Abdullah

[hawaiiansteeler]

How sweet this turned into FF thread - I love it

My other team I'm going all youngins with Amari Cooper, Davante Adams and Ameer Abdullah

Davante Adams' fantasy value has soared after Jordy Nelson's unfortunate injury...

[TD's & Beer]

Davante Adams' fantasy value has soared after Jordy Nelson's unfortunate injury...

that's what I'm counting on - maybe not this week though - color me a cautious fantasy GM

show me something - I also picked up Tyler Eifert

I also have Wheaton - but I'm too chicken to start him this week over Amari, Davante or TY Hilton

[86WARD]

It,would be hard for him not to with Maclin out of the picture and Zach Ertz being hampered by injury...

[hawaiiansteeler]

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oQFkPSf23zlkge1dJujRNC7iRNs=/600x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4050792/catchpit.0.gif

[Steeldude]

He made some catches and dropped some he should have reeled in. He needs consistency.

[86WARD]

He made some catches and dropped some he should have reeled in. He needs consistency.

This!!!

[tube517]

Wheaton's final reg season stats:

44 rec 749 yds 17.1 avg 5 TD's 5 rec 40+ yds

Bongtavious:

50 rec 765 yds 15.3 avg 6 TD's 5 rec 40 + yds

[polamalubeast]

He is easy the second best WR of the steelers right now.

[Hawkman]

Wheaton's final reg season stats:

44 rec 749 yds 17.1 avg 5 TD's 5 rec 40+ yds

Bongtavious:

50 rec 765 yds 15.3 avg 6 TD's 5 rec 40 + yds

Glad we have them both. For how long....who knows.

[Rotorhead]

Next year is all that matters for them. Next year is the year we either go all the way or have to reset again IMO. We have almost everyone under contract through next season that we need aside from some DB help. Barring injury, next season is our season, then our roster will go through some big changes. I like the experience our younger players are going to get this season in the playoffs too. This is the pre-superbowl run season (although if our offense gets hot again we could just take it all the way this year).

[steelreserve]

Wheaton really sucked for the first half of the season but turned into an awesome slot receiver.

Bryant was awesome in the middle of the season but then developed hands like this guy ...


http://screencrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/the-thing-fantastic-four-reborn-30-7-10-kc.jpg

[Psycho Ward 86]

Wheaton's final reg season stats:

44 rec 749 yds 17.1 avg 5 TD's 5 rec 40+ yds

Bongtavious:

50 rec 765 yds 15.3 avg 6 TD's 5 rec 40 + yds

that awkward moment when Wheaton's YPC is significantly higher than Martavis

[86WARD]

You can't but hope that Wheaton and Bryant both stay with the Steelers...but don't forget there's a guy named Sammie Coates waiting to blossom as well...