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A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. There is value available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. In an attempt to point out this value, we asked our staff to look through the top 150 players and identify players that should outperform their draft position.
Player with 6 Votes
Kelvin Benjamin
Sigmund Bloom: This one seems elementary. Benjamin has been Cam Newton’s new best friend in camp, and a lot of the inconsistencies in his game have seemed to be ironed out early in training camp. Yes, Benjamin is far from a sure thing, but he is on track to be the #1 receiver, especially in the red zone. He has the highest ceiling of any rookie wide receiver.
Matt Harmon: Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans often leave the board before him, but Kelvin Benjamin should outscore them both in fantasy. Of all the rookie receivers, he’s the only one destined to be his teams top option and playing with a competent quarterback. Benjamin’s 6’5 and 240 pound frame should make him a nightmare in the red zone. There is a good chance he scores double-digit touchdowns this season, and eight feels like the floor. Cam Newton hasn’t had a player like this yet during his professional career. He will make good use of Kelvin Benjamin.
Jeff Haseley: Benjamin has turned heads in Panthers camp and he's in a perfect position to benefit greatly as a source of fantasy production. He is projected to be the Panthers leading wide receiver and should see plenty of targets. What makes him more enticing is that he is such a mismatch to opposing corners and safeties. As long as he can catch Cam Newton's passes, he has the ability to be a threat from the start. Draft him as a WR4 or WR5 and watch him eventually work his way into your weekly lineup.
Ryan Hester: The rookie first-round pick from Florida State has been drawing rave reviews in camp so far and made a fantastic touchdown catch in his first preseason game. He got behind the defense, slipped and fell, and still made the catch. He beat Buffalo’s Stephon Gilmore so badly that there was enough room to make the catch while on the ground. Benjamin’s best plays will come well above the ground, as the 6’5” rookie has a 32 ½ inch vertical leap. He’ll be a dangerous red zone option from Day 1.
Kyle Wachtel: Surprisingly, the price tag for a first round draft pick headed to a team with plenty of opportunity to be had is not through the roof. It's conceivable that Benjamin becomes the team's top-target by the end of the year and at 6'5" with game speed even faster than his timed 4.61 40-yard dash, there is WR3 potential for the price of a WR4/5.
Jason Wood: Rookie receivers often disappoint, yet Benjamin has won me over. Not only is his situation ideal – he’s got a franchise quarterback that returns ZERO of last year’s wide receivers – but he’s been a revelation throughout the preseason. Benjamin is going to have ups and downs, particularly with his consistency as a route runner, but he should immediately factor as a red zone threat and push for 6-10 touchdowns. Given the dearth of alternatives on the 53-man roster, Benjamin is shaping up to be one of the better bets for offensive rookie of the year.
Player with 5 Votes
Emmanuel Sanders, Den
Sigmund Bloom: Sanders is a primary target in Peyton Manning’s offense. I shouldn’t have to say much more to persuade you to take Sanders in the 6th/7th. He’s going to pick up some of slack left in the excellent Denver screen game by Knowshon Moreno’s departure. Eric Decker finished top 10 from roughly this ADP last year. Sanders will deliver on it if he can even crack the top 20.
Jeff Haseley: I will have Sanders on many of my teams this year as long as he continues to be a good value. Enter him as your WR3 and reap the benefits. He's in a great spot in Denver's offense and should see plenty of targets and scoring chances. Three wide receivers had 10 touchdowns or more last year and Sanders is replacing one of them (Eric Decker). Sanders is on my short list of players who I strongly believe will outperform their ADP.
Jeff Pasquino: Emmanuel Sanders rolled the dice on free agency and hit the jackpot with his new home in Denver. Peyton Manning needs a replacement for the departed Eric Decker (Jets), and what better passing offense could you ask for if you are Sanders? Talk about a win-win as Peyton Manning gets more speed with Sanders and Sanders gets more targets and a far superior offense and quarterback. It is hard to imagine Sanders as your WR4, but that is what the ADP is screaming – which is yelling value pick to me.
Kyle Wachtel: Eric Decker finished as a top-10 receiver in each of the past two years. Sanders shouldn't be expected to fill those shoes completely, but WR3 should still be considered as his floor. His versatility of being able to play all three receiver spots combined with Wes Welker's age and injury risk, allow for Sanders to present high-end WR2 upside.
Jason Wood: Emmanuel Sanders isn't Eric Decker. However, it appears fantasy owners are making the same mistake with Sanders they made with Decker in years past. Those of you who think Wes Welker is going to outperform Sanders aren't appreciating their respective roles in this offense. Sanders is 27 years old, in his prime, and was targeted in free agency to replace Decker. Our own Cecil Lammey (who covers the Broncos daily for ESPN) notes that Sanders has stepped right into the offense and shined. If he stays healthy for 16 games, Sanders base case should be considered 70 receptions, with his upside being far higher.
Mike Wallace, Mia
Jeff Haseley: I expect Miami's offense to improve this year under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. I see Wallace as a key piece of the Dolphins passing game and an excellent choice as a WR3 this year. I am on board with Ryan Tannehill growing and improving as a quarterback, which also adds to my interest. Wallace finished 73-930-5 last year and the Dolphins offense, including their offensive line, should be much better in 2014. Also worth noting, Wallace has a salary cap hit of $17M this year. You can be sure that Miami will do all they can to get the best bang for their buck, Plus Wallace will be playing for his next contract. A perfect storm of opportunity, talent, need, coaching and desire.
Andy Hicks: Mike Wallace has a lower ADP than this finishing position last year. Considering the mess that the Dolphins were in last year and the fact it often takes free agents until their 2nd year to return to former glories, I would expect Wallace to outshine his ADP significantly. 4 of his 5 touchdowns came in the final 6 games and he has no real competition for the WR1 slot on his team. A relatively safe investment.
Stephen Holloway: Mike Wallace did not have the success that was expected last season after he signed a five-year $60 Million contract with the Dolphins last spring. There were plentiful reasons for his lack of production. Tannehill was only in his second year in the league and is still learning to play quarterback after being a wide receiver for a portion of his collegiate career. Tannehill was sacked a league high 58 times and rarely had time to throw deep, one of Wallace’s specialties. Even with these significant issues last year, Wallace finished as WR26 in ppr scoring. The Dolphins’ offensive line will hopefully improve and both Wallace and Tannehill should be more acclimated to each other. Wallace went over 1,000 yards receiving in two of his four seasons in Pittsburgh and he may very well top that mark again this year. He scored a career low 5 TDs a year ago and should easily score more in 2014.
Ari Ingel: Mike Wallace is another player that should benefit greatly from Bill Lazor’s new offensive scheme in Miami. Instead of just being a deep threat, they are going to use Wallace as the Eagles used DeSean Jackson last season, when Jackson had a career year. So far in camp, Wallace is moving all around the formation and lining up in different spots, with the goal getting him the ball closer to the line of scrimmage and letting him create. Wallace is bigger than Jackson and is even a hair faster, so there is real potential he explodes in this offense. His current ADP has him going at the end of the 6th round, which is WR3 range for a wide receiver with low WR1 upside, especially in PPR leagues.
Jeff Pasquino: Mike Wallace had a less than stellar first year in Miami, where he was expected by the Dolphins to elevate their passing game and become a dominant lead wide receiver. Wallace disappointed many fans and fantasy owners alike who expected better than his 73-930-5 production in 2013. That has led to more pessimism amongst everyone and pushed Wallace all the way down to the WR35-40 range, which now makes him a solid value for this season. Even in a bad year, Wallace was still a Top 25 producer for the Dolphins in 2013. This season Wallace and quarterback Ryan Tannehill are more aligned, and new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor is looking to move Wallace all over the field to better utilize his talent and create more plays for him. Wallace is a strong WR3 pick with WR2 or better upside.
Player with 4 Votes
Justin Hunter, Ten
Sigmund Bloom: If there’s an Alshon Jeffery/Josh Gordon lurking in the later rounds this year, Hunter is one of the few who have the physical talent to perform like the 2013 duo that made drafts. His QB situation is shaky with Jake Locker and Hunter has been his own worst enemy during his development at time, but if you like high ceilings, Hunter is your kind of draft day target.
Ryan Hester: Hunter is getting so much hype that it’s almost hard to imagine how he’ll live up to it. But the 6’4” frame, the Randy Moss comparisons, and his (albeit limited) game film from last year make it easy to justify the hype. Hunter’s skills in the air are fantastic, and he displayed veteran route-running skills when asked to run intermediate routes. He had four receptions that went for 40 or more yards. The league leaders had nine, and they were every-down players like A.J. Green and Josh Gordon.
Andy Hicks: Every year there are receivers who make a tremendous leap from their rookie years into their 2nd. Alshon Jeffery from last year is a classic example. I expect Justin Hunter to if not make that leap, at least look like he is getting close. He has game breaking ability and the Titans lack a receiver of his potential. His current ADP will be laughable by the end of the year and his incredibly high upside make him an almost risk free investment.
Bob Magaw: Titans WR coach Shawn Jefferson used the tough love approach last year, but recently stated Hunter has the kind of talent to elevate the team to the playoffs. A former track star in the jump events, he has bulked up by adding 15 lbs. in the off-season. While not as polished or with their kind of ceiling, Hunter offers a Randy Moss, A.J. Green-LIKE, elite combination of length, speed, hops, body control and finishing ability to run by, jump over and take the ball away from DBs (if he could have maintained his near 20 yards per reception average with enough catches to qualify, he would have finished among the league leaders). Huge upside if he gets the opportunity and competent QB play from a healthy Jake Locker. Hunter has continued to flash signs of massive breakout and even steal-of-the-draft potential in the pre-season.
Players with 3 Votes
Michael Floyd, Ari
James Brimacombe: He is on a lot of peoples values this year and although his ADP is rising he is still considered a value. He showed super star ability last year and looks to break into a similar role and productivity as to what Alshon Jeffery in Chicago experiences. It is not out of the question for Floyd to end the season as a top 10 fantasy WR.
Ryan Hester: With Larry Fitzgerald aging, Floyd is ready to emerge as this offense’s top receiver. Floyd is one of many big, young receivers across the NFL looking to emerge. Fortunately for Floyd, his offensive scheme is one that emphasizes the vertical passing game and generally utilizes a young, speedy talent in that role. Fitzgerald will play the versatile intermediate option that Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne have played at the previous stops of Head Coach Bruce Arians. Floyd could approach fantasy WR1 territory.
Andy Hicks: Michael Floyd looks primed to move up a level this year. His improvement in the 2nd half of 2013 signalled he could be a value pick in fantasy drafts this year. With the Cardinals allowing Andre Roberts to leave and replacing him with players of lesser calibre, the signal is clear that they expect Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd to be the dominant receivers. Floyd crept over 1000 yards last year, but his touchdown and yardage games showed his progression towards becoming a WR1 in fantasy football as the year wore on.
Greg Jennings, Min
Matt Harmon: The consensus seems to believe that Greg Jennings is finished. While he fell short of expectations in 2013, he’s not cooked just yet. Jennings regularly falls into the double-digit rounds, sometimes as late as the 13th. That’s thievery. Jennings’ year-end numbers don’t look great, but consider what he did when Matt Cassel was his quarterback. In games where Cassel played Jennings averaged 6.18 fantasy points per game, and scored all of his touchdowns.
Stephen Holloway: Greg Jennings signed a five-year $45 Million contract with the Vikings in March of 2013, but all of the guarantees are up after this season. His production was somewhat disappointing last year and the year before, his last in Green Bay he missed half the games. Prior to that though, he finished in the top 20 five seasons in a row averaging over 1,000 yards receiving and 9 TDs per season. Last year, Minnesota’s quarterback play was mediocre at best with the team using Cassel, Ponder and a one game disaster with Josh Freeman. Even with the poor passing attack, Jennings missing a game and only getting 106 targets on the season, he finished WR33 in ppr scoring. The team drafted Teddy Bridgewater and quarterback play should improve. Jennings could produce better than a year ago and yet is currently being drafted at WR 56. Solid value play late as a WR3.
Matt Waldman: Fantasy owners are infatuated with Cordarrelle Patterson's athleticism and for good reason. However, they may be a year early, which is often the the case with younger prospects. Jennings produced more like his days as a Packer down the stretch of 2013 when the Vikings kicked Christian Ponder to the curb and used Matt Cassel. Jennings may have to work with both Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater, but both are better decision makers and more accurate passers. Look for Jennings to deliver at least quatlity WR3 fantasy production in 2014.
Roddy White, Atl
Phil Alexander: I’m slightly concerned with Roddy’s age (only nine wide receivers have ever posted at least 1,200 yards and 7 TD’s in their age 32 season), but a high volume of targets should mask the fact he’s getting a little long in the tooth. With Tony Gonzalez retiring, 119 targets are up for grabs in an offense that had the third most pass attempts in the league last season. Once White shook off troublesome ankle and hamstring injuries last year, he showed he’s still got it. His 43 receptions from weeks 13 to 17 were only one behind league leader Julian Edelman, and he ranked third over that stretch with 503 receiving yards. White’s ADP has risen from earlier this offseason, but he’s still cheap enough at WR18 (per our ADP data) for you to enjoy WR1 numbers from your WR2.
Sigmund Bloom: White was on the short list of the most dependable fantasy picks going into last year. Is there a chance that this is the beginning of a sharp downward trend in White’s career? Sure, but dropping a player who was a solid second-round pick in PPR leagues to the fourth round is an overreaction. White is a core part of a great passing game and he has an outstanding talent in Julio Jones drawing attention on the other side of the field.
Stephen Holloway: Roddy White’s ADP is lowered due to his injuries a season ago. After playing in every game over his first eight seasons, White missed three games in 2013 and played through injuries in several others. He had finished among the top ten WRs for the five previous seasons, but fell off badly last year, catching only 63 passes for 711 yards and 3 TDs. It was the first year since 2007 that he failed to post over 1,150 yards receiving and 6 TDs. The Falcons still have most offensive players returning, except a huge void with the retirement of Tony Gonzalez. White’s targets, averaging over 170 from 2009 through 2012, should bounce back in a big way this year. Matt Ryan has passed for over 4,000 yards in each of the past three seasons and should do so again this year. White was beginning to get healthy down the stretch and caught 43 of his 63 passes in the final five games. Comeback player of the year is a possibility for White in 2014.
Players with 2 Votes
Tavon Austin, StL
Adam Harstad: Austin was quietly putting together a remarkable season-ending hot stretch before he got injured last season. As a top-10 draft pick, St. Louis will be very invested in giving Tavon every opportunity to show he was worth it. Like Percy Harvin, Austin can supplement unexciting receiving numbers with additional rushing yardage.
Andy Hicks: Tavon Austin has a lower ADP than he did in his rookie year. Considering the steep learning curve for wide receivers, especially one of Austin’s size that is crazy. The coaching staff took a long time to figure out the best way to use Austin, but once they did in his final 4 games of the season he produced 4 electrifying plays with 3 resulting in lengthy touchdowns. With even more time to scheme to use him best and improvement across the board on the Rams offense, expect Austin to lack quality touches, but produce quality with the touches he does have. He will be a risky week to week proposition, but in best ball leagues or those who start 3 WR’s or a flex he is an excellent investment.
Percy Harvin, Sea
Adam Harstad: Percy Harvin joins Randy Moss and A.J. Green as the only receivers active since 2000 to begin their careers with three straight top-24 finishes. In his last full season of action, Harvin was WR8. At the time of his injury in 2012, Harvin was WR3. Perennially overlooked because of his underwhelming receiving numbers, Harvin more than any receiver in history is a great bet to pad his totals with some sneaky rushing production. A 70-catch, 900-yard season looks a whole lot better if you add in another 40 carries for 240 yards, too.
Bob Magaw: Before his recent injuries, Harvin was an ascendant player having an Offensive Player of the Year-type campaign midway through the 2012 season. In his three years prior to that, he missed just three games combined, and though a sixth year vet, he just turned 26 and isn’t exactly a geezer. As to usage, the Seahawks paid a first round plus premium to acquire Harvin, than immediately paid him top 5 WR money, so it would be understandable if they want to maximize their ROI, ostensibly conservative, ground-based scheme notwithstanding. The Super Bowl was strong evidence that the pre-season hip surgery didn’t rob him of any of his signature suddenness, instant acceleration and freakish burst that makes him one of the most dynamic playmakers and electrifying game breakers at any position across the NFL landscape. Harvin recently talked about discovering gears he didn’t know he had previously.
Reggie Wayne
Jeff Pasquino: Reggie Wayne is poised for a nice comeback after tearing his ACL last year. Wayne is already on the comeback trail and ready for practice, with the Colts expecting him to start opposite T.Y. Hilton and compliment Hakeem Nicks. Andrew Luck and Indianapolis have a very favorable schedule against Jacksonville and Tennessee twice each plus all of the NFC East. Wayne finished as a Top 15 wide receiver in 2012, and with his ADP far lower in the WR3 category, he is a huge value play.
Kyle Wachtel: At 35 years of age and returning from an ACL tear, it's no surprise that the public is sheepish on Wayne. However, the reports on his recovery has been optimistic and his fundamentals (route running and hands) are tremendous. The familiarity with Andrew Luck can not be discounted either. He's a safe WR3 with WR2 upside.
Wes Welker, Den
James Brimacombe: Welker is currently listed as the 19th WR at his current ADP. Other then the fact that he plays with Peyton Manning I find very little evidence to slot him in that high and would much rather take a guy like Michael Floyd or T.Y. Hilton around the same range and have the higher upside.
Heath Cummings: With the loss of Eric Decker I have a hard time seeing how Welker isn’t a PPR WR1 in 2013. Emmanuel Sanders doesn’t bring the same element to the offense that Decker does and Welker already has Peyton Manning’s trust in the red zone. The only real threat to Welker having another great season is his concussion history, but that’s built into his ADP as a lower tier WR2.
Players with 1 Vote
Dwayne Bowe, KC
Stephen Holloway: Dwayne Bowe started extremely slowly a year ago with only 26 catches for 302 yards and 2 TDs over the first half of the season. Even missing the final game of the season, he improved to 31 catches for 370 and 3 TDs over his last seven games. According to his position coach, he is in the best shape that he’s been in. Recent news that he will be suspended for the first game of the year and Coach Reid’s comment that his finger is shot could drop his ADP further, depending on your draft date and provide significant value if the injury is minor.
Antonio Brown, Pit
Steve Buzzard: If you want consistency out of your first couple of picks Antonio Brown is for you. His worst performance of the season was 5 catches for 59 yards which is a pretty high floor. The Steelers also lost their second and third receivers and replaced them with a talented but unproven player in Marcus Wheaton and an aging Lance Moore. I see Brown as even more of a go to target this year than last year. Finally, Brown was only targeted on one goal line pass all of last year. While Brown isn’t a huge goal line threat this miniscule rate is bound to increase.
Marques Colston, NO
Ari Ingel: Colston flies under the radar every season, and this year is no exception. Even though the Saints have two potentially electric youngsters in Kenny Stills and rookie Brandin Cooks, Colston is still the teams #1 wide receiver. Drew Brees is also very comfortable throwing to him, and with the loss of Darren Sproles and Lance More, that comfort level could pay early dividends. Last season he did struggle through a foot injury most of the year, but things picked up big time for him towards the end of the season last year. And for what its worth, he claims that he is fully healthy and never felt better at the start of camp. While not a sexy pick, especially in PPR leagues, Colston is a solid value pick for a receiver going in the 7th round.
Brandin Cooks, NO
Jeff Haseley: The needle is definitely moving up on Cooks as we head into the season. People are taking notice of what he can do and let us not forget that he's on one of the better offenses in the league. These are the things you look for in a breakout. I can see Cooks getting Wes-Welker like reception totals with Darren Sproles out of the picture.
Michael Crabtree, SF
James Brimacombe: Much like Kaepernick, I believe the 49ers are on the verge of having an offensive breakout in the passing game and I like a healthy Crabtree to be the driving force. He is currently the 17th WR off the board as some people may still be scared off by his injury a year ago. He came on strong at the end of last year and after a full training camp he should be ready to crack into that top 10 WR range where he was at at the end of 2012.
Eric Decker, Den
Ryan Hester: At 6’3” and 217 pounds, Decker has the physical gifts of a player who can catch the ball at any point on the field, particularly in the red zone. While his offensive unit in 2014 will be far inferior to the one he had in 2013, his promotion to being the top option in that offense could mitigate any decrease in fantasy production due to his change of team.
Aaron Dobson, Ne
Chad Parsons: Aaron Dobson is a borderline afterthought in drafts this year. He performed as a WR2 when healthy last season and is the most unique receiver on the Patriots depth chart as a deep threat. If healthy, Dobson will better his ADP by 20-30 positional spots at a minimum.
Julian Edelman, NE
Jason Wood: The pain of losing Wes Welker was supposed to be offset by the addition of Danny Amendola, but it was long-time backup Julian Edelman who stepped into the role. Edelman caught 105 passes for 1,056 yards and 6 touchdowns (a carbon copy of what Welker used to do as a Patriot). It seems fantasy owners are reluctant to fully buy into Edelman’s 2013 season; that would be a mistake. His numbers weren’t fluky; they were a function of increased playing time. He’s always run crisp routes, and has always had good hands. Now he has a clearly defined role in Tom Brady’s route tree. He’s a surefire fantasy WR2 in PPR leagues.
T.Y. Hilton, Ind
Heath Cummings: Hilton doesn’t have to be a third-year breakout to be a value at his current ADP. In fact, if he doesn’t perform better than his ADP it will be the worst year of his short career. Hilton is the only reliable receiver in Indianapolis on the right side of his career arc and he built an important relationship with Andrew Luck in 2013.
Jordy Nelson, GB
Heath Cummings: Nelson is an absolute stud when he and Aaron Rodgers are in the lineup together and a real threat to break into the top five wide receivers. He’s the most trusted receiver in Green Bay and Rodgers favorite red zone target. For those worried about the impact of Randall Cobb, Nelson posted a 37-645-4 in the 6 games they played together last year.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Min
Bob Magaw: Through the first 11 games of a rookie year that was a tale of two seasons, Patterson had a modest, nondescript 1 combined rushing/receiving TD (he also had 2 kick return TDs). In an incendiary last five game scoring outburst, he had 6 combined rushing/receiving TDs, which prorates to mind boggling upside over a full season if he starts the 2014 season like he left off in 2013. Patterson has run a freakish sub-10.5 100 m. at 6’2”, 220 lbs., and has similar open field moves to Tavon Austin, but is about 6” taller and 40 lbs. heavier. New OC Norv Turner conjured up one of the most productive seasons at his position in league history from raw WR Josh Gordon in 2013, and Patterson resembles his physical tools, skill set and game far more than Greg Jennings. Gordon was a second year player and not as raw a WR, but Patterson might be faster and is more elusive in the open field. The definition of an ascendant player, he is one of the best candidates in the WR20 range to jump up to the WR1 range, with the talent to emerge as the NFL’s next great, young WR.
Cecil Shorts
Kyle Wachtel: Injuries have single-handedly pushed Shorts down draft boards, erasing the memory of what he has done when healthy. There's enough time for him to "get right" before the season though and as the #1 receiver, he can be safely slotted in as a WR3.
Torrey Smith, Bal
Matt Harmon: All you have to do is look at the history of number one receivers in this offense. The X-receiver gets fed in this system. Think of Andre Johnson with Gary Kubiak and Pierre Garcon with the Shanahans. Those players were peppered with targets, and had high reception totals. Torrey Smith will play that position for Baltimore this season with Kubiak in charge. He’s severely undervalued as a sixth or seventh round pick. With the workload he’ bound to inherit combined with his deep speed, the results will be huge for Smith. The Ravens actually having other optons in the passing game will be a big assistance as well.
Kenny Stills, NO
Matt Waldman: The excitement in New Orleans is focused on rookie receiver Brandin Cooks, a short-range receiver with big-time YAC skills that the Saints will feature in packages that will combine what it did with Lance Moore and Darren Sproles. Cooks will make some big plays in the vertical game, but look for Stills to do most of the heavy lifting beyond 15 yards of the line of scrimmage. Stills does a fine job of winning the ball in tight coverage -- a skill that Cooks could improve, but it isn't the strength of his game -- and he has more potential as a red zone option. Fantasy owners might be worried about Still missing some of camp with a minor leg injury, but he has been working with Drew Brees on the side, running patterns. Stills has WR2 upside.
Sammy Watkins, Buf
Bob Magaw: Watkins has been called the best WR prospect since A.J. Green and Julio Jones in 2011 (and they were in turn the best since Calvin Johnson in the past decade). He hit the ground running arguably faster than any other player at his position in collegiate history (only WR to be AP first team All-American as a true Freshman), and has the transcendent talent to transition quickly to the next level. While Watkins doesn’t have length of Green and Jones, he plays a lot bigger than his size, turning into a RB once the ball is in his hands, with hair-on-fire intensity. The phrase, “he can score from anywhere on the field” has become a cliche, but is applicable to the Clemson star (the only player in the nation in 2013, or in school history with two 90+ yard receiving TDs). His rare combination of freakish acceleration, acrobatic body control, sticky hands and tackle breaking physicality will serve him well at the next level, as well as his maturity, discipline, work ethic, attention to detail and professionalism. Watkins isn’t a typical rookie WR, so don’t expect typical rookie WR numbers.
Markus Wheaton, Pit
Jason Wood: Wheaton only caught six receptions as a rookie, so it’s easy to question whether he’s up to the task of becoming a starter this year (in place of Emmanuel Sanders). Yet, fantasy owners often make the mistake of letting unreasonable rookie expectations cloud their perception of those same players entering Year Two. Wheaton has answered all the questions in training camp and has a firm grasp on the starting role opposite Antonio Brown. There are plenty of targets to make Wheaton a viable fantasy WR3 (with upside), draft accordingly.
Terrance Williams, Dal
Jeff Pasquino: This time last year, Miles Austin was the second starting wideout for Dallas. How things change. Now Austin is gone and trying to recover his career in Cleveland while former rookie Terrance Williams steps up and into the starting role opposite of Dez Bryant. Williams posted an extremely respectable 44-736-5 last season on just 74 targets, a number that should approach double digits this season. Williams has lots of upside with defenses focusing on Bryant and tight end Jason Witten.
Kendall Wright, Ten
Ari Ingel: 94 catches for 1,079 yards and 2 touchdowns. “Wright is the Titans' best player right now, by a good margin.He’s caught everything thrown to him, by whichever quarterback, over whichever defender, against whatever coverage.” Those are Wright’s stats from last season and those are comments from long time Titan’s beat writer Paul Kuharsky from last week. Many people overlook Wright because he plays with Jake Locker and because he is only 5’10” and ran a 4.6 forty at the combine. Well, Antonio Brown is 5’10” and ran a 4.56 forty, Wright also had a 38 inch vertical compared to Brown’s 33. Most observers attest that Wright’s forty time is bogus and he plays much faster than that, he also has more upside than Brown, which is why he was a 1st round pick. While Locker’s inconsistency and health is a concern, new Titan’s coach Whisenhunt has done wonders for other QBs in the past, and there is no reason he can’t work his magic on Locker as well. Wright’s catches should remain the same and Touchdowns, which are always fluky, should go up. That’s value.