Every WR is disappointing except Elijah Moore and Terrace Marshall. Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle are hiding
Nico Collins exceeded expectations. Nate’s is not sold on Top Shot yet.
Without any athletic testing numbers, or even an official height and weight, Devonta Smith is the ultimate black box NFL prospect. But when dealing with a black box prospect who’s also a Heisman Trophy winner, we should be allowed to err on the side of the higher-end Best Comparable Player in the legendary Joe Horn. His Breakout Rating will be helped by his inevitable early round draft selection.
From being undrafted in our first SuperFlex/TE Premium outing to creeping into the fourth round last time and the second round this time, Kellen Mond is slowly working his way up in these mocks. Once the Elite Five signal callers are off the board, the placement of the remaining QBs will largely be determined by draft position/landing spot. The Texas A&M product has a bit of Konami Code appeal to him and can end up being a value by the end of this process.
Kenny Golladay went on a rampage during the 2019 season, leading all qualified wide receivers with 11 Total Touchdowns and totaling 1,190 (No. 6) Receiving Yards. Should fantasy gamers expect a year similar to 2019 on a new team and coming off of an injury? Probably not, but he’ll have a damn good year and a chance to build on it in 2022. That’s what makes this the perfect time to acquire him; his value won’t be this low again for a long while.
During the 2020 season, Daniel Jones receiver’s ranked in the bottom of the league in Target Separation and totaled 55 (No. 14) Dropped Passes. Despite that, he put up a respectable 73.7-percent (No. 21) True Completion Percentage. A bonafide No. 1 wideout is exactly what he needs. It’s critical for Jones to play well this year, and Golladay’s addition is a gift that should help the young quarterback achieve that goal.
Every season features players who out-produce their ADP, revealing the fade to be fraudulent. Stefon Diggs and David Montgomery are prime examples from 2020 of players shunned by many. As everything in fantasy football, context matters. Sometimes it’s better to simply embrace the fade.
Though Amari Rodgers didn’t pop athletically at his pro day, falling to 3.08 from 2.04 between Underworld vs. RosterWatch mocks is likely an overcorrection for a player with Lynn Bowden and Deebo Samuel among his Best Comparable Players. After letting Nico Collins slip to the Underworld at 4.10 last time, Byron Lambert and the RosterWatch crew ensured his services by taking him at the 3.11 and making us feel All Mixed Up.
Before any athletic testing is even taken into account, Javian Hawkins checked in with a top 10 Breakout Rating among this year’s rookie backs. Even if he falls a bit in the app’s next update once the pro day numbers are accounted for, he’s the kind of player that can overcome Day 3 draft capital and make an impact as a satellite back if he lands on the right team.
There’s a lot of QB talent in the NFL already, more is on the way and there’s only so much room at the top of the heap. That’s why Trevor Lawrence, as great as he will undoubtedly become, has a low-end QB1 dynasty ranking. And while, yes, a low-end QB1 is an excellent NFL player, what does that get us in fantasy over a middling signal caller?
I’m not seeing how choosing a QB at 1.01 – even if it’s Lawrence – does not require a moment’s thought. Staying on 1.01 Island and choosing Lawrence sets you up with a good QB for a long time, but means foregoing similar gains that might be out there at other positions – e.g., Travis Etienne, Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, Ja’Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts.
Quietly averaging 13.2 (No. 22 among qualified running backs) Fantasy Points per Game last season on a Broncos team averaging 27.6 (No. 13) Team Run Plays per Game, while splitting touches roughly 16-11 with Philip Lindsay, Gordon is primed to be a high-floor, high-ceiling fantasy asset. High floor because of the proven capability to produce on a capped workload, high ceiling because of the direct path to a three-down role in Lindsay’s absence.
A former first-round pick, Nelson Agholor will unlock a consistent Deep Ball threat for the New England offense. He totaled a 15.1 (No. 5) Average Target Distance mark, 22 (No. 12) Deep Targets, and 1,273 (No. 17) Air Yards with the Raiders last season. Pairing Agholor with Cam Newton’s 53.8-percent (No. 4) Deep Ball Completion Percentage is a match made in heaven, and prevents defenses from stacking the box and playing shallow against the Patriots offense. He is a sturdy draft target as a WR4.
Though he only managed a 30.9-percent (No. 86 among qualified tight ends) Snap Share last season, Anthony Firkser did flash potential in Week 6, exploding for a receiving line of 8-113-1 against the Texans. This was a performance that earned him the TE1 crown on the week. Firkser gains 7.90 Lifetime Value points, moving up to TE27. Go check the waiver wire for him if in need of help at tight end.
Deshaun Watson has been a consistent fantasy producer. He finished 2020 averaging 23.3 (No. 5) Fantasy Points per Game, and averaged 21.2 (No. 2) FFPG in 2019. Fantasy gamers were hoping for a change of scenery this offseason, not a scandal. Rostering or acquiring him in fantasy football now comes with risk. The former Heisman Trophy nominee loses 17.54 Lifetime Value points, putting him on the verge of falling out of the top 10 QBs in dynasty.
Denzel Mims has great metrics: a 115.6 (96th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Speed Score, 42.3-percent (85th-percentile) College Dominator Rating, 131.0 (90th-percentile) Burst Score and 10.34 (95th-percentile) Catch Radius. New OC Mike Lafleur’s West Coast offense should feature Mims and Corey Davis on the outside with Jamison Crowder or Keelan Cole in the slot. Mims earned five targets and 40 yards per game as a rookie, and is in the sweet spot for year 2 breakouts.
The “third year breakout” is looking more and more like a myth every year. It’s not impossible to find one. It’s just a long shot. To improve your odds, use the Dynasty Deluxe rankings and take a couple flyers – especially those that have missed time early but have tremendous profiles. Churn them though if they don’t flash right away. No need to keep pyrite on the roster. Guys with high-quality profiles that fit this description include Deebo Samuel and Parris Campbell.
Elijah Mitchell’s production is fine on the surface, but nothing exceptional for a small-school prospect when looking at the stats. Elite production is a staple for small school players since they play weaker competition. However, Mitchell battled and out-produced three other NFL-caliber players in college. This proves his talent. Also, his production could have been among the best in the nation if not for sharing a field with them, which is why context is so important when evaluating rookies.
Although Mitchell didn’t excel at any trait, it’s essential that he is well-rounded being that he’s a late-round, small school player. This is why his athletic testing could make him the biggest value pick in the class. If he can run fast with the size, production, and receiving ability, he becomes a late-round rookie pick who has NFL workhorse potential. It’s rare to find players with a complete profile like this in the third round or later in rookie drafts.
