Fantasy Football is all about Value. The following players provide floors and ceilings that dwarf the players being drafted around them:
Devin Funchess – Carolina Panthers – ADP: Pick 157 – Round 13 – WR59
I was already very high on Funchess this year due to his tape, opportunity, athletic ability, and size 6-foot-4 225 pounds. Now we know Funchess will fill the role Kelvin Benjamin did last year of being drenched in targets (144) after Benjamin’s ACL tear leaves him out for the season. Ron Rivera stated yesterday “He knows two positions, and obviously he’ll concentrate on Kelvin’s and work to handle that spot for us. You want to have a big, quality receiver, and Devin gives us that still.” This is a guaranteed league winner. Do not miss out!
DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans – ADP: Pick 38 – Round 4 – WR16
Andre Johnson is gone. Arian Foster is injured, and when he will return is an unknown. Hopkins will have an insane workload each week, certainly finishing the season top 5 in targets at the end of the season. The quarterback play couldn’t get worse than last year. He finished as the WR14 in standard scoring last year on only 127 targets. I see that as his floor with his ceiling being top 5 among wide receivers in fantasy points.
Jeremy Maclin – Kansas City Chiefs – ADP: Pick 68 – Round 6 – WR28
Maclin enters the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense and instantly takes the reins as the number one receiving option. He won’t produce in fantasy like last year with the Eagles, where he was the standard fantasy point WR9 with 235.9 points, but he is definitely a bit undervalued at his round six average draft position pick of 68. Worried about Smith not throwing a touch down to a receiver last year? Alex Smith threw 12 touch downs to wide receivers the prior year and 24 total. That still isn’t a ton, but I certainly think both of those numbers will expand greatly and a lot of those looks all over the field, including the red zone, will be siphoned from the Tight Ends and Running Backs to him. Also, the Chiefs are making a concerted effort to change the offense and take shots down the field with their new weapon. Maclin said himself “It may not be bombs over Baghdad every play, but is that something we can do? Do we want to do more of it? Yes, we do.” The offense is being built around him and I will always want a featured guy at a low price.
Nelson Agholor – Philadelphia Eagles – ADP: Pick 76 – Round 7 – WR31
Jordan Matthews produced well last season in Chip Kelly’s offense as the number two guy, finishing as the WR25. Nelson was a more productive red zone threat than Matthews in college and flashed in the Eagle’s preseason opener with a great catch and run down the sideline for a touch down. Agholor will play the role Matthews did last season. I believe Agholor’s targets will be far higher than Matthews’ 103 of last year because Agholor will be starting the entire season, which Matthews did not.
Steve Smith – Baltimore Ravens – ADP: Pick 89 – Round 8 – WR36
He finished as the WR17 last year and Torrey Smith is gone. The carbon copy of Torrey, rookie Breshad Perriman, is having knee issues. There are no receivers close to the talent and skill of Steve Smith. He will definitely improve on his 2014 target number of 134 and pass his touchdown total of six from last season with ease. Reduced snaps and retirement talks are scaring folks away. Feast on that fear and take advantage of this value. The targets have to go somewhere.
ADPs courtesy of fantasyfootballcalculator.com.
