Fantasy Football – Rookie WR Breakdown (Part 2)

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23.) Tevin Reese, Chargers:

Playing time – I’m surprised that the Chargers waited as long as they did to draft a receiver considering that they really don’t have much on their depth chart besides Keenan Allen.  Reese has a shot to play as the Chargers slot receiver right away. Current slot receiver Eddie Royal is only 28 but seemed slower to me as the season wore on last year. Reese is too small (5’10, 163) to play anywhere but the slot so it’s going to come down to a position battle between Royal and Reese.

Fantasy outlook – Reese is an amazing athlete, he posted top 3 scores at the combine in 4 of the 5 events he participated in.  If Reese can beat out Royal he will have better fantasy value than what Royal put up last year due to his elite explosiveness. If he wins that job, 40 catches for 600 yards and a few TDs is reasonable. Reese is also a dynamic return man if that matters in your league.

24.) Jeremy Gallon, Patriots:

Playing team – Slot receivers in the Pats offense might have more fantasy value than on any other team. Welker, Ammendola, and Edelman have all been relevant in fantasy as the Pats slot receiver and that’s the spot Gallon is going for. There are quite a few players ahead of Gallon on the depth chart but none of them have Gallon’s ideal slot skill-set except for starters Amendola and Edelman. Gallon is short (5’7) but stocky (187) and well-built. Belichick had no problem starting an undrafted rookie last year (Thompkins) so if Gallon plays well, he will see the field.

Fantasy outlook – If he can earn offensive snaps as the Pats slot receiver he has a chance to be relevant in fantasy due to Tom Brady’s reliance on short passes. Gallon is very quick after the catch and stronger than he looks. He’s a long-shot, but once Brady finds a receiver that he likes he tends to stay loyal. If Gallon can work his way into Brady’s good graces, he’s got a shot to put up some big catch numbers. Those in PPR leagues should keep a close eye on Gallon during the pre-season to see how he’s doing.

25.) Mike Davis, Raiders:

Playing time – If not for the Jets, the Raiders would have had the least talented receiving core last season. Rod Streater and Andre Holmes (both undrafted) came out of nowhere to be solid possession receivers, but Denarious Moore was inconsistent and injured as usual. The Raiders signed James Jones to give them a legit NFL receiver for the first time in a while, but there is room for advancement in their ranks if Davis can show some skill. It wouldn’t surprise me if Davis earned time as the 3rd or 4th receiver this year.

Fantasy outlook – More of a possession receiver than a big-play guy, but if he can earn time in 3 receiver sets, he could end up with a handful of catches per game and have value in deeper PPR leagues. He is a sleeper but isn’t facing much competition in Oakland.

26.) Shaq Evans, Jets:

Playing time – The Jets passed on receivers that I had given a much higher grade (Bryant, Street, Norwood) to select Evans so they clearly are high on his skill-set. I think he is a possession receiver at best, but with the Jets lack of talent at the receiver position he could earn a significant role as early as this season. Right now Evans is the 5th receiver on the depth chart behind Decker, Hill, Kerley and Saunders but with a solid pre-season he could earn a decent amount of playing time.

Fantasy Outlook – Even if Evans earns significant playing time, I don’t think he’s talented enough to be an impact fantasy player this year. The Jets QB play is questionable as is Evans ability to do anything with the ball once he catches it.

27.) Brandon Coleman, Saints:

Playing time – Robert Meachum and Nick Toon are all that stand in Coleman’s way of seeing the field this year for the Saints. Meachum has had plenty of chances and hasn’t been able to earn consistent playing time or become anything more than an occasional deep threat. Nick Toon has some promise, but only had 4 catches as a rookie last year. The 4th receiver spot for the Saints in winnable but Coleman will have to earn it

Fantasy outlook – Coleman has an elite size /speed ratio (6’6/4.5) and showed flashes in college of being a dominant receiver. He was my top ranked undrafted free agent and I gave him a 4th round grade pre-draft. He didn’t always use his size to his advantage at Rutgers, but flashed enough ability that I think he is an intriguing pro prospect. He dealt with bad QB play last year which hurt his numbers last season, but had 718 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore. He has a ton of potential and there isn’t many better situations for him then with the Saints and Drew Brees.

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28.) Jared Abbrederis, Packers:

Playing time – I am a big Abbrederis fan, but the Packers are just too loaded at receiver right now for him to see the field much his rookie year. He’s most likely the #5 WR right now behind Nelson, Cobb, Boykin, and Adams. The Packers top 3 options are all pending free agents next year so while Abbrederis won’t see the field much in 2014, I will be surprised if he’s not a big part of the Packers offense in the next two or three years.

Fantasy outlook – None this year, but should be a solid possession receiver in 2015-2016.

29.) Michael Campanaro, Ravens:

Playing time – With all the receiver talent in this year’s draft I was surprised the Ravens waited until the 7th round to draft one considering they used undrafted Marlon Brown as their #2 receiver for most of last season. They did sign Steve Smith in the off-season and drafted Campanaro in the 7th to be a back-up slot receiver. He’s a long-shot to play unless someone gets hurt, but has a lot of talent as a Wes Welker type if he can stay healthy and get a chance to play.

Fantasy outlook – Campanaro could eventually become a quality NFL slot receiver, but he is buried pretty deep on the depth chart right now. It may not happen this season, but I think he has a Welker / Edelman ceiling eventually.

30.) Ryan Grant, Redskins:

Playing time – There is opportunity for Grant to see the field this year to a relatively weak Redskins depth chart, but I’m not sure Grant is any better than the guys the Skins already have.

Fantasy outlook – At best Grant is a possession receiver who will be a limited fantasy option even if he earns regular playing time.

31.) L’Damien Washington, 49ers:

Playing time – The Niners might have the slowest starting WRs in the NFL with Crabtree and Boldin, so a guy like Washington with blazing speed in a good fit. He is the best deep threat on their roster and should see the field in 4 WR sets as a rookie if he makes the team.

Fantasy outlook – I don’t expect Washington to catch enough deep balls to be a consistent fantasy threat, but with Kaepernick’s cannon arm I think they’ll connect on a few at least this season. If Washington is gets consistent snaps by mid-season he might be a guy worth keeping an eye on since he has more speed than anyone on the Niners roster and could have a late season Kenny Stills’ impact.

32.) Isaiah Burse, Broncos:

Playing tine – 2nd round pick Cody Latimer is going to have to the fight to get on the field among the Broncos talented receiving core, so the undrafted Burse has even less chance. The Broncos did give Burse a hefty UDFA bonus ($10k) so he has a good shot to stick around, but his only chance of seeing the field is if slot receiver Wes Welker misses significant time with concussion related issues. Burse is a pure-slot guy so if Welker is out, Burse might be in the mix.

Fantasy outlook – Burse is a possession-type slot receiver who excels at catching short passes and gaining yards after the catch. The Bronces are loaded with big outside receivers, so a guy like Burse could be the best fit in the slot if Welker is forced to miss time. It’s a long-shot but Burse was very productive last season (81, 1026, 6).

33.) Austin Franklin, Rams:

Playing time – The Rams have a bunch of underneath, possession type receivers and they added another one in Franklin. They gave him a $17,500 UDFA signing bonus which is one of the biggest in the league this year, so they must be high on him. At NMST, Franklin excelled catching short passes and taking them for long gains. That’s pretty simialr to receivers already on their roster like Austin, Bailey, and Quick, but they fit well with Bradford’s strength. Givens and Quick have disappointed the last two seasons so maybe Franklin gets a chance to take one of their jobs.

Fantasy outlook – I thought Franklin would have been a great fit as the Bears #4 WR, so I am higher on him than most. Except maybe the Rams who gave him a huge singing bonus. If Franklin can work his way into 3 or 4 receiver sets, he could have some value in PPR leagues, but like most UDFAs Franklin is a long-shot. Keep an eye on him in the pre-season and if he earns consistent playing time, he has big time YAC potential and could surprise if given enough targets.

34.) Cody Hoffman, Redskins:

Playing time – The Redskins added some much needed receiver depth in DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts, but the 4th & 5th jobs are wide open after that and Hoffman’s unique size (6’4) gives him an advantage on the rest of the competitors for the jobs. He needs to get stronger, but has potential to contribute as a possession receiver.

Fantasy outlook – Minimal. Hoffman projects as a back-up possession receiver in the short-term. He could have a few games with multiple catches and could be a red zone target with his height. He’s a long-shot to make the team much less have any fantasy value, but with his size if he gets playing time he could have some value as a dangerous red-zone target and could occasionally put up a useable fantasy line.

 Twitter: @MikeFlannery_