2015 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Busts
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Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs (72) – Another guy who I like as a player overall, but not at the end of the 6th round. It has nothing to do with Maclin’s talent, which is legit, but more to do with Chiefs QB Alex Smith and his fear of throwing the ball down field. It’s hard to generate WR1/WR2 stats without catching anything but slants, outs, and screens. I think Maclin will break the Chiefs streak of no TDs by a WR, but only a few times. Maclin won’t be anything more than a WR3 on my rosters this season.
Michael Floyd, Cardinals (100) – I thought last year was going to be a breakout season for Floyd, but the combination of a slow start and then multiple injuries at QB waylaid Floyd’s season. I was fairly optimistic about this year as well, but with a severe hand injury that may keep him out the first few weeks of the season and glowing reports on John Brown during training camp, I’m skeptical that Floyd will have anything more than a sporadic fantasy impact in 2015.
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Torrey Smith, 49ers (105) – Any of my regular readers will know I’m not high on Colin Kaepernick‘s ability to be a successful real-life QB. With a depleted O-line, the loss of Frank Gore, and the instability of a drastic coaching/roster upheaval, I think the Niners will be even worse this season. A one-trick pony like Smith, whose value has come mainly from the deep ball, may struggle with a downgrade in QB and offensive scheme. Smith has the talent to be more than what he’s been so far in his career, but surrounded by some much uncertainty I’d be pretty surprised if this is the year it happens.
Mohamed Sanu, Bengals (123) – Had some surprisingly useful fantasy lines last season when A.J. Green was injured, but disappeared most weeks once Green returned. Now Sanu will have to compete with not only Green, but Marvin Jones who was ahead of Sanu on the depth chart before an injury, and TE Tyler Eifert who has been the star of training camp so far. I just don’t see Sanu getting enough targets to make an impact in fantasy unless the Bengals are hit by the injury bug again.
Next: 2015 Fantasy Football: Rookie Wide Receivers