In every draft I am armed with two things: a tiered ranking sheet and a list of players I’m targeting in each round. Then as the draft plays out, I’m crossing players off both lists as they get selected, allowing me to have a big picture view of the draft as it unfolds, while still being able to track my guys.
I say this every year, it is important for you to GET YOUR GUYS as opposed to just taking players that may fall to you. By just taking players that fall to you that you don't really love, even using a tiered ranking sheet, you will often end up with a team consisting of Marques Colston and Joique Bell, instead of Ameer Abdullah and Allen Robinson. It’s okay to reach for players if they are your guys, as long as you are not reaching too much. That’s where knowing ADP and tiered sheets come in handy. For instance, a friend recently heard the buzz about Eddie Royal, so he grabbed him in the 5th round. I’m all for Royal this year, but with an ADP of 8.07, you don’t want to reach that much. If you love Royal, instead of round 8, maybe you take him towards the end of round 7. Get your guys.
With that in mind, here are guys I’m targeting in each range, keeping in mind that I am not necessarily down on every player not listed here, but these are the guys that are in my sites.
PICKS 1-12
With so much value in the first two rounds, it’s tough to really single out players to target, since you are often times at the whim of the person drafting in front of you. Nonetheless, I do usually looking for a running back, as the elite guys go fast and I can usually get a great WR1 in the second round to pair with them.
Quarterbacks:
None
Running Backs:
LeVeon Bell (Pitt) – Would easily be the top fantasy pick if he wasn’t missing two games, but you should be easily able to cover for him in those two games so he should still be your top target. If you don’t have a very good alternative option those first two weeks, grab D’Angelo Williams at the end of your draft. He has more juice left than people are giving him credit for and has had a good camp. The loss of Center Maurkice Pouncey is certainly a concern, but Bell will get fed the ball constantly in both the rushing and pass game. Shouldn’t face very many loaded boxes either with dangerous weapons on the outside.
Adrian Peterson (Min) – Peterson is a physical freak that has fresh legs and playing on possibly the best team he has ever played on. As safe a first round pick as you can get.
Jamaal Charles (KC) – Charles played injured most of last year and still had 14 tds and over 1,300 yards. The addition of Jeremy Maclin and the growth of both Travis Kelce and Albert Wilson will open things up for him.
Eddie Lacy (GB) – With Jordy Nelson done for the year Lacy should be relied on even more. There is a possibility that Nelson’s loss on the outside allows for defenses to focus more on the run, but Aaron Rodgers knows how to get his players into winning positions.
Marshawn Lynch (Sea) – Yes their offensive line is a concern, but line coach Tom Cable is the best in the business and will whip them into shape. Russell Wilson also opens up lanes with his running ability and they now have a true receiving threat in Jimmy Graham. You want to be rooting for Beast Mode on your couch come Sunday.
C.J. Anderson (Den) – Ronnie Hillman has been looking good this pre-season, but Anderson will be the Broncos’ feature back on a team that wants to lean more on the run. Gary Kubiak’s feature backs also always cacth a ton of passes, whether that is Arian Foster or Justin Forsett. The addition of free agent Guard Evan Mathis should also help.
Wide Receivers:
I’m only grabbing a wide receiver here if the aforementioned running backs are all gone, starting with Antonio Brown and then as listed below in the 13-30 range.
Tight End:
Rob Gronkowski – In standard leagues I’m fine grabbing Gronk early, otherwise, I’m only grabbing him if he falls to me at the 1/2 turn, or very close to it. If you are in a less competitive league, it is easier to make up for taking Gronk this early, if you are in a highly competitive one, you really need to watch your board and be aggressive to make up for it.
PICKS 13 – 30
Quarterbacks:
None
Running Backs:
DeMarco Murray (Phil) – Should see a 65/35 split with Ryan Mathews, so he won’t be a featured back in the traditional sense. That said, the Eagles run so many plays that is shouldn’t matter; making Murray still an excellent RB1 if you grabbed a wide receiver or Gronk in the first round.
Jeremy Hill (Cin) – From Week 8 on last season, Hill averaged 19 carries and 103 yards rushing, he was also on pace for 26 catches. He should be the foundation of this offense under OC Hue Jackson who loves to run the ball. If you pass on running back in the first round or if he falls to the end of the second, he is your target.
Frank Gore (Mia) – Gore hasn’t played with a quarterback or on an offense this good at any point in his career. The Colts do have a suspect offenisive line, but Gore knows how to get skinny at the line of scrimmage and Andrew Luck will keep defenses honest. He’s also an underrated pass catcher who should see a ton of targets.
Wide Receivers:
If any of these receivers are sitting there in the second round, you are grabbing them:
Dez Bryant (Dal) – Should be featured even more this year with Demarco Murray gone. Romo’s pass attempts dipped majorly last year to a career low 435 as they road Demarco Murray all season. With Murray gone and a plethora of injuries on their defense, Romo should easily throw more than 500 times this season, which means more catches for Dez.
Calvin Johnson (Det) – Couldn’t get healthy last year so he is a steal in the second round. He is also the only wide receiver that legitimately could rack up more than 2,000 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. By far the biggest upside of any receiver.
Demaryius Thomas (Den) – Short screen passes are his specialty, and Peyton Manning should be throwing a ton of them to him. With Julius Thomas gone, Thomas should also see a lot more redzone targets.
Julio Jones (Atl) – Will be Matt Ryan’s primary target with no real tight end threat and with Roddy White getting older. Could be force-fed the ball at times.
Odell Beckham Jr (NYG) – Should only be better in his second season, as should this whole offense now that they are familiar with OC Ben McAdoo’s system. The addition of Shane Vereen and the return of Victor Cruz only helps alleviate the pressure.
A.J. Green (Cin) – Played hurt most of last year, he belongs in the top tier.
Randall Cobb (GB) – With Jordy Nelson done for the year, Cobb should be the focal point of this prolific passing attack.
Tight Ends:
None
PICKS 31 - 60
Quarterbacks:
None
Running Backs:
Lamar Miller (Mia) – The clear lead back in the second year of OC Bill Lazor’s up-tempo offense that likes to run. Damien Williams will get touches, but don’t let that turn you off, instead grab Williams as a cheap late round handcuff and possible flex or bye week fill-in. Think Demarco Murray and Ryan Mathews.
C.J. Spiller (NO) – Draft position is down due to his injury, but all signs point to him being ready for the season opener. He should explode as a PPR beast in this offense and playing on turf indoors.
Mark Ingram (NO) - New Orleans have made it clear that they are going to be more committed to the run than they have been in the past. They also beefed up their offensive line big time this off-season. What makes him especially intriguing is that he has been catching passes in camp and could flirt with RB1 numbers if he adds that dimension to his game. This offense can support both Ingram and Spiller as top notch running backs, so don't be scared of even grabbing both.
Andre Ellington (Ari) – One of the more hotly debated players in fantasy this year. Head Coach Bruce Arians loves him and last year called him possibly the best receiver on the team. He will lose some touches to David Johnson, but that may be a good thing. While he is not big (5’9” 199bs), his lackluster 2014 season was due to a foot injury he sustained in the pre-season, not due to his size as some people will have you believe.
Ameer Abdullah (Det) – A great grab in the middle of the 4th round as your third running back. Joquie Bell should be back in time for the start of the season to steal some early down and goal line work, but Abdullah will be tough to keep off the field. He is laterally explosive and brings it up the middle with his low to the ground running style. Noted analyst Greg Cosell thinks he may be best runner in this year’s rookie class outside of Todd Gurley.
Latavius Murray (Oak) - I've slowly come around to Murrary as a legit RB2 option. It's always tough to trust the Raiders and with the signing of Roy Helu, his 3rd down and late game role seemed to be in jeopardy. But Helu has missed most of camp and the Raiders offense actually looks pretty good with Derek Carr taking the next step and the additions of Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and rookie TE Clive Walford. He's a physicial freak that offers tons of upside and very little downside.
Wide Receivers:
Brandin Cooks (NO) – Drew Brees hasn’t thrown for less than 4,300 yards since 2005 and he is not about to start now. With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone, Cooks will be peppered with targets. Many people are quick to judge rookies, but he has the ability to make an Antonio Brown type leap.
Keenan Allen (SD) – Admittedly didn’t prepare himself properly for his second season. Now in year three, he should flirt with WR1 numbers on a regular basis. He has received nothing but praise all pre-season.
Andre Johnson (Indy) – A few years ago noted NFL analyst, Greg Cosell called Johnson an “incredibly special” talent and rated him the number one receiver in the league, ahead of Calvin Johnson. He noted that Johnson was smooth and fluid, with outstanding lateral explosion, had excellent ground and body control and could change direction with one step and get in-and-out of breaks with precision and quickness. And more importantly, he noted that he did not give away his routes off the line of scrimmage, which is what makes him extremely difficult to cover.
Fast-forward three years and a number of horrible quarterbacks later. Yes, Johnson is now 33 years old, but he is playing with one of the top two quarterbacks in the league on a team that is going to throw the ball a ton. More importantly, as I noted above, Johnson is an extremely gifted receiver that will get it done even if he has lost a stepped. If you snag him as your WR2 or WR3 you will be thrilled. For reference, when Reggie Wayne was 33 years old, he went 106/1,355/5 in Luck's rookie season. It would not surprise me if Johnson reached those numbers.
Tight End:
Travis Kelce (KC) – Don’t reach for him in the 4th round, but a great value in the 5th. Now a full time player in this offense, he could put up Gronk like numbers. Just keep in the back of your mind that Alex Smith is Alex Smith as you ponder him in the 4th.
PICKS 61 – 90
Quarterbacks:
Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) – (Update): I had Ben here as this offense is loaded with weapons and he could easily finish in the top 5. But the loss of Center Maurkice Pouncey, the suspension of LeVeon Bell for two games and the suspesion of Martavis Bryant for four games, really hurts. I wouldn't reach for him anymore, but I still think he finishes in the top 8 at the worst.
Tom Brady (NE) – He's baaaackkk. Brady offers solid QB1 production.
Running Backs:
Doug Martin (TB) – He is hard to trust and this is one close since his ADP is steadily rising. But if you can get Martin in this range, he’s got a great chance to finish as a solid RB2 in standard/touchdown heavy leagues, which is the only format I would take him in. Charles Sims should be your target a few rounds later in PPR since he is an excellent receiver on a team that should be playing from behind quite a bit.
Chris Ivory (NYJ) – Ivory is in full control of this backfield and in the Chain Gailey spread offense, with legitimate receiving threats in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, Ivory should see much lighter boxes than in the past. He’s also been working on catching the ball this off-season and could finally add some PPR value. There is no better running back target in this range.
Wide Receivers:
As you can tell by all the wide receivers listed below, I’m usually grabbing wide receivers during this portion of the draft. All of these guys are impact players and that’s what you want to get with each pick in the first part of your draft; potential difference makers.
Brandon Marshall (NYJ) – After an injury plagued season people are down on Marshall, but he is just one season removed from being one of the few receivers that can truly take over a game. Expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to pepper Marshall with targets and redzone looks.
Allen Robinson (Jac) – Should be a PPR beast as Blake Bortles main target and safety blanket. He has been dominant in camp.
Davante Adams (GB) – With Jordy Nelson done for the year, Adams steps into one of the best possible situation for a wide receiver, catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. While he struggled a bit last year at times, the team has been raving about him all pre-season.
Jarvis Landry (Mia) – Will catch 100+ passes as Ryan Tannehill’s safety blanket. Don’t put much stock in his slow forty time from the combine last year, he is quick enough to return punts and his hands rival Odell Beckham’s.
Vincent Jackson (TB) – Jackson had almost the exact same number of catches (70) and yards (1,002) as Mike Evans last year, but just two touchdowns compared to Evans’ twelve. With better quarterback play and top cornerbacks paying more attention to Evans than they did last season, expect those touchdown numbers to rise, along with his catch total and yardage. Evans is also shut down for the rest of the pre-season, leaving Jackson with a lot of time to bond with his rookie quarterback.
Amari Cooper (Oak) – Cooper runs refined routes, knows how to set up defenders and has great hands. He immediately steps in as the Raiders number one receiver and has been as advertised so far in the pre-season. We saw last year the sort of impact rookie receivers can have.
Nelson Agholor (Phil) – Agholor should be starting come Week One, and like Amari Cooper, has also been as advertised this pre-season. There is a lot of value to be had in this offense taking over the old Jeremy Maclin role that produced a 85/1318/10 line.
PICKS 91– 120
Quarterbacks:
Matthew Stafford (Det) – Stafford’s numbers dipped big time last year and many people are down on him, as evidenced by his 9th round ADP. That should present an opportunity to the savvy fantasy owner who realizes that the dip in numbers was due to outside factors and not any sort of regression in Stafford’s play. He will bounce back in his second season in Joe Lombardi’s offense. Stafford’s supporting cast is also rock solid. In addition to (a healthy) Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and a better offensive line, Eric Ebron should be much improved in his second year and the addition of Ameer Abdullah should provide a spark out of the backfield.
Ryan Tannehill (Mia) – He has steadily improved every season and has an outstanding supporting cast in OC Bill Lazor’s up-tempo offense. Could easily finish in the top 5 as he can get it done with his legs as well.
Running Backs
Ryan Mathews (Phil) – The talent level between Mathews and Demarco Murray is much closer than every Murray thinks. He will get plenty of touches, making him a weekly flex play and an automatic RB1 if Murray goes down.
Devonta Freeman & Tevin Coleman (Atl) – Both backs are currently going towards the end of the 8th round and both should provide weekly flex value with RB2 upside in PPR leagues. While Coleman may be the more hyped of the two, on Sirius radio, Roddy White recently stated that Freeman will handle at least 50% of the touches. I wouldn't trust either back until a few rounds later in standard leagues, as their offensive line could struggle big time.
Shane Vereen (NYG) - They could feature him a ton in this up-tempo offense. Should be on the field even with Rashad Jennings, making him a great PPR grab.
Duke Johnson Jr (Clev) – Johnson has been dealing with a hamstring injury since the start of camp. Don’t let that deter you, as Johnson could have a bigger fantasy impact than Ameer Abdullah, running behind one of the leagues best offensive lines. The coaching staff also appears to be down on Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell after both have failed to impress this pre-season. This is the sort of pick that could win you your fantasy season.
Wide Receivers
Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) - With an ADP of 95, Fitzgerald provides great value for a player that is still the number one receiver on a team that believes in passing the ball. I love John Brown just as much as the next guy, but that does not mean he is ready to supplant Ftiz as the teams top dog, at least as long as Carson Palmer stays healthy. Is Fitzgerald still a WR1 in Fantasy, absolutely not, but as Greg Cosell mentioned: “He understands the subtle nuances of alignment, splits, and route running, against both man and zone, better than any receiver in the NFL. Fitzgerald is a maestro at utilizing splits and releases to gain an advantage, and most important, to make certain that he is where he needs to be when he needs to be there.” At 32 years old he is a risk, but at this point in the draft, he’s a risk with little downside.
John Brown (Ari) – While I rank Fitzgerald slightly higher, Brown has the bigger upside. The potential to have a T.Y. Hilton type impact is very real. The kid is downright explosive and worked a lot with Carson Palmer during the off-season.
Martavis Bryant (Pit) – With his 4 game suspension he drops down my board big time and in dynasty I'm trading him away. A four game suspension means this is his 4th violation and he is headed down the Josh Gordon path. That said, fantasy is all about obtaining impact players', and Bryant is certainly one of those. Don't over draft him, but in this range, he should be one of your top targets.
Kendall Wright (Ten) – While not the sexiest pick, Wright should catch 100+ passes now that Marcus Mariota is at the helm. He’s having a great camp and wins where Mariota likes to throw the ball.
Tight Ends
Martellus Bennett (Chi) – Jay Cutler is a gunslinger and no coach has been able to tame the beast. With Brandon Marshall now in New York and wit Kevin White injured, Bennett should be Cutler’s go to guy in the redzone. While he may not catch another 90 balls this year, double-digit touchdowns are certainly in the cards.
Jordan Cameron (Mia) - Cameron’s stock is way down due to his concussion history and also due to the horrible quarterback play in Cleveland last year. While he is still a bit risky on the health side of things, his quarterback play will be much improved now that he is with Ryan Tannehill in Miami. Cameron is one of the most athletically gifted tight ends in the league, so his ceiling is very high, especially since Tannehill favors throwing to the short and intermediate receivers. If he can stay healthy, he should easily produce top 5 TE numbers.
Jason Witten (Dal) – As I mentioned with Dez Bryant, Tony Romo’s pass attempts dipped majorly last year to a career low 435 behind the running of Demarco Murray. Romo should throw easily more than 500 times this season, which means more catches for Witten.
PICKS 121 – 150
Quarterbacks
Sam Bradford (Phil) – Eagles quarterbacks under Chip Kelly produce top 8 numbers no matter who they are and Bradford is the best Kelly has ever had. Expect that trend to continue.
Philip Rivers (SD) – He’s thrown for more than 30 touchdowns the past two seasons and his supporting cast is better than both those years with the additions of Melvin Gordon, Steve Johnson, a healthy Danny Woodhead and a better offensive line. He’s a QB1 at a QB2 price.
Running Back
David Johnson (Ari) – At this point in the draft it is all about upside. The Cardinals drafted Johnson to be a compliment to Andre Ellington and he should get 5 to 7 touches every game. At 6'1” 224lbs he doesn’t run through tackles like someone his size should, but that’s not how Arizona uses their backs. Johnson has great hands and has some juice to him.
Danny Woodhead (SD) – The Chargers have made it clear that Woodhead is going to be handling most of the passing downs and not Melvin Gordon. He had 76 catches in 2013 playing the Sproles type role in this offense. Rivers also trusts him.
David Cobb (Ten) – Cobb is a much bigger back than Bishop Sankey and projects to be a better feature back in this offense. He’s a sustaining runner with good balance and body control. He may not take many to the house, but he gets tough yards and should be their go to guy at the goal line.
Reggie Bush (SF) – The 49ers might have had one of the worst off-seasons in recent memory with a number of players retiring, leaving or being suspended. While Carlos Hyde will handle most of the early down work, Bush should be playing on most of the passing down, especially when the Niners are playing from behind, which could be often.
Wide Receivers
Brian Quick (StL) – Finally healthy, he will step back into the Rams number one receiver role. Nick Foles should be able to take advantage of his talent. Nothing but upside with this pick.
Steve Johnson (SD) – Johnson’s dip in numbers last year were not his fault. Check out Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception piece if you want further proof. He has been tearing it up in camp, so look for him to bounce back in a major way playing with the best quarterback of his career in Phillip Rivers.
Tight Ends
Kyle Rudolph (Min) - Like Jordan Cameron, Rudolph has top 5 TE upside, but has a low ADP due to a slew of injuries the past two years. While it seems like he has been around forever, Rudolph is only 25 years old, and most of his injures have been fluky, so don’t buy into any sort of injury prone label. If he stays healthy, Rudolph should see a ton of targets playing with Teddy Bridgewater in Norv Turner’s tight end friendly scheme. Rudolph is also a big body, so he should see a ton of red zone looks. With an ADP of 139, stacking Rudolph and Cameron late in the draft makes too much sense.
Tyler Eifert (Cin) - Eifert is a former first round pick that could easily finish in the top 10 this year. Traditionally it takes tight ends a bit longer to develop in the NFL and splitting time with Jermaine Gresham and a slew of injures did not help. Now with Gresham gone and with Eifert fully healthy, this could be his breakout year. He’s an exceptional athlete and a great receiver that can do a lot of damage in the pass game down the middle. In the opening game of last season, Eifert had 3 catches for 37 yards on only eight snaps before injuring his elbow and missing the rest of the season. He’s someone you should be aggressive in drafting this year.
Antonio Gates (SD) – Suspended for the first 4 games of the season, Gates’ ADP has plummeted. Grab him as your TE2 and watch him put up top ten TE numbers when he returns. While he may not score another 12 touchdowns, Rivers trusts him more than anyone else.
PICKS 150+
Quarterbacks
Carson Palmer (Ari) – Palmer is coming off ACL surgery, although it’s not like he was very mobile before the injury. Through five games last year (Palmer got injured in the 6th), he was on pace to throw for more than 4,800 yards and 33 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions. Head Coach Bruce Arians likes to push the ball down field and the Cardinals’ have the weapons to do so. It’s tough to rely on him as your starter, but he could easily finish as a top 12 QB.
Jameis Winston (TB) – He’ll throw his fair share of interceptions, but he should also throw for more than 4,000 yards.
Tyrod Taylor (Buf) – While Matt Cassel may still be in the hunt to start for the Bills this season, it is just a matter of time before Taylor gets the nod. He can pick up yards with his feet and has the arm strength to take advantage of the Bills offensive weapons. While he will never be a QB1, he can be great in best ball leagues, DFS, spot starts for those streaming quarterbacks or playing in 2QB leagues.
Johnny Manziel (Clev) – What a difference a year and rehab makes. After looking like he may be out of the league this year, Manziel has dedicated himself to the game and has looked much better than current starter Josh McCown. The Browns need to see what they have in Manziel, so it is only a matter of time before he starts this season. While the Browns receivers are nothing to write home about, Manziel has some Russell Wilson in him and can always make something out of nothing.
Running Backs
Denard Robinson (Jac) – Showed last year that he has what it takes to be successful in this league. Don’t believe for a second that someone with this sort of juice and hands is just going to ride the pine all year. He should get at least 5 to 10 touches a game.
Damien Williams (Mia) – Williams is big and fast, standing 6’0”, 222 pounds and running a 4.45 forty at the combine with a huge 38” vertical. Williams has established himself as Lamar Miller’s clear handcuff and should get a decent amount of touches every week, giving him flex value and possibly more.
Matt Jones (Wash) – Jones would be an every week RB2 if Alfred Morris went down and his skill set is probably already a better fit for Washington’s power rushing gap-scheme. Jones can also catch the ball, something Morris has had a tough time with. Don’t be surprised if Jones ends the season as their lead back.
Lance Dunbar (Dal) - All signs point to a major RBBC in Dallas this year and Dunbar is a cheap buy-in to a run game that should be decent behind the leagues best offensive line.
Khiry Robinson (NO) – A do it all back playing behind two running backs that have a hard time staying healthy.
Ronnie Hillman (Den) – Established himself as the clear number two back in Denver on a team that is committed to running the ball. He should get a few touches every game as the teams change of pace back.
Josh Robinson (Ind) – At 32 years old, there is no guarantee that Frank Gore will hold up the whole season. While Dan Herron is currently Gore’s backup, Robinson projects to be a better feature back as he runs hard and has great hands.
Wide Receivers
Albert Wilson (KC) – While Wilson isn’t a big receiver (5’9” 200lbs); he has a compact build and it able to make contested catches. In fact, many compared him to Brandin Cooks coming out last year and the coaching staff loves him. He is currently slated to start opposite Jeremy Maclin and can crate on his own, which is crucial when you are playing with Alex Smith.
DeVante Parker (Mia) – It doesn’t look like Parker will be ready to play until a few weeks into the season due to recent foot surgery, but once he does, he should slot right in to the starting lineup. Don’t expect him to pull an Odell Beckham Jr, but Parker is capable of putting up WR3 numbers upon his return with upside for more.
Dorial Green-Beckham (Ten) – In terms of pure natural ability, Green-Beckham is the most talented receiver in this year’s rookie class. Unfortunately, due to disciplinary reasons, he’s still very raw as a route runner after playing very little in college. But Green-Beckham could easily put up Kelvin Benjamin type rookie numbers. That’s the sort of upside you are looking for this late in the draft.
Phillip Dorsett (Ind) – The kid can straight fly, and with Indy playing more three wide sets this year, Dorsett could see significant time. All it takes is one play, one pass and he could be gone for an 80 yard touchdown. It’s quit possible for him to have a Martavis Bryant type of rookie season.
Allen Hurns (Jac) – Hurns has officially passed Marqise Lee on the depth chart and reports from camp have Hurns and Allan Robinson neck and neck in terms of making plays. The development of Blake Bortles is key here, and this offense may not be able to produce more than one or two fantasy assets, but at this late in the draft, there is only upside in this pick with a player that will be on the field a lot.
Brandon Coleman (NO) – Coleman stands 6’6” 225lbs and has taken a firm hold of the Saints number three receiver role. In fact, Head Coach Sean Peyton singled out Coleman as the player that impressed him the most in training camp. Coleman will be the main beneficiary of Jimmy Graham’s vacated targets, not Josh Hill, especially in the redzone.
Leonard Hankerson (Atl) – Remember that season when Julio Jones and Roddy White stayed healthy? Neither do I. When White or Jones goes down for an extended time, he will be a weekly WR2.
Tyler Lockett (Sea) - It is going to be very tough to keep him off the field. One of the better late round grabs.
Josh Huff (Phi) - Currently starting in two wide sets and should be playing in all three wide. A cheap buy in to this prolific offense.
Tight Ends
Eric Ebron (Det) - It often takes tight ends at least a year to adjust to the NFL game. He has shined in camp and has the ability to dominate in the Jimmy Graham role in this offense.
Dwayne Allen (Ind) – With the Colts possibly moving to more three wide sets, Allen should be the tight end left on the field and not Coby Fleener. The wealth of weapons at receiver should also open things up for Allen in the middle who is finally healthy and has the talent to take linebackers to task.
Richard Rodgers (GB) – With Jordy Nelson done for the year, the Packers need someone to step up and that someone could definitely be Rodgers. He has great athleticism and could shine for them in the redzone and down the seam, posting a 71.4% catch rate in his rookie year.
Ben Watson (NO) – Watson is old, but the guy can still play. I much prefer Watson over the more hyped Josh Hill.
Clive Walford (Oak) – Many draftnicks predicted that Walford may end up being the best tight end in this years draft class. Like Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham before him, Walford is a former basketball player with some size, big hands, excellent power to fight off press coverage and is great at converting contested catches. Walford is also a decent blocker, which should help him get on the field right away. In fact there are some reports that the Raiders may play with a lot more two tight ends sets this year and that Walford may even play over Mychal Rivera. ESPN’s Adam Caplan said that he should have a "significant role" in the Raiders offense this season.
Virgil Green (Den) - While most view Green as just a blocker, he is actually a physical freak with 4.5 forty jets and a 42.5 inch vertical. Peyton Manning loves throwing to the tight end and new head coach Gary Kubiak runs a tight end friendly system. Green is also a better blocker than Owen Daniels so he should see plenty of playing time. While you don’t want to initially rely on him as your starter, it wouldn’t surprise if you eventually do.
Jacob Tamme (Atl) – A forgotten man the past few years in Denver playing behind Julius Thomas, Tamme has locked up the Falcons’ starting tight end job and Matt Ryan knows how to utilize his weapons.
Dion Sims (Mia) – In order to have fantasy relevance it will take a Jordan Cameron injury, but that certainly is a possibility given Cameron’s concussion history. Sims is an athletic tight end, a good pass catcher and a plus blocker. When Charles Clay was injured last season in weeks 12 and 13, Sims caught 8 passes for 89 yards. He’s not someone to draft, but definitely keep an eye on him on the waiver wire.
