Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns traded for Jarvis Landry in 2018, and he became the team’s number one option quickly. This was Landry’s first year with the team after signing his five-year, $75.5 million contract, and his first year was full of transitions.
Landry was transitioning to be the team’s number one wide receiver and to play more on the outside. Traditionally, he has been a target monster, but he has played almost exclusively in the slot. Not to mention, Landry had two different head coaches, two different quarterbacks, and two different offensive coordinators throughout 2018.
As the team transitioned, Landry kept his role as the lead receiver and ended the year ninth in the league in targets. Landry had a career-low catch rate, however. As a result, he was the only person in the top 12 in targets to not finish as a top 12 fantasy football receiver. Landry struggled as the team’s number one option, but the Browns made another trade to bring in a clear cut number one option.
The combination of a poor 2018 and the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. has Landry’s average draft position dropping. I love the value that he is starting to bring and I think there is a lot of reason to be excited for Landry in 2019. He will not have to endure as many transitions this year as the team has no quarterback or coaching hot seats for once. A transition that I think is positive is that Landry will be transitioning back into the slot where he is far more comfortable. Landry is the prototypical slot receiver at his size and with his measurables.
Odell Beckham Jr. will attract a lot of attention and take away the number one corners that were defending Landry last year. Landry is currently being drafted in the fifth or sixth rounds of your fantasy drafts as the 25th wide receiver off of the board in half-point PPR leagues. Baker Mayfield is being drafted as the fifth fantasy football quarterback and has expectations to put up a monster season. Beckham Jr. can’t get all of the fantasy points, and I expect Mayfield to support two top 20 fantasy wide receivers in 2019.
Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson was finally freed from the shackles of Blake Bortles. Robinson signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Chicago Bears in 2018 that brought great expectations. Already coming off of injury, Robinson disappointed as he struggled to stay on the field, battling injuries throughout the 2018 season.
Robinson is now three years removed from his breakout season in 2016 where he caught 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Last year, Robinson had only 55 receptions for 754 yards and 4 touchdowns. He played hurt most of the season and only saw 81 targets as a result. I fully expect that number to increase in 2019.
Where Robinson stands out amongst the players he is being drafted around is that he is, arguably, his team’s number one wide receiver. As of now, Robinson is being drafted as the 31st WR off of the board at the beginning of the seventh round right before Christian Kirk and Will Fuller.
This offseason, Robinson will have another chance to build chemistry with Mitchell Trubisky and to establish himself in the Bears’ offense. Robinson offers a lot of upside being drafted as most likely your third or fourth option at wide receiver.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling also known as “MVS” blew up the NFL Combine in 2018. The eventual pairing with Aaron Rodgers would make him an easy sleeper candidate as a rookie. Going into the season, there was some hype for him, and when Geronimo Allison went down with an injury, the hype started again.
Although MVS showed some potential when he got an opportunity, his season fizzled out and therefore, he has been slept on all offseason by fantasy owners. His value has increased as a result with a current ADP of WR45.
The trend we are seeing out of camp is that reports are glowing about MVS. Indications are now claiming that he is rising and Allison is falling. Hopefully, you can all get ahead of this curve, and that is why I am putting him on this list for you. MVS offers versatility to the offense as he has had success in the slot as well as on the outside. In camp, it is MVS and not Allison who is being featured in two wide receiver sets.
Most importantly, Aaron Rodgers has been talking about him and calling him out individually. Most recently, Rodgers said of MVS, “I think Marquez has had a fantastic spring and stepped up as a guy who can be an every-down player.”
Rodgers should have a bounce-back year and if you can get his WR2 at any cost, you are going to be extremely happy. If you can draft MVS at his current cost, you are going to potentially be getting a top 20 fantasy football value weekly at more than half the cost!
See here for the prime late-round running backs and tight ends you should be targeting.
Honorable Mentions – Sam Darnold (New York Jets), Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Christian Kirk (Arizona Cardinals), Courtland Sutton (Denver Broncos), Anthony Miller (Chicago Bears)
David Heilman is a writer and Fantasy Football co-director for Pro Football Network. You can follow him at @DynastyDorks on Twitter.