There are two ways to play fantasy football. You can play it safe, or you can swing for the fences. It’s always risky to chase outliers, but outliers are how we separate from our competitors.
With that in mind, we’re going through bold fantasy takes for every NFL team, with this installment looking at the Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons Bold Fantasy Prediction: Drake London Finishes as the Overall WR1
The fantasy community believes in Drake London’s talent as much as I do. That’s evident from the fact that this guy — who has never finished inside the top 40 wide receivers — is being drafted inside the top 12 at the position this year.
The community believes London will benefit massively from the QB and coaching upgrade. But overall WR1? That’s a bridge too far…or is it?
Kirk Cousins propelled Justin Jefferson to overall WR1 numbers. Is London as good as Jefferson? No. But London is definitely talented. What if this offense fires on all cylinders?
There are seven wide receivers I believe are capable of finishing as the overall WR1. London is the cheapest among them. Is it unbelievable for London to catch 110 passes for 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns?
Drake London Fantasy Profile
Drake London came into the NFL with plenty of pedigree and fantasy football promise, but he has yet to cash in on that potential. With Kirk Cousins signed this offseason, expectations are that London will notch his first 1,000-yard season and potentially double his career touchdown total.
I like London plenty, but so does everyone else, and his late second-round ADP (borderline WR1 status for a receiver with under 1,800 yards and just six scores total through two seasons) reflects as much. By drafting him in the range of Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, and Michael Pittman Jr., you’re leaving little room for a positive return on your investment.
Maybe I will warm on him as the preseason wears on and the QB situation is more certain, but as it stands right now, I’d prefer a similarly built receiver in Nico Collins who has more quarterback upside, or maybe the elevated floor of the aforementioned Pittman, both of whom are currently being drafted just after London.
Could London be a buy as he and Cousins look to develop a connection in the early going? There are a lot of moving pieces in this offense, and with a star running back in Bijan Robinson, who is easy to force-feed while the passing game is ironed out, it wouldn’t shock me if London’s September is a bit of a letdown.
Be patient if that’s the case — his price is a little prohibitive now, but managers are quick to overreact, and that could open up a buying window for those looking to play the long game.
Check out Pro Football Network’s full fantasy football profile of Drake London right here.
