It is only Week 2, but we are already dealing with several notable wide receivers who are out for this coming week. Viable fill-in options can be hard to come by, especially in deeper leagues. One option that is going under the radar is New York Jets Wide Receiver Breshad Perriman. The question is if Perriman’s fantasy upside is worth the risk by starting him in your fantasy football lineup?
Breshad Perriman is the only viable option for Sam Darnold in Week 2
Offensive options for the Jets are going to be few and far between on Sunday. Le’Veon Bell is on the IR as well as rookie Denzel Mims, who the Jets selected in hopes of being the team’s top passing option. On Friday, it was also announced that WR Jamison Crowder had been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Even though Perriman missed part of camp due to a nagging knee injury, he was on the field for 56 snaps in Week 1, which gives me confidence in his health.
The Jets are left with arguably the worst offensive skill group you will see this weekend. They will rely on Frank Gore and practice-squad call-up Josh Adams at running back. At wide receiver, the trio of Perriman, Chris Hogan, and Braxton Berrios are the only options on the current 53-man roster.
Usually, I’m not particularly eager to start guys who are only seeing targets due to injuries. Still, there is something to say when that player is the only option with viable starting NFL talent. Perriman has shown flashes, especially at the end of 2019, that he can produce high scoring fantasy weeks.
Perriman has shown the ability to carry an offense
Any questions regarding Perriman’s ability to be a fantasy asset went out the window during his final four games as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer in 2019.
From Week 1 through Week 13, Perriman was relegated as the WR3 on most weeks and only saw 38 total targets, catching 16 passes for 226 yards while scoring a single touchdown. Then the injury bug hit the Buccaneers.
First, Mike Evans, then quickly followed by Chris Godwin, leaving Perriman as the only viable pass catcher, where we find him again. How did he fair? During his four-game stretch from Week 14 through Week 17, Perriman blew up by catching 20 of his 31 targets for 419 yards and five touchdowns. During this timeframe, Perriman averaged 23.05 PPR fantasy points and was the third-highest scoring wide receiver during that span.
Although a challenging matchup, San Francisco is riddled with injuries to their secondary
The Jets are entering a game against a furious San Francisco 49ers team coming off a loss against the Arizona Cardinals. However, they are also exploitable in the passing game this week. We would likely see Richard Sherman lining up opposite Perriman and likely dictate that matchup under normal circumstances. However, this week the 49ers are down four cornerbacks, including Sherman, who have all been ruled out.
Perriman has to be the focal point of this offense, and he should get peppered with targets in a game they will likely be playing from behind early on. Is that enough to make him worth trusting in your starting fantasy lineup?
Breshad Perriman is a viable fantasy option, but you need to understand the risk involved
Everywhere from the MoneyLine & Wine Show (Fridays at 7:00 PM) to the Fantasy Force Podcast, I have said I would avoid any Jets player if possible, and I stand by that statement. Although, if I am desperate and just lost one of the numerous elite receive options (Godwin, Kenny Golladay, Courtland Sutton, A.J. Brown), I can make a case for him to slide in as a boom or bust fantasy WR4, but you have to know the risks.
I don’t expect to see very many scoring opportunities for the Jets, so there is limited touchdown upside. In PPR fantasy formats, if Perriman ends up catching six to seven passes for 70 yards, those 13 points could be enough to keep you from losing your Week 2 matchup.
For those who are in DFS, I will take a few shots on Perriman. He is the type of player who could put up some big numbers who might be far enough away from chalk to give an edge if he goes off. He also might crush your millionaire dreams, but you have to make a few contrarian picks to get in the money in big contests.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @PFN365 to stay up to date with all things around the NFL and the 2020 fantasy football season. Also, continue to visit Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis while also visiting our Fantasy Football section for more coverage and up-to-date rankings.
Tommy Garrett is a writer for PFN covering Fantasy Football. You can read more of his work here and follow him at @TommygarrettPFN on Twitter.