RADIO
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As we kick off RotoBaller's 2014 NFL and fantasy football analysis, we'll start by taking a look at wide receiver rookies from the 2014 NFL draft. These are rookies to know and be on the look out for your 2014 draft season, and some of them can even be fantasy football sleepers for your teams. RotoBaller will be releasing more fantasy football content daily to help you prepare for the 2014 NFL fantasy football season so stay tuned!
NFL Rookie Wider Receivers for Fantasy Football
Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills: Pick 1.4
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Let’s start with the first WR selected in the 2014 draft. The Buffalo Bills paid top dollar to move up a few spots in the draft in order to guarantee being able to land this 6’1″ and 205 pound beast with 4.43 speed talent. Coming off a season in which he caught 101 passes for 1,464 yards and 12 touchdowns; Watkins was a hot commodity that every team in need of a WR was salivating over.
Seeing how much the Bills invested in Watkins, along with the fact they sent Stevie Johnson to San Francisco in a trade, Watkins will be EJ Manuel’s #1 target all year long. He will be taken high not only in just dynasty leagues, but also redraft leagues.
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pick 1.7
The Buccaneers like size, and a lot of it. Evans stands at a massive 6’5” and will complement Vincent Jackson who also happens to be 6’5”. While Evans may be the Bucs second receiving option going into this year, it’s only a matter of time before the young phenom supersedes the veteran Jackson in the pecking order for years to come. The tall WR movement is trending in the NFL, so don’t be surprised if some dynasty leagues have Evans going as the first rookie pick over the smaller Watkins.
Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants: Pick 1.12
One of only two WRs taken in the first round that didn’t reach the 6’0” mark. Beckham Jr. makes up for his shorter frame (5’11”) with his blazing 4.43 speed. While many NFL analysts look favorably on his potential, his current situation isn’t the most ideal from a fantasy perspective. The Giants’ offense has been inconsistent at best for the past several years, and it doesn’t help that Eli Manning has led the league in INTs more than once during that time frame. On top of that he will compete for targets with the Giants #1 WR in Victor Cruz, as well as Rueben Randle who has shown flashes of potential when given the chance.
Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints: Pick 1.20
Whenever you get the chance to be paired up with Drew Brees it’s always a positive thing. That being said, Cooks is only 5’10” and Brees does have several other targets (Graham, Stills, and Colston) that he will be looking at, which will hurt his fantasy stock. Cook should land higher in dynasty settings, as it will take him 2-3 years to find a more prominent role in the Saints’ offensive scheme.
Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers: Pick 1.28
From a fantasy perspective, Benjamin hit the jackpot. The Carolina Panthers current receiving core consists of names such as Tavarres King, Jason Avant, and Marvin McNutt. AKA there is no other option that is even remotely close to having Benjamin’s upside here. The 6’5” 235 lbs. man-child will have every opportunity to show the league what he’s got.
Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars: Pick 2.7
Lee will likely be one of the (if not THE) biggest boom-or-bust players in this year’s draft. If this was 2 years ago, we would be talking about Lee possibly going top 10 in the draft and being the first WR taken off the board. What a difference a year makes. He decided to head back to school this past season and struggled all year with consistency, due in large part to nagging injuries. A red flag that many teams had with Lee is durability concerns with his knee. The potential is there; he has proven it in the past. The question is how much is one willing to spend on a player like Lee? Unless he ends up falling in drafts, Lee would not be a highly recommended fantasy football pick in comparison to these other rookies.
Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles: Pick 2.10
A perfect fit for a very talented player. Matthews must have been excited when he found out he was selected to be part of Chip Kelly’s offensive attack. Matthews had over 200 receptions for 2,800 yards and 15 touchdowns over the past 2 seasons playing for Vanderbilt in the highly competitive SEC. Matthews will see most of his playing time in the slot. With the departure of DeSean Jackson, there should be plenty of room for Matthews to get a solid amount of targets. Keep in mind that Jeremy Maclin is on a one-year contract; Matthews could be the go-to WR in just 2 years.
