For the Third Year in a Row, SF WR Anquan Boldin is a Sleeper

DeVante Parker, Amari Cooper, Martavis Bryant, Nelson Agholor, Devin Funchess...what do these guys have in common? They are all projected to score more points at the wide receiver position this season than Anquan Boldin and I just don't get it. I guess if you want your fellow league mates to pat you on the back, ooh and ahh at your picks, and think you are some kind of fantasy football Nostradamus, you can go ahead and pick those first five guys listed. Personally though, I'd rather my league mates be flashing me the middle finger after week 17 when I walk away with a fat check.

Having Anquan Boldin ranked outside the top 40 at his position is criminal. This is a player that has finished 23rd and 16th amongst wide receivers in scoring in 2014 and 2013 respectively. He's the number one pass catching option on his offense. He has a quarterback that constantly looks his way and is playing on a team that is likely going to have to play from behind quite a bit this season. So, what am I missing? Here are three reasons why your league mates will pass on Boldin, followed by why you should take him and laugh all the way to the bank.

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Anquan Boldin Won't be Targeted Enough

Are you crazy? I've seen several outlets suggest that Torrey Smith may take targets away from Boldin. Smith is a nice option on the outside and if anything having a better complimenting player helps Bolding by taking the top off the defense and opening up the middle of the field for him. Anquan Boldin is not going to lose his number one option in this offense to an inconsistent deep threat. He was targeted 129 times in 2013 and then 130 last season. That number should remain constant again for the 35-year-old Boldin this season and could even increase. Remember, the Niners have lost a lot of pieces on what was once a fearsome defense. That defense allowed the offense to play at a slow tempo and throw less than almost any other offense in the league. The Niners ranked 29th in pass attempts in 2014 and dead last (32nd) in 2013. I anticipate them playing from behind more often this season making the aerial attack more necessary than ever.

Anquan Boldin's Too Slow and Can't Make Explosive Plays

Another thing that doesn't make sense to me. First off, Boldin is capable of making an explosive play when needed. Just check out this play...the DB's don't look like they were closing in on Boldin here. Additionally, it seems like you can't win with fantasy analysts. If you are a explosive play maker the flag you for regression because those plays are "flukey." If you are a chain mover like Boldin you aren't explosive enough. There is no winning in this world of over-analyzed fantasy prospects.

Anquan Boldin is Too Old

Every year we go through the narrative of "is this the season that Boldin falls off a cliff due to age" and every season the answer is no. He had a few slow seasons in his early 30's in Baltimore (still averaged 900 yards and 5 TD's over three seasons), but I attribute that mostly to Joe Flacco liking to throw the ball down the field rather than throw the intermediate routes that Boldin is a master at. He certainly hasn't shown any aging since leaving Baltimore, going for over 1000 yards in each of his seasons with San Francisco. Additionally, Boldin has only missed three games in the past six years, and played over 90% of the snaps last season for the Niners, the most amongst their pass catchers. With great hands and precise route-running, age doesn't seem like it will be the factor that slows Boldin down this year.

Boldin is certainly not a sexy pick, but at the end of the day I just don't see a way beyond a freak injury that he falls outside of the top 25 WR's at year's end. He's going to be usable as a flex and occasional fill-in at your WR2 slot with little to no risk based on where you will be able to draft him. Forget the pick that will make your league mates pat your back in August, and make the pick that will make them suffer during the winter.

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