BALLER MOVE: Target as a late round option at WR3
Current ADP: 192 STD, 182 PPR
ANALYSIS: Eddie Royal flew well under the radar last season despite posting one of the more successful campaigns of his career. The 29-year-old managed 62 catches for 778 yards across 16 games in 2014 and even found the end-zone seven times, a performance strong enough to land him among the top-30 best WR in fantasy and a solid WR3. However, that success came with Philip Rivers under center for the San Diego Chargers and now, after signing a 3-year deal with the Bears, Royal will find himself in a much different climate with rocket-armed Jay Cutler at QB coming into 2015.
And that could very much be a good thing.
Royal won't be the first option in Chicago, not with Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White on the outside, but should man the slot and could very well take advantage of new OC Adam Gase's offense. Gase is Peyton Manning's former OC and has developed a reputation for pass-happy offenses, something fantasy players should take into account when considering either of the Bears three fantasy wideouts this season. Perhaps more important for Royal than whose calling plays, though, is the QB executing them. Royal had Cutler throwing to him many years ago during his rookie season in Denver, and the result was the best season of the slot-receiver's career. Royal posted 980 yards on 91 receptions with five TD that year, clearly meshing well with Cutler, and that past success bodes well for 2015.
Overall, Royal is a great sleeper this year, but remains a somewhat inconsistent player although his stats tend to end up solid when all is said and done. He'll have down games in 2015 and he'll have great ones, but at a ADP of 192 standard and 182 PPR he's more than worth the late round pick.
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