Early 2021 Sleepers: Wide Receiver

Craig Rondinone analyzes wide receivers that could be draft sleepers in 2021 fantasy football leagues based on early ADP.

It is never too early to find fantasy football sleepers. Never. If you want to win your fantasy league in December, you better start paying attention to what is going on the in NFL in April.

The NFL is a passing league. There is no doubt about that. Gone are the days where a 4,000-yard passer was as rare as finding a salad on Fred Flintstone’s plate. Quarterbacks have become almost as important as running backs in fantasy football, and wide receivers have closed the gap in terms of fantasy value, too.  Fantasy football success can easily be achieved if you find sleepers in the middle-to-late rounds during your September drafts at the wide receiver position.

So who could be the Nelson Agholor of 2021?  Here is a look at my early sleepers at wide receiver for the 2021 fantasy football season!

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Scotty Miller, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020 Stats:  33 receptions, 501 receiving yards, 3 TD

It was amazing Miller did as well as he did last year behind the terrific trio of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown on the depth chart, along with tight end Rob Gronkowski and all the passes thrown his way as well. Even if it was only two-to-three times per game, though, Tom Brady would try his best to get the ball to Miller downfield and/or near the end zone. Miller led the Buccaneers with a 15.2 yards per catch average and then averaged 20 yards per grab during Tampa Bay’s postseason run.  The major problem for Miller and his fantasy value was that he was only targeted three times per game and could only do so much damage with limited opportunities.

Targets and touchdowns should be a little easier to come by for Miller in 2021. With Brown probably not getting re-signed (still a free agent at the time of this article) it means Miller might be Tampa Bay’s No. 3 WR entering the upcoming season. Considering Brady and Miller had obvious chemistry last season, and considering Evans, Godwin and Gronk all have a penchant for being banged-up, Miller could surprise fantasy managers with 800 yards and eight touchdowns if everything breaks right for him this upcoming season.

Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs

2020 Stats:  41 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 4 TD

Fantasy footballers should not have expected much out of Hardman during his rookie campaign in 2019, but the former second rounder was still able to snag six touchdown tosses and average 20.7 yards per catch. While his sophomore season in the NFL was technically better with 15 more catches, 22 more yards and 21 additional targets, Hardman was considered a disappointment in fantasy circles because he scored two fewer touchdowns and was not able to take advantage of oft-injured Sammy Watkins missing several games and handing Hardman the No. 2 WR spot in the most explosive offense in the NFL. If Patrick Mahomes’ passes and Andy Reid’s system cannot boost your fantasy value, there is a problem.

Hardman has no choice but to see serious time and targets now that former Watkins has taken his talents (and his injuries) to the Baltimore Ravens for multimilions. The Chiefs have been strapped for cash thanks to the salary cap and desperately needing to upgrade its offensive line, so Hardman is the odds-on favorite to be KC’s second-best wideout entering the season. If he can get his act together and get on the same page with Mahomes, he will have no choice but to stumble into long touchdown catches with the way defenses have to key on Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Take a flyer on Hardman since chances are his fantasy value will go much higher in 2021. 800-900 yards and eight touchdowns are definitely within reach for him.

Tyrell Williams, Detroit Lions

2020 Stats: Opted out of season

Williams failed to live up to the expectations fantasy managers had for him after he inked a deal with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders two years ago to be the main man in their passing attack. Quarterback Derek Carr’s passes went tight end Darren Waller’s way more than Williams’ way in 2019, and Williams could not even find the field last season. The 2020 season was a washout for him thanks to a serious shoulder injury, so he was a fantasy dud instead of a fantasy stud.

Williams has a track record, though. He has a 1,000-yard year to his credit in 2016, he hauled in 22 touchdown passes over a four-year period between 2016 and 2019, and he boasts a 16.1 yards-per-catch average for his career. Those potatoes are not small. Two other things to consider now that Williams is with Detroit --- he has little competition for passes other than tight end T.J. Hockenson, and he is on a team that could be hapless and hopeless and trailing in almost every game they play. If Williams can stay healthy, tons of targets could come his way and he could be primed for a big bounce-back season. As long as the Lions stay away from decent receivers this offseason like Kid Rock stays away from decent barbers, keep Williams on your fantasy radar in the later rounds of your drafts.

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