BALLER MOVE: Target in Late Rounds as WR4
CURRENT ADP: 146 STD, 103 PPR
ANALYSIS: Back in 2012, a speedy receiver drafted in the third round splashed onto the NFL scene as the deep threat in a Bruce Arians offense. Two years later, the same exact scenario happened in Arizona. The two receivers in this exercise are T.Y. Hilton and John Brown. To be fair, Hilton's numbers from his rookie season (50 Rec/861 Yds/7 TD) were slightly better than Brown's (48 Rec/696 Yds/5 TD). But while Hilton had Andrew Luck throwing him the ball, Brown was stuck in a nightmarish game of Cardinals quarterback roulette. Both players may not be very tall (Hilton 5'9, Brown 5'11), but both have extraordinary jumping ability and body control to go with their blazing speed. When Hilton broke into the league, he had Reggie Wayne there to take attention from the defense, just as Brown had Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd last season. And with Brown running many of the routes that Hilton ran while Arians was in Indy, a direct comparison between the two seems clear.
As is the case with all players on the Cardinals' offense, Brown's fantasy value is tied closely with the health of Arizona's quarterbacks. Carson Palmer says he is feeling great after last year's surgery to repair a torn ACL. And while he isn't exactly Palmer's equal, having a healthy Drew Stanton back is a big plus. Brown can continue to operate as a home run hitter for the Cardinals, with defenses continuing to focus on Fitzgerald and Floyd. Expecting a 1,000 yard season and around seven touchdowns in Brown's sophomore campaign is reasonable. Plus, every time the Red Zone Channel switches to a Cardinals game, Brown's fantasy owners will have their hearts in their throat, since he can score from anywhere on the field. Brown's current ADP in non-PPR leagues is especially attractive, and even his PPR ADP can turn a profit.
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