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Each year, elite wide receivers are some of the mainstays of fantasy football rosters. With high target shares and production values, these consensus top-tier wide receivers are some of the first names off of draft boards and consistently perform well throughout the season.
However, there is also a good amount of unpredictability at the position, with breakout players appearing from out of nowhere year-in and year-out. Whether they dominate for stretches over the year or end up as top-level talents themselves, unproven or underrated wide receivers represent a very good opportunity for fantasy owners entering drafts due to their lower draft capital and high production premiums.
In this series, we will go through each NFL division and point out one wide receiver on each team in that division that is currently ranked outside of the top-12 at the position who could finish among the league's best when all is said and done. Today, let's look at the AFC West and see who could be that next elite fantasy receiver. Check out the AFC East edition here.
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Wide Receivers - AFC West
Demaryius Thomas, DEN
Currently being drafted in the middle of the fourth round (according to fantasyfootballcalculator.com's half-PPR ADP's), Demaryius Thomas has certainly fallen from grace since his fantastic performances with Peyton Manning as his quarterback. After the Bronco's Super Bowl win in 2015, the team has struggled mightily on offense despite having elite playmakers such as Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. However, this offseason, the team invested in quarterback Case Keenum from Minnesota, who General Manager John Elway believes could be the future of this franchise. While he did perform well for the Vikings last season, Keenum has been a career backup and still has a lot to prove to the league in order to ensure that he stays a starter for his team.
Regardless of who is the quarterback, Demaryius Thomas will always get looks. Since his breakout year in 2012, Thomas has not received less than 141 targets. Additionally, the 2017 season was the only season that Thomas had less than 90 receptions (he still logged a respectable 83). It was also the first time since 2011 that Thomas was unable to cross the 1,000 yard barrier, only earning 949 yards and scoring five touchdowns. With new developments at the quarterback position and Thomas looking for a bounce-back year, all signs point to a bit of a resurgence from the veteran wide receiver. Expect Thomas to once again have at least 90 receptions and 1,000 yards - if he is able to improve on his touchdown total from recent years and become the team's main offensive option in the red zone, we could see Thomas approach WR1 numbers. This presents fantastic value for a wide receiver who is being drafted as a low-end WR2 currently.
Sammy Watkins, KC
After being selected fourth overall in the celebrated 2014 NFL Draft class, Sammy Watkins performed extremely well in his first two years in the league. After accumulating 982 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, Watkins beasted out for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore campaign, despite only playing in 13 games throughout the season. However, his 2016 season would be dominated by injury, and 2017 saw him traded to the Los Angeles Rams in the middle of preseason, where he was only able to produce 593 receiving yards and never developed any deep-ball chemistry with quarterback Jared Goff (even though he still scored eight touchdowns, all but one of which were in the redzone). Now, Watkins has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three year deal, making him one of the highest earning wide receivers in the league.
Playing alongside fellow wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce may impede the ability for Watkins to get consistent looks each week, but quarterback Pat Mahomes will likely spread the ball around a lot, making it possible for the team to have several viable fantasy options. Additionally, Watkins has shown that, if he can stay healthy, he possesses the ability to be a deep-threat, red zone weapon, and possession receiver. We may be witnessing a Watkins resurgence in 2018, making him a fantastic value at his 6th round ADP, even if he may be more boom-or-bust than locked-in elite receiver.
Mike Williams, LAC
Williams enters his sophomore year on the heels of a disappointing rookie campaign that saw him only snag 11 catches for 95 yards in ten games (of which, he only started one). After being selected 7th overall in the 2017 Draft, there was a lot of hype around Williams as a fantasy asset. However, the team's receiving targets were dominated by Keenan Allen, with a supporting cast featuring Tyrell Williams and tight ends Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry. With Gates out of town and Henry injured, Williams will likely have a much bigger role on the team than last year. Although it is a bit of a long-shot for Williams to reach WR1 levels, he should see a large uptick in targets due to his natural receiving ability and the draft capital that was spent on acquiring his services in 2017.
Amari Cooper, OAK
Despite having the highest touchdown total of his career (seven), Amari Cooper had a very disappointing campaign, accruing only 680 yards in 14 games in 2017. With a regression from quarterback Derek Carr and Cooper's own receiving woes, he was unable to have a third consecutive 1,000+ yard campaign. However, the wide receiver is only 24 years old and has been touted as the team's main offensive weapon by new head coach Jon Gruden. Cooper has shown that he has the ability to be a star at the NFL level, and with the departure of fellow receiver Michael Crabtree, the young wideout will now have all of the opportunity in the world to capitalize on his role in the team. Expect Cooper to at least return his draft value this year; if he is able to get another 1,000 yards under his belt as well as increase his touchdown rate, we could even see Amari Cooper approach WR1 territory once again and return to his place among the league's leading young receivers.
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