X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Three Sophomore Wide Receivers Who Will Surprise in 2016

Back in the medieval days of fantasy football (early 2000s), it was largely assumed that the third year of an NFL wide receiver's career was destined to be his breakout season. In fact, many magazines and websites ran articles on which receivers to tab simply due to to the number next to their Years of Experience column. Nowadays, players come out ready to contribute earlier than ever. Odell Beckham Jr. and Allen Robinson are the most recent examples to prove that you don't need to wait three years for production.

In this space, I want to highlight three sophomore receivers that are flying under the radar, but may be ready to take the leap into fantasy relevance in 2016. I've already given my take on why Kevin White may totally be worth the risk, as well as why I'm not buying Devin Funchess or Stefon Diggs as breakout candidates. While those three receivers are getting a lot of buzz, here are some names that will be available toward the tail end of drafts or may even be available on the waiver wire of your league if you've already drafted.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Three Sophomore Receivers to Target Late

Chris Conley (WR, KC)  ADP: N/A

The Chiefs traded to acquire Conley as a third-round pick last year even though his college stats didn't exactly scream future star. At Georgia, Conley managed just 36 catches for 657 yards and eight TD in his senior year, marking his most prolific season. As an NFL rookie, he caught 17 balls for 199 yards, scoring once. What suggests this modestly productive WR will become relevant in a rather conservative West-Coast offense? Opportunity.

Conley is slated to be the Chiefs' starting X receiver entering the season, which in itself isn't overly exciting, but will surely increase his usage. There is little threat to him, as the competition on the receiving corps consists of Albert Wilson, Frankie Hammond, Tyreek Hill, and Rod Streater. With his 10.9% target share due to jump dramatically already, he is just a Jeremy Maclin injury away from becoming a major component of the Chiefs' offense. The news of Maclin's groin injury in camp the other day, although not serious enough to keep him out of their second pre-season game, reminds us that Maclin has only played a full 16 games twice in six NFL seasons.

As a 6'2", 205 wideout who ran a 4.35 40 time, Conley has drawn comparisons to Martavis Bryant for his ideal blend of size and speed. Of course, Alex Smith is no Ben Roethlisberger and the #2 receiver in KC's scheme is not likely to put up starting-caliber numbers. Even so, Conley has the ability to make an impact this season and should be getting more credit in dynasty leagues. There is no urgency to draft Conley, as he is currently being left undrafted in a majority of leagues. Keep him on your watch list and wait until you find yourself in need of a replacement WR on waivers. Or wait until it's too late, watch him light it up during the regular season and then remember that I told you so.

 

Phillip Dorsett (WR, IND)  ADP: 156.2

The Colts drafted Phil Dorsett to challenge for a starting job. Donte Moncrief is the popular pick among pundits in the pre-season, but Dorsett has a good chance to outpace him in production. The former receiver and track star out of the University of Miami has blazing speed and was officially clocked at 4.33 in the 40, although he has been reported to run as low as a 4.2 in college. His first challenge is to stay healthy. He missed five games in his rookie season, just as he did in his junior year of college.

A fractured fibula and subsequent return from surgery stunted his progress. Throw in Andrew Luck's absence and his rookie year was destined to be a wash. In an all-around disappointing campaign for the Colts offense, Dorsett produced just 225 yards and one touchdown. There is no doubt he will see a huge increase in targets as long as he is on the field. Even if he stays behind Moncrief on the depth chart, he will still be a big part of the offense. The Colts frequently employ three-receiver sets and new Offensive Coordinator Rod Chudzinski likes to challenge secondaries down the field.

He is a big play threat that could produce some surprising production in his second year. He is an ideal MFL10 target due to some likely inconsistent fantasy performances that will range from zero fantasy points some weeks to double-digits in others. When you look to fill out your last receiver slot in re-draft leagues, Dorsett has one of the highest ceilings among all WR in his ADP range and is a worthy flyer.

 

Breshad Perriman (WR, BAL)  ADP: 158

I don't know if Breshad Perriman plays fantasy football (maybe he's kind of busy doing the real thing), but if so he should be feeling disrespected right about now. He and Kevin White are in the same boat - first round picks who missed their entire rookie years due to injury. Yet, White is being drafted on average in the eighth round of standard league drafts, while Perriman is available in the 14th/15th round and is going undrafted in many circles.

Of course, it's possible that his recent knee surgery has something to do with it. Perriman nearly made everyone in the Ravens' front office staff soil themselves when he went down with a knee sprain during OTAs. Fortunately, it does not appear overly serious and coach John Harbaugh has even declared Perriman could be ready when the regular season starts. Missing training camp will certainly slow his progress, but by mid-season he could become a force.

Perriman jumped up to first round status when he ran a 4.30 40 and logged a 125.7 height-adjust speed score, according to PlayerProfiler.com. He was highly productive at UCF and has a pretty good lineage as his father is former NFL receiver Brett Perriman. The final factor in Perriman's favor is the Ravens' thin receiving corps. As tough as he is, Steve Smith is 37 and returning from injury himself. Kamar Aiken led the way in 2015 with 74 catches for 944 yards, but that was out of necessity. Perriman could be the one to make a huge leap in production and is worth a bench stash if nothing else.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Chase Elliott2 hours ago

Recovers from Lap 1 Spinout to Finish Fourth
William Byron2 hours ago

In Battle Between Last Two Race Winners, William Byron Comes up Short
Shane Van Gisbergen2 hours ago

Shane van Gisbergen Dominated First Two Stages, but Faded in the Third
AJ Allmendinger2 hours ago

Ran Well at Austin Until Late Race Collapse
Alex Bowman2 hours ago

Recovers From COTA Penalty to Finish Ninth
Tyler Conklin7 hours ago

Not Expected To Return
New York Jets7 hours ago

Sauce Gardner Expected To Reset The Cornerback Market
New York Jets7 hours ago

Jets More Likely To Go After A Second-Tier Veteran QB
Davante Adams8 hours ago

Jets Taking Calls On Davante Adams
Kevin Durant8 hours ago

Suns Could Work Together On A Trade This Offseason
Anthony Edwards8 hours ago

Back In Action Against Phoenix
Julius Randle8 hours ago

Will Play On Sunday Night
Chris Martin8 hours ago

Makes Spring Debut On Sunday
Jimmy Butler III8 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up On Monday
Trevor Megill8 hours ago

Makes Spring Debut
Grayson Allen8 hours ago

Cleared To Play On Sunday
Bradley Beal8 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
LeBron James9 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing On Sunday
Bailey Horn9 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Luka Dončić9 hours ago

Luka Doncic Upgraded To Probable For Sunday
Zion Williamson9 hours ago

Starting On Sunday
Gradey Dick9 hours ago

Won't Return On Sunday
Zack Thompson9 hours ago

Suffers Grade 1 Lat Strain
Matt Shaw9 hours ago

Makes Spring Training Debut
Tobias Harris9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Corbin Carroll9 hours ago

Removed From Sunday's Game
Domantas Sabonis9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday's Game
P.J. Washington9 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Desmond Bane9 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Georges Niang9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Trae Young9 hours ago

Tagged As Probable For Monday
Ja Morant10 hours ago

Could Miss Monday's Game
Jordan Poole10 hours ago

To Remain Out On Monday
Ousmane Dieng10 hours ago

Available On Sunday
Jacob Markstrom11 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve Sunday
Jonas Brodin11 hours ago

Deemed Week-To-Week
Matthew Tkachuk11 hours ago

Placed On Long-Term Injured Reserve
Justus Annunen11 hours ago

Starts Against Rangers
Jonathan Quick11 hours ago

Starts For Rangers Sunday
Reilly Smith11 hours ago

Sits Out Sunday's Action
Jackson Holliday12 hours ago

Wants To Steal 20 Bases
Gunnar Henderson12 hours ago

Nearing Return
Jordan Westburg12 hours ago

Resumes Swinging On Sunday
Andrew Kittredge12 hours ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Tyler O'Neill12 hours ago

Should Return On Monday
Félix Bautista12 hours ago

Felix Bautista Could Make Spring Debut On Monday
Manny Machado12 hours ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Justin Champagnie13 hours ago

Signs Four-Year Deal
Jordan Goodwin13 hours ago

Won't Play On Sunday
Carolina Panthers13 hours ago

Panthers Expected To Be Aggressive While Searching For Defensive Upgrades
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Falcons Interested In Trading No. 15 Pick In The Draft
Cleveland Browns14 hours ago

Browns Continue To Insist They Won't Trade Myles Garrett
Daniel Jones14 hours ago

Other QBs on Colts Radar
A.J. Minter14 hours ago

Facing Live Hitters On Sunday
Jeff Criswell14 hours ago

To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Austin Gomber15 hours ago

Scratched On Sunday
Quinn Mathews15 hours ago

Assigned To Minor-League Camp
Albert Suárez15 hours ago

Albert Suarez, Cade Povich Viewed As No. 6 and No. 7 Starters
Bryan Ramos15 hours ago

Starting On Sunday
Russell Wilson15 hours ago

Steelers Prefer Justin Fields Over Russell Wilson?
Daniel Jones15 hours ago

Expected To Be On Browns Radar
Sam Darnold16 hours ago

Vikings Won't Mortgage The Future To Keep Sam Darnold
Javier Assad16 hours ago

Will Not Be Ready For Opening Day
Ja'Marr Chase16 hours ago

Bengals, Ja'Marr Chase Remain Far Apart In Extension Talks
Lucas Giolito16 hours ago

To Make Spring Debut On Thursday
New York Giants16 hours ago

Giants Could Be Willing To Trade Up To No. 1 Overall
Philadelphia Eagles16 hours ago

Eagles Have Real Interest In Myles Garrett
Brandon Aiyuk17 hours ago

49ers Looking To Trade Brandon Aiyuk?
Tyler Reddick19 hours ago

Wins Pole At COTA, Looking To Become First Repeat Winner
Chase Elliott19 hours ago

Will Be A Top Threat For The Win At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen19 hours ago

Shane van Gisbergen the Favorite to Win at COTA
Kyle Larson19 hours ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell19 hours ago

Will Be A Fantastic DFS Play For COTA Lineups
AJ Allmendinger19 hours ago

Struggling At COTA Despite Strong Practice Speeds
Austin Cindric19 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Recommendations For COTA Lineups
Connor Zilisch19 hours ago

Making Cup Series Debut This Weekend
Alex Bowman20 hours ago

A Core DFS Pick At COTA
Ross Chastain20 hours ago

Don't Be Surprised If Ross Chastain Contends At COTA
Chris Buescher20 hours ago

An Excellent DFS Play This Weekend
Ryan Donato21 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Four Games
Calvin Pickard21 hours ago

Sharp In Victory
Pierre-Olivier Joseph21 hours ago

Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Jake Sanderson21 hours ago

Exits Early On Saturday
Ty Gibbs21 hours ago

May Not Be Worth His Salary For COTA DFS Lineups
Quinn Hughes22 hours ago

Set To Be Evaluated
Seth Jones22 hours ago

Traded To Florida
Daniel Suarez22 hours ago

Is Daniel Suarez Worth Rostering For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Carson Hocevar22 hours ago

Provides Plenty Of Risk For DFS Lineups At COTA
Ryan Blaney22 hours ago

Is A Great DFS Play With Upside For COTA
Chase Briscoe22 hours ago

Is A Solid All-Around Driver Worth It For COTA DFS Lineups
Deebo Samuel Sr.1 day ago

Commanders Acquire Deebo Samuel Sr.
Jason Zucker1 day ago

Remains Out Saturday
Josh Norris1 day ago

Shane Pinto Available Saturday
Brad Marchand1 day ago

Suffers An Upper-Body Injury
Roman Josi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Darnell Nurse1 day ago

Remains Sidelined Saturday
Ryan Lindgren1 day ago

Traded To Colorado
Gustav Nyquist1 day ago

Wild Acquire Gustav Nyquist From Nashville
New Orleans Saints2 days ago

Cameron Jordan A Cut Candidate?
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Panthers Interested In Giving Jaycee Horn An Extension
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

Titans Plan To Meet With Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders
Las Vegas Raiders2 days ago

Raiders Want A No. 1 Wide Receiver
Zamir White2 days ago

Could Be Available Via Trade
Mackenzie Blackwood2 days ago

Earns Victory On Friday
Ross Colton2 days ago

Tallies Three Points In Victory
MMA3 days ago

Asu Almbayev Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Manel Kape3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Julian Marquez3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Cody Brundage3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Esteban Ribovics3 days ago

Looks For His Fourth UFC Win
Nasrat Haqparast3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 103
William Gomis3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 103
Hyder Amil3 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Sam Patterson3 days ago

Opens Up UFC Vegas 103 Main Card
Danny Barlow3 days ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak
Emiliano Grillo4 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of Cognizant Classic
Sam Ryder4 days ago

A Course Horse For PGA National
Matt Kuchar4 days ago

An Intriguing Option At Cognizant Classic
Cameron Young5 days ago

A High-Risk, High-Reward Play At PGA National
Taylor Pendrith5 days ago

Is An Enticing Play At Cognizant Classic
Gary Woodland5 days ago

Aiming For Bounce-Back Performance At PGA National
PGA5 days ago

Kris Ventura A Value Pick At The Cognizant Classic
PGA5 days ago

Niklas Norgaard Making Third PGA Tour Start At Cognizant Classic
Erik Van Rooyen5 days ago

Looking For Sustained Success At PGA National
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back In Cognizant Classic Debut
Seamus Power5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At PGA National
Andrew Novak5 days ago

Searching For Consistency At PGA National
Denny McCarthy5 days ago

Eyeing First Career Victory At PGA National
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

Aims To Keep The Momentum Going At PGA National
Chris Kirk5 days ago

A Wild Card At PGA National
Mark Hubbard5 days ago

Trending In The Wrong Direction Ahead Of Cognizant Classic
Alex Smalley5 days ago

Continues To Impress Ahead Of The Cognizant Classic
Taylor Moore5 days ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To Cognizant Classic
Justin Lower5 days ago

Misses Cut At Mexico Open
Max Greyserman5 days ago

Hitting Stride Heading To Cognizant Classic
Jake Knapp5 days ago

Posts Solid Finish At Mexico Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Jameson Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Five Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets - Fourth-Year Players To Buy

The offseason is critical for dynasty fantasy football managers wanting to shake up their rosters. Whether you're trying to improve one position or want to rebuild your entire team, making the right trades now can set you up for success in future years. Dynasty leagues reward those who are ahead of the curve. One of […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Biggest Fantasy Football Surprises of 2024: TE

Usually, you know what you're getting at tight end. Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews finish top three at the position in fantasy football. Young guys struggle to get going. Jonnu Smith fails to live up to the hype that I've personally had for him for years now. None of those things happened in 2024, though. […]


Jerry Jeudy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Biggest Fantasy Football Surprises of 2024: WR

The 2024 NFL season was full of surprises, from expected playoff teams like the Cowboys and 49ers faltering during the regular season to unexpected players breaking out. While the top three wide receivers in fantasy scoring weren't a surprise to anyone (Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown), some of the names that followed […]


Tyler Allgeier - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Backup Running Back Rankings For Dynasty Leagues

Ah, the backup running backs. Fantasy football managers hold them all season in the hopes that, for at least one week, they have a fantasy starter. Not all backup running backs are created equal. The top-end runners technically don't start but see an equal share of touches. There are the high-value handcuffs, the running backs […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Every AFC Team's Most Undervalued Dynasty Fantasy Football Player

Dynasty fantasy football is a growing game. What started as a thing for hardcore players has become a format casual players enjoy, too. While everyone enjoys making a blockbuster trade, moving multiple superstar players and draft picks, that’s not how you win your dynasty fantasy league. Instead, the league-winning moves are the ones for undervalued […]


Tyler Warren - NFL Draft Prospect, Fantasy Football Dynasty Rookie Rankings

2025 NFL Rookie Dynasty Mock Draft: Top Picks for 12-Team Fantasy Football TE Premium Leagues

With the Super Bowl behind us, all football fans’ attention has turned to the upcoming offseason. The 2025 NFL Draft is full of potential future fantasy football superstars, primarily at the running back position.  While there are many different formats to play dynasty fantasy football in, one of the trendy formats is tight-end premium. This […]


Travis Etienne Jr. fantasy football rankings draft sleepers running backs

Top Running Back Breakout Candidates for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts: RB1 Projections & Outlooks

There's plenty of change in the 12 players that finish the season as "RB1s" every season. It makes sense because running back is a position that depends heavily on factors out of the control of the back in question, such as offensive line play, being traded to other teams, injuries, and the like. The injury […]


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top 5 Players to Trade Away in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues – Best Sell-High Targets (2025)

Sometimes it's just time to move on from certain fantasy football players -- though they may still have some good years ahead of them, there may be red flags that could impede their production in the future, cause them to lose part of their roles in their offenses, or simply fall off for other reasons. […]


Dylan Sampson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Dynasty, Rookie Prospects

Overvalued & Undervalued Fantasy Football Rookie Running Backs to Target & Avoid (2025)

Don’t look now but the 2025 NFL Draft is only two months away. It’s always one of the most exciting parts of the offseason as we get to watch the stars of tomorrow hear their names called in front of millions of fans. For dynasty gamers, rookie draft season is arguably the most fun part […]


Christian McCaffrey - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Top Fantasy Football Busts from Last Year to Target in Early 2025 Best Ball Drafts

Sometimes it's not an NFL player's fault if they have a bad season. It's hard to blame them for getting injuries, and though some are more injury-prone than others, even stalwarts like Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry sometimes get hurt and have to miss serious time. There are other situations players can get in […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Fantasy Football RB Breakouts from Last Season: 2025 Must-Draft Running Backs Who Dominated

The running back landscape has certainly changed in recent years due to all the injuries at the position. After running backs dominated the first round of fantasy football drafts in the 2010s, only five running backs went in the first round of drafts last summer.  Although three of those running backs (Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: 2025 Fantasy Football Consistency Guide with Bob Lung & Expo Insights

Michael F. Florio is joined by Bob Lung to discuss the Fantasy Football Expo! The two discuss why it is so much fun and what is new for 2025! They then discuss Bob's consistency guide and the importance of consistent results week-to-week in fantasy football. Is DK Metcalf too inconsistent to trust? What about Joe […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Draft Sleepers: Must-Target RBs in 2025

This is a deep, deep running back class. Consensus rookie rankings have five of them as 1st-rounders: Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson, Treveyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins. But every class has underrated prospects. That's especially important in classes that are stacked at one position.  The deeper they are, the more likely they are to be sleepers. […]