2010 Fantasy Football Impact Rookies: Wide Receivers

Rookie Running Backs | Rookie Wide Receivers

Positional Rankings:
QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF

Dez Bryant (Dallas) – ADP: 7th Round, 31st WR

Out of all the top-tier prospects in the draft, Dez Bryant is the player that benefited the most by being selected to a team that is ready to win now. But besides the fact his team is a legitimate contender, they have an offense that likes to spread the ball to all of its playmakers, instantly putting Bryant in a situation to succeed. Tony Romo is excellent at extending plays long enough for his receivers to get open. And with Bryant’s superior size, speed, and instincts, this quarterback/receiver combination looks to be a match made in heaven. If there is one drawback to drafting Dez Bryant, however, it is the fact that he suffered a high ankle sprain at the beginning of training camp and will have missed a significant amount of practices and preseason games by the time he takes to the field. But considering Jerry Jones traded up in the draft for the singular purpose of selecting Bryant, playing time shouldn’t be an issue. All things considered, it’s safe to target Bryant in the sixth or seventh round as a solid WR3 with some potential upside.
2010 Projection: 69 rec-776 yards-7 TD

Mike Williams (Tampa Bay) – ADP: 12th Round, 54th WR

Williams, the fourth-round pick of the Buccaneers, is a 6-foot-2 220-pound physically imposing wide receiver out of Syracuse. Although his raw talent was considered among the top-5 at his position in the draft, Williams was overlooked by many teams due to multiple off-field issues that caused him to miss the entire 2008 season and part of 2009. However, Williams’ reputation starts anew with a blank slate now that he is in the NFL. And the Bucs have shown little apprehension in his character, as they currently have Williams listed first on their depth chart at wide receiver. In terms of his impact on the field, Williams is a desirable target for a young quarterback like Josh Freeman to have at his disposal. If Williams can earn the trust and respect of Freeman, there is a good chance he could end up being the most heavily targeted player on the team. Considering Williams is currently being drafted in the last couple of rounds in standard 12-team formats, you can get him for an enormous bargain relative to what he could end up being worth.
2010 Projection: 70 rec-807 yards-6 TD

Arrelious Benn (Tampa Bay) – ADP: 14th Round, 75th WR

Arrelious Benn was selected in the second round, two rounds before Mike Williams, yet has been surpassed by Williams on the depth chart. Benn is developing at a slower rate than expected, a fact that could limit his playing time in the regular season. His crisp route running and confident hands from college haven’t translated well to his first NFL training camp, resulting in less repetitions with the first-team offense, and consequently, not allowing him to establish a connection with Josh Freeman. Therefore, unless Benn is eventually able to establish his presence on the field, he won’t get enough playing time to merit much value.
2010 Projection: 36 rec-389 yards-2 TD

Demaryius Thomas (Denver) – ADP: 10th Round, 46th WR

Along with Dez Bryant, Thomas was the other receiver to be selected in the first round of the draft. However, unlike Bryant, who was taken by a team that has the complements to turn him into an immediate star, Thomas is stuck on a team that has an average passing game at best. Kyle Orton doesn’t possess the strongest arm in the world, and his downfield attempts may diminish due to lack of time in the pocket in 2010. The Broncos lost center Casey Wiegmann and guard Ben Hamilton to free agency in the offseason, two linemen who have combined for 56 starts over the past two seasons. In addition to the lack of explosiveness from the offense, Thomas will be limited by his uninspiring role. Currently, Thomas is penciled in at the slot, sitting behind Brandon Lloyd and Eddie Royal on Denver’s depth chart. Until Thomas is able to leapfrog Royal and/or Lloyd, he will provide little value. Thomas is only worth drafting very late in 12-team leagues, as he might be worth a spot start or two during the season, but there is little upside other than that.
2010 Projection: 53 rec-492 yards-4 TD

Golden Tate (Seattle) – ADP: 11th Round, 48th WR

Jimmy Clausen’s college running mate is another example, similar to Demaryius Thomas, of a talented receiver that has ended up in an unfavorable situation. The Seahawks’ personnel doesn’t allow for an abundance of downfield opportunities. If Tate hopes to make a mark in his rookie season, he must hone his possession skills, of which he has proven competent at in college. But Tate has some hurdling to do on the depth chart before he can even think of replicating the numbers he put up in college. He is currently battling with Mike Williams and Deion Branch for playing time. Hence, Tate probably isn’t worth drafting in a 12-team league, but his status should be monitored during the season.
2010 Projection: 48 rec-467 yards-3 TD

Brandon LaFell (Carolina) – ADP: Undrafted

LaFell is more of a speculative sleeper at this point, but his situation isn’t any worse off than Arrelious Benn’s, Golden Tate’s, or Demaryius Thomas’. LaFell’s only competition to be the starter alongside Steve Smith is the historically incompetent Dwayne Jarrett. If Jarrett continues with his miserable performance and LaFell continues to impress his coaches in training camp, he could easily become the starter by opening day. One hindrance that he would face, though, is that Matt Moore isn’t a reliable distributor of the ball. Whether Moore remains the quarterback, or even if rookie Jimmy Clausen takes over, Steve Smith will likely be the only receiver of worth on Carolina. But keep an eye on LaFell in case of injuries and such.
2010 Projection: 57 rec-631 yards-5 TD