At the end of the 2015 season I decided to clear some of the roster cloggers and extra defenses off the end of my roster to get a head start on my 2016 season.  I scanned the waiver wire and made a few one dollar bids, essentially a lottery ticket, on a couple of players whose situation might improve in 2016. 

I set my sights on a wide receiver going into his fourth year, who had a total of nine career targets.  I would be rewarded in 2016 with 140 targets, 77 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards by none other than Terrelle Pryor.  For a one dollar lottery ticket, I received the 19^th best wide receiver on the season.  Below I have identified a few other receivers whose June Dynasty ADP is below 200 who you might want to invest a one dollar waiver pick on or grab as your Mr. Irrelevant, i.e. final pick, in startup drafts.  The goal here is to identify late round players whose opportunity has changed in 2018 and can potentially contribute to your roster as bye week flex play.

Amara Darboh, Seattle Seahawks, June ADP 231

Darboh did not show much in his rookie year in Seattle, while he played in all 16 games, he only received 13 targets.  There are several factors working in Darboh’s favor though, the first is there is a clearer path for him to get more opportunities.   With Paul Richardson and Jimmy Graham no longer on the Seattle roster there are 176 targets and 101 catches unaccounted for on the Seattle Offense.  The competition for these extra targets comes from Tyler Lockett who had 45 catches in 2017, and 34-year-old Brandon Marshall who crashed and burned after only 5 games with the Giants last year.  Lockett has flashed but hasn’t lived up to his potential and Marshall looks to be on his last legs.  The hope is that the 2017 third rounder can leverage his one year in the system to beat out Marshall and overtake Lockett to grab a good chunk of those open targets and fill the Richardson vacancy.

 

John Brown, Baltimore Ravens, June ADP 218

John “Smokey” Brown’s change of scenery in 2018 might be just the thing to boost his career.  Brown carries the sickle cell trait, which can present complications at higher altitudes, so a move from Arizona to Baltimore’s lower elevation should be a more comfortable spot for him in 2018.  Brown has also recovered from a cyst on his spine and declared himself as healthy.  Prior to the 2017 season, Brown’s resume includes a 1,000 yard season, something he was able to achieve against stiff competition in Larry Fitzgerald (1200+ yards) and Michael Floyd (800+ yards, when he was good), so we know he has the talent to succeed in an offense when he isn’t the top option.  He is also a burner, clocked at the combine at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, which has contributed to his 14.5 yards per catch career average.  Baltimore’s wide receiving corps has almost completely turned over since 2017, with the Ravens adding Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead, so there is competition at the wide receiver spot.  As mentioned though, Brown has shown he can succeed amongst a crowd of talented receivers. 

Leonte Carroo, Miami Dolphins, June ADP Undrafted

There is a reason why Carroo is going undrafted in dynasty drafts.  He has disappointed since being a third-round pick in 2016.  The team has shown they are disappointed by importing Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola in the offseason.  I am not worried about Amendola, he excels as the fourth receiver.  Wilson similarly disappointed in Kansas City, but his large contract may force opportunities his way.  In Carroo’s favor is that Ryan Tannehill is finally healthy and that someone need to take the 161 targets that Jarvis Landry left behind when he moved on to Cleveland.  Carroo’s may benefit over his competition by being in his third year of Miami’s offense.  Carroo may have longer odds than Darboh and Brown above, but the Miami offense has an opening and someone will take advantage of it.

 

Those three receivers are ones I am definitely keeping my eye on as my drafts wind up or as waiver adds in the summer, but I have identified a few others I’m keeping my eye on as well.

Taylor Gabriel, Chicago Bears June ADP 236

Jermaine Kearse, New York Jets June ADP 269

Gabriel and Kearse have a history of some production and are on teams where the second and third wide receiving options are yet to be determined.  Drafting lottery tickets like these can make your Mr. Irrelevant, relevant.

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