Unearthing hidden gems is an exercise every fantasy footballer aspires to. With pickaxe in hand, I dig deep in an attempt to discover truly shocking outcomes. Below is a list of wide receivers available after pick No. 100 in PPR drafts who could greatly exceed expectations this fall.
De’Zhaun Stribling, SF (WR44, 111.7 ADP)
The buzz surrounding “The DeStribulator” is absolutely warranted. Draft him, and he’s destined to jumpstart your season.
With Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel on the wrong side of age 30, along with George Kittle’s presumed post-Achilles ramp up, the rookie sensation possesses a favorable target-share path. His combined 11 receptions for 109 yards in a pair of preseason games is merely an appetizer. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows recently declared that the youngster is “going to have a major role,” which only backs the belief.
Stribling’s outstanding versatility, expansive route tree and after-catch strength are truly eye opening. Unsurprisingly, head coach Kyle Shanahan and QB Brock Purdy have repeatedly gushed about him. The positive vibes are infectious.
Stribling is currently dealing with a dinged wing, but the hype train keeps on chugging. Buy a ticket as early as Round 8 in 12-team exercises. I’m a firm believer he sets the pace in receptions and receiving yards for the Niners this year.
Strike it rich.
Matthew Golden, GB (WR48, 121.1)
In his second season, Golden could be the Fort Knox of fantasy. Snag him at his very affordable price and dollar bills could rain down.
Green Bay’s speedster reportedly is locked in opposite Christian Watson in 12 personnel packages. For those that don’t speak formation language, that means his 53.6% snap percentage and 11.6% percent target share from his rookie season are expected to climb — significantly.
Last fall, Golden and QB Jordan Love simply couldn’t get on the same page in the regular season. Frankly, the quarterback’s consistent overthrows of a wideout with 4.29 40-yard speed was downright perplexing. Golden impressively ranked No. 9 in average separation yards per target. Unquestionably, he has the wheels to steadily generate breathing room from defensive back assignments.
If Love-to-Golden downfield connections regularly occur, the sophomore wideout has reasonable odds of leading the Pack in yards and receptions. Keep in mind, Watson’s hamstrings are held together with duct tape and Bubblicious. With Jayden Reed operating almost exclusively out of the slot and Tucker Kraft working his way back from a major knee injury, it only supports the Golden breakout argument.
Opportunity knocks. This confident buyer simply can’t grab enough Golden tickets at his 100+ ADP.
KC Concepcion, CLE (WR46, 122.7)
The under-center situation in Cleveland is an annual unmitigated disaster, but no matter which QB most often chucks wobbly passes in the rookie’s general direction, Concepcion should prove fantasy useful.
In the early season, Concepcion could become a short-field favorite for Deshaun Watson. The once air-yards-heavy QB has morphed into a T. rex-armed passer, but HC Todd Monken’s likely out-of-the-box deployment of the first-round pick could boost the WR’s output. As witnessed during the preseason, the greenhorn has lined up in the slot, outside and even in the backfield. His work on special teams only adds value in return-yardage leagues.
Given Watson’s affinity for short throws, Concepcion could be a point of emphasis from the regular season’s jump. A YAC and contested-catch beast who averaged a hefty 15.1 yards per reception last season at Texas A&M, he’s a potential WR3.
Understandably, rostering any Browns receiver may undesirable, but the presumed hybrid Z should tally meaningful action. With the third-easiest projected fantasy WR strength of schedule, he’s entirely capable of netting close to 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards with four or five scores.
Yep, he’s a quality bench player, even in shallower leagues.
Cyrus Allen, KC (WR63, 164.5)
Skyy Moore, the sequel? Willing investors pray it isn’t a painful recurrence.
Unlike the colossal KC bust of yesteryear, Allen owns the traits required to carve out a measurable role in the short-to-intermediate game. The Cincinnati Bearcats standout is a slippery snake who typically slithers underneath. As his suppressed 0.66 yards per route run in two preseason contests denotes, pass targets beyond 20 yards to Allen will likely be rare. However, similar to teammate Rashee Rice, Allen could stack the YAC.
Allen’s off-the-line burst, contested catch wins and route sharpness are admirable traits. His quick twitch in the open field could also lead to the occasional chunk gain. With Travis Kelce aging, and unproven competition outside of Rice around him, Allen could quickly become Patrick Mahomes’ flavor of choice — especially on third downs. His 5.5 YAC per receptions and 116.6 passer rating when targeted last season with the Bearcats were appreciable.
Considering the question marks surrounding Rice’s knee and due to Xavier Worthy’s general unreliability, Allen is certainly interesting. If everything clicks, there’s a world where he catches upwards of 60-65 passes his rookie season.
Take a shot. Shooters shoot, after all — and Allen is quite affordable.
Pat Bryant, DEN (WR76, 169.7)
Admittedly, this is chasing green on the roulette wheel several beverages in at roughly 2:07 a.m., but the late-round gamble could pay off.
Bryant was all the talk of Broncos training camp — from beat writers to Broncos head coach Sean Payton to team defensive coordinator Vance. He repeatedly made plays in a variety of situations, showcasing extended route tree branches, road grating in the ground game and flashing highly reliable hands. Joseph recently called him the “complete package.”
Jaylen Waddle is the unrivaled WR1 and Courtland Sutton is the listed WR2, but the blossoming Bryant could eventually command 15-18% of the target share. Don’t bypass him simply due to last season’s unsexy numbers.
Bryant’s drumbeat is building, and once the regular season gets underway, it could reach an “In the Air Tonight” crescendo. Cup your ear and listen, gamer.
Flex-worthy production in 12-teamers could become routine.