Early 2020 Sleepers: Wide Receiver

April 23, 2020

Dominick Petrillo identifies fantasy football sleepers at the wide receiver position to target in 2020.

The rookie class is great for receivers in 2020. At least this is what we have been told. Until we can see them in action, I will hold judgment. It was only a few years ago when the same was said for Corey Coleman, Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson. So, color me skeptical until it is proven. One thing for certain is there are some players already in the league who will go overlooked in drafts until very late.

Of course, not all of these will work out as well as a DeVante Parker in 2019. Nonetheless, they will still have value of some sort. Whether this is as a WR3 or possibly a WR2 for fantasy purposes.

Getting one or more of these players late in drafts is the key to a successful season. Everyone knows, or thinks they know, the top players at every position. It is important to find the hidden gems to get the edge and hopefully win a championship. So, let’s look at some players who might just be that diamond in the rough. As with all of these early-season predictions, Free agency and the draft will have a major impact on these and all other players.

Robby Anderson (WR, CAR)

Anderson landed with the Carolina Panthers on a two-year, $20 million deal. He'll be paired with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who doesn't have a great deep ball, but he's accurate. Look for Anderson's career average of 14.8 yards per catch to come down a bit, but he could test his 63-catch career high.

In 16 games in 2019 with a litany of bad quarterbacks due to Sam Darnold contracting mono, Anderson compiled totals of 52 catches for 779 yards and five touchdowns. On an offense run by Adam Gase, and with one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, these numbers were respectable.

Until 2019, Anderson was never over 90 percent in snap rate while on the Jets. In fact, he had never been higher than 78 percent for his career before this past season. Going back to 75 percent to 80 percent could be good for him. As a big 6-foot-3 downfield receiving threat, he will stretch the field. To be able to draft him in the double-digit rounds of fantasy drafts and get the production you can expect from him? This is the type of move you find on many championship-winning rosters.

Cole Beasley (WR, BUF)

The addition of Stefon Diggs is great for Buffalo. It is great for Josh Allen in general. Any time you can add top route runner in the NFL, things can only get better for the offense.

Beasley, in 2019 finished with 67 receptions for 778 yards and six touchdowns as the slot receiver in Buffalo. At 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, there is no chance of him moving outside to be a downfield threat or anything more than what he is. This means he will again be the slot receiver in 2020. He could again have 106 targets in this offense, and his underneath routes will open things up downfield for Diggs. They are still a run-first offense.  With John Brown and Diggs stretching the field, Beasley could turn into Allen’s version of Julian Edelman or Wes Welker.

After the good season Brown had in 2019 and the addition of Diggs, Beasley is going to be the forgotten man when it comes to drafts. But it is quite possible, he is the highest fantasy finisher at season's end. So, don’t sleep on him too long. You might just miss out on a WR2 for fantasy if you do.

Diontae Johnson (WR, PIT)

We saw last season the Steelers need more than one receiver to be successful. Of course, they also need Ben Roethlisberger.

JuJu Smith-Schuster cannot do it alone, and James Washington has been disappointing up to this point in his career. This leaves the third-round pick in last year’s draft in Johnson.

We have yet to be able to see what Johnson can do with Big Ben. After a rookie season in which he managed to play in all 16 games and come down with 59 catches and five TDs, the possibilities look bright. Looking back just two seasons, with a healthy Roethlisberger behind center, Washington was only able to manage 16 catches. Of course, he also had to deal with Antonio Brown. Even last season, in the same situation as Johnson, Washington managed 44 receptions. Johnson was clearly the No. 2 target in the offense. With another offseason to get acclimated he will solidify himself in this role for 2020.

Although this season will be far different than any we have ever seen. Both in the NFL and otherwise, this is the time we really need to look to last season for guidance. Johnson broke out in his rookie season, with the offseason practices in limbo, it is clear, Johnson has the inside track to be the man behind Juju for Big Ben as he comes back for another season. If you are having best-ball drafts now, Johnson is a player to grab late in all of them. If you are waiting for your fantasy drafts in August, his name is likely to get some buzz and you will need to draft him a bit higher. He will still be worth a ninth-round pick as he has the ability to finish as a WR3 or maybe a low-end WR2 in this offense.

Hunter Renfrow (WR, LVR)

Renfrow had a quietly good rookie season in 2019. He was able to connect with Derek Carr to the tune of 49 receptions, 605 yards and four touchdowns in only 13 games. The offense did not do much to add in this offseason. Yes, this includes adding Nelson Agholor from Philadelphia. The core group coming back is the same mismatched crew that was there last season. Led by Tyrell Williams, Zay Jones and Darren Waller, there is no real challenger to Renfrow taking a step forward.

Neither Marcus Mariota nor Carr is known for chucking the ball downfield. Both would rather dump it down and live to play another day. This makes a player like Renfrow, who is a possession receiver, much more valuable. Much like Cole Beasley in Buffalo and the newly signed Emmanuel Sanders in New Orleans.

Renfrow is not someone who will threaten top-12 status in fantasy football scoring. What he is, though, is a player likely to outproduce his draft position by quite a wide margin. Whether this means ending as a WR3 or WR4 is to be determined. But as a player you can grab as the last positional player in your draft, either of these outcomes is a great return on investment for you.

Not everyone can grab DeAndre Hopkins or Michael Thomas. But everyone can take a chance on a late-round pick like Renfrow. A player who, if he hits, changes a fantasy football team.

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