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

Wide Receiver Draft Targets - Slot Receivers

CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Targets, NFL Injury News

Antonio Losada dives head-first into slot receiving data to find the wide receiver position's best sleepers and WR ADP values for 2021 fantasy football drafts.

Plunging into the world of football analytics is without question the best way to find fantasy sleepers for the coming season. Especially in the case of wide receivers, where how they are lining up on the field has a direct correlation with production.

Slot receivers don't quite offer the boom-upside an outside receiver will deliver (typically). What they do excel at is running high percentage routes and catching passes in traffic. Many of the game's best slot receivers are often regarded as some of the best and most undervalued options in PPR formats.

In this column, I will try to find the position's best sleepers based on the team's tendency to target the slot, the player's slot volume, and the current situation the team is in. Average Draft Position will play a role as well, considering where these players can be had in most fantasy drafts as we get closer to the start of the 2021 campaign.

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills

I am not unveiling anything with this pick. Beasley has been a slot stud for years now, and somehow he keeps being underrated by fantasy GMs on a yearly basis. Some things, one just never understands. Only two players broke the 90% barrier when it came to the percentage of plays starting off the slot position in 2020: Beasley and still-unsigned Danny Amendola. Beasley, though, did it 620 total times compared to Amendola's 413, quite a jump.

Beasley's stats are obviously those related to someone playing the slot so often. His aDOT of 7.9 yards ranked inside the 13th percentile among WRs with at least 500 snaps last year, but the truth is that he did the most out of his opportunities with a monster 2.1 Yards/Route Run (82nd percentile), 3.3 YAC/Target (72nd percentile), and 81.2% Contested Catch Rate.

Beasley will have to share the field with Stefon Diggs and Emmanuel Sanders this upcoming season, but that shouldn't take a lot of targets from him given that Sanders is just replacing John Brown in Buffalo's offense. PFF has Beasley projected to a healthy 198+ PPR points over the 2021 season for a WR34 finish when all is said and done. Beasley's ADP, though, is  138th overall and WR49 at the time of this writing, which makes little sense and is, once more, every year's history with Beasley. Take advantage and reap the rewards.

 

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers

Contrasting stories those told by counting and rate stats about JuJu's 2020 season. While Smith-Schuster ran the most slot routes last year (750) without anyone getting even remotely close to his tally (Greg Ward ranked second with "only" 695 such routes), the truth is that Pittsburgh used JuJu a little bit more around the field through the year: only 81% of JSS's total routes came from the slot position.

So, does this mean JuJu is a slot receiver or an outside threat? None, and both. But we can pretty much consider JSS a slot wide receiver these days with the likes of Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and James Washington crowding the sidelines. For all of the critics that JuJu had to endure last season, you wouldn't think he was fantastic while manning the slot, finishing as the WR16 in PPR-format leagues last season.

JuJu was the lone top-16 wide receiver with a slot rate above 72%, and one of only two players (CeeDee Lamb) to finish as WR2 while having that rate of plays off the slot. JSS numbers were even more skewed than those of Beasley. Just check the image above and see for yourself: lowest aDOT among all filtered WRs and fourth-lowest Completed AY/Target. But same as Beasley, he boasted a masterful 6.1 Rec/G, catching almost 54% of the contested passes he had to fight for.

The PFF projection talks of JuJu as a 190+ PPR points player for the 2021 campaign, which would translate to a WR39 finish. If I'm honest, that feels super low to me, even more with JuJu playing to excellent levels in 2020 and now sharing the field with the same teammates and rookie Najee Harris at the RB position--yes, keeping defenses honest is a real thing that matters and helps wide receivers in pass plays. With an ADP of WR30 and 85th overall, that feels like the right price to pay for a more than capable WR2, if you ask me.

 

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Lamb logged the seventh-most plays off the slot in 2020 and he was second only to Greg Ward (695 and 88%) when pairing his total slot routes (633) and slot rate (87%). All Lamb needed to hit the ground running was, well, nothing. Nothing, as Lamb put on such a great season as a rookie, without Dak Prescott available for most of the year. Talk about looking good going forward.

Among wide receivers with at least 700 plays on the year, Lamb ranked tied-last (Cooper Kupp) in outside plays with just 63 (9% of his total plays). He's a pure slot receiver, full stop. In fact, Lamb (along with Ward) is one of only two players to close 2020 with an outside-slot and tight-end-slot rates both below 10%. All other receivers in the NFL part of that 700+ plays group logged double digits in at least one of those two position rates.

Lamb will benefit from Prescott's comeback in 2021 and is part of a freaking loaded offense that also features a top-five rusher in Ezekiel Elliott. PFF is bullish on Lamb's sophomore-season upside and projects him to a great WR23 finish next year with 221+ PPR points at his reach. The ADP, though, is sky-high at WR13 and 48th overall. Not too crazy, I know, but for a slot receiver, that's perhaps too much given the safe-but-not-booming upside this type of player comes attached to.

 

Honorable Mentions

Greg Ward, Philadelphia Eagles

Ward has been mentioned multiple times throughout the article. Makes sense, considering he was the only man to reach an 88% slot rate last season--while being part of 791 offensive plays, on top of that. Ward could only finish 2020 as the 58th-best PPR wideout, but that doesn't look that bad if you consider he had to endure washed-up QB play from Carson Wentz for a long while. Ward projects to an even lower WR108 finish in 2021 as PFF sees it, though his super-low WR141 (318th overall) ADP makes him a true under-the-radar value to draft late in all leagues.

Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cole's price at the time of this writing is pretty close to that of Ward. Cole's ADP sits at 276th overall and WR117 while projecting to a WR114 finish. That's mostly because PFF has Cole as the WR4 of the Jets (32 targets) for the upcoming season. We have yet to know if that'll be the case, though, as Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore will need to prove their worth above Cole. Perhaps the thing hurting Cole's upside the most is the presence of Jamison Crowder--himself a slot stud--in the offense, which might cut Cole's chances to become relevant in New York at least in 2021.

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals' receiving corps is loaded, but that also means they could turn into a weekly fantasy headache for those betting on any of its pieces. Boyd was the no. 2 receiver of the squad in 2020 in terms of fantasy points, but he fell just two FP short of Tee Higgins' tally (192.6 PPR points to 194.6) while both ranked inside the top-30 WRs of the season in such format. Boyd will now face stiffer competition with the Bengals adding rookie Ja'Marr Chase to the fold, though he should retain his role as the prime slot man for Cincy (Higgins was second but only started 53% of his routes from the slot compared to Boyd's 82%). PFF projects Boyd to a WR35 finish, which would rank below his teammates' projections. Boyd's ADP of WR35 and 99th overall, though, has him as a true value with upside to become a late-round steal in most drafts if he is targeted often by a returning Joe Burrow next season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Draft Sleepers and Values




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

José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Toronto Raptors

Sandro Mamukelashvili Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Riley Greene

Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Wednesday
Max Muncy

Exits With Apparent Knee Injury
Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF