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

Biggest Surprises of 2016 - Wide Receivers

We study. We plan. We scour the web.

Before any fantasy football season starts, we do everything we can to make our best predictions. Despite our best efforts, we're often surprised by what actually happens.

Let's take a look at some of the more surprising wide receiver performances of 2016. Understanding what happened will help our preparation for the 2017 season.

 

Biggest Surprises of 2016: Wide Receivers

Tyrell Williams, San Diego Chargers

Preseason ADP Rank: N/A
PPR Positional Finish: 18

An injury to Keenan Allen helped Williams get his opportunity, but he certainly did well with it. In fact, he was the Chargers top WR. He led all San Diego WRs in targets, and on a per-game basis out-targeted Travis Benjamin in 12 games, and Dontrelle Inman in 10. Keenan Allen will be back in 2017, so Williams probably won't lead the team in targets again. But Inman is a free agent, and Steve Johnson probably won't return either. Williams should still be able to get around 100 targets, and I like his chances to repeat as a WR2.

Pierre Garcon, Washington

Preseason ADP Rank: N/A
PPR Positional Finish: 22

Garcon got no love from drafters, but turned in a top-24 season. That's surprising, but maybe it shouldn't be. His 201 PPR points are less than a point per game more than the 186 he posted in 2015. He's been a consistent performer throughout his career.

Season Team G Target Tar/G FPts/G
2009 IND 15 92 6.13 9.9
2010 IND 14 118 8.43 13
2011 IND 16 134 8.38 12.7
2012 WAS 10 67 6.70 13.2
2013 WAS 16 184 11.50 17.5
2014 WAS 16 105 6.56 10.1
2015 WAS 16 111 6.94 11.6
2016 WAS 16 114 7.13 12.6
AVG: 14.9 115.6 7.7 12.6

In fact, 2016 was a very average performance for Garcon. Unfortunately, he's a free agent, and we don't know where he'll be playing in 2017. Washington was seventh in the league in pass attempts last year, so there's a good chance he ends up on a team that passes much less frequently. Still, I like him to perform similarly on a per-target basis, so keep an eye on where he ends up. A similar workload should yield similar results, which is just fine as a WR3 in PPR.

 

Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

Preseason ADP Rank: N/A
PPR Positional Finish: 29

Another player that was off the radar before the season began, his role came about because Laquon Treadwell, Cordarelle Patterson, and Charles Johnson all failed to produce. That's one of the reasons I think Thielen is a risky bet to turn in a similar performance next year. First, Thielen's role is at risk. The Vikings will try hard to get Treadwell more involved. Patterson and Johnson are both free agents, but they could return or be replaced by another free agent or draft pick. Second, Thielen is at risk for a decline in efficiency. Only three WRs in the top 50 had fewer targets than Thielen's 92 (DeVante Parker 88, Kenny Stills 81, Tyreek Hill 83). In fact, for all WRs with 75 or more targets, Thielen was the most efficient at producing fantasy points above expectations on a per-target basis. Efficiency is not very consistent from year to year, so expect his to decline. I think he's worth a hold in deeper dynasty leagues, but I'm very cautious about his redraft outlook.

 

Cameron Meredith, Chicago Bears

Preseason ADP Rank: N/A
PPR Positional Finish: 39

Meredith is another player who took advantage of an unexpected opportunity. He's also likely to remain inexpensive. As things stand right now, we've got no idea who Chicago's quarterback will be in 2017. Combine that with their terrible team performance in 2016, and I think a lot of drafters will stay away from Meredith. But I think he's got a decent shot at a repeat performance. Whoever the Bears QB ends up being, he probably won't be worse than the combination of QBs they trotted out last year. I'm also assuming that Alshon Jeffery leaves in free agency. If he returns, then Meredith's upside is definitely limited. But if Jeffery departs, that leaves just the oft-injured Kevin White as a major competitor for targets. Meredith should be able to easily earn WR2 targets, and has a shot at WR1 targets if White disappoints.

 

Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams

Preseason ADP Rank: 53
PPR Positional Finish: 26

It seems like forever ago that Britt was a promising young WR. He really hadn't done much since his 2012 injury-shortened season. But in 2016 he set career highs for targets, receptions, and yards. While playing for the Rams. And catching passes from Case Keenum and Jared Goff. Britt is a free agent, so his landing spot will be important. Unlike Garcon however, Britt is likely to end up in a better situation. The Rams were just 27th in pass attempts, so wherever Britt goes, it's likely going to be a team that passes more often. Britt doesn't have Garcon's record of being consistently good. But I like his chances to produce a similar season. He's someone I'm holding in dynasty leagues, and I'll be monitoring his redraft ADP closely.

 

Cole Beasley, Dallas Cowboys

Preseason ADP Rank: 56
PPR Positional Finish: 32

I think Beasley is a great candidate to produce a similar or even better season in 2017. Hear me out. Terrance Williams and Brice Butler are free agents, and given Dallas lack of cap space, neither is likely to return. Dez Bryant has missed multiple games two years running, and has averaged under four catchers per game in consecutive seasons. Beasley will never be as good as Bryant. But I do think he's basically locked in as the Cowboys WR2, with some upside for more targets thanks to the likely loss of Williams, and if Bryant fails to stay healthy. In PPR leagues, Beasley should be a valuable commodity next year.


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




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

James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Evan Carter

Leaves Early With Wrist Soreness
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
A.J. Puk

Pauses Throwing Program
Matt Chapman

Can Begin Rehabbing in a Week
Logan Gilbert

Next Start Could Come in the Big Leagues
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Yordan Alvarez

Still Not Hitting
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Jacob Wilson

Returns on Friday
Justin Martinez

Out 12-13 Months With UCL Sprain
Will Johnson

Returns to Practice
Harold Fannin Jr.

Could Have Big Role in Rookie Season
Matt Chapman

Could Miss the Rest of June
Quentin Johnston

Still Running With Starters
Rashawn Slater

Takes Part in Minicamp
Jack Bech

Mostly Working With Second-Team Offense
Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Makes Strides This Offseason
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Ashton Jeanty

to be Part of Committee Backfield?
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Christian McCaffrey

Takes Part in Mandatory Minicamp
Jordan Watkins

has Been Standing Out
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Jacob Cowing

on the Rise
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Demarcus Robinson

a Frequent Target This Spring
Dee Winters

has Been Impressive This Spring
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Aaron Civale

Traded to the White Sox
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Jacob Misiorowski

Pulled With Cramps
Framber Valdez

Punches Out 12 in Win
Isaac Paredes

Homers, Exits Early With Hamstring Injury
D.J. Humphries

Rams Sign D.J. Humphries on Thursday
Troy Franklin

has Had a Good Offseason
Jacob Misiorowski

Leaves Game with Ankle Injury
Mike Williams

Expected to be Ready for Training Camp
Trey Benson

Adds Weight, Explosiveness
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Christian Moore

Angels Calling Up Christian Moore
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Christian Yelich

Back in Brewers Lineup
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Chris Kreider

Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Cale Makar

Wins His Second Norris Trophy
Lane Hutson

Voted NHL's Best Rookie
CGY

Adam Klapka Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Considered a Game-Time Call Thursday
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Kevin Porter Jr.

Likely to Decline Player Option
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Kevin Durant

Knicks Not Looking to Trade for Kevin Durant
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
Darius Garland

Kings Targeting Darius Garland
Kevin Durant

Expected to Be Moved Soon
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Reportedly Has "No Trade Market"
Jarace Walker

Remains Out Wednesday
Tyrese Haliburton

"Fine" For Wednesday's Action
Denny Hamlin

Charges Late to Win at Michigan
Carson Hocevar

Michigan Run is Derailed by A Late-Race Flat Tire
Kyle Larson

Up-and-Down Day Ends With Top-Five Finish at Michigan
Ross Chastain

Quietly Finishes Sixth at Michigan
Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Says Rehab Going "Great"
Corey Perry

Nets Power-Play Goal in Monday's Loss
Stuart Skinner

Gets Pulled in Heavy Game 3 Defeat
Evan Rodrigues

Extends Scoring Streak with Multi-Point Effort
Sam Reinhart

Collects Two Points in Monday's Win
Chris Buescher

Takes Second Place After William Byron Runs Out of Fuel
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has a Great Points Day to Build Buffer Over the Playoff Cut Line
Ryan Blaney

Flat Tire Results in Poor Finish for Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman

Playoffs in Doubt After Stage 2 Crash at Michigan
Sean O'Malley

Submitted For The First Time In His Career
Merab Dvalishvili

Defends Bantamweight Belt At UFC 316
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena No Longer A Champion
Kayla Harrison

Is The New Champion
Joe Pyfer

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum

Drops Decision
Patchy Mix

Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
Mario Bautista

Extends His Win Streak
Vicente Luque

Submitted At UFC 316
Denny Hamlin

is A Top Contender to Win At Michigan
Kyle Larson

Will Compete For The Win At Michigan
Chase Elliott

is One of the Most Favored DFS Options of the Week for Michigan
William Byron

May be A Top Threat to Win at Michigan
Kyle Busch

is Difficult to Recommend for DFS Lineups at Michigan
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Qualifies Ninth For the FireKeepers Casino 400
Alex Bowman

What Should Fantasy Managers Do With Alex Bowman at Michigan?
Austin Cindric

Should Austin Cindric be Considered For Michigan DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Should Shane Van Gisbergen Be Rostered For Michigan DFS Lineups?
John Hunter Nemechek

Is A Solid Value Option For Michigan DFS Lineups
Zane Smith

Is Zane Smith Worth Rostering Outside of Tournament Lineups at Michigan?
Todd Gilliland

Is A Decent Value Option for Michigan DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF