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

5 Breakout Wide Receivers You Need to Draft

 

NFL Wide Receivers To Target in 2014

Let’s take a look at the some 2014 fantasy football wide receiver sleepers that have the potential to become fantasy stars this season. Since these potential breakout players have the potential to return significant value considering their current ADPs, they can all be considered sleepers for your fantasy football draft, even if some of them are more well known than others. We touch on a couple rookies and some other big breakout candidates for 2014 fantasy football, so make sure these players are part of your draft strategy.


Michael Floyd, ARI

Broderick Delaney - http://www.flickr.com/photos/delaneyr/7761020426/in/set-72157635364540505/This is my 3rd time writing about Michael Floyd this offseason.  If you haven’t checked out my previous articles, check out my two pieces on Floyd.  Floyd is a physical specimen not unlike Josh GordonDemaryius ThomasJulio Jones and Andre Johnson, as he possesses the size, speed and strength necessary to be a factor anywhere on the football field. It has been reported that Floyd had a fantastic offseason, as expected for someone with his talent level.

Editor's Note: Find sleeper picks, undervalued ADPs, and draft targets to help you dominate your fantasy football drafts. Try our free who to draft tool for personalized recommendations.

Floyd made himself relevant last year in a Cardinals offense that was rather effective, and we can expect more of that this year.  Bruce Arians has a very vertical offensive philosophy, which plays right into Floyd’s strengths.  If he is able to increase his touchdown total (which he almost certainly will given how many times he was tackled within the 5 yard line last year), he is poised for huge coming out party this year.

I expect Larry Fitzgerald to stay underneath for most plays while Floyd is used in every way possible, most of it being vertical, as his ability to win the ball at the high point is pretty outstanding.I love the value he offers currently, being drafted 63rd (WR23) as the low WR2 / high WR3, as I expect him to put up top 20 numbers while top 12 is not out of the question.

 

Justin Hunter, TEN

The Titans have been going out of their way the past 2 years to light a fire under Hunter.  He possesses plenty of physical tools, and at 6’4, is a matchup nightmare against any corner.  Had it not been for character concerns, he would have probably been a first rounder.  However, he failed to make a true impact last year, falling below Nate Washington and Kendall Wright in targets for most of the season.

Even though he is still not listed as a starter this year, it’s commonly thought that he will replace Washington as the year progresses.  On just 18 catches last year, he amassed 4 touchdowns and over 350 yards receiving. He did receive 42 targets, so the low amount of catches is a bit concerning, but he did have Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing to him on most occasions.

While Jake Locker isn’t Aaron Rodgers, he is a big upgrade.  On the few opportunities he did have to make an impact, Hunter succeeded, hauling in 100 yards in two games while making a big impact in a 3rd.  Ken Whisenhunt’s offense should be more vertical than what Tennessee has had in the past, akin to what we saw in Arizona during the Kurt Warner era, giving Hunter plenty of opportunities.  It’s a question of when, not if he will be starting.  His current ADP of 160 (WR55) lets you buy him as a WR5, but he could give you low end WR2 value by years end.

 

Kelvin Benjamin, CAR

I’m almost listing Benjamin here by default.  Before Benjamin was drafted, he was being touted by experts and fans alike as a player with high bust potential due to him having weak hands, below average speed, and a limited route tree.  When Benjamin landed in Carolina, I immediately pegged him as a guy to target.

There is no one else for Cam Newton to throw to, as Jason Avant and Jerricho Cotchery are well past their primes and are both possession receivers.  Outside of Greg Olsen, Benjamin is the only player who can actually get down field for the Panthers.  Newton’s numbers have declined year after year, but with an expected downgrade in the defense, and with the questionable health of Jonathan Stewart, I expect the Panthers to focus slightly more on the pass this year.  Kelvin Benjamin should be the main beneficiary of that.

The reports out of camp have been absolutely glowing as of late, as Benjamin has actually proved doubters wrong. His hands have been well above average, while his blocking ability and vertical routes have been as expected.  He should be on the field for a majority of Carolina’s snaps, and could see upwards of 130 targets.  Carolina is very run heavy in the redzone (very, very run heavy) but I expect Benjamin to get his fair share of red zone looks due to his sheer dominant size. I would hate to draft Benjamin as a starter, because he is a rookie, but his current ADP of 145 (WR49) lets you draft him as a WR4, one who is very likely to post numbers equivalent to Keenan Allen last year and far exceed his draft day price.

 

Brandin Cooks, NO

Sigh, another rookie.  I’m not a fan of drafting rookies, as I described in 5 Guidelines to Follow on Draft Day, but Cooks has been the talk of the town ever since the college football season ended.  Cooks is extremely fast, lightning quick, and built like a bigger Tavon Austin. He went to the best possible team he could have went to in the New Orleans Saints, who just lost Darren Sproles and rely on the overrated Pierre Thomas to catch their underneath passes. The Saints have consistently been at the top of the NFL in passing, and for good reason, as Drew Brees is their quarterback.

If Cooks is able to carve out a role and play over 50% of the snaps in New Orleans, he is a surefire fantasy starter this year.  On the depth chart, he is currently listed behind Marques Colston and Kenny Stills, while Jimmy Graham (and Pierre Thomas for now) are ahead of him in targets as well.  They lost Darren Sproles and Lance Moore, who combined for almost 150 targets last year.  If Cooks sees about 90 targets, the low end of what I expect, then he should thrive, both in the screen game and in one on one coverage.. Kenny Stills received 51 targets as a rookie, and Cooks has a much more developed game than Stills did.  I’m buying Cooks as a starter for fantasy, and in PPR, he has upside to be a monster this year. His current ADP of 110 (WR37) lets you reach a little for him and still draft a starting WR at a WR4 price.

 

TY Hilton, IND

Many fantasy experts pegged Hilton as one of their top targets for a breakout 2013 season.  While he did put up nice statistics, he had far from a coming out party, finishing with just over 1000 yards and 5 touchdowns.  When the Colts lost Reggie Wayne, Hilton failed to step up on multiple occasions.  This year, we can expect more from Hilton.

Pep Hamilton, the Colts offensive coordinator, was notoriously run heavy last year despite their generational talent in Andrew Luck playing quarterback.  Rightfully so, Hamilton faced a ton of criticism for relying on the struggling Trent Richardson, who possessed no speed or vision, who Hamilton kept giving the ball to week after week.  Pep Hamilton has stated on multiple occasions that he will throw more, and while you can’t always believe what coaches say, I expect this to be true because of, well, Andrew Luck.  Luck threw for 3800 yards last year, and that number can hit 4400 easily.

Hilton was targeted 138 times last year, good for 17th in the NFL.  I think that number should stay roughly the same even with the increase in volume due to Reggie Wayne and Dwayne Allen being back and the addition of Hakeem Nicks (who has been disappointing so far in camp and preseason).  Hilton has drawn rave reviews from reporters, and is expected to see an every down role with the Colts even with Wayne returning.  He has been working on extending his route tree so he can be used in every spot on the field, which should open up more opportunities for him and increase his catch rate.  He is being drafted as a WR3 (67 overall, WR25), and he is a rather safe one at that, but he has a much higher breakout potential than those being drafted around him, such as Torrey Smith, and Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace.

 

Editor’s note: Our 2014 fantasy football draft kit has everything you need, all in one easy place, to prepare you for your drafts. Exclusive tiered rankings, sleepers, draft strategies, mock draft tools, NFL rookies, dynasty leagues, team previews, player analysis & more… and we’re practically giving it away for just $2.99! 

 

Other Potential Breakouts to Watch

rotoballer-fantasy-football-cordarrelle-pattersonCordarrelle Patterson - Talent-wise, Patterson deserves to be at the top of this list, but the Vikings offense just isn’t ideal for him.  He looked phenomenal in that first preseason game, and it looks like the Vikings will be using him all over the field.

I just don’t expect his targets to be up there with the elite just yet. Greg Jennings had only 106 targets last year, and Patterson may barely eclipse that.

Spending a 4th round pick on him will make it difficult to return positive value.  While he should still post good numbers, I’m not expecting a monster breakout that will justify his current draft price.

 

Marvin Jones - I wanted to list Marvin Jones here even though he broke his foot. When he gets healthy, he’s an intriguing waiver wire pickup.  He was a great college prospect that fell due to character concerns.

He’s showed great vertical ability and found the endzone 10 times this past year.  If he’s at full speed, he could give you some decent value.  Hue Jackson is a notorious run heavy coach however, so the targets just may not be there to support a true break out.

 

Jordan Matthews - Chip Kelly didn’t give his rookies that much playing opportunity last year, but if Matthews can make an impact early on, he should see consistent playing time, as he’s way more talented than Riley Cooper.  I don’t expect a breakout, but he has a ton of talent and is in a great situation long term. He'll be a late round flier or waiver wire pickup that you should keep your eye on.

 

Reuben Randle - Many people are drafting Reuben Randle at somewhat of a premium because he’s the most likely person to find the endzone in New York, and he’s also likely to get over some of his sophomore woes this past season.

If Eli improves on his play, Randle should get plenty of opportunities to be successful, as he’s starting on the outside even with the addition of Beckham.  I’m just having a hard time trusting him because he looked so lost so many times last year. If he gets it together though, he’s a matchup nightmare with his size.  At his current ADP of 130 (WR43), he provides some potentially great value as a backup WR for your team.

 

Aaron Dobson - Hooray, Dobson is actually practicing!  Dobson should have no issue overtaking Kenbrell Thompkins and become 5th in line for targets behind Rob GronkowskiDanny AmendolaShane Vereen, and Julian Edelman.

While Amendola has apparently looked great, he’s one of the biggest injury risk’s in the NFL, and Vereen and Gronk aren’t exactly Iron Horses either. Dobson can stretch the field pretty well, and Tom Brady isn’t afraid to throw to him. He is a valuable asset to own on the bench, and should put up some decent games.  If one, two or even three of the players ahead of him goes down, he could solidify himself as one of Brady’s top targets.

 

Kenny Britt - I think the days of thinking Kenny Britt could become a star are long gone.  His ACL tear sapped a good amount of his speed.  However, reports are coming out of St. Louis that he has looked quick and is quickly becoming the favorite target of Sam Bradford.

While the St. Louis receiving corps is somewhat crowded, with Jared Cook, Tavon Austin, and Brian Quick, I wouldn’t call any of those players proven by any means.  Kenny Britt should see ample opportunities, and if he plays well in the preseason would make a great buy low or waiver wire target as a player who could receive over 100 targets.

 




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

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF