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Craig Rondinone analyzes why Jacksonville Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault Jr. is a sleeper for fantasy football in 2021.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a lot better shape heading into the 2021 NFL season than they were at the end of the 2020 season, and that bodes well for the fantasy futures of their skill-position players.
Laviska Shenault Jr. was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jaguars because they needed receivers as desperately as restaurants need waiters and waitresses these days. While Shenault did OK with 58 receptions for 600 yards and five touchdowns during his rookie campaign, he did not singlehandedly win fantasy football leagues for anybody. In fact, he saved his best game of the season for the week when fantasy managers needed him the least – Week 17 --- when he scored two touchdowns.
So, why is Shenault destined to be a fantasy sleeper in 2021? Here are the three main reasons why!
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Trevor Lawrence Is an Upgrade Over Minshew and Co.
Gardner Minshew II had his moments and was a pleasant story for the two years he was the Jaguars' semi-starting signal caller, but he was never good enough or consistent enough to be thought of as the future franchise QB. Mike Glennon is a statue with inconsistent accuracy. Jake Luton is a third-string quarterback who had a two-to-six touchdown-to-interception ratio when he was thrust into duty last season. None were the long-term answer at quarterback for the Jaguars.
Lawrence is the answer, though. His college career touchdown-to-interception ratio of 90-to-17 shows he knows where to place the ball and when not to force the ball. He also has the ability to extend plays with his legs, which should come in handy for Shenault since he will have more time to get open when the pocket breaks down. The bottom line is Shenault’s fantasy value will skyrocket for the simple fact that a quarterback who could be above-average or amazing is throwing to him rather than a mediocre journeyman or middle-round draft choice.
Urban Meyer Is an Upgrade Over Doug Marrone
Coach Meyer turned Tim Tebow into a Heisman Trophy winner, so he might turn Lawrence into a combination of Joe Montana, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning! Former coach Doug Marrone’s offense hurt the fantasy values of Jaguars players than helped. None of his receivers were able to get more than 750 yards last season. How about in 2019 when Leonard Fournette touched the ball 341 times but only scored three touchdowns? Some of this is on the players involved, but a lot should be blamed on Marrone and his staff.
We know Meyer will be able to tailor his offense around the multidimensional skill set of his franchise quarterback. We also know he loves using receivers as runners and vice-versa, and guess who had 18 carries in 2020 even though he is a receiver? Shenault had 18 rushes for 91, so his 5.1 YPC suggests he knows his way around a front seven. Meyer will utilize him as both a runner and receiver throughout the season and should find innovative ways to create chances for Shenault to score touchdowns and rack up yardage. Some thought Travis Etienne was going to be the “Percy Harvin” in Meyer’s offense, but it might now be Shenault. And speaking of Etienne…
Travis Etienne’s Injury Opens Up Opportunities
Jacksonville drafted Clemson product Etienne in the first round despite having James Robinson as their top tailback. He was viewed as a dual-threat who could line up in the backfield and out wide as a do-it-all playmaker and gamebreaker. One tackle and one Lisfranc injury later, however, and all those plans were dashed quicker than my dreams of winning the Powerball after I don’t match the first number drawn.
While Robinson and veteran backup back Carlos Hyde (and their fantasy managers) are the prime beneficiaries since they will receive more carries and receptions in Etienne’s absence, Shenault is the receiver bound to benefit the most. While D.J. Chark Jr. and Marvin Jones will be the outside receivers, Shenault will likely be the inside slot receiver and catching passes in spots where he can turn upfield and turn short routes into long gains. Etienne would have been asked to do similar things if he were used as a receiver, so now Shenault does not have to battle him for targets and touches.
Shenault is Jacksonville’s No. 3 WR entering the season, but both Chark and Jones are battling injuries as we get dangerously closer to Week 1. Shenault could rise up the depth chart and become a bigger part of Meyer’s passing attack and overall offense in the coming weeks. Do not be shocked to see him have 800-1,000 yards and transform into a fantasy force before season’s end. As Meyer showed with Tebow, he can work wonders.
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