X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts

Sophomore Wide Receivers: 2014 Fantasy Football Outlook Part 1

What Appears In This Article? hide

A few weeks back I took a look at sophomore quarterbacks (QBs) and how they might fare in 2014. This this around we'll look at sophomore wide receivers, players who were rookies in 2013, and check out their fantasy football potential and outlooks for 2014. These wide receivers may range from fantasy football stars to sleepers or busts, but all should be considered and accounted for as part of your 2014 draft strategy.

 

Five Sophomore Wide Receivers

Jeffrey Beall - Own workKeenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers: Keenan Allen was, without a doubt, the leading rookie wide receiver in 2013. He finished the season with 71 receptions and 8 touchdowns, and his 1,046 yards were good enough for 22nd in the league amongst wide receivers. His chemistry during his first season with Philip Rivers was that of a seasoned veteran.

As he enters 2014, he’ll be the leading receiver for the Chargers and should be able to showcase his size and athletic talent in an even more impressive way with a full NFL season of experience under his belt. Few rookie WRs have played as well as Allen did in his first year, which bodes very well for what is to come. One concern for Allen is that he’ll no longer be a surprise to opposing teams. I expect him to see a lot more coverage this season, which means he’ll have to work harder to post the same numbers he saw last season. Still, Allen should go very early in fantasy drafts this year and post solid numbers that could push him into top ten fantasy wide receivers in 2014.

 

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota Vikings – Despite somewhat limited involvement last season, resulting in just 45 receptions, 469 yards, and 4 touchdowns, Patterson is poised for a big year in 2014. Last year, the Vikings didn’t utilize Patterson much in their overall offense initially, showcasing his speed on kickoff returns but otherwise including him in the offense only sporadically. Once the Vikings began incorporating him more as the season went on, his athletic talent was undeniable. His speed is his greatest asset and I see 2014 as a season of huge upside for the sophomore receiver. The arrival of Norv Turner as Offensive Coordinator will only help get Patterson more involved. He should see more targets and find more consistency from week to week. He has potential as someone who can be drafted in the middle rounds but still turn into a solid WR2.

 

rotoballer-fantasy-football-advice-tavon-austinTavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin made things hard on his fantasy owners in 2014 as he was difficult to predict and even harder to watch at times. He finished the year with just 40 receptions, 418 yards, and 4 touchdowns despite being one of the most highly touted rookie receivers at the start of the season.

As is the case so often with rookie wide receivers, the Ram's struggled with how to use Austin and take advantage of his talents. He did snag an 81-yard touchdown, showing off his big-play abilities, but it was hard to count on him as a reliable fantasy contributor. Consistency is key in fantasy and he just didn’t have it. When evaluating his overall performance in 2014, it should be noted that he spent several weeks injured and lost his starting quarterback early in the year.

It will be interesting to see how he performs if he can stay healthy with Sam Bradford back under center. If Bradford can find chemistry with Austin and utilize his speed and breakaway skills, he could have the kind of year that makes his rookie performance a distant memory. His potential is undeniable and he’s worth a late-round snag to find out if he can maximize his upside.

 

Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee Titans: Hunter certainly didn’t have a banner year as a rookie but he showed off enough talent to snag 4 touchdowns and 354 yards. Next season he should be able to improve those numbers, as he has the potential to become the top target for Jake Locker over Kendall Wright and aging veteran Nate Washington. He’s worth keeping an eye on at the end of your draft in a deep league.

 

Markus Wheaton, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: After a disappointing hand injury early in the year, we didn’t get to see much of what Markus Wheaton is capable of. Despite being unable to do much on the field, he used his time to learn the offense, making the season a productive one nonetheless. Now that his hand is healthy and Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery have departed, 2014 will be Wheaton's year to prove what he can do. With all the opposing defenses focused on Antonio Brown, Wheaton should be set up nicely to capitalize on his opportunity. Whether or not he will be able to shine is hard to guess, making him a wildcard, even in the late rounds.

 




LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

ROTOBALLER PLAYER NEWS

Austin Hooper16 mins ago

Heading To Vegas
Elijah Moore29 mins ago

Dealt To Cleveland
Jose Altuve42 mins ago

No Baseball Activities For Two Months
Jalen McDaniels48 mins ago

Ruled Out Wednesday
Mecole Hardman49 mins ago

Agrees To One-Year Deal With Jets
James Harden52 mins ago

Will Sit Wednesday
Alex Caruso54 mins ago

Will Play Against Philadelphia
Ja Morant60 mins ago

To Come Off Bench, See Minutes Limit Wednesday
Tyrese Haliburton1 hour ago

And Chris Duarte Ruled Out Wednesday
Kyle Hendricks1 hour ago

Has Three Bullpen Sessions Lined Up
Caleb Martin1 hour ago

Available To Play Wednesday
Kyle Lowry1 hour ago

Will Play Versus Knicks
Torey Krug1 hour ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Filip Hronek2 hours ago

Set For Canucks Debut Thursday
Kyrie Irving2 hours ago

Remains Out Versus Golden State
Luka Doncic2 hours ago

Will Play Wednesday
Bradley Beal2 hours ago

Sitting Versus Nuggets
Elvis Merzlikins2 hours ago

Available For Selection Again
Connor Ingram2 hours ago

Faces Oilers Wednesday
Brandon Nimmo2 hours ago

Could Be Ready For Games This Weekend
Stuart Skinner2 hours ago

In Oilers Crease On Wednesday
Shohei Ohtani2 hours ago

Will Throw In Minor League Game Friday
Darren Helm2 hours ago

Returns To Action Wednesday
Drew Rucinski2 hours ago

To Miss Next Start, IL Stint Possible
Cale Makar2 hours ago

Misses Another Game Wednesday
Kyle Tucker3 hours ago

Should Be Fine Moving Forward
Ranger Suárez3 hours ago

Ranger Suarez Likely To Begin Year On IL
Colton Cowser3 hours ago

Orioles Reassign Colton Cowser
Heston Kjerstad3 hours ago

Gets Reassigned
Oswald Peraza3 hours ago

Continues To Struggle
Keldon Johnson4 hours ago

Could Miss Second Consecutive Game
Jalen McDaniels4 hours ago

Questionable With Hip Soreness
Karl-Anthony Towns4 hours ago

Expected To Return On Wednesday
Bradley Beal4 hours ago

Now Listed As Questionable On Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson4 hours ago

Remains Sidelined With Finger Sprain
Lauri Markkanen4 hours ago

Is Available On Wednesday
Zion Williamson4 hours ago

Cleared For On-Court Activities
Paul George4 hours ago

Will Miss At Least Two-To-Three Weeks
D'Ernest Johnson6 hours ago

Signs With Jaguars
C.J. Stroud6 hours ago

Panthers Meet With C.J. Stroud
Jaxon Smith-Njigba6 hours ago

Runs 4.53 Unofficial Forty
DeAndre Hopkins6 hours ago

Not On Browns' Radar
Russell Wilson6 hours ago

Expected To Be Fine For OTAs
Hunter Brown8 hours ago

Scratched On Wednesday
Brandon Ingram8 hours ago

Scores Game-High 32 Points In Easy Win
Donovan Mitchell8 hours ago

Scores At Will Against Brooklyn
Trae Young8 hours ago

Collects Another Double-Double In Win
Miro Heiskanen9 hours ago

Matches Franchise Record Tuesday
Brett Baty9 hours ago

Survives Another Round Of Cuts
Wyatt Johnston9 hours ago

Pushes His Goal Streak To Five Games
Brandon Tanev9 hours ago

Produces A Big Performance Against Dallas
Francisco Alvarez9 hours ago

Mets Demote Francisco Alvarez
Luke Evangelista9 hours ago

Ties Franchise Record With Four-Point Period
Quinn Hughes9 hours ago

Continues Multi-Assist Streak
Troy Terry10 hours ago

Exits With Injury
Brock Nelson10 hours ago

Injured Versus Toronto
Josh Anderson10 hours ago

Gets Hurt Tuesday
Shintaro Fujinami19 hours ago

To Receive Extra Rest Between Regular Season Starts
Juan Soto19 hours ago

Oblique Strain Deemed "Minimal"
Clayton Kershaw19 hours ago

Pitches Well Tuesday
Byron Buxton19 hours ago

To Serve Primarily As DH
Lucas Giolito19 hours ago

Not Concerned With Velocity Dip Tuesday
Alex Ovechkin19 hours ago

Lights The Lamp In Capitals Loss
Shohei Ohtani19 hours ago

Wins World Baseball Classic MVP Award
Jack Roslovic20 hours ago

Scores Twice in Columbus Victory
Brandon Nimmo23 hours ago

Tests His Ankle/Knee
Noah Syndergaard23 hours ago

Pitches Through Blister Issue Tuesday
Taylor Montgomery24 hours ago

A Hard Fade In Austin
Sam Burns24 hours ago

Hard To Trust At WGC Dell Match Play
Kirby Dach1 day ago

Returns To Action Tuesday
Evgeny Kuznetsov1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
Ryan Lindgren1 day ago

Back For Rangers Tuesday
Jordan Greenway1 day ago

Won't Play Tuesday
Max Homa1 day ago

A Strong Contender In Austin
Ronald Jones1 day ago

Cowboys Agree To Deal With Ronald Jones
Austin Ekeler1 day ago

Would Like To Stay With Chargers
Lamar Jackson1 day ago

Ready To Move On From Ravens?
Miles Sanders1 day ago

Viewed As Three-Down Back In Carolina
Isaiah McKenzie1 day ago

Signing With Colts
DeAndre Hopkins1 day ago

Interest In DeAndre Hopkins Ramping Up
Tom Hoge1 day ago

A Bracket-Buster In Match Play
Hideki Matsuyama1 day ago

Doesn't Perform In Match Play
Kamaru Usman1 day ago

Unsuccessful In Bid To Recapture Title
Leon Edwards1 day ago

Defends Crown At UFC 286
Viktor Hovland1 day ago

Has Struggled In Match Play
Rafael Fiziev1 day ago

Has Strong Showing But Takes Loss
Justin Gaethje1 day ago

Puts On Another Highlight-Reel Performance
Tyrrell Hatton1 day ago

The Favorite In His Group
Bryan Barberena1 day ago

Suffers Second Straight Submission Loss
Gunnar Nelson1 day ago

Scores Impressive Finish At UFC 286
Will Zalatoris2 days ago

Needs Birdies At WGC Match Play
Jordan Spieth2 days ago

Can Advance At WGC Match Play
Matt Fitzpatrick2 days ago

May Struggle At WGC Match Play
Chris Kirk2 days ago

Draws A Bit Unlucky At WGC Match Play
Patrick Cantlay2 days ago

Has Good Chance At WGC Match Play
Brian Harman2 days ago

Has Putter's Chance To Contend At WGC
Tommy Fleetwood2 days ago

Has Challenge At WGC Match Play
Damien Harris2 days ago

Bills Sign Damien Harris
Devin Singletary2 days ago

Texans Reach Agreement With Devin Singletary
Dalton Schultz2 days ago

Texans Sign Dalton Schultz To One-Year Deal
O.J. Howard2 days ago

Signs With Raiders
Tua Tagovailoa2 days ago

Dolphins Exercise Tua Tagovailoa's Fifth-Year Option
Casey O'Neill2 days ago

Takes First Defeat Against Former Champion
Jennifer Maia2 days ago

Earns Decision Win Over Undefeated Opponent
Roman Dolidze2 days ago

Suffers Setback With Decision Loss
Marvin Vettori2 days ago

Picks Up Decision Win
Kyle Busch2 days ago

Finishes In Top 10 At Atlanta
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Finishes Strong In Atlanta
Erik Jones2 days ago

Gets His First Top-10 Finish Of The Season
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Bounces Back From Speeding Penalty
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Has A Strong Showing
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Hangs in For Fifth Place At Atlanta
Corey Lajoie3 days ago

Corey LaJoie Uses Course To Advantage On Sunday
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Ends Up With Another Top Five Result
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Brad Keselowski Noses Christopher Bell Out For Second
Joey Logano3 days ago

Goes From Pole To Win Sunday
Detroit Lions3 days ago

C.J. Gardner-Johnson On The Move To Detroit
Courtland Sutton3 days ago

Broncos Unwilling To Deal Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Starts 23rd
Ryan Preece4 days ago

Starts 24th At The AmBetter Health 400
AJ Allmendinger4 days ago

Eyes Another Strong Finish
NASCAR4 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse Eyes Back-To-Back Superspeedway Wins
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

May Be Overlooked
Erik Jones4 days ago

Is A Value Play At Atlanta
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Seeks Better Results
Noah Gragson4 days ago

Might Surprise At Atlanta Motor Speedway
Austin Dillon4 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Atlanta
Ty Dillon4 days ago

Hoping To Keep Car Running At Atlanta
NASCAR4 days ago

J.J. Yeley Starts 34th Sunday At Ambetter Health 400
Kamaru Usman5 days ago

Seeking Second Title Run
Leon Edwards5 days ago

Looks To Defend Crown On Saturday