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Devon Witherspoon 2024 Outlook: Fantasy’s Top Pure Corner
6 months agoComing out of Illinois, Witherspoon was a physical cornerback whose ability to tackle and knock down passes translated well to fantasy. Still, expectations were muted in his rookie season because first-year corners often struggle to find consistent playing time or production. Worse, Witherspoon's new teammate was Tariq Woolen, who had already bucked the trend for rookie corners. Despite lowered expectations, Witherspoon was a fantasy revelation as a rookie. Despite missing three games due to injury, he was fourth amongst cornerbacks in total tackles and placed fifth in pass deflections (PDs). On a per-game basis, Witherspoon finished as DB8 in Standard IDP Scoring leagues. This was despite the corner registering just one interception all year. Looking ahead, expectations should be even higher for the former top-five pick. Witherspoon is an aggressive perimeter player whose primary fantasy production, tackles, and PDs are far more projectable than turnovers. Players like Daron Bland or Trevon Diggs need INTs to be productive, but for Witherspoon, they are just a bonus. If he can stay healthy for a full season, the Seahawks' sophomore should be the top CB selected in most fantasy formats.
