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One place where fantasy value can be found is in the large crop of players who sign as undrafted free agents. Just because a receiver wasn't taken in the first seven rounds doesn't mean that they aren't good players.
Often, very talented players don't hear their names called during the draft, but they'll latch on somewhere and carve out a role. Adam Thielen was an UDFA. So were Robby Anderson, Preston Williams, Tyrell Williams, and Cole Beasley. There have also been some relevant tight ends who went undrafted, like Cameron Brate, Trey Burton, and Jack Doyle.
Today, let's look at some undrafted pass catchers who could be future NFL mainstays.
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Austin Watkins Jr., San Francisco 49ers
Regarded by many as one of the best undrafted receivers, Watkins joins the 49ers, who have an interesting receiver room. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are both really promising, but behind them are just a bunch of guys. Mohamed Sanu isn't going to be around the NFL much longer, while guys like Richie James Jr. and Jalen Hurd are underwhelming.
That leaves some room for a guy like Watkins. The UAB receiver played just seven games last year, but in 2019, he had 57 catches for 1,092 yards and six scores. He's a physical receiver who can play on the outside, and gives the 49ers a physicality that I don't think Aiyuk and Samuel give them:
I mean, look at that contact!
And look at how he moves after the catch:
I really think Trey Lance is going to love throwing to Watkins in training camp. He really seems like the kind of receiver that Lance needs, and if this 49ers team ends up being more dynamic because of improved quarterback play, there's going to be a role for a Watkins-type. Can we guarantee Watkins is the guy who gets that role? Nah, because there are still free agents on the market. But, as a fourth-round rookie pick with upside? Sure, give me Watkins.
Whop Philyor, Minnesota Vikings
Last year when I was playing college DFS, I played Whop Philyor a lot just because I loved the name Whop Philyor. Most of the time, it ended up being a good decision, as Philyor led the Big Ten in receptions.
The Vikings under their current coaching regime have consistently done one thing: not had an actually talented No. 3 receiver. On one hand, that seems to always leave open room for someone to become the No. 3 guy. On the other hand, it means that we might want to stop pretending that someone will emerge as a viable fantasy asset as the No. 3 guy there.
But, this is a dynasty article. We don't necessarily need Philyor to be good in 2021; we just need him to have a role at some point. And with Philyor profiling as a slot option in the NFL, Minnesota is an interesting landing spot because Minnesota's slot guy, Adam Thielen, is already 31-years-old. Sure, he's under contract through 2024, but you never really know how a guy will age.
Philyor is probably not going to make a big impact in Minnesota, but he's a reliable pass catcher who could have a slot role somewhere, even if it's not with the Vikings.
Rico Bussey, Pittsburgh Steelers
As a graduate of the University of North Texas, I don't get many chances to write about players who went to UNT, which means that even if Bussey isn't the UDFA receiver with the third-best chance of being a viable NFL receiver, I'm going to write about him because he's a good football player.
Bussey spent last season at Hawaii, where he had a quiet season, with 31 catches for 274 yards. His 2019 season ended after three games because of a torn ACL, but back in 2018, Bussey was the best receiver on a UNT team that also had Tampa draft pick Jaelon Darden. Bussey caught 68 passes for 1,017 yards that year, with 12 touchdowns.
Bussey is a versatile receiver who runs routes well and made a lot of positive plays when he was healthy. You can see on this play what he can do in the open field:
And here he is making a contested catch with two defenders all over him:
I think Bussey can be a solid third or fourth receiver for an NFL team. With the right landing spot, that kind of role can be one that leads to some decent fantasy production.
So, is Pittsburgh the right landing spot? It's a tough question. The Steelers are a team that has shown they can spread the ball around, but they also have a lot of receivers on the current roster. But, with James Washington hitting free agency after this season and JuJu Smith-Schuster's contract being one that's really easy for this team to move on from, Bussey could definitely have a future here if he can beat out Ray-Ray McCloud to be the No. 5 guy heading into 2021.
Kenny Yeboah, New York Jets
The Ole Miss tight end probably should have been drafted, especially when you see some of the tight ends who were drafted.
In eight games last season, Yeboah caught 27 passes for 524 yards and six touchdowns. He wasn't super productive during his time at Temple, but after transferring to Ole Miss last season, Yeboah had a breakout season.
While he's not a great blocker, he is a dynamic athlete who can make things happen when he gets the football. He's also someone who you can move all around the formation, increasing the likelihood that he can get onto the field.
The Jets' tight end situation is also a bit of a mystery. Chris Herndon has been on the path to breaking out for a while, but I think we're at the point where we can start to consider the possibility that he just won't break out. Beyond that, the Jets don't have a lot of intriguing options: Ryan Griffin? Tyler Kroft? This team is ripe for a surprise name to break through at tight end. Why not Yeboah?
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