I often find myself excavating free agency for Wide Receivers to fill out the bottom of my dynasty roster. For what am I digging? Three characteristics: first speed, second opportunity, third situation. The most common characteristic among NFL WR is they are fast, so I start with speedy players. Opportunity is everything in the NFL. If you don’t get the ball, you can’t score points in fantasy football, so I track targets. The situation often correlates to success. When looking for WR consider the quarterback and scheme. I have a list of players here that meet the criteria:
Roster percentages from Fantrax 10/12/2021
Donovan Peoples-Jones WR Browns (23% rostered)
This week DPJ saw six targets and turned them into five receptions for 70 yards. His breakout seems so close. The talent and pedigree have always been there. He was the number 1 wide receiver recruit coming out of high school. Rated a 5-star .99 composite on 247 sports coming out of Detroit. He put solid numbers at Michigan but didn’t fulfill the promise that a 5-star recruit brings (few do). Jones fell to the 6th round of the 2020 draft where the Browns scooped him up. Donovan’s weakness is getting open through press-man coverage. I have DPJ in a few leagues with the hope he has learned to use his size (6′,2″ 215lbs) and speed (4.4 forty-yard dash) to beat press-man coverage and finally live up to those 5-star expectations.
Jamal Agnew WR Jaguars (2% rostered)
Incendiary speed evidenced by his 4.3 forty-yard dash and his 109-yard kick 6in week 4. Searching for a spark on offense, the Jaguars will likely continue to try to get this guy in open space. Agnew is in his 5th NFL season. He has shown some skills on special teams (first-team all-pro punt returner in 2017). Hey, it’s working for Cordarelle Patterson; why not Jamal Agnew?
DeAndre Carter WR Washington Football Team (2% rostered)
Quick water bug type player with a big heart. Checks in at 5′, 8″ 175 lbs with elite acceleration (1.46-sec 10-yard split). He’s bounced around to different teams for the past five years – Ravens, Raiders, Patriots, 49ers, Eagles, Texans, Bears, and now Football Team. Many coaches noticed his potential, but his career never took off. Through all the signings and releases, Carter never gave up on himself. He saw eight targets last week. If WFT can design a play that gets this kid in space, he will run away from tacklers. At 28 years old, this may be the last chance for DeAndre. While the rest of the football world waits on Curtis Samuel, I’ll pick up his replacement and role with Carter next week.
Adam Humphries WR WFT (17% rostered)
Surprising to see two WFTs on the list, but injuries equate to opportunities, and Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel are both injured. The Logan Thomas injury opens 5 – 10 short-area passing targets. Ricky Seals-Jones saw eight targets and turned them into five receptions and 41 yards, which isn’t poor production, but it’s not good either. Humpries provided much production on his five targets pulling in three of them for 73 yards. I think Humphrie takes over the short-area receiver role in Washington.
Chris Moore WR Texans (1% rostered)
He emerged from the shadows of the Texans practice squad and into the Houston limelight. Chris Moore isn’t as obscure as it seems. A 4th round pick (no 107) by the Ravens in 2016, Moore has good size at 6′, 1″ 210 lbs, decent speed (4.53 40 yard dash), and solid production in college (2,300 yards and 26 TDs receiving in his career). He has an opportunity. I am going to pick him up and see what he does with it.
Josh Palmer WR Chargers (28% rostered)
Justin Herbert is the real deal. I’m attempting to acquire any pass catchers on his team. Chargers coaches (holy crap Brandon Stokely is good at this) liked Palmer enough to draft him the 3rd of this year’s draft. He’s a smooth fluid athlete measuring in a 6′, 1′ 210 lbs. Signed by the University of Tennessee, Palmer proved himself in the SEC beating future pro cornerbacks and leading the Volunteers in receiving in 2020 despite spotty quarterback play. If Josh Palmer can light up SEC corners with spotty Quarterback play, I look forward to seeing what he can do to NFL corners with Justin Herbert throwing him the ball.
Bonus Pass Catching Tight Ends
Dan Arnold TE Jaguars (27% rostered)
This roster percentage is bound to skyrocket. Tight End has been a desert for many fantasy managers and Dan Arnold looks like an oasis. Arnold saw eight targets on Sunday and caught six of them for 64 yards. Those are good numbers for a TE. What made me take notice was his 1st quarter fumble, and how the coaches reacted. Dan fumbled early, but Jacksonville continued to throw passes to him. The Jacksonville Jaguars want Dan Arnold to be successful. This staff liked him enough to trade last year’s first-round pick E.J. Henderson to acquire the athletic TE. Trevor Lawrence’s play continues to improve, and the Jaguars want to throw the ball to Arnold. If you need a TE, Dan’s your man.
David Njoku TE Browns (20% rostered)
I wrote up a blip on Njoku three weeks ago. Check out my other posts, if you have the time. I add his name here to remind you that he is a mismatch for many NFL defenders. On Sunday, the former 1st round pick caught all seven of his targets and put up 149 receiving yards and a TD. He’s not Darren Waller or Kyle Pitts, but he has similar skills and those guys aren’t on your waiver wire. Snag the next best thing and pick up Njoku.
ATTENTION ALVIN KAMARA MANAGERS!
You’ve probably noticed that backup runningback and fantasy football insurance policy Tony Jones was placed on IR last week. If you are looking to acquire the next man up in the Saints backfield (just in case), there are two other players: DeWayne Washington and Devine Ozigbo. I chose Devine. Ziggy is a big dude measuring in at 6′ 2″ 225 lbs. He Moves well for a big man putting up a 4.5 forty-yard dash at his pro day. He is good in the passing game– both protecting and receiving. In week five Ozigbo played seven snaps while Washington saw six. Kamara has a legendary health regimen, so this may be for naught, but I’ll bet on Ozigbo.
Devine Ozigbo Saints RB (2% rostered)
