Lance's 2021 Fantasy Sleepers: WR
Top: A.J. Green (Arizona)
He’s heading into his age 33 season, and coming off a 500 yard, 2 touchdown disappointment after having back to back injury wrecked seasons. For all intents and purposes he should be viewed as old and washed up heading towards the end of his career, but I see major sleeper potential. He’s still a very talented Receiver when he’s on the field and now he’ll get to go be the WR2 (perhaps WR3 depending on how opponents view Kirk)! Hopkins will draw the majority of the coverage leaving Green 1 on 1 with a lot of CB2s and CB3s. I think we’re going to see a resurgence, barring injury of course.
3 Others: Darnell Mooney (Chicago), Gabriel Davis (Buffalo), Laviska Shenault Jr. (Jacksonville)
All three of the guys in this section are going into their second seasons and have bright futures ahead of them. Mooney posted 631 yards and 4 touchdowns off 61 catches. He’s slotted in at the WR2 spot for the Bears and will have MAJOR improved QB play this year.
Davis had 35 catches for 599 yards and 7 touchdowns, and he really came on strong in the playoffs. I know the Bills signed Emmanuel Sanders, but I fully expect Davis to take another step forward this season.
Shenault’s rookie season didn’t go exactly as expected, but he still managed a nice stat line (58 receptions, 600 yards, 5 touchdowns). With Trevor Lawrence now under Center those stats should improve. He also has the added benefit of being the dump off option since he handles a lot of those short to intermediate routes and the Jags don’t have a very good Tight End option (sorry Tebow).
Rookie: Dyami Brown (Washington)
I like the situation Brown landed in. He won’t have to be the WR1 with McLaurin already holding that title, Curtis Samuel is a swiss-army knife and should be moved around plenty which in turn will afford Brown chances to see the field as the other Receiver split out wide, and Fitzpatrick can take advantage of his deep threat ability.
Dark Horse: Jakobi Meyers (New England)
Meyers had a nice little season last year, but since the Patriots struggled as a whole and they went out and signed a bunch of pass catchers, no one is really looking at him. I think he hangs onto one of the outside Receiver spots, and takes advantage of the rapport he’s already built with Newton. If the early preseason showings prove me right, he may be worth that WR4/5 spot on your fantasy team.
