Strategies

Our Thoughts on Week 1’s Wide Receiver Group

The countdown has officially begun for fantasy owners looking to cash in on some NFL action on FanDuel. As we roll into the last full week of July and the calendar month flips to August, NFL training camps begin opening up all around the country. While Summer is still in full swing many football fans as well as fantasy owners look to this as the early start to fall.

This year looks to be another exciting and entertaining NFL season as we all look forward to winning some cash on FanDuel. For us we are extremely excited to see the top group of wide receivers around the NFL get on the field including playmakers like Odell Beckham Jr, Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson.

Along with the top playmakers around the game we are also excited to see how the 2015 NFL draft class of receivers lives up to the 2014 NFL drafts receiving corps that produced Beckham, Mike Evans and Jordan Matthews to just name a few. This years class features guys like Amari Cooper, Kevin White and Breshad Perriman.

Here is what our first thoughts on week 1’s wide receiver group.

Worth Every Penny:

Jordy Nelson ($8,600): Nelson seems to come to play when the Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears. Last season Aaron Rodgers connected with Nelson on 16 passes for 260 yards and four touchdowns in two games against the Bears. We love this matchup in week 1 as the Packers will look to start the season with a big divisional win.

Julio Jones ($9,000): While the $9k salary had us worried at the start we are starting to like this matchup. We know the Philadelphia Eagles like to move the ball quick but this also opens up the door for this matchup to be a shoot out. Plus during week 1 we fully expect Jones to be 100% healthy.

Other wide receivers making this list include Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant,  Jeremy Maclin, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Jordan Matthews and Amari Cooper.

Over Priced Out of the Gate:

Demaryius Thomas ($8,800): Now that he got the big pay day will Thomas put up the big numbers that we have seen over the past few seasons? Add in the fact that we aren’t quite sure what to expect from Peyton Manning as well as the entire Denver Broncos offense with Gary Kubiak in charge. It makes us concerned with this price tag during week 1.

Alshon Jeffery ($8,400): The key to Jeffery landing on this list is the uncertainty of how the other receivers will play to take off some of the double coverage’s he will see. The Bears let Brandon Marshall go this year now allowing teams in the division to focus more on Jeffery in the passing attack.

Other wide receivers making this list include Emmanuel Sanders, Randall Cobb and Golden Tate.

Potential Fantasy Bargains Week 1:

John Brown ($6,000): While we still love Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald we expect Brown to mature in season 2. Add in the fact the other two receivers should still command most of the attention from other teams this should open him up to make some big plays. The Arizona Cardinals also get a favorable matchup against a New Orleans Saints team that struggled on the defensive side of the ball last season.

Other wide receivers making this list include Mike Wallace, Jarvis Landry and Victor Cruz.

Deep Fantasy Sleeper Potential Week 1:

Breshad Perriman ($5,500): The Baltimore Ravens entered the 2015 NFL draft needing a replacement for Torrey Smith. That is exactly what they addressed with their first pick selecting Perriman. Perriman will benefit from playing with the big arm of Joe Flacco and will look to put up some numbers week 1 against Denver.

Other wide receivers to make this list include Kevin White, Nelson Agholor, Jalen Strong, Cody Latimer and Tyler Lockett.

Just Not Sure What To Think:

Odell Beckham ($8,900): The buzz is storming around the second year star who will grace the cover of Madden. That being said we aren’t quite sure what we expect from him in year 2 after that year he put together last season. We expect the Cowboys to game plan for Beckham all the way up to week 1.

Other wide receivers to make this list include  Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, T.Y. Hilton and Sammy Watkins.