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Undervalued NFL Draft Targets: WR (Fantasy Football)

Undervalued NFL Draft Targets: WR (Fantasy Football)
Bug Howard's size may make him a nice red-zone threat in the NFL

Bug Howard’s size may make him a nice red-zone threat in the NFL

When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, he was just trying to tell the fantasy community that we had a severe lack of fantasy content for the month of February. That’s not entirely accurate, however.

MyFantasyLeague (MFL) is rolling out their 2017 pages (insert happy emoji) and the NFL Combine is fast approaching. FantasyPros, along with many other sites, are pumping out the draft content as fast as we can.

Of course, draft content should be taken with less salt than your happy hour margarita, particularly in early February. With free agency still yet to come, team needs are very difficult to prognosticate. Nonetheless, “draft hype” has begun and initial rankings are beginning to shape up for dynasty rookie drafts.

The names at the top are well-established. We know about Mike Williams (whom I want no part of), John Ross, Corey Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster. These are established names that are not going to dramatically rise or fall from now until the draft (barring injury).

There are however several receivers that could fill integral roles in the NFL getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment. Here are just a few of the most underrated wide receivers in this year’s draft class.

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Bug Howard and Mack Hollins (North Carolina)
Ryan Switzer may be garnering the most draft hype, but he’s not the only receiver from North Carolina heading to Indianapolis for the combine. Bug Howard joins Switzer and Mack Hollins (remember him?) and four other Tar Heel offensive players at the annual NFL Underwear Olympics.

My affection for Howard goes far beyond his name and my obsession for the movie Uncle Buck. As for Hollins, perhaps some things are best to remain under the radar.

He missed the end of the 2016 season with a broken collarbone and had become an afterthought in the draft community. Both receivers are slated to be targets in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.

Howard has the legitimate size to be a red-zone threat. He is a work in progress, but you simply cannot teach size and athleticism. I know some people said the same about “the other” Mike Thomas last year, but unlike Thomas, Howard was invited to the combine. Rich Hribar wrote last year about why the combine is so important for wide receivers in the fantasy community.

Howard stepped up big time during the absence of Hollins last season. In the final five games of the season, Howard totaled 24 catches for 398 yards and five touchdowns (one in every game). Howard might stand to benefit from using those sticky gloves in the pros, though.

On the side of the coin, Hollins is a potential home run threat. Not only is his speed exceptional for a player with his size, but he also has good ball skills and played a critical role on special teams for the Tar Heels.

Want a way for a rookie to get on the field? Be good at special teams.

Austin Carr (Northwestern)
Remember the article I just referenced about the importance of wide receivers making the combine? Well, disregard that when it comes to Austin Carr.

This kid can flat out play. His absence from the Combine should only continue to keep his ADP low.

So where do we start? Pro Football Focus graded Carr as the top wide receiver in college last season. He led the Big Ten in nearly every receiving category possible in 2016 while amassing 90 receptions for 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns.

If you’re a fan of Josh Hermsmeyer’s air yards statistic, you’re likely going to see Carr’s name come up in the pros. He dominated the middle of the field on routes of 10 or more yards last year. He still has room to improve, as Matt Waldman hints towards in his RSP Boiler Room video, but overall, Carr is a player that needs to be on NFL teams and fantasy teams radar.

Chad Hansen (California)
The previous receivers are underrated. Chad Hansen might be criminally underrated. For now. As a junior, Hansen caught 92 passes for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns for Cal Berkeley.

A human highlight reel in college, Hansen displayed unbelievable body control while high-pointing passes. His blend of speed, athleticism, and size is going to make him one of the biggest attractions at the Combine.

Perhaps one of the biggest criticisms will be the lack of experience against solid competition. Hansen played a total of 17 games for Cal.

Nonetheless, there might not be more upside from any receiver in this draft than Hansen. Currently ranked as the 19th receiver with Dynasty League Football, the window for buying low is only going to get smaller and smaller as the lead up to the draft continues.

Undervalued NFL Draft Targets: QB

Overvalued NFL Draft Targets: QB

Overvalued NFL Draft Targets: RB

Overvalued NFL Draft Targets: TE


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Matt Giraldi is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Matt, check out his archive or follow him @Mgiraldi.

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