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Wide Receiver Battles to Monitor (2020 Fantasy Football)

Wide Receiver Battles to Monitor (2020 Fantasy Football)

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With the 2020 NFL Draft completed, our attention now shifts to the upcoming redraft and dynasty league seasons. Whether or not a team adds rookie competition via the draft or free agency has potential fantasy ramifications that are important to evaluate. With that in mind, we will take a look at some of the wide receiver battles that project to have the widest-reaching fantasy implications. Let’s dig in.

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Cincinnati Bengals

Tee Higgins vs. John Ross
Tee Higgins looks set to step into three-wide sets as soon as he is ready. Reading the tea leaves of the Cincinnati Bengals declining the fifth-year option on John Ross, one would assume that they would only bring him back on a deal that paid him less than the fifth-year option would have ($15.68 million). Tee Higgins being the first pick of the second round suggests that he is a receiver that the Bengals envision new franchise quarterback Joe Burrow growing with. He is also very likely to be viewed as a potential succession plan to superstar receiver A.J. Green, should a new deal fail to be worked out. If Tee Higgins wins the third receiver job out of the gate, it could also spell trouble for Tyler Boyd’s declining fantasy value. A volume receiver who plays better when there is a star on the outside to command the opposing defenses attention, Boyd would likely see less volume with Higgins starting than he would with the more inefficient, and less versatile John Ross. This is a battle to monitor.

Las Vegas Raiders

Tyrell Williams vs. Bryan Edwards
With Henry Ruggs and Hunter Renfrow locked into the outside and slot receiver roles respectively, the battle to start in three-wide sets is likely to take place between Tyrell Williams and rookie Bryan Edwards. Williams has shown enough to get the veteran deference, but Bryan Edwards should wrestle the job from him once he is up to speed. Edwards is the safer value in both redraft and dynasty, but he may not open the season as a starter. With that being said, Mike Mayock admitted that the team had a second-round grade on the South Carolina product, something that suggests that he will see meaningful snaps even if he is not named a three-wide starter out of the gate. The assumption is that Edwards only slipped to 81st overall due to a foot injury. Edwards is going to be a potential fantasy star when he finally gets starters snaps, so this is a battle to monitor closely for as long as it wages on. 

Atlanta Falcons

Russell Gage vs. Laquon Treadwell
The number three receiver role in Atlanta is up for grabs. Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley are locked into the top two receiver roles, but Laquon Treadwell is expected to battle it out with Russell Gage for snaps in three-wide sets. The Falcons strangely failed to add a rookie receiver via the draft meaning these two veterans will be duking it out. Treadwell has been a massive disappointment to this point of his career, but still possesses the raw tools that made him a first-round pick. This will be an interesting battle to watch that should have ramifications for both redraft and dynasty leagues. Olamide Zaccheaus lurks as a dark horse.

New Orleans Saints

Marquez Callaway vs. Tre’Quan Smith vs. Lil’Jordan Humphrey vs. Juwan Johnson
While Emmanuel Sanders has the number two receiver role behind alpha receiver Michael Thomas locked up, the third receiver role remains up for grabs. Tre’Quan Smith has failed repeatedly in his attempts to grab a firm grasp of that role, and now there are two new talented (albeit undrafted) rookies to join in on the fight. The winner of this battle could prove to be a valuable deep league contributor.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tyler Johnson vs. Justin Watson vs. Scott Miller
This will be one of the more interesting third wide receiver battles to monitor. Tyler Johnson has a distinct talent edge, but the lack of a true offseason and preseason may get in the way of his ascension up the depth chart. Tom Brady will likely be more than willing to spread the love in Tampa Bay, which increases the potential fantasy value of whoever emerges as the starter in three-wide sets. 

Detroit Lions

Quintez Cephus vs. Danny Amendola vs. Geronimo Allison
This is going to be one of the more interesting battles. Amendola flashed sporadically last season, but Quintez Cephus has enough talent to eventually take over the number two job. Geronimo Allison is the wildcard, as he has shown enough in his career to be considered the favorite to open the season as the number three receiver. However, he looked all but done in 2019 when he failed to emerge as the number two receiver on a Green Bay Packers team that was desperate for one. This battle is likely to rage on during the season, and will most likely be won by Danny Amendola or Quintez Cephus.

Minnesota Vikings

Tajae Sharpe vs. K.J. Osborn vs. Olabisi Johnson
With Justin Jefferson likely locked into two wide sets with Adam Thielen, there will be a battle for the third wide receiver job in Minnesota. While this job may not provide as much value as it would if the Vikings were not arguably more talented when running 12 personnel with both Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. on the field, there is still some deep league intrigue here. K.J. Osborn is likely to be more of a depth option as a rookie, which means that Tajae Sharpe or Olabisi Johnson are more likely to be third on the team in snaps. 

San Francisco 49ers

Jalen Hurd vs. Kendrick Bourne vs. Dante Pettis vs. Travis Benjamin vs. Jauan Jennings
Dante Pettis is a good route runner who flashed at the end of the 2018 season, but he failed so miserably in 2019 that he was rumored to be put on the trade block. Kendrick Bourne grabbed hold of the number three job last season, but will now have to fend off Pettis once again, as well as redshirt rookie Jalen Hurd. Kyle Shanahan apparently loves Jalen Hurd, and it should come as no surprise from a player that is probably one of their top two running backs, and top three receivers. Hurd should win this battle if healthy, but it is far from a given that he will remain setback free. Jauan Jennings and Travis Benjamin will also be competing to be a three-wide starter.

Los Angeles Rams

Van Jefferson vs. Josh Reynolds
Van Jefferson’s day two draft capital should tell us all we need to know about who the Los Angeles Rams expect, and hope to win this battle. They did not spend a second-round pick on someone they wanted as a depth receiver who sits fourth on the depth chart. While Jefferson is expected to win this battle, Josh Reynolds may actually open the season as the starter. However, Van Jefferson’s ability to create consistent separation will quickly endear him to both his coaching staff and his quarterback. 

Washington Redskins

Antonio Gandy-Golden vs. Steven Sims vs. Trey Quinn
Conventional wisdom suggests that either Steven Sims or Trey Quinn will win the third receiver role for Washington, but Antonio Gandy-Golden should start to push for three-wide snaps as soon as the coaching staff deems him ready. Sims and Quinn were not drafted by the current regime, which could lead to AGG getting increased opportunities to be on the field. He is more of an outside receiver, but with both Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon capable of lining up in the slot, the fact that Sims and Quinn profile better in the slot should not be a deciding factor in this battle. It is fair to wonder whether or not the third receiver role will even have any value in Washington, but with their tight end situation in flux, and Dwayne Haskins expected to make a sophomore leap, the position should at least provide deep league bye week value. 

Buffalo Bills

Isaiah Hodgins vs. Cole Beasley vs. Gabriel Davis
Cole Beasley is likely to open the season as a three-wide starter, but he will be under constant duress from rookies Isaiah Hodgins and Gabriel Davis. John Brown is too talented to take off the field when healthy, which likely means that if either Davis or Hodgins play meaningful snaps as rookies, that it will likely come at the expense of Beasley. Buffalo struggled to pass the ball when forced last season, but should now be able to open up their passing game if they desire. Stefon Diggs, Brown, and Hodgins or Davis is a much more intimidating trio than the passing attack would be with Beasley in the lineup, but Beasley has experience in the offense, and already has a rapport with Josh Allen. This will be a situation to monitor as if there is no clear winner, the three receivers could end up rotating snaps and cannibalizing each other’s fantasy values. 

Baltimore Ravens

James Proche vs. Willie Snead vs. Miles Boykin
James Proche is a talented wide receiver with the type of sure hands that the Baltimore Ravens proved that they desperately needed in the playoffs. Willie Snead is likely to be third on the team in receiver snaps to open the season, but Miles Boykin and James Proche both have more talent. Boykin is going to get his snaps because of his plus blocking skills, and if he can take a step as a receiver, he could run away with the number three receiver role. Proche has the hands, route running, and contested-catch skills to earn himself heavy snaps on passing downs, but it is likely that whoever wins this role will see less snaps per game than the average number three. Keep that in mind when considering these players in redraft. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Chase Claypool vs. James Washington
James Washington appears to officially be off scholarship in Pittsburgh. While the news that JuJu Smith-Schuster may be in his last year as a Steeler rocked the fantasy world, it should not come as a surprise to those who witnessed him struggle when Ben Roethlisberger was injured. He is a very good slot receiver, but as the selection of Claypool proved, the Steelers are looking for a star on the outside. Diontae Johnson is locked into three-wide sets, and JuJu the slot, which in turn means that any snaps that Claypool gets will in all likelihood be coming at Washington’s expense. 

Cleveland Browns

Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. Rashard Higgins
This is not expected to be much of a battle out of training camp or the preseason, but there is no denying that Donovan Peoples-Jones has Rashard Higgins thoroughly beat in terms of raw talent. There may be a lot of harnessing left to do to unlock DPJ’s potential, but when he is ready, he will be a starter. Whether or not he will ever be ready as a rookie is a fair question. The Browns will likely install a package or two where he is featured, but expecting him to beat Higgins, and even guys like Taywan Taylor to open the season may be a little far fetched. However, in dynasty leagues, Peoples-Jones is the receiver to own behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. If the Browns season goes off the rails again, and the Browns ship OBJ to a contender, expect DPJ to receive an extended look in two-wide sets.

Kansas City Chiefs

Mecole Hardman vs. Kalija Lipscomb
One could look at these two names and chuckle, as the thinking is that there is no way that Mecole Hardman, a 2019 second-round pick, loses a battle to an undrafted rookie. While it is true that no one expects Lipscomb to outright supplant Hardman as a three-wide starter, Kalija could earn a rotational role which would allow him to see snaps both when Hardman is off and on the field. If Hardman becomes a full complement of snaps player, he can have a true breakout in which he starts to show the consistency needed to be an every week flex2. However, if Lipscomb, or another receiver like Byron Pringle or Demarcus Robinson, continue to push for three-wide snaps, Hardman will remain the low volume boom or bust play he was as a rookie. This will be an interesting situation to monitor. 

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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.

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