The NFL season will be upon us before you know it. Teams are set to begin training camp soon, and the battles to secure a roster spot are about to be on full display. Our focus in this article for fantasy football will be on three wide receiver battles. Some windows of opportunity are greater than others. Yet, that will not deter the level of competition by any means.
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Miami Dolphins: Tutu Atwell vs. Jalen Tolbert vs. Chris Bell vs. Caleb Douglas vs. Kevin Coleman Jr.
The Dolphins lost two major pieces at wide receiver with the departures of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The opportunity is most certainly there for the players who want it most. While Miami may not be among the league leaders in volume receiving yards this season, there are a few options that deserve your attention.
Malik Washington will more than likely be the No. 1 WR for the Miami Dolphins leading up to Week 1. Washington should serve as a low-end roster add going into the tail end of your drafts. The wide receiver out of Virginia hauled in 46 receptions on 65 targets for 317 yards.
The Dolphins severely need someone to take the reins as a true volume wide receiver, and one who is much more reliable at that. This is where things get exciting for the remaining options at the position. Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert were signed in the offense to bolster Miami’s offense. The Dolphins also added a few very intriguing prospects at the draft in Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr.
Bell suffered a torn ACL in November, which will be the largest hurdle to overcome for the rookie out of Louisville. He will no doubt have an opportunity to make an impact for the Dolphins. However, it’s hard to envision immediate success for the 22-year-old rookie. Bell is a very large target at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. That should serve him well in the later stages of the season.
The Dolphins currently have seven potential candidates to fill four or five spots. Malik Washington, Atwell, Tolbert and Douglas are the favorites to fill out the top four spots, with Bell taking up an injured reserve (IR) spot if needed. However, the battle for hierarchy is completely up for grabs, and it is completely in your interest to see how this all shakes out
Las Vegas Raiders: Jack Bech vs. Dont’e Thornton Jr. vs. Tyler Lockett vs. Malik Benson
The Las Vegas Raiders brought in Jalen Nailor in an effort to breathe some life into the wide receiver room. He is being touted as a breakout option going into his fifth season. The Michigan State alum is 27 years old and moving into the peak of athleticism, coupled with experience. The newly acquired wide receiver will no doubt be looking to build on his 29 receptions and 444 yards from last season. If the reception total hits 60+, a 1,000-yard season becomes a solid possibility. Nailor will be a heavily sought-after option in drafts this season.
As for the remaining wide receiver spots, it will come down to necessity to begin with. Having said that, there is a glaring opportunity for any of the remaining receivers looking to become the third passing option on a very thin Las Vegas core.
Tre Tucker leads the wide receiver room for the Raiders after Nailor, followed by Jack Bech, Dont’e Thornton Jr., Tyler Lockett and rookie Malik Benson. The rookie wide receiver out of Oregon makes for a possible intriguing prospect who could find himself a spot on the 53-man roster due to speed alone. Benson ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the combine and would add a little juice to the special teams unit.
We are not expecting Benson to immediately find a spot in the offense. However, it only takes one injury or a very impressive camp, and Las Vegas may not have a choice but to take a chance on the rookie wideout. Beyond Nailor, the Raiders aren’t really tied to a specific set of receivers.
Whether it be Thornton Jr., Benson, Bech or a resurgence from Lockett, the wide receiver battles in Las Vegas will be worth monitoring. Make sure to keep an eye on who’s making the most of it at camp and through the preseason. It’s likely the Raiders are hiding a fantasy football gem.
San Francisco 49ers: Demarcus Robinson vs. Jordan Watkins vs. Ricky Pearsall vs. Jacob Cowing vs. De’Zhaun Stribling
The San Francisco 49ers opted for a complete overhaul of their wide receiver group in the offseason. San Francisco brought in veteran Pro-Bowler Mike Evans, along with Christian Kirk. The 49ers have every intention of moving the ball through the air this season.
Evans is in the very late stages of his career, while Kirk has never truly been a pillar of consistent health or availability. Which means San Francisco may have to find production from some unlikely sources. The Brandon Aiyuk situation is an absolute mess. We will proceed as if he will not be on the roster by Week 1.
Veteran receiver Demarcus Robinson, along with Jordan Watkins, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, makes up the rest of the wide receiving options for San Francisco. The Niners drafted Stribling with their first pick (33rd overall), so we expect him to be well integrated into this offense. Things get a little murkier for the remaining options.
Pearsall flashed signs of dominance last season before succumbing to a PCL sprain — which resulted in only nine games played. He simply cannot catch a break going into his third season. Not only has Pearsall dealt with a plethora of injuries in his first two NFL seasons, but he was also robbed and shot before he even stepped foot on the field. As devoid of compassion as it sounds, Pearsall will have to produce this season if he wants a future with this team.
For Robinson, Cowing and Watkins, someone will have to take a step forward. Robinson caught 22 passes for 276 yards last season. San Francisco is going to need a bit more volume than that, as they will look to target receivers more frequently this season.
Cowing and Watkins are in a somewhat similar position to Pearsall; they have to show out and give the Niners a reason to want to keep them on the active roster. Neither player accumulated more than five receptions last season, and that’s simply going to have to improve if they want to stick around.
It would appear that four wide receiver spots are spoken for as of now. Cowing, Watkins and Robinson will be battling for the remaining two or possibly even one spot. Of all the teams that we have mentioned to keep an eye on, the 49ers’ situation is by far the most intriguing.
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