8 Wide Receivers Your Fantasy League Drafts Completely Wrong
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this video and kept the full transcript here for context.
39 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 12, 2026
Published
Wed, August 12, 2026
32
Player insights
32
Players mentioned
Topics
Alec PierceCedric TillmanChristian McCaffreyChristian WatsonCourtland SuttonCyrus AllenDalton KincaidDe'Zhaun StriblingDeebo SamuelDenzel BostonGeorge KittleIsaiah LikelyJ.J. McCarthyJalen Coker
Player analysis
Player insights
Alec Pierce
NegativeInjury27:59
Alec Pierce is ranked lower than consensus (WR41/WR47 vs WR33 ADP) due to a severe left ankle injury requiring multiple PRP injections; he is still walking with a limp and may start the season on the PUP list. Missing the entire preseason is expected to lead to underperformance, and the source is no longer drafting him at his current ADP, which is near high-variance receivers like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brian Thomas Jr.
Insight pageCedric Tillman
NegativeDepth Chart20:25
Cedric Tillman is falling down the depth chart, with the source noting that the team's rookies are leaving him 'in the dust' during training camp.
Insight pageChristian McCaffrey
NegativeInjury13:10
Christian McCaffrey is currently dealing with some soreness, which is noted as part of the 49ers' broader injury concerns.
Insight pageChristian Watson
PositiveValue0:38
The source ranks Christian Watson as WR23 or WR24, significantly higher than his current home league ADP of WR29. The optimism stems from his evolution into a primary target rather than a high-variance deep threat, evidenced by his out-route usage jumping from 7% to 35% last year, and his role as a go-to player on third downs.
Insight pageCourtland Sutton
NegativeRole31:57
The source is down on Courtland Sutton, ranking him as WR44 despite his WR37 ADP. He is being squeezed by the addition of Jaylen Waddle as the primary passing game pillar and the emergence of Pat Bryant, who is reportedly the best player in training camp. Sutton's snap share is at risk of dropping from near 100% to 80%, which would push him from a flex option to a bench player. The source prefers the upside of younger players like Matthew Golden or Quentin Johnston over Sutton.
Insight pageCyrus Allen
PositiveSleeper25:02
Cyrus Allen is a deep-league sleeper candidate who has impressed in training camp with separation skills and red-zone adjustments. While acknowledging the history of Chiefs camp hype, the source ranks him at WR67, significantly higher than his WR81 ADP.
Insight pageDalton Kincaid
PositiveValue37:38
The source prefers taking a swing on Dalton Kincaid over both Travis Kelce and George Kittle within the current tight end landscape, identifying him as a preferred target in that draft tier.
Insight pageDe'Zhaun Stribling
PositiveValue12:44
The source argues Deshawn Stribling is undervalued, noting he is the composite WR61 but ranked WR52 by the analysts. He is expected to compete for the WR3 role immediately and potentially become the WR2 by season's end due to his size, speed, and blocking ability, which is critical for the Kyle Shanahan offense.
Insight pageDeebo Samuel
NegativeRole13:12
Deebo Samuel has been utilized in a running back role due to wide receiver injuries, but the source suggests he could eventually give way to rookies as the season progresses.
Insight pageDenzel Boston
PositiveValue15:40
Denzel Boston is a high-upside late-round target whose ADP is climbing (WR59 composite) due to dominant training camp reports. He is drawing constant praise for his catch radius and ability to win in the red zone, with some observers speculating he could lead the team in receiving. The source ranks him at WR57 and notes he is 'completely free' in drafts, comparing his potential impact to Drake London.
Insight pageGeorge Kittle
PositiveValue13:05
George Kittle is a high-upside target currently going 86th overall, while ranked 75th by the source. His ADP is expected to rise a full round once his Week 1 availability is confirmed. He is preferred over Travis Kelce and is identified as the most feared player in his tight end tier for his potential to 'windmill dunk' on the competition. He is also noted as returning from injury as part of the 49ers' banged-up roster.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
PositiveValue37:41
The source identifies Isaiah Likely as a viable target and a potential alternative to George Kittle within the current tight end draft tier.
Insight pageJ.J. McCarthy
NegativeDepth Chart10:38
The source notes that Kevin O'Connell expressed frustration with J.J. McCarthy's development throughout the previous season, leading to speculation that he may be traded, with the source comparing his potential situation to the Carson Wentz contract deal.
Insight pageJalen Coker
PositiveSleeper12:17
Jaylen Coker is an undervalued asset (WR56 composite) who operates in a full-time role. When playing over 66% of snaps, he averaged 9.5 PPR points, which would equate to a WR34 finish. He demonstrated high-end production in his final seven games, matching Jalen McMillan in targets while recording 410 yards and four touchdowns. He is viewed as an established WR2 for his team and is projected to rank inside the top 50 wide receivers for many weeks.
Insight pageJalen McMillan
PositiveRole20:19
The source classifies Jalen McMillan as an established WR2 for his team, making him a target for the final rounds of fantasy drafts.
Insight pageJayden Higgins
NegativeValue12:17
The source identifies Jaden Higgins as an established wide receiver two for his team and a viable option for the final picks of a fantasy draft.
Insight pageJordan Addison
PositiveValue7:28
Jordan Addison is a significant value in fantasy drafts, currently being selected as the WR45 in home leagues while the source ranks him as the WR37/WR39. Despite his boom-or-bust nature, he offers WR2/WR3 production at a WR4 price point, supported by his history as the WR21 in 2024 and WR28 in 2023 despite inconsistent quarterback play. He is a viable late-round target in the WR3/WR4 range.
Insight pageJustin Jefferson
PositiveProjection15:04
The source argues that if Justin Jefferson is drafted as the 11th overall player, the nine-round gap between him and the next Minnesota Vikings receiver is unjustified, implying the offense should be capable of supporting secondary pass catchers.
Insight pageKenneth Walker III
PositiveValue27:28
The source explicitly recommends Kenneth Walker III as a player to target in fantasy drafts.
Insight pageMatthew Golden
PositiveValue33:27
The source explicitly prefers drafting Matthew Golden over Courtland Sutton, placing Golden a full tier above Sutton in their current rankings.
Insight pageMichael Pittman
NegativeProjection28:51
Michael Pittman is used as a stylistic comparison for Denzel Boston, specifically highlighting his profile as a big-bodied 'volume hog' who excels on slant and underneath routes.
Insight pageMike Evans
NegativeUsage13:05
The source notes Mike Evans is back at practice but highlights his history of missing approximately four games per season due to hamstring injuries, which could open up opportunities for younger receivers like Deshawn Stribling.
Insight pageParker Washington
PositiveValue0:50
The source ranks Parker Washington as WR25-27, outperforming his composite ADP of WR32. He is projected to be a full-time player who stays on the field for both two-wide and three-wide receiver sets, with the source noting he led the team in targets and receptions from week seven onward.
Insight pagePat Bryant
NegativeRole33:24
Pat Bryant is currently not considered draftable in redraft leagues despite being viewed as a dependable player with excellent hands and potential to be a 'power slot' or intermediate receiver similar to Jauan Jennings. He is getting squeezed in the Broncos' depth chart due to too many other preferred options, including Marvin Mims.
Insight pagePatrick Mahomes
NegativeValue27:24
The source is avoiding drafting Patrick Mahomes in fantasy leagues, citing concerns about the overall state of the Chiefs' pass-catching options.
Insight pageQuentin Johnston
PositiveValue35:34
The source prefers the 'mystery box' upside of Quentin Johnston in the Mike McDaniel offense over the current market value of Courtland Sutton.
Insight pageRashee Rice
NegativeProjection25:42
The source expresses concern over Rashee Rice's outlook, citing a report that he may not reach 1,000 yards this season and noting a lack of visible improvement in his game, questioning his role as the primary pass catcher.
Insight pageRashid Shaheed
PositiveRole20:17
Rashid Shaheed is classified as an established WR2 for his team, making him a viable target for the final rounds of fantasy drafts.
Insight pageRomeo Doubs
PositiveRole12:17
The source classifies Romeo Doubs as an established WR2 for his team, making him a viable target for the final rounds of fantasy drafts.
Insight pageTerry McLaurin
NegativeProjection20:46
Terry McLaurin's fantasy outlook is being negatively impacted by the loss of left tackle Larry Matunel for the majority of the season and a lack of stability at center and right tackle. While he is currently drafted as WR22, the source ranks him lower (WR27) and is betting against him repeating his past high-level production.
Insight pageTravis Kelce
NegativeProjection27:16
The source questions the Chiefs' pass-catching hierarchy, noting that Travis Kelce is 37 years old and has been showing signs of massive decline. Additionally, he is placed in a tier of tight ends the source does not 'absolutely love,' preferring George Kittle at current costs.
Insight pageXavier Legette
NegativeDepth Chart16:42
Xavier Legette is struggling to separate on the depth chart and is currently dealing with injuries, which is clearing the path for teammates like Jaylen Coker to maintain an every-snap role.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This show is a simple one, eight wide receivers that Hayden and I have ranked drastically different than your home leagues. Yes, we took the ADP's from all
0:09of these redraft sites, packaged them into just one number, compared that one number to Hayden and I's positional rankings for wide receivers, and now
0:18it's our job to convince the people that we are simply smarter than these platforms. Do you think we have it in
0:22us?
0:23>> Uh, we'll see. I'll try to keep it brief. We've talked about some of these players extensively, and then I also
0:27went into the lab talking about some players maybe we haven't talked about enough and how we rank them differently.
0:33>> Yeah, there are eight names we're going to hit on today. I I will say there are two headliners at the top that aren't in
0:38that eight that I think kind of define this idea for us this year. Uh, that is Christian Watson, who is wide receiver
0:4529 in your home league ADP's right now.
0:48He's ranked for us as wide receiver 23 or 24. And then Parker Washington, composite wide receiver 32, and for us he's wide receiver 27 or 25. How do you
0:57feel about those two names defining us in terms of wide receivers we are over drafting compared to the public?
1:03>> I like it this a lot. We have high uh end efficiency from both of the offenses. We have high end efficiency on
1:09both of these players, and then emerging players who people probably don't realize just how good they possibly can be. Christian Watson, wide receiver 17
1:18per game last year coming off of a torn ACL. They gave him over a hundred million dollars in an extension right
1:23here. They let Romeo Doubs walk. They traded Dontayvion Wicks. He's going to be a full-time player, and I think that there's some evidence that the Packers
1:30are going to be tinkering with their offense, which means more plays, more pass attempts, and that defense isn't going to be quite as good early on
1:37without Micah Parsons. So I really like Christian Watson in particular.
1:40>> Yeah, when when I zoomed out and asked myself, okay, why am I that much higher than all these platforms on both of
1:46these names, it's that I I don't think maybe people have caught up to how much they have changed or improved their
1:52games. Like you said for Christian Watson, I mean, he evolved. He he he's not just this high-variance downfield 17 A dot player anymore. Like last year it
2:01was third and six, he's our go-to player. We get him in motion, we get him in stacks. It's even the out routes like
2:07that jump from 7% of his number of routes up to 35% this past year. So to me he is like their primary target now
2:15versus being this boom or bust option in your bench every single week for fantasy football. And then with Parker Washington, obviously, we're
2:22talking about a late-round NFL Draft pick who really did very little in the opening few weeks. But then when it was
2:28him and Brian Thomas Jr. and Jacquoby Myers all on the field at the exact same time, it was very clear who their number
2:35one wide receiver was in that grouping and it was Parker Washington. And Hayden, let's say the drumbeat this offseason has not gotten any quieter
2:42here for PW.
2:43>> Yeah, first of all he's like not coming off the field at all and he's leading the team in targets, receptions, all the
2:49categories. And they're about to pay him a lot of money if they do that before the season or long-term. I think it's
2:53highlights important with Parker Washington because they the Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Jacquoby Myers before Parker Washington really ascended and then they paid him obviously as well.
3:04But I think that if they had known Parker Washington was this good, they might not even have had to do that. But
3:10from week seven on, that's when he became a near full-time player and now I think he's going to be actually full-time player.
3:15>> Yeah. He was the wide receiver 18 on wide receiver 15 usage. He had a 21% target share despite not playing every
3:21single snap. And then we look at the depth chart, I think this is key.
3:25>> Travis Hunter is actually the backup at X receiver behind Brian Thomas. They're going to have Parker Washington as an inside-outside player. He's going to be
3:32out there in two wide receiver sets, three wide receiver sets. He gets all the gimme stuff. Liam Cohen's favorite play, it was a draw up across her to
3:40Parker Washington. And then go watch his tape. He's excellent. So I moved him I'm all the way in. I I have him as a top 50
3:46player. You don't have to draft him there. I've seen his calves, I'm in.
3:49>> Absolutely love all that. Yeah, he's not coming off the field. He's an outside inside player and we we love all of
3:54that. Okay, we've talked about those two players enough. As Hayden said, we have about eight other names that we really haven't hit on enough this off season.
4:03And we'll start with the three that we are higher on than go to kind of three in the news at this point over the first
4:08couple weeks of training camp and then two that were much lower on. And by the way, I do have one secret name at the
4:13end that I haven't told Hayden about. So we'll get his reaction on on that one.
4:17If you enjoy episodes like this, we have a running backs version of this one tomorrow. Hit that subscribe button.
4:22It's totally free to all of you. Our whole goal is to help you win your fantasy football league and maybe be
4:26entertaining and informative along the way. So leave a thumbs up, hit subscribe again. It's totally free. Plus we got preseason game starting up and that's
4:33our biggest episode of the year next Monday and Tuesday. All right, I don't think home leagues are reacting enough to offenses that can rebound. And I
4:43think the Minnesota Vikings are number one on that list. Hayden, that brings us to Jordan Addison who in this composite system ranks as wide receiver 45 in your
4:53home league drafts and for us he's our wide receiver 37 and wide receiver 39.
4:58>> In 2023 and 2024, he was the wide receiver 19 and wide receiver 31 usage.
5:03That's half PPR scoring per game. Like you said, buried in the redraft settings. Obviously, he can be frustrating because he's the primary
5:11deep threat and he was running really hot with touchdowns in in that season but still looking at the wide receiver 31 usage and I'm taking that as a
5:19discount. I think that Kyler Murray he might not be able to do the full Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold but I think he
5:24can do a damn good impression of that and he certainly has the upside to even surpass those guys. Just as a reminder,
5:30from 2022 to 2024, the Vikings were fourth in pass yards per game. Their neutral pass rate was also fifth in the
5:38NFL. The play action rate was second best in the NFL.
5:42And they were not even like that good in the red zones. Like there's some options for them to even eat a little bit better
5:48offensively if everything kind of clicks. I'm just kind of buying into this and I think last year was such a quiet
5:54season for everybody that I think we're probably getting a discount about five or 10 wide receiver spots in general.
5:59>> 100% agree with you. Like, Jordan Addison is always going to be this boomer bust wide receiver two or wide receiver three, but you're not
6:06having to pay a wide receiver two or wide receiver three price tag. In fact, he's going at like the end of the wide
6:11receiver four territory. So, look, we can go back to 2024 with Sam Darnold. He was the wide receiver 21 in points per game.
6:19And again, it's not like he scored as the wide receiver 21 every week. It's some ups and downs there. Same could be
6:24said in 2023 that with Cousins, Nick Mullens, and Josh Dobbs starting games, he was the wide receiver 28. And again, you're being able to draft him as wide
6:34receiver 45 on all these platforms. So, it just comes back to the Vikings were 26 in scoring last year. We now know
6:42exactly how they feel about JJ McCarthy.
6:44I mean, Alec Lewis has reported that as the season went along, Kevin O'Connell was so frustrated by JJ McCarthy's game. And
6:53the year before that though, they were ninth in scoring. And then 2022, eighth in scoring. Like, this offense, as long as Kyler Murray trusts his environment,
7:00hits his back foot in the face of pressure, and delivers these window throws down the field, then both Justin Jefferson, and it's not just him,
7:08there's also going to be another component out there, and >> Mhm.
7:10>> how it's drafting, is Jordan Addison.
7:13I think this is going to be a tremendous value when we look back at it in like the totality of the 2026 season.
7:19>> I'll say over that time frame, they've added a first-round guard who looks really promising, Dalton and Jackson.
7:23The tackles are both healthy right now.
7:25That has not always been the case. And there's some some some of that stint with Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, where the offensive line was like legitimately
7:30not good. I think this one you can make a case is actually a pretty decent unit.
7:34And it's going to be the best environment that Kyler Murray has ever played in. So, yeah, there's like not that many high
7:39floor, you know, options when you're talking about wide receiver fours on a week-to-week It It's a fallacy. Like there is no wide receiver that I feel
7:45good about their weekly four when I'm ranking that wide receiver 40. At least Jordan Addison has some upside, not even to mention the contingent-based upside
7:52that he has.
7:53>> Yeah, and he's missed some time, you know, he got suspended, he's had some injuries, all that stuff. He is healthy,
7:57at least I believe at this point in recording uh heading into this episode.
8:00Those can change on the fly, though.
8:02>> Yeah.
8:02>> Um Yeah, I mean when we look at wide receiver twos across the league, Hayden, there's like a handful that you can believe that you
8:10can trust on a weekly basis. I I'm not calling Jordan Addison the next George Pickens when we picked out George Pickens ahead of this, you know? I'm not
8:16calling him T Higgins. I'm just saying you're drafting a borderline two-three wide receiver at the near end of round or excuse me, wide receiver four
8:24territory. So >> Right.
8:26>> I understand the concerns that Kyler has never really elevated a second pass-catcher in his offense. I'll just go back to the point that you made that
8:33this should be just an environment, an offensive play-calling standpoint, that has given us fantasy points in the past, and it should be the best one that Kyler
8:42has been a part of.
8:42>> My My last thing on the Vikings, I think that J.J. McCarthy is going to get traded here. I was looking at the Carson
8:46Wentz deal, signed like a $3 million contract. Like most quarterback threes don't make that. They obviously were hiding behind the injury last year and
8:54allowed Carson Wentz to play even longer. Right now, it makes the most sense for J.J. McCarthy to get shipped out before the season, which would make
9:00me feel better that at least it's Carson Wentz out there if something ever happens to Kyler.
9:03>> Yeah, and look, if Justin Jefferson finished as the wide receiver 37 last year, you knew that Jordan Addison wasn't going to get there. And then now
9:10if you think that Justin Jefferson is going to rebound this year and taking him as the 11th overall player, then we
9:16have a gap of nine full rounds until the next Minnesota Viking. So if again, the offense is good enough to support the 11th overall player, I don't
9:25think there should be then a gap in nine rounds to the next guy. That we are selecting right now, there is. Okay.
9:31>> Yep.
9:32>> Let's take it to Carolina.
9:33Why not? We're going to be Carolina in my mind. Jonathan Mingo is up next.
9:38Composite, when we aggregate all these, wide receiver 56, but he is our combined wide receiver 50. Why are we right and
9:46they wrong?
9:46>> When he's cleared 66% of his snaps in a contest, he's been averaging 9 and 1/2 half PPR points. That doesn't sound like
9:52a whole lot, but that would make him the wide receiver 34. He's not being drafted anywhere near that, so we'll see. I
9:58think that the it's very clearly Jaylen Coker in a full-time role, just looking at the depth that they're talking about behind him. It's like Jalen gets hurt
10:05and separate, he's dealing with injuries and stuff, so it's very clearly going to be Jaylen Coker in an every snap role.
10:10Yards per target in these full-time games at 9.7, that's really good.
10:15There's a big busted play in there, but still, I think that he offers a lot of like kind of crossing route, like big
10:21catch radius. He's got some leaping ability. He's explosive enough. He's not going to be making you guys making defenders miss all the time, but I think
10:28that they rely on him. He absolutely shredded the Rams on 12 targets, 134 yards, and a touchdown there, so I think that I like drafting very
10:39clear-cut wide receiver twos on teams at the very end of my drafts. He's one of the later guys that you can qualify that
10:46for, and I do think that just watching him, I feel very good about his tape.
10:49Obviously, they paid him for the right reason.
10:51>> Yeah. That Harmon just, you know, did his reception perception on Jaylen Coker, and it's exactly what we always outline when we talk about him. Big
10:57body, athletic, wins vertically, wins when over the middle of the field, wins tight windows. You can line him up at X,
11:03you can line him on the line of scrimmage. And that's exactly what this team needs. They're going to be running some two wide receiver sets, some three
11:08wide receiver sets, all of it. And actually, around this time last year, they traded Adam Thielen because they were banking on Jaylen Coker, and then
11:17the day that they traded Adam Thielen, Jaylen Coker injures himself and misses like the first 6 weeks of the season.
11:24And then once he got back to the field as a full-time player, week 11 and on, we saw the ascension. I mean, there were
11:31weeks of wide receiver 24, 14, 24, 12, and nine for 124 and one in the playoff game versus the LA Rams. And in fact, if
11:41we look over those final seven games, he actually had the same number of targets as T. Y. Hilton and McMillan and caught
11:4731 of 40 targets for 410 yards and four touchdowns. That's more production than the guy that you're drafting in round four right now. So, I'm not going on
11:56here and saying that Jaylen Coker is going to outscore >> He can.
11:59>> Hilton and McMillan for the season. What I am saying is Jaylen Coker is a damn good second wide receiver on an NFL team
12:06and you're able to draft that right now at wide receiver 56 on an offense that you and I actually think from week one
12:11is going to air it out a bit more often than they did starting in week one last year.
12:15>> Yes, it is kind of like round 13 range.
12:17Rashid Shaheed, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Higgins, Jaylen Coker, those are like to me very established wide receiver twos for their team. Those offenses at least
12:25are possible, too. So, I think like this like the last picks of of your draft. I think that Jaylen Coker is somebody that
12:31will I think be ranking inside the top 50 for a lot of the weeks this season.
12:34>> Let's talk about a rookie because rookies are always undervalued in your home leagues and especially ones that, you know, people hated uh with the 33rd
12:43overall pick last April. Deebo Samuel, Stripling, he's the composite wide receiver 61 and for us he falls around the wide receiver 52.
12:52Uh Hey, and I think pre-draft opinions are anchoring him right now. What do you think?
12:57>> Mhm.
12:58Yeah, I mean, almost went in the first round to an offense that is just like walks to top 10 finishes every single
13:03season um and a lot of the top guys are banged up.
13:06That was Mike Evans is now back at practice, but George Kittle come back from injury, Christian McCaffrey some soreness. Uh and obviously he's competing with Deebo
13:14Samuel who's been like playing running back for the team cuz they're so banged up at wide receiver. I think this one could be
13:20a slow September and then by October they're like, "Okay, our team is so slow, so old, so banged up. If we don't
13:27get Deebo Samuel Stripling more cooked this season.
13:31So I think he's going to be one of those players where you hold the line and then I think you just wait for the big games
13:36to come. He is really fast. He's big.
13:39He's a good blocker. He's a smart player. All those type of things. I think he's going to be in the mix for
13:44the wide receiver three role right away and then I think long term they really have no option. He has to be the wide
13:49receiver two as they close out the season. They're not even paying Deebo Samuel that much money.
13:53>> Yeah, the season's very long and we constantly see players like Deebo Samuel start off quick and then give way to rookies. And
14:02at the very least that's your three wide receiver sets up with Deebo Samuel and that can condense itself down to two
14:07wide receiver stuff and that's even attached to someone like Mike Evans who misses four games per season now because of his hamstrings. And it gets to a
14:14point where like the ball is going to find Deebo Samuel and in fact our buddy Ted Nguyen who does great work over over
14:20at at the athletic was at 49ers practice. And he said quote Mike Evans and Samuel together with 12 personnel makes this offense huge. It's a far cry
14:29from typical slot types the 49ers collected before and then he added Samuel hype is justified. He looks so explosive especially after the catch. My
14:38one reservation and kind of goes to what you're saying is that this is not an easy offense to play in for a rookie.
14:43Shanahan talked about the fact that he still has a lot to learn and needs to continue to bank reps. He missed out on
14:49some of those early on with an injury.
14:51My one final point is something that kept Brandon Aiyuk on the bench after he was a first round pick was maybe his
14:58willingness to block, his attitude and all that stuff.
15:01You and I watching Samuel at Ole Miss, I wrote in my notes I thought he might be and become the best blocking wide
15:08receiver in this class. You don't get fantasy points for blocking but you get on a Kyle Shanahan offense and field because you can block.
15:15>> That's true. And if you guys are new to us, we have prospect profile like 10 minute videos on all these rookies. Go
15:20back and watch them. You know, it's kind of fun to to lay out our takes before we know what team they're on and stuff and
15:25kind of anchor that. I think you and I had like a more optimistic outlook than certainly everyone else.
15:31>> Yeah, [laughter] and certainly than everyone else. Now, I will say Shanahan likes him more than we do, but I think
15:36we can kind of blend the lines of of where we should be ranking him. Yeah, and look, I understand if you go back
15:42through Kyle Shanahan's history, there are some picks when he reaches that don't work and other ones that do. I'll simply say this.
15:51If the 33rd overall pick who was maybe the wide receiver four perceived as that
15:59in the spring then is thrusted into the number two or number three wide receiver spot early in training camp and is
16:06drawing rave reviews by beat writers and is massive and athletic in any other case, if his name was not DeSean Stripling, I think the fantasy
16:17community would be all over as we see with round four, five, six, seven guys that are lighting it up in camp. And
16:23yet, I think people are still being incredibly slow to react here with Stripling and I want to be on the opposite end of that.
16:30>> If you just want to spend 10 seconds looking something up, watch him pull away from the Georgia defenders. He had
16:34a 75-yard catch. Watch him run in a straight line and you'll be like, "Okay, I see the vision at least."
16:39>> Let's talk about some other players that have been in the news and I actually want to lead off with Denzel Mims. This
16:43doesn't necessarily, you know, fit in the parameters we laid out, but I'm going to bring him up anyways cuz his composite is an ADP and I think this
16:50has really climbed in recent days, which meshes with his camp. Wide receiver 59, he is my wide receiver 57. I think
16:57you're right in line with us too, Hayden. Both Browns rookies have put forth awesome camps. However, Boston is the one that is drawing headlines. I
17:08mean, there's a constant drumbeat or echo chamber for him every single day.
17:14Where are you at with someone who outperforms maybe second round expectations like this in camp?
17:21>> Yeah.
17:21>> Is attached to these quarterbacks and yet I see my timeline full of highlight reel catches.
17:26>> I was a believer in Denzel Boston as a prospect. He was my 21st overall player.
17:30He was my wide receiver four. My comps were like Michael Pittman, Michael Wilson. Like those guys have had like really awesome seasons as like big like
17:38big catch radius guys, but also those guys have for for stints have been volume hogs and somebody that you can kind of work a little bit on like the
17:45slant routes, not necessarily screen game stuff, but some of the other underneath type of routes.
17:51I thought he was able to sink his hips for somebody as big as he is and then I think the calling card is that how big
17:56he is and that you can obviously throw it up to him. Uh The camp reports have been so favorable that some are just speculating that he's
18:02like actually just going to lead this team in all the receiving stuff. That's That's in the range of outcomes, but >> but yes, it's absolutely in the range of
18:10outcomes. I think him and Kent Casey Concepsion are awesome dart throws.
18:14Later on I liked Casey Concepsion a little bit more than Denzel Boston on tape. I thought his explosiveness was just like so unreal and he's a little
18:21bit more fantasy friendly in that you can like scheme up touches to him.
18:24>> Right.
18:25>> The difference between the two in my my you know, my profiles was not so drastic that's not impossible for Denzel Boston
18:32to like leap him this season. So spend one of your picks on Denzel Boston or Casey Concepsion at the very end of your
18:38draft. I think that's a a good strategy.
18:40>> Yeah, unfortunately this isn't one of those offenses that could be totally undervalued that you could get both in the wide receiver 50 range and feel good
18:48about it. Like you kind of have to pick your shot here because at the end of the day we're tied to Deshaun Watson
18:53>> Correct.
18:53>> and Shedeur Sanders or Dylan Gabriel at at quarterback. But again, the one-on-one highlight reel catches are there. He's a red zone monster. I mean,
19:00these college defensive backs would just bounce off of him. It was amazing to see. He's running with the starters already. Um Cam Wolfe of NFL
19:10Network/ESPN told talk talked to a Brown source that told him, "Quote, looks like he can be Drake London for us. His ability to go
19:19get the ball is special, but he's more than that. I don't care what he runs in a 40. He's quicker than you think." And
19:25then Wolf added his own opinion that he believes that Denzel Boston is ultimately going to be this team's wide receiver one. Again, this is where
19:33we can kind of take a really good preseason performance and maybe extend it maybe a little bit too far. I I don't want to go there because again,
19:42these [clears throat] are two very talented players and Hayden, it goes to building a basketball room and I think they really have with the talents that
19:48Denzel Boston has and then what Casey Conception and in 2027, I'm even more excited what Todd Monken can do. But right now I think it is still easy to be
19:57ahead of market on Denzel Boston.
19:58>> Yeah, I mean, he's completely free still. I I mean, all these guys are are completely free. Um the ESPN reporter
20:04says he doesn't track wide receivers uh necessarily, but he's 95% sure Denzel Boston leads uh Browns training camp in targets and reception. And he said by a
20:13good margin. So, you know, it's like take notice here. Uh not that surprising. A lot of people have him as a round one guy.
20:20>> And I do want to say just because Boston is doing this, that again doesn't mean that Conception is having a bad camp. In
20:25fact, he's having a very good camp. Both of them are. And that's great. Like they are leaving Cedrick Tillman in like the
20:31freaking dust and Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond and wherever else. So, again, Todd Monken looked at his wide receiver room and he just said a big nope and then
20:39spent two top two round picks on replacing them for the future and it looks like they are both hits at this
20:46point. And that's great. That's really good for the future.
20:49Okay, let's talk Terry McLaurin and maybe not necessarily him as an individual, but how he's impacted by the players around him because Laremy Tunsil
20:57was out for the majority of the season with a torn biceps. Now, Terry McLaurin is going as wide receiver 22. I still
21:04have him as my wide receiver 22. But, Hayden, he's your wide receiver 27. Is the left tackle effect impacting that?
21:13Uh and if so, how much?
21:15>> Yeah, he's at the bottom kind of of this tier. I think all these guys are so close together, but I'm looking at, you
21:21know, the combination of now the tackle play is is in pretty rough shape. You're going to be moving a second your player
21:26over to the left side most likely in Josh Connerly. Um and that was kind of an up and down performance >> Is that the reports? I
21:33cuz I I haven't noticed if that's the report or if they're going to move Brandon Coleman back from guard to tackle. Like I think the two options are
21:39out there and I've seen both floated out there.
21:41>> Okay, yeah. I think either way we're talking about very different ballgame than having Laremy Tunsil. And then Terry McLaurin historically has been somebody that um
21:49has running downfield routes and obviously it's a little bit harder to to connect on those if you're under pressure, which I think is uh more
21:55reasonable. I think maybe the bigger thing is just, you know, Stefon Diggs I thought was still pretty dang good last year. And I do think that Stefon Diggs
22:01is going to get a lot more of the underneath easier stuff. And that Terry McLaurin is like, you know, he's not a
22:06sacrificial lamb. They're going to do more creative stuff this year where in previous seasons he was like literally just running the same route over and
22:12over from the same spot. You're [snorts] going to get some more creativity here.
22:15But, you would rather, you know, Laremy Tunsil be in and Stefon Diggs not existing on this team.
22:20>> Yes.
22:21>> So, I moved him down. Like he he's next to Luther Burden, DJ Moore, Mike Evans, Davante Adams. I would just say I would
22:27I would definitely rather have uh Ladd McConkey, Jameson Williams. I really like Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs.
22:33I even threw Parker Washington ahead of them, you know. Uh but it's the same tier, you know. If you want to disagree, I I I can hear it.
22:41>> Yeah, I I still have him behind Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Then there's that group of, like you said, Burden, Watson,
22:48Doubs, DJ Moore, Parker Washington.
22:50This is a tough one because it's a player I've been hyping up all summer long. Like I went on the Ringer Fantasy
22:54Football Show and made a claim for Terry McLaurin. That was when he was the only wide receiver on this team. They they
23:01you know, signed Stefon Diggs yet. And then Larry Moton was out there. And Moton was a big thing because you can
23:06leave Moton on an island and say, "Okay, our then four other guys get to block three other pass rushers and we can
23:13trust our left tackle and leave him in that situation." However, I still believe the David Blough-ness and effect can be positive in that
23:21Terry's not going to run, you know, 74% of his routes at left wide receiver stationary, no motion, no play action.
23:30Like these things and the easy buttons are going to be hit. I I still believe are going to impact Terry in a big way,
23:35but I also want to shine a mirror on myself and say, "I've been taking a real optimistic lens on the Commanders
23:42overall."
23:43>> Yep.
23:43>> And just going through the roster and already this big injury, there's a pretty easy case to be made that the floor could like fall out from
23:53underneath them. And I I probably need to factor that in a little bit more.
23:57>> Yeah, I I moved Jayden Daniels down to I had him like right next to the Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts and those. Jalen
24:02Hurts is like rushing more and then Jayden Daniels there was a report that uh from Robert Mays that they're kind of
24:07stripping away some of the quarterback design stuff because they want him to scramble. Now, like scrambles are really effective and I understand that strategy
24:13of like just getting in the drop back.
24:14If you want to take off, take off and we'll save some of the hits. Um so, I don't want to ding him too much, but I
24:20mean look at that offensive line. The starting five is it's awful. Like let's just be honest around here. We're talking that they lost their center,
24:26too. So, that's going to be a a new center, new left tackle, um second-year player at at right tackle it looks like.
24:31Just looked it up. Um who was inconsistent, um needed some development as a prospect in my opinion. So, um it's not the greatest situation for Jayden
24:41Daniels and Terry McLaurin to thrive in to the point where I think that season from two years ago I would I'd be, you
24:47know, betting against that outcome coming this year.
24:49>> Yeah, Nick Allegretti's at center uh coming in for Tyler Biadasz cuz they misread the center market. And Allegretti's like missed time with KC
24:57and I actually think he's missed some time in training camp, too.
25:01>> What can go wrong? All right, one more rookie.
25:03>> Yeah. Let's talk Cyrus Allen of the Kansas City Chiefs.
25:07He's composite wide receiver 81 in your redraft leagues. He's my wide receiver 67. Where do you have him? I couldn't even find him on your list.
25:16>> I mean, for redraft, he's on he's on the waiver wire. He's on the waiver [laughter] wire.
25:20>> me make a pitch to you, okay?
25:22>> it. Yeah.
25:23>> Because, look, we haven't gotten to preseason games. We will this weekend and then we get to talk about them on
25:28Monday and Tuesday. So, I reserve the ability to change my opinion. But, when we do get fed from beat writers and fans
25:34alike, these practice reps, two plays really stood out to me here for Cyrus Allen.
25:40First, extended red zone play. Rashee Rice is locked up in man coverage on the left side as he is typically in man
25:46coverage. Uh and then Cyrus Allen kind of works on a string with Patrick Mahomes, cuts up field at the perfect time, second phase separation,
25:54touchdown. Then, in another drill, the corner is perfectly playing the inside leverage that he has. So, Patrick Mahomes throws it to the open space,
26:03his back shoulder, and Cyrus Allen like perfectly adjusts, catches it, comes down with a big gain. So, again, we're talking about a day three rookie
26:13here. We've been Not us, but bitten by the past the fantasy community has with over performers in training camp for the
26:20Chiefs. Carson Steel, Justin Ross, Jaylen Royals, Rashad Smith, and Deneric Prince, just to name a few. Cyrus Allen might be next on the list, but hey, now
26:27I am also a little bit Cyrus Allen curious here and think that it's perfectly okay to be 14 spots above ADP and like now is the
26:38time to take him since he's going as wide receiver 81.
26:40>> I am not going to rain on anyone's Cyrus Allen parade. Like I I am totally open to this. Um I most redraft leagues just
26:47don't get to the point where you have to draft him. But, if you are in a deep league, like this is what fires are
26:52supposed to be, Especially if you're drafting early, like these are the type of guys you want to click and then just
26:57see what the hell happens, whether it's like, oh, Rashee Rice is just like not going to be that guy this year, which by
27:02the way, there was a report um from uh ESPN's Chiefs reporter saying that he's betting against 1,000 yards this year for Rashee Rice.
27:10>> point, like if Rashee Rice isn't going to get 1,000 yards, if Xavier Worthy uh is who he is and doesn't improve, if
27:17Travis Kelce is 37 years old and has been declining massively, then who is going to step up in the pass-catching game?
27:24>> Yeah, that's why I'm not drafting that much Patrick Mahomes. I think Kenneth Walker is the guy to draft. You know,
27:27I think like all of these things can be true. I will say this, like Skyy Moore, Allen, the bar to beat
27:33the best man coverage wide receiver on the Chiefs is pretty low, especially if they're going to keep the Xavier Worthy stuff at like X receiver and like kind
27:41of sacrifice him and the Rashee Rice stuff, I every clip, I'm like, oh my gosh, it's just I haven't seen a lick of
27:48improvement yet. That's Yes, that's what That's where I'm like, okay, Skyy Moore, Allen, I will move him up my rankings.
27:55>> Okay, let's talk about two players we're lower on than consensus. The first one also has a bit of news attached to it.
28:01That is Alec Pierce. In your home leagues, being selected as wide receiver 33, he's my wide receiver 41, and he's Hayden's wide receiver 47.
28:12Explain yourself.
28:13>> Well, I mean, I'd like him to walk without a limp. I mean, I saw a video of him signing autographs with uh
28:20uh Patriots fans, which is already kind of weird. But he's standing up on a hill and the way he was moving up the hill
28:26was very ginger, and then when he was walking away, like it just seemed like he was still walking with a limp. I
28:32mean, like we're getting close to the season, um whether he had a second PRP injection or not, it's just like this was a serious
28:40injury. It was a weirdly timed surgery, like right after he signed that contract and like they didn't want him to have
28:46this surgery at the time that they tried to do the first PRP injection. For a while I thought Alec Pierce was like
28:53undervalued and now I'm just like looking at it. I think there's a chance he can start on PUP. We are still a full
28:59month away from this but um he's he to me is somebody that if he's not fully himself, I don't think that
29:08his value is going to be all that big just because he has to blow by guys down the field to be really efficient or what
29:16he did last year was be better on the in cuts.
29:19Man, I feel like that'd be hard to do if your left ankle is on on sideways still.
29:23So I I'm just I'm just not liking what I'm seeing so far.
29:26>> Just to go through the timeline, he had left ankle surgery in March. He received a PRP injection I think before that and
29:33then just received another PRP injection in his left ankle. Um beats are saying they made sure to say maybe via the team
29:42that this wasn't a setback that caused the second injection. But they followed that up by saying there's still no timetable for his return.
29:50I mean we are getting close to the season and so on the surface as we've talked about constantly players that miss the entire preseason either due to
30:00holdout or injury have a very negative effect. They underperform heading into that season.
30:06And then on top of it, this is still a player that you and I really like. Like from week nine and on, he was the wide
30:12receiver 16 in points per game. His game was growing, right? It wasn't just the high variance downfield stuff. There were more digs, there were more in
30:19breakers. And then he was paid like one of the best wide receivers in the game.
30:25But now we aren't necessarily going to see like that development hit itself in training camp and see him take over or maybe take
30:34some of the routes and targets that Michael Pittman Jr. got. And so he's still being selected around these high variance wide receivers and Marv and BTJ
30:42and DK Metcalf at least on Yahoo. And basically you and I are totally out on him because I would take him
30:50maybe a tier below that at this point.
30:52>> Yeah, there there is a point where he if he's guaranteed going to be on your bench and like we're getting closer to
30:59that. I think maybe by the time we're to Labor Day and stuff he's like going to be your bench and you're not you're not
31:03relying on him in your starting lineup for the first couple weeks and you're kind of like free rolling this, but um the initial timeline is 4 to 6 months
31:11which is that's that's a very severe injury. He had it in March. That means like August or September return it seems
31:17like it's going to be a September / October return for him and then you just will see um so man I've drafted a lot of Alec Pierce
31:28and I'm not feeling great about it.
31:31>> God this is maybe this is like a self-correction. You're like no more.
31:34No more Alec Pierce.
31:35>> We'll see. I can't do it.
31:37>> Okay, let's talk Courtland Sutton who in previous years you drafted a lot. One of your favorite players in the league.
31:43>> Mhm.
31:43>> Being selected as wide receiver 37 in your home leagues and he's our wide receiver 44 basically. Uh Hayden I think
31:50he's getting squeezed two ways.
31:52>> Yes.
31:53>> He's getting squeezed by adding Jaylen Waddle who is going to be the pillar of this passing game. That's why you traded
31:58a first round pick for him.
32:00And also in training camp he's getting squeezed by our guy Pat Bryant. There was an entire Up and Adams Kay Adams
32:06episode on literally every single person from Pat's return to Bo Nix to Sean Payton saying, "Yeah, Pat Bryant's the best player in training camp." So uh
32:16yeah, Courtland Sutton second straight season of 1,000 yards, 74 catches, seven touchdowns last year.
32:22>> Yeah.
32:22>> But uh it's not sounding good for your boy Courtland Sutton right now to pay off in fantasy.
32:26>> Yeah, I think that the Pat Bryant stuff is interesting because they would be playing a similarish role to the point
32:33where if they wanted to get Pat Bryant on the field and they're going to be just doing two wide receiver sets up
32:38which could be, you know, a fullback or a second tight end in this offense or you know, sometimes even a second
32:43running back.
32:45That's I think he would come off the field rather than Jaylen Waddle and like if he's no longer 100% snaps and he's
32:5180% snaps, like that's how you lose out from being a flex option to a bench option.
32:56I still thought Courtland Sutton had a really good season, but I thought Pat Bryant was was flashing. It's not that big of a surprise that they absolutely
33:02love him. They can save 12 and a half million dollars by cutting him next off season.
33:09So like they could be looking at the long term like hey, our one two is going to be Waddle Pat Bryant.
33:15And not to mention like they they still like to do the Marvin Mims stuff on occasion. So I wouldn't be no more. I mean
33:23he will be on the field some. I can promise you that. [clears throat] So yeah, I think Pat Bryant's just getting
33:27squeezed. There's too many other guys I like like Matthew Golden versus Courtland Sutton like Matthew Golden to me all day long.
33:32Yeah.
33:32>> I mean again, we're a full tier below where Courtland Sutton is going in drafts right now. Just for the people,
33:38let's outline why we were more pro Pat Bryant than maybe any other show heading into the draft out of Illinois.
33:45Uh he had I think like arguably the best hands in that class. He caught everything in his frame and even out of
33:52his frame. And it was with a body draped over him cuz he's not, you know, the most athletic or mobile guy, but he's
33:57very very very dependable and I think you could have projected him as a power slot player and I think you could also
34:03project him as an outside maybe intermediate downfield wide receiver.
34:08And we have seen Sean Payton obsess over the slant power slot in breaker types and I kind of wonder if he sees some of
34:18that here with Pat Bryant too.
34:20>> Yeah, I was I remember I was posting Pat Bryant highlights right before the draft and the I'm watching them right now and
34:25the first play is a huge slot fade.
34:29He was also an awesome interview.
34:32Speaking of interviews, this K Adams interview Sean Payton every week? I mean, this is like I I feel like I watch those two together all the time.
34:40Uh, but yeah, Pat Bryant, he's like not aesthetically pleasing. I think that he can be at least Juwan Jennings, and I
34:46think there's a chance that he can kind of, you know, take that next uh next step here. So, I wouldn't say that he's
34:51draftable in redraft yet, but um I think it's more of if he gets in the way of Courtland Sutton, like that's a fantasy
34:57storyline.
34:58>> I have Pat Bryant as wide receiver 65.
35:01That is just after Dontayvion Wicks and Travis Hunter, the dream, but before Trey Harris and Cyrus Allen.
35:11Yeah.
35:12Does that sound crazy?
35:13>> No, I mean, especially in redraft, like your last couple picks like could be complete just wild cards. Um, I usually
35:19like to spend those on like running backs, but you can do the same thing with these uh upcoming uh wide receivers.
35:25>> Yeah, just on Yahoo, Courtland Sutton right now is going in the same round of Parker as Parker Washington and Jordan
35:32Tyson, albeit at the end of that round, but still ahead of like Quinton Johnston, for example. I would rather take the somewhat mystery box of Quinton
35:40Johnston in this Mike McDaniel offense than take what Courtland Sutton is in this offense at this date.
35:47>> Yep.
35:48>> All right, I have one more name for you before we get out of here.
35:50And it's not a wide receiver, but we're not going to talk tight ends.
35:54I need to throw George Kittle's name at you because right now he's going 86th overall in your home leagues. And I have
36:00him 75th overall. I think as soon as we find out that George Kittle is going to actually suit up for week one, he's
36:09going to jump a full round in your home league drafts. And that could be very soon. Matt Zenitz said, quote, "a high level of confidence
36:17that George Kittle will play in week one."
36:20And if that's the case and we are seeing him run at full speed back and forth, back and forth, with maybe some of the
36:25mystery or uncertainty around the Mike Evans injury off and on training camp, Stripling we talked about. Obviously Deebo coming in for Ricky Pearsall. Then
36:34uh George Kittle week one through whenever he has the wheels fall off, uh instantly becomes like one of the I think targets among
36:42all tight ends in your fantasy draft.
36:44>> I just wrote up on uh Yahoo column looking at the six of us at the Yahoo analyst that are ranking all these
36:51players and finding the players that we have the most disagreements with like just the the craziest variance between the rankings. Uh George Kittle was the
36:59guy that you and I have the biggest split on uh head-to-head. Um just I'm looking at just an older player who tore his ACL or tore his Achilles in
37:08January and I'm just like, you know, playing weighing those odds. George Kittle's also the type of cat that makes me look stupid doing that. So, um
37:16we'll see. I I'm in the waiting game. I we just had a uh podcast from Schefter saying like, "Oh, they could slow play this." Um that
37:22might just be like mean week two instead of week one. I don't care about that. Uh he's in that, you know, tier of tight
37:28ends that I don't absolutely love like the, you know, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews tier.
37:32>> Yeah, so it's not going back-to-back with Travis Kelce. Like I would rather take the swing on George Kittle at this
37:36point than Travis Kelce.
37:37>> I think that's fair. I think I would still rather take the swing on Dalton Kincaid um and maybe Isaiah Likely, but I think
37:44it's all kind of grouped together.
37:46Typically in a redraft, I'm really trying to get one of those top eight guys and not getting into this tier, but
37:50George Kittle is the one that I would be, you know, most fearful of of that group of just like completely windmill
37:56dunking on top of me. Um so, we'll see.
37:59>> That does it. We have a running back version of this episode tomorrow. Let us know of some wide receivers that maybe
38:05you rank much higher than are going in your leagues as you're doing these mocks or your home league drafts as well. We'd
38:10love to hear and read the comments down below. And again, lock in. Monday and Tuesday are big episodes. We have massive ranking changes based on who
38:20plays, who doesn't, in what order, how they look, the rookies balling out, and all that stuff with uh 16 preseason games this weekend. So, hit subscribe,
38:29leave a thumbs up, and leave us a review on audio platforms, Apple Podcast and Spotify out there. We'll talk to you
38:34guys in the next episode.
