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One of the most satisfying feelings in the world is sitting on the clock late in your fantasy league’s draft knowing you’re about to pick a league winner. Late-round picks carry a lot of boom or bust potential, so there is a low-risk, high-reward payoff that could benefit your team either every week or through a mid-season trade.
For the 2020 season, look no further than San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jalen Hurd as your late-round league winner.
Deebo Samuel's injury, coupled with Kyle Shanahan's offensive ingenuity could make him the type of sleeper pick that pays off in a big way.
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Versatility Personified
Jalen Hurd was one of the more unique draft prospects heading into the 2019 season. Hurd began his collegiate career as a running back for Tennessee where he totaled 589 carries for 2,635 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also added 67 receptions for 492 yards and six scores out of the backfield. Eventually, Hurd transferred to Baylor for his final season and transitioned to wide receiver in the Big 12. In his lone season in Waco, Hurd caught 69 passes for 946 yards and four touchdowns while adding 209 rushing yards and three additional touchdowns. The 49ers saw enough to use their 67th pick of the 2019 draft to add his versatility to their wide receiver room despite using an earlier pick in the same draft on Deebo Samuel.
Hurd impressed early in training camp and was tabbed to be deployed as Kyle Shanahan’s “big slot” wide receiver option. In the 49ers first preseason game, Hurd caught three passes for 31 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys. Unfortunately, a stress fracture in Hurd’s back in San Francisco’s second preseason game landed him on the injured reserve list. Various setbacks throughout the rehabilitation process wound up costing Hurd the entirety of his rookie season as Deebo Samuel flourished.
Looking to 2020, Hurd’s role has been hard to pin down. On one hand, he has been cleared to work out and has been seen catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo in a recent practice session before training camp. GM John Lynch has been publicly cautious about Hurd’s return given the various setbacks he suffered last season. In 2020, the 49ers have roughly 98 vacated targets from last season, which is roughly 20% of the team’s passing attempts. That also doesn’t include any possible targets that will be opened up if Deebo Samuel misses any time due to the Jones fracture he suffered in June.
Realistically, it makes sense for Hurd to fill Emmanuel Sanders’ role after he was acquired in a 2019 trade from Denver. Sanders played the final 10 games in San Francisco and was targeted 53 times, catching 36 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns during that span. Sanders absorbed roughly 17% of the team’s target share over the last part of the season. Sanders saw at least five targets in six of his 10 games in San Francisco.
Ultimately, Hurd does face an uphill battle for the 2020 season. The 49ers invested a first-round pick in Brandon Ayiuk despite the emergence of Deebo Samuel his rookie season. They also return George Kittle and Kendrick Bourne in the passing game, their first and fourth receivers by targets in 2019. Eventually, Deebo Samuel will return from his injury and absorb some of the passing game as well. If Hurd can show he is healthy and flourish early in the season, he should be able to carve out a consistent role in the passing offense.
Hurd is going off the board as WR123 in NFFC ADP, meaning he is well worth a late-round flier in his fantasy draft given his versatile skill set in a unique offense.
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