Danny Amendola (WR, MIA) - 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~180

CURRENT ADP: ~190

ANALYSIS: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola flourished in the New England Patriots offense in 2017, reeling in 61 of his 86 targets for just under 700 yards and a pair of touchdowns and, while it is no secret that a wide receiver is forced to earn the trust of quarterback Tom Brady, Amendola was able to do so due to his ability to run proper routes. The second-most commonly utilized route in the NFL is the crossing route, which are generally 8-12 yard patterns with most of the yards coming after the catch. There were over 2,000 crossing routes ran last year across the league, and the league average rating on these routes was a 95.3 with a minimum of 15 targets (according to Pro Football Focus). Amendola ranked 4th highest in the league with a PFF rating of 129.4, behind teammate Rob Gronkowski, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, and Chargers tight end Hunter Henry.

A change of scenery could prove to be a positive for the speedy wide receiver as he heads to the Miami Dolphins for 2018, and Amendola could quickly emerge as the primary slot target in Miami’s offense with Kenny Stills lining up primarily on the outside, and Albert Wilson being utilized both on the outside and in the running game.

Look for quarterback Ryan Tannehill to target Amendola early and often as his offensive line is not likely to afford him much time to throw the ball downfield too frequently, making Amendola a solid PPR sleeper and a candidate to catch passes in the red zone as well providing standard league value