RADIO
The NFL is a pass-first league now more than ever, so the fantasy stock of wide receivers will skyrocket or plummet throughout the season. This column is about the receivers whose fantasy values are on the rise.
There are several factors that can account for how well a receiver will produce, including his quarterback, the other receivers on his team, how big his role is in the offense and the health of his teammates and himself. So fantasy owners always have to be mindful of receivers whose fantasy values are on the uptick due to one of these factors.
Editor's Note: Be sure to check out FantasyAces DFS contests for Week 2. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!
Stock Up - Week 2 Wide Receivers
Here are three receivers on the rise heading into the second week of the NFL season.
Travis Benjamin, San Diego Chargers
Fantasy owners probably shied away from Benjamin until the late rounds of their drafts, or possibly ignored Benjamin altogether, because they knew Philip Rivers would throw 80 percent of his passes to best buddy Keenan Allen. Rivers likes locking in on his favorite targets. Just ask Antonio Gates owners over the past decade.
But now that Allen is out for the season with a torn ACL and the Chargers’ depth at receiver is thinner than the hair on Jason Statham’s head, Benjamin stands to be the top target for Rivers the rest of the way.
You cannot forget that Benjamin had 68 receptions for 966 yards and five touchdowns last season on a lowly Cleveland Browns team that had the terrible trio of Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown and Austin Davis tossing floaters over his head and drilling balls into the ground at his feet. If Benjamin posted those numbers with those quarterbacks, he can do even more with Rivers as his passer.
Look for Benjamin to get targeted 10 times per week from here on out. San Diego is in for a long year and should be trailing in the fourth quarter in many of its games. That means Rivers will be throwing 30-40 times per game and many of those throws should be headed in Benjamin’s direction.
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
Diggs was one of the best rookie receivers of 2015 (not saying much), but once Teddy Bridgewater went down with his season-ending knee injury during training camp, fantasy owners must have been worried that Diggs was primed for a 600-yard year fit for an average tight end.
Minnesota possibly salvaged its season by trading for Sam Bradford, a man who does not normally turn receivers into fantasy jackpots (ask Jordan Matthews, Tavon Austin, and countless others). Even though Bradford is no Drew Brees, he is certainly a step up from Shaun Hill. That can only mean positive things for Diggs and his fantasy worth. And with the Vikings lacking many other viable options in their passing attack, Diggs will definitely get more passes thrown his way than anyone else on the roster.
Diggs racked up seven catches for 103 yards in Minnesota’s opening contest against Tennessee with Hill at the helm. Now with Bradford slated to take over the starting duties under center, Diggs should have more good weeks than bad once Bradford gets comfortable with the offense and its plays. Expect Diggs to finish with between 900-1,200 yards by season’s end if all goes well with Bradford.
Phillip Dorsett, Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck’s sore shoulder was a ruse. His right arm looked pretty healthy when he sliced up the Detroit Lions secondary to the tune of 385 yards and four touchdowns. Luck is back and ready to overtake Tom Brady, Cam Newton and all other signal callers to become the most valuable quarterback in fantasy football.
Enter Dorsett, who can flat out fly and can catch up to any 60-yard heave from Luck. The former first-rounder was a non-factor in fantasy last season, but this field-stretcher already made his mark on the 2016 campaign with his four receptions for 94 yards Week 1.
Indianapolis is going to employ more three wide receiver sets and less two tight end packages with Dorsett, T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief heading the receiving corps. And while Hilton and Moncrief may get targeted more often by Luck, Dorsett is going to be the home run hitter. Pick him up if he is available, especially if you are in a distance league that gives bonus points for longer touchdowns.
