RADIO
For the most part, wide receivers are typically more consistent than their running back counterparts. So far this year, that's mostly true as far as the middle-of-the-pack receivers are concerned, with some more notable names struggling as of late.
This week's WR Warning Signals piece is going to be somewhat shorter than others given the nature of the position to this point. It's going to focus on a lot of players we've discussed before with one huge new addition that a lot of people have been asking about. The fact is, the wide receiver position just isn't nearly as bleak as the running backs have been.
Lastly, as mentioned in the running backs article, these next weeks are going to see some firmer stances on players as we get into the meat of the season. It's make-or-break time for a lot of these players, so don't be surprised to see some harsher analysis in the coming weeks.
Wide Receivers Sending Out Warning Signals
Calvin Johnson (WR, DET)
I know, I know. I'm cheating again with Calvin Johnson as this is now the FOURTH time we've talked about him. I promise to keep it short and sweet this time.
The Detroit Lions are a bad football team who are struggling in every facet of the game, yet I'm still hopeful that Megatron can turn it around somewhat. I still think you're stuck with owning him for the rest of the way barring an owner in your league who believes in his draft-day value. Having said that, looking ahead at Detroit's upcoming schedule has me optimistic that things are going to improve.
Over the next seven games the Lions face two awful secondaries in the Bears and Chiefs, a mediocre defense in the Oakland Raiders, and have two games against the Packers--both of which they will have to throw to keep up in. That's five favorable contests over the next seven weeks. It's been tough to have any sort of confidence in Calvin but the schedule suggests that better days are ahead as soon as this week.
No matter what happens with Calvin Johnson this Sunday against Chicago, this will be the last you hear me talk about him. He is what he is at this point; a high-end WR2 who still possesses legit WR1 upside given his talent.
Jordan Matthews (WR, PHI)
It would appear as if the Philadelphia Eagles are beginning to turn the corner on the offensive side of the ball with back-to-back weeks of solid production in both the passing game and ground attack. We're at the point with the Eagles where it's clear they are going to spread the ball around significantly, so much so that it's hard to rely on any Philadelphia player on a consistent basis.
As far as Jordan Matthews is concerned, I still believe that any Eagle can go off at any time given the nature of this offense. To me, that locks Matthews in as a low-end WR2 with week-to-week upside. It's a downgrade from his pre-season status, but it's not like he's been so bad that he deserves to be benched. The Eagles clearly struggled to start the year so perhaps things will start improving overall anyway.
In a league in which I own Jordan Matthews, I've received several offers for him, suggesting that there are plenty of owners out there who view him as someone who is poised to improve as the season progresses. You should see if you can sell him for an upgrade, but in general I think he's worth hanging onto provided you have a more reliable option to pair him with.
Antonio Brown (WR, PIT)
I can't believe I'm actually adding Antonio Brown to this list, but given the amount of panic since Michael Vick came into the starting lineup I think there are plenty of owners out there who need some reassurance. With Vick under center, Brown has been a massive disappointment. Even with that in mind, you can't bench him under any circumstances.
I understand that it's been tough watching Vick dump it off to Le'Veon Bell and see Todd Haley trot out the Wildcat offense of all things, but Brown is the type of player who can single-handedly change the complexion of a game. In fact, he recently came out and said he wants Mike Vick to take more shots and trust him to make a play down the field. That instills even more confidence in starting Brown until Ben comes back, so don't let the last two weeks scare you away. I get that it's been dreadful but it's going to get better soon, I promise.
Throw in the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is already practicing and things are definitely looking up for Antonio Brown. Big Ben is expected to miss this week's game against the Arizona Cardinals, but the team isn't ruling out a return next week against a terrible Kansas City secondary. Unless you have some insane depth at wide receiver, keep trotting Antonio out there and hope Vick starts opening up the offense a bit more until Roethlisberger returns.
Updates From Last Week
Brandin Cooks (WR, NO)
Brandin Cooks had a solid game last week against the Eagles, finishing with five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown. It was nice to see him finally get involved in the offense, and perhaps this is a sign that things aren't going to be as bad as they appeared the first five weeks. With that said, Willie Snead continues to be the leading receiver for the Saints, so it'll be interesting to see how this offense adjusts going forward. We'll revisit Cooks in another week or two to check up on his performance.
T.Y. Hilton (WR, IND)
Even with Andrew Luck missing another game last week, T.Y. Hilton managed to be productive to the tune of five receptions for 88 yards. With Luck expected to play this week in a Sunday night game against the Patriots, it's looking like the breakout is coming soon. I'm optimistic that this is the last time we have to worry about Hilton, and I expect more consistency out of him in the coming weeks.
Mike Evans (WR, TB)
The Buccaneers were so bad passing the ball last week that I'm actually just going pretend last week didn't even happen. Plus, when you have Doug Martin running all over the Jacksonville defense, why bother passing in the first place? The team is on bye this week so it'll be a while before we have to re-evaluate Mike Evans. Overall, I still think this is a case of waiting for the player to get it together. I'm certain that Evans still finishes the year as a high-end WR2.
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