5 Reasons to Draft Kendall Wright in Your Fantasy Football League

As of early Tuesday afternoon, rookie receiver Kendall Wright and the Tennessee Titans had not come to an agreement on a contract. 

UPDATE: The Titans reportedly signed Wright Tuesday afternoon, according to Terry McCormick of Titans Insider. 

However, Adam Caplan reported via Twitter that the two sides had made "significant progress," and that a deal could get done sometime Tuesday. A deal was always going to happen before the preseason started, but getting Wright to camp as soon as possible only benefits both sides. 

With news of an expecting contract agreement for Wright, we decided to take a look at some reasons why you'd now consider drafting Wright in your fantasy draft.

In the following slides, we break down that argument.

Evolving NFL Receiver's Skill Set

Wright scared some NFL scouts at the combine when he ran a slow 40-yard dash (4.61 seconds), but his college tape showed a much, much faster player than that time. He's one of the quicker players at the position coming out in 2012. 

And while Wright stands just 5'10" and weighs less than 200 pounds, he fits the current evolution of the NFL receiver. 

Big, physical receivers such as Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald will always have a place in the NFL, but Wright is in the mold of electric receivers such as DeSean Jackson and Mike Wallace.

Those two have made their mark on the league as big-play guys who can take the top off a defense, and there's no reason to think Wright can't do some of the same things at the next level. 

Trouble in the Titans' WR Ranks

With Kenny Britt having another offseason to forget—and one that will almost certainly result in a suspension during the regular season—the Titans will need Wright to assume a big role right away in his rookie season. 

According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN, Wright is most likely to take over Britt's role while the troubled receiver waits out his likely suspension. That could mean a bunch of targets are headed Wright's way early this season. 

When push comes to shove, targets are all you can really ask for in a rookie receiver. Wright's skill set makes me believe that he'd make the most of the opportunity.

Two Solid Quarterback Options

Wright isn't getting thrown into an offense with Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, but Jake Locker and Matt Hasselbeck represent two solid options for the Titans at quarterback. 

The competition between Locker and Hasselbeck is far from resolved, but you can feel confident that Tennessee won't have a complete breakdown of the quarterback position at any time during 2012. 

Wright's fantasy value probably goes up if Locker wins the job, as the 2011 first-rounder has a big arm that could make Wright a legitimate deep threat immediately. But Hasselbeck is crafty and understands passing windows, which also lends itself to Wright's underneath game. 

Either way, Wright should be in good shape in terms of his quarterback. 

Perfect Draft Position

While bound to change once he's signed, Wright's average draft position (ADP) is currently at a point where he's almost too good to pass up. 

According to ESPN, Wright is currently the 57th ranked receiver, with an ADP of 154.4. Wright is being drafted behind the likes of Chad Johnson, Brian Quick and Santana Moss, which is likely to look pretty foolish by the time 2012 is over. 

If 56 receivers are taken in your draft before Wright's name comes off the board, feel plenty free to make him the 57th. He has every chance of being a top-25 or 30 receiver next season. 

Very Little Risk Involved

There have been enough worries—40-time in February, lingering contract issues and a potential log jam of players in Tennessee at receiver—for Wright's ADP to drop significantly. As we eluded to in the last slide, 56 receivers are currently being taken ahead of Wright. 

But let's keep Wright's potential in context. The Titans took Wright in the first round, and there are always expectations for players drafted that high. Plus, anyone who's ever watched his college tape lacks any worry about his potential (immediate) impact at the NFL level. 

Where's the risk in drafting Wright? You don't have to use a high pick, he's filled to the brim with talent and there's an opportunity waiting for him with Britt likely out. 

At the right draft position, Wright is the kind of low-risk, high-reward draft pick that can win fantasy leagues.