Fantasy Football: Three Wide Receivers Who Can Outperform Their ADP

When you look at the main positions of any fantasy league, wide receivers are the most tricky.  There are so many variables that go into whether a player will produce during the season. (If their QB gets injured, bad o-line protection for the QB, etc.)  However, there are always players that produce more than they are expected to.  Here are three I like for the 2010 season.

(ADP, or average draft position, is the average draft rankings of six well-known fantasy football websites.  YPA, or yards per attempt, is the average amount of yards a player gains per attempt, successful or not, whether it's a pass, rush, or reception)

Mike Wallace - ADP 78 (27th WR Taken)

There were two Pittsburgh Steelers that had some trouble with the law this past off-season.  One of them will be suspended for four to six games because of conduct detrimental to the team, the other is out four games for of a drug violation.  And yet the Steelers only decided to trade one of these players.  Why?  Because I don't believe that any Super Bowl inspired team would want to go the entire season with Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon as their starter at the quarterback position.  Yet, they were more than happy to get rid of Santonio Holmes for the huge price of a 5th round pick.  And that's because they have Mike Wallace to take his place.  He had an outstanding 19.4 yards per catch average, and had an 11.3 YPA.  That means on average, every ATTEMPT was for a first down.  And he did that against all types of competition.  The biggest upside candidate of this year.

Johnny Knox - ADP 97 (34th WR Taken)

Here is the playbook of Mike Martz, Chicago's new offensive coordinator.  Pass, pass, pass, pass, play-action, pass, pass.  He loves to go vertical, and the receiver filling that spot?  Mr. Knox.  As a rookie, he caught 45 passes for over five hundred yards, while hurling in five touchdowns.  He has blazing speed, and arguably could be the most polished receiver on this team in only his second year in the league.  The #2 WR in a Mike Martz offense can produce just as much as a #1 in half the league.  It looks like Johnny Knox will be that guy.

Malcolm Floyd - ADP 102 (37th WR Taken)

Someone has to become the #1 receiver for the San Diego Chargers.  Vincent Jackson is not going to be joining the team anytime soon, and there is no other receiver as talented as Floyd on the roster.  Philip Rivers threw for 4200 yards and 28 touchdowns last year.  Although some think there would be a huge drop-off in production from Jackson to Floyd, I don't think that will be the case at all.  Plus, all of that production that Floyd showed last year was later on in the season, as he wasn't the starter until the Chargers released Chris Chambers.  He has always had the tools to produce, and now he has the opportunity.

When drafting receivers, never throw away a pick, and always try to look for upside.  You can always find someone on the waiver wire to get you a few points here and there, but finding that late round gem that produces like a top 20 WR can win your league.

Next article: Three Quarterbacks Who Are Overvalued By Their ADP

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