Receivers with High ADP's on the Rise

It’s everybody’s goal in Fantasy Football to find bargains with late-round picks who end up producing in a big way. With that in mind, here are some receivers with a high ADP who have the potential to be WR1 players.

What are we talking about when we mention WR1? Well, assuming a typical Fantasy league setup of 12 teams, it would mean that they end up with Fantasy points in the Top 12 of all receivers at the end of the year. That’s a pretty high bar to clear, but we think these receivers who come in at a higher ADP than the typical WR1 draft spots might be able to get there.

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Amari Cooper, Cleveland (ADP: 48, WR 25)

Cooper is one of those guys who have been around long enough that he’s no longer a very sexy selection. But when you look at how he finished off last season, you see a guy who has the potential to outperform his high ADP in a big way. He’s entering his age-30 season, but remember that wide receivers don’t necessarily plateau at that age like running backs do.

Cooper ripped it up last year to the tune of the second-highest Fantasy points per game totals of his career (15.1) brought him in at WR17 for the year. And who can forget his monster 265-yard, 2-TD performance in the Fantasy playoffs a year ago?

The Browns don’t have any other receiver in his class, meaning that his target percentage should be among the highest among his receiver peers. If Deshaun Watson returns to something close to his previous form, Cooper could easily sail to WR1 numbers.

Zay Flowers, Baltimore (ADP 50, WR 26)

The biggest factor preventing Flowers in his quest to move up into WR1 territory, despite his high ADP, is the style of play preferred by Baltimore under coach John Harbaugh.

Even though their pass frequency improved last year under new coordinator Todd Monken, they’re still not a team that’s going to air it out, preferring instead to rely on a pounding run game and rugged defense. The key for Flowers to make a big jump in his second season is an increase in his target depth.

Considering his explosive speed and elusiveness, 11.1 yards per reception, which is what he posted in 2023, is exceptionally low for Flowers. Even considering that, he still averaged a respectable 12.9 PPR points per game a year ago.

My guess is that the offseason provided Monken the time to devise ways to get more big plays out of Flowers. Other than Mark Andrews, it’s hard to imagine any other Ravens gobbling up targets with his high ADP. If Flowers gets downfield more, he could take a huge leap.

Terry McLaurin, Washington (ADP 62, WR 32)

McLaurin’s stats over the first five years of his career have been remarkably consistent in terms of the range of outcomes. In his rookie season, he only caught 58 passes, but since then, he’s been between 77 and 87 receptions.

Receiving yards have settled between 919 and 1,191, with his rookie season the only one he failed to reach 1,000. What’s been holding him back, at least in Fantasy, is his lack of touchdowns. He nabbed 7 scores his first year, but he’s been stuck between 4 or 5 per year ever since.

Still, he’s the undisputed top dog in the Commanders’ receiving room, as the team seems unsure if former first-rounder Jahan Dotson should even be in the starting lineup. And the really good news is that, with Jaylen Daniels in the fold as a potential top 10 Fantasy QB, McLaurin should have the best quarterback play of his career.

That could also boost the offense as a whole, which means more scoring opportunities. This leads to the potential of McLaurin being that rare high ADP guy who could be in WR1 territory.

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Article originally written by Jim Beviglia