(Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Julio_Jones,_Cleveland_Browns_vs._Atlanta_Falcons_preseason_2016.jpg under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)
As we gear up to the start of the NFL season, Football Absurdity is going to bring you a comprehensive breakdown of every notable player that will be available in fantasy football drafts. When you don’t see us talking about Christine Michael or Mike Davis, don’t get mad at us for neglecting your favorite sleeper. Get mad at yourself for having bad taste in football players. We are only focusing on the top-rated wide receivers in standard scoring and points per game leagues.
With my player profiles, I’ve only decided to go back to look at their fantasy scoring for three years. I could show you lists from earlier, but at the skill positions, I think three years is plenty to see what a player does. I’ve also added a chart for their usage over that time span. We will try to determine, based on those two factors, where the best wide receiver value lies.
Julio Jones ADP and AAV:
Standard: Number 3 among wide receivers. Number 11 overall.
PPR: Number 4 among wide receivers. Number 11 overall.
Julio Jones Average Auction Value (AAV) $200 Budget: $50
Stats:
FANTASY SCORING — STANDARD
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 5th | 212.8 | 5th | 13.3 |
| 2017 | 5th | 155.9 | 7th | 10.4 |
| 2016 | 7th | 161.3 | 5th | 12.4 |
FANTASY SCORING — PPR
| Rank | Total Points | PPG Rank | PPG | |
| 2018 | 4th | 325.8 | 5th | 20.4 |
| 2017 | 7th | 238.9 | 7th | 15.9 |
| 2016 | 8th | 237.3 | 6th | 18.3 |
FANTASY USAGE
| Targets | Targets Per Game | Receptions | Receptions Per Game | Catch Rate | |
| 2018 | 170 | 10.6 | 113 | 7.1 | 66.5% |
| 2017 | 148 | 9.3 | 88 | 5.5 | 59.5% |
| 2016 | 129 | 9.2 | 83 | 5.9 | 64.3% |
Overview: I’m not sure why Julio Jones is not always considered the number one receiver in football, but I have a theory. In 2018, Julio was 1st in targets, 4th in receptions and 1st in yards. However, he was only 13th in touchdowns. For some reason, over the last couple years, Julio Jones has seen a serious dip in his touchdowns. That doesn’t change the fact that he is the most dangerous receiver in football and his touchdowns are due to go up drastically. It weird to say that a first rounder is being undervalued, but Julio definitely is. He is arguably the best receiver in football.
Strategy: Our Julio Jones Auction Value ($200 Budget): $55
The strategy is simple. At his current ADP and AAV, you need to be jumping on him as quickly as possible.
Best Case Scenario: Julio Jones continues to dominate in yards and targets, but he finally leads the NFL in receiving touchdowns and ends the year as the WR1.
Worst Case Scenario: The worst case scenario is that Julio goes all of 2019 without a single touchdown and his touchdown drought continues.
