All of a sudden, it’s the year of the fantasy football rookie wide receiver. While one week does not make for a robust sample size, it is enough to start forming our opinions on these players. At least two of these rookies piqued my interest this week. Before checking out these guys, check out Waleed Ismail’s Waiver Wire Week 2 Cheat Sheet to see if anyone slipped through the cracks. To qualify for this article, a player must have below 50% ownership in Yahoo! leagues. One of these fantasy football sleeper WR clocks in at below 10% ownership for you deep divers.
D.K. Metcalf at Pittsburgh (42% Owned)
The Seahawks barely passed on Sunday, with only nineteen registered targets to Russell Wilson’s weapons. That’s likely at or near the floor for pass attempts for Russell Wilson on the season. That was the bad news. The good news? D.K. Metcalf had 75% of the wide receiver targets on Sunday. While Tyler Lockett is unlikely to get only two targets this weekend, it does bode well that the Seahawks drafted Metcalf because they plan to use him, and they plan to use him immediately.
The Seahawks will pass more this weekend, as they will need to in order to keep up with the Steelers. The Steelers kept the script from last season, throwing the ball 47 times (33 in the second half) as the Patriots shellacked them on Ring Night on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers will likely continue to throw, though I doubt Donte Moncrief will get ten targets again. The Steelers let the Patriots throw up-and-down the field on them, with Philip Dorsett getting behind them for an easy bomb. That bodes well for Lockett to take the top off, while Metcalf cleans up underneath.
Terry McLaurin versus Dallas (37% Owned)
While D.K. Metcalf and Marquise Brown get all the rookie wide receiver attention, Terry McLaurin put up five catches, 125 yards, and a touchdown. He was Case Keenum’s favorite target as Washington almost took down the Eagles in week one. He’s a good wide receiver, and he was my pre-season sleepers for Washington. He’s a speed demon who will get behind the defense, though I doubt he will repeat his performance this week against Dallas. Still, if Keenum gets time, he can find McLaurin deep. McLaurin posted eleven touchdowns last season at Ohio State, so he has a nose for the end zone.
The Cowboys didn’t allow a ton of production to any specific wide receiver for the Giants last week. Annual Fantasy Football Sleeper of Yesteryear Cody Latimer chipped in three catches for 74 yards, and Sterling Shepard had six catches for 42 yards. However, New York’s #1 passing option absolutely torched the Cowboys. Evan Engram, hauled in eleven-of-fourteen targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. If McLaurin can get that TD, and half that production, you’ll be a happy camper this week.
Phillip Dorsett at Miami (9% Owned)
This one makes me uncomfortable, and not just because I’ve seen Dorsett play football before. He has such low ownership thanks to the addition of Antonio Brown to the Patriots offense. Well, Antonio Brown probably shouldn’t play this weekend. I’ll let you look into why. Last weekend, Dorsett posted 95 yards and two touchdowns against a Steelers defense that had no answer for the Patriots passing attack.
I won’t get into great detail about the Miami Dolphins defense last week, as our editorial standards limit our ability to thoroughly discuss murders. However, I can tell you that they gave itchy fantasy football owners 147 reasons (and two touchdowns) to start Dorsett this week. If Antonio Brown plays, this becomes a more difficult endorsement. Take this endorsement with a grain of salt, and only of Brown doesn’t play against the Dolphins.
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