Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
After moving from the New England Patriots to the Denver Broncos, some fantasy football owners wondered what the value of WR Wes Welker would be. However, Welker instantly formed a strong rapport with future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning and the two became a formidable duo last season.
Positives:
Welker hauled in eight touchdowns over the first six games of the 2013 season and the elusive wideout was leading the entire NFL at that point. He was carrying the team’s passing game and quickly showed QB Tom Brady what he was missing.
As a slot receiver, Welker is an absolute matchup nightmare. He has perfected the option route and has become a favorite target for Manning inside of the red-zone. Welker and Manning will only become more comfortable with an extra off-season together, so expect even better numbers in 2014.
Negatives:
Including the playoffs, Welker caught just three touchdowns in his final 10 games. He had serious problems staying healthy over the second half of the season and the veteran was held out of three games due to concussion symptoms. He played in a career-low 13 games in 2013 and missed multiple games for the first time since 2008.
Additionally, Welker didn’t have a single game in which he had over 100 receiving yards. He will never lead the league in receiving yards and the veteran will always have to compete with the other receivers in Manning’s brain-trust.
Final Verdict:
Welker showed that he could be a serious contributor in Denver’s offense. He will no doubt bounce back this season, and after a full off-season to recover, the wideout should easily be able to haul in double-digit touchdowns in 2104. The lingering injury concern may drop Welker into WR2 territory this season, but that could potentially make him a steal with Manning calling the shots.
Bye Week: 4
Projected Round: 3
Auction Value: $10
Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.
