Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Bills went all in to add a difference maker in May’s draft, trading first and fourth-round picks in 2015 to move up five spots and select Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins. He will be the top target for quarterback EJ Manuel right out of the gate, which creates potential for Watkins to make an immediate impact for fantasy football owners after a college career that saw him set school records for catches (240) and receiving yards (3,391) in just three seasons.
The Bills had the most rush attempts in the league in 2013 (546; 34.1 per game), and with a deep stable of running backs that is not likely to change dramatically this year. The fact Manuel missed six games surely helped bring game plans that were heavily tilted toward the run, but he is also not a highly efficient passer at this point in his career (58.8 percent completion percentage last year).
Keenan Allen of the San Diego Chargers became just the eighth rookie wide receiver in the last 20 years to top 1,000 receiving yards last season. That alone points to the inconsistency first-year players at the position battle, and Allen had a proven veteran under center to help him produce at a high level. Watkins does not have that luxury, though it’s fair to expect Manuel to make some progress this year as long as he is able to stay healthy.
Watkins suffered a rib injury in last Saturday’s preseason game, but any concerns over his status has been quelled by his reported return to practice on Tuesday. Even if he does not play over the rest of the preseason, in what would be a precautionary move, Watkins’ status for Week 1 is not in doubt.
All things considered, despite his talent level and the opportunity that is in front of him, I’m not expecting a big rookie season from Watkins this year. He is going off the board as a WR3 in 12-team leagues right now, which is about right all things considered. But as I’m filling out my wide receiver depth chart in drafts and auctions I like to target consistency, even if it means looking past significant upside at times. Watkins is just not likely to offer that kind of week-to-week predictability this year, so I’ll probably end up passing on him more often than not.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.
