Name: Brandon LaFell
Team: Carolina Panthers
Position: Wide Receiver
Years Pro: 3
Draft stock: (Dropping) At 34 years old, Steve Smith is still the Panthers’ No. 1 wide receiver and that puts LaFell on the back burner. Beside, Domenik Hixon is also in the fold which should cause fantasy football owners to shy away from LaFell and his underachieving past.
2012 fantasy impact: I had LaFell pegged as a breakout guy in 2012, but that was hardly the case. Sure he improved in both the receiving yards and touchdowns categories, but the jump’s size was no where near the massive leap to elite that I expected him to make.
Best-case scenario: Cam Newton sees that Smith is on his last leg and gets LaFell more involved as the weeks go on. Finally, the 26-year-old breaks out to the tune of double-digit touchdowns and over 1,000 yards.
Worst-case scenario: For the second straight season, LaFell’s high expectations come back to haunt him. Smith, Hixon and Greg Olsen all take targets away from LaFell, who doesn’t improve much and his 2013 and 2012 numbers are eerily similar.
Where you should draft him: No. 2 wide receivers are a dime a dozen, but if you’re really keying in on LaFell than wait until the 13th round to snag him.
Devin O’Barr is the Content Commentator for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DevinOBarrRS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
