By: Joe Mason @JosephMason94

Rookies that have quiet or disappointing first year offer opportunities for a discount on their fantasy value. In 2019, guys like Josh Allen, Mark Andrews, and D.J Moore all made giant step ups from their 2018 rookie campaign. Last year in 2020, guys like T.J. Hockenson, Diontae Johnson, and Kyler Murray all made significant strides moving near the top at their position.

There are some obvious guys that I believe will bounce back such as Tua or Jeudy, but I want to call out some guys who are under the radar that have low risk high reward returns.

Quintez Cephus (DET)

Cephus had a relatively quiet rookie year putting up 20/349/2 on 35 targets but he did so in the shadows of Golladay, Jones, Amendola, and Hockenson. The reason he is on the year two breakout list is because the talent is there, and he’s the only wideout currently under contract for the Lions in 2021.

Cephus received a second/third round grade but fell to the fifth round out of Wisconsin after some off the field issues. He missed his entire 2018 college campaign but returned in 2019 after the charges were dropped. He is not a fast receiver, but his play style dictates physicality and he makes the contested catches.

Pre-2020 NFL draft, Ohio States Jeff Okudah, who some regarded as a top five talent and top cornerback in the class, gave his thoughts on who gave him the most trouble in college.

Cephus has the potential to be the next Cooper Kupp for Jared Goff. With the departures of Golladay and Jones likely, Cephus will have all the opportunity in the world to contribute in 2021. The Lions likely take a WR in the upcoming NFL draft, but even if they go with Ja’Marr Chase at seventh overall, I still like Cephus’s chances to contribute. It will just mean that his price would be even cheaper to acquire. He can be had for a 2021 third round pick and has top 36 WR upside.

Adam Trautman (NO)

Trautman did not play much in his rookie year, putting up 15/171/1 on 16 targets in 15 games. He came from Dayton which is a smaller school but hung 70/916/14 in his last year in college.

2020 was not a great class for tight ends, especially with the upcoming 2021 class led by Kyle Pitts. Pre-draft a lot of analysts were split between Trautman and Kmet for which TE was going to lead the class. Trautman ended up being the fifth TE selected in the 2020 NFL draft in the third round to New Orleans. We know coach Sean Payton likes his tight ends, so Trautman instantly was on the radar after being selected.

He slotted in behind Jared Cook on the depth chart but was very impressive in camp. Coaches and players nominated him as the best rookie performer in camp during the 2020 pre-season. With the Saints in trouble with their current cap situation, look for Jared Cook to sign elsewhere. I fully expect Trautman to be the TE1 for the Saints in 2021.

DeeJay Dallas (SEA)

In a fantastic running back class in 2020 led by guys such as Swift, Taylor, and Dobbins, Dallas is somewhat of a hidden gem. DeeJay was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Miami, where he put up 833 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns in his final year in college.

Seattle decided to invest in a running back in the middle rounds knowing Rashaad Penny would most likely not be able to play after he tore his ACL in 2019. Dallas began the year and the third RB on the depth chart behind Carson and Hyde. As injuries pilled up at the RB position in Seattle, Dallas got his chance to start in week eight.

Dallas finished as the RB3 in week eight in his first NFL action. The reason why he is on this list is he has a chance to either lead or split the backfield work with Penny with the unknown future of Carson and Hyde who are both UFAs this upcoming offseason. He can produce on the ground and through the air, and any RB on the Seahawks is a player I want in fantasy especially after Pete Carroll commented he wants to commit more to the running game for the Seahawks in 2021. Dallas can be acquired for a third-round rookie pick.

The post 3 Fantasy Second-Year Breakout Candidates: Adam Trautman Can Replace Jared Cook appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Dave Stewart

@Davefantasy

The 2020 NFL Draft wide receiver class entered the league with high expectations and it is fair to say they lived up to them. While many, including Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, were quite successful in their rookie season, there are others looking to elevate their game to the next level in 2021.

Today, I want to discuss 3 players who are on the verge of fantasy stardom.

Quintez Cephus – Detroit Lions

As of this writing, Cephus is the only wide receiver under contract with the Lions. This speaks more to the question marks surrounding who will fill the vacancies, than to Cephus’ role in the offense. But, it’s an interesting tidbit.

The Lions coaches have spoken positively about him and Cephus saw 10 targets in his very first NFL game. While that remained his season-high, he ended the season with 32 and 16 receptions, including his first NFL touchdown catch. Three targets were red-zone targets and at 207 pounds, Cephus is a big-bodied receiver who can use his size to compete for contested touchdown attempts.

Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, both receivers ahead of Cephus in 2020, are now free agents. It is believed that Golladay could be coming back under the franchise tag, but expectations from around the football world suggest that Jones is likely to move on, opening up the opportunity for Cephus to climb the depth chart. Obviously, this means we will be seeing numerous new faces in the wide receiver room in Detroit, whether through free agency or the draft. Still, it appears to be an open lane to the starting lineup for Cephus.

Another major development in Detroit is the Matthew Stafford trade. The Lions’ starting quarterback for the past 12 seasons is now in Los Angeles to begin his tenure with the Rams. Part of the package sent to Detroit for Stafford is Rams’ former passer, Jared Goff. While it has ignited fierce debate on Twitter, it is not extreme to suggest that Goff is a step down from Stafford in talent. Still, Goff has supported multiple fantasy relevant wide receivers throughout his young career, and should not be viewed as a detriment to Cephus’ fantasy value.

Denzel Mims – NY Jets

Two late-season victories by the Jets eliminated them from the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. Those who had been dreaming of Lawrence to Mims connections will be left wondering what might have been. For this reason, Mims is losing value and ends up being a bit of bargain, if you wish to add him to your dynasty lineup.

Robert Saleh is the new head coach in New York and has praise for a quarterback, Sam Darnold. Saleh believes that Darnold is a good fit for the offense the Jets plan to run under new offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur.

Assuming the Jets are not planning to draft a signal-caller with the second overall pick in the upcoming draft, they will likely look for protection for Darnold. Despite playing in only eight games this season, Mims was able to develop a rapport with Darnold. Mims finished the year with 43 targets. His 5.4 targets per game was 7th among rookie receivers.

He has long arms, giving him an impressive catch radius, and he uses his height well to battle for contested catches. A speedster, Mims is dangerous with the ball in his hands. If the offense in San Francisco, where LaFleur previously worked, is any indication, the Jets will find a way to get the ball to Mims in space. Doing so will give him the ability to use his natural speed and agility to create plays. Mims has a very high fantasy ceiling while maintaining a safe floor.

Laviska Shenault – Jacksonville Jaguars

Having already spoken of the losers of the Lawrence sweepstakes, we now arrive at the winners. With Lawrence all but guaranteed to be the opening day starter for the Jags, all weapons in the passing game get a nice boost.

New head coach, Urban Meyer, hopes to bring an explosive offense to Jacksonville, and with Lawrence at the helm, expect an improvement over last season’s yardage total of 3,955. Though the yardage was modest, Jacksonville finished the season with greater than 600 passing attempts, a number I expect them to match in 2021.

Shenault possesses sufficient, if not exceptional speed, particularly for a receiver weighing in excess of 220 pounds. Like Mims, making contested catches is also a part of Shenault’s skill set, as is using his size to break tackles after the catch.

In college, he was even used as a quarterback in wildcat formations, owing to his abilities as a ball carrier. In an offense that stands to remain high-volume, while also likely increasing efficiency, Shenault looks to build upon his rookie campaign. His 74% catch rate and 70 targets top Cephus and Mims in both categories. The sky is the limit for Shenault in 2021.

I love buying low on second-year players if there is a perception that they underperformed. While there is plenty of buzz surrounding these receivers, there could still be time to invest in each at a relatively low cost. It’s certainly worth a look in your dynasty league.

The post 3 Second Year Breakout Wide Receivers appeared first on Pro Football Mania.