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Baltimore Ravens
Torrey Smith is a question mark in terms of taking the next step beyond a boom-bust weekly WR2/3. Steve Smith is a short-term placeholder and, if anything, a negative for Marlon Brown who had a few moments as a rookie in 2013. Michael Campanaro is an intriguing interior receiver that requires 25-30 roster spots for a bench spot.
Buffalo Bills
Trading up for Sammy Watkins and bringing in Mike Williams are buzz kill moves for Robert Woods, Marquise Goodwin, and T.J. Graham to be anything more than bye week flyers going forward. That may be selling Woods slightly short, but the capped ceiling is there. Marcus Easley and Ramses Barden have a grain of intrigue to them, but are past the typical breakout point in their respective careers and have bounced around the league.
Cincinnati Bengals
Marvin Jones has the secondary wide receiver spot all but guaranteed, but a potential passing volume downturn tempers expectations for all non-A.J. Green receivers. Mohamed Sanu has not gained traction in his career to-date and Brandon Tate is a returner more than anything else at this point. Alex Neutz scored well in the projection model as a very deep dynasty name to track on this depth chart.
Cleveland Browns
With Josh Gordon likely out for an extended amount of time and Andrew Hawkins nothing close to an outside receiver, this depth chart is wide open. Miles Austin is barely registering on the dynasty landscape despite his initial opportunity as his hamstrings are a play away from giving out at any moment. Nate Burleson is a veteran stopgap and Earl Bennett offers nothing more than that as well. Sifting through all the non-descript names reveals Charles Johnson, the former Green Bay draft pick with compelling size and speed. Johnson is the darkhorse sleeper to stash until further notice.
Denver Broncos
Cody Latimer is being valued highly with the potential to start as early as 2014 in a Peyton Manning offense. Emmanuel Sanders will have the greatest opportunity of his career after a promising WR3/4 season in 2013. Sanders feels risky with his current price and the team drafting Latimer in round two as well. Bennie Fowler has a promising size and athleticism as a deep dynasty stash.
Houston Texans
DeAndre Hopkins is the big question mark here. Does he have the athleticism and overall game to be more than a WR20-30 level performer? A secondary role in an offense may ultimately be his best fit. Devier Posey is the best flyer down the depth chart, but is likely to need an optimistic landing spot in his (hopeful) second contract.
Indianapolis Colts
There is a huge turnover potential here with the Colts. Hakeem Nicks is on a prove-it deal with his body working against him since peaking four long years ago. Reggie Wayne is close to the end of a great career. T.Y. Hilton is a better NFL weapon, than core dynasty asset. That leaves Da’Rick Rogers coming off a transitional season as he switched teams after failing to get drafted. Rogers has the talent to be a featured outside receiver, but saw a limited route tree as a rookie. Finally, Donte Moncrief has an enviable size and athletic combo, but needs to show more of his 2012 version than 2013 self. He is a great upside play in the 12-18 range of rookie drafts and outside the top-100 of startups. Griff Whalen and LaVon Brazill are placeholders that require more than 30 roster spots to stash in dynasty leagues.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson have different skillsets. Lee has the higher floor with his ability to separate and run after the catch. However, Lee is coming off a knee injury and a down season to close his college career. Lee lags behind most of the other highly-drafted rookie receivers because of his lack of size or overt athleticism. Robinson is more of a boom-bust play with prototypical size, but plays smaller than his frame. Robinson projects as a traditional outside receiver, while Marqise Lee mirrors the Cecil Shorts role. Justin Blackmon, like Josh Gordon, has WR1 capability, but is a serious threat to rarely (or never) play in the NFL again with his substance abuse. The rest of the depth chart lacks upside even if given a larger opportunity.
Kansas City Chiefs
Outside of Dwayne Bowe (who is a tremendous value in startups and trades), this depth chart is wide open. Donnie Avery is a placeholder that should be nothing more than a situational deep threat in the NFL at this juncture of his career. Junior Hemingway and Albert Wilson are thick, running back-like options to monitor in leagues with 25-30 roster spots. Mark Harrison was recently signed after a stint with New England, who has size and speed, but lacks many legit receiver skills to maximize his physical potential. As a whole, the Chiefs are unlikely to have as many early leads as their 9-0 start in 2013 with more passing volume to come.
Miami Dolphins
Jarvis Landry has initial opportunity as an inside receiver, a good fit with his lagging athleticism. Rishard Matthews and Brandon Gibson are decent depth options, but Landry has a good chance to beat them out in short order. Despite a capped upside, Landry can stick as a WR4/5 type in fantasy returning decent value on a third round rookie pick. Damian Williams was a similar type player in Tennessee prior to joining the Dolphins, but has much more competition to regularly see the field going forward.
New England Patriots
Aaron Dobson is the name in flashing green lights. He was a WR2 during his healthy and regular playing time stretch as a rookie. Julian Edelman is regularly in the top-100 of startup drafts. His short-term upside warrants that spot, but his long-term talent lags far below the younger options available in that range. Edelman could be an affordable addition for a contender in-season. Danny Amendola is the PPR receiver version of Darren McFadden and the window is closing for him to keep getting chances to change the pattern. Brandon LaFell has been maddeningly inconsistent in his career and the receiver-starved Panthers did little to retain him this offseason. Kenbrell Thompkins has had a boost in the news of late, but his limited projection model profile provides skepticism to the potential of turning into a weekly starter if some combination of Edelman-Dobson-Amendola-Gronkowski are healthy. Josh Boyce and Jeremy Gallon are short, but thick options with upside potential late in startup drafts.
New York Jets
Stephen Hill is not a complete bust yet. His athletic profile buys him another season or two (look at Darrius Heyward-Bey) to produce. Hill is an after-thought in dynasty leagues, making him the perfect trade throw-in or short-roster stash. Jeremy Kerley is a low-ceiling placeholder. Clyde Gates and Jacoby Ford are situational speed players. Jalen Saunders and Shaq Evans are two of the least appealing draft picks at the position this year. Quincy Enunwa is the size-speed, but one-hit college wonder, rookie to monitor down the depth chart here. Enunwa as Dez Bryant dimensions, but lacks the consistency or innate position skills.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have a collection of decent receivers, but none to truly elevate above their peers. Denarius Moore is more of a deep threat. James Jones is on the verge of feeling the after-effects of leaving Aaron Rodgers. Rod Streater and Andre Holmes are nice flyers, but lack the real potential to emerge, in Oakland at least. Brice Butler has the athleticism, but has yet to translate that into production in his college or NFL career.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant are the young upside options past Antonio Brown. Wheaton has above-average athleticism, but his production along the way in college lagged behind. Bryant has all the size and athleticism, but has been anemic turning that promise into on-the-field results to-date. Derek Moye and Justin Brown are depth options at best. Darrius Heyward-Bey and Lance Moore are role players at this point in their careers.
San Diego Chargers
Malcom Floyd is on his third or fourth batch of upside talk in his career, fading quickly on each occasion. Eddie Royal is a role player and Vincent Brown lacks the athleticism to develop into more than a WR4 for any significant stretch. Tevin Reese is a slight, speed demon that requires at least 30 rosters spots to consider. As a move tight end split from the formation, Ladarius Green is realistically San Diego’s second-best receiver.
Tennessee Titans
Justin Hunter is the upside play here, but needs to round out his game from exclusively a deep target. His athleticism still had untapped potential in college, giving him the boom-bust moniker as a prospect. Kendall Wright has been the opposite in his career to-date, relying on the crossing route for PPR relevance and performing above his physical attributes. Nate Washington is hanging around as a low-ceiling veteran amongst the unappealing youth remaining on the depth chart.