3 WRs Bound to Hit Paydirt in 2018
The best feeling on game day during the fantasy football season is when one of your players scores a touchdown. Over the course of the year, a few players consistently failed to score touchdowns when they were needed most. That being said, here are 3 wide receivers from last year who should see a spike in the number of touchdowns they score this year.
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Julio Jones (WR, Atlanta Falcons)
Julio Jones has become such a dominant force in fantasy over the years that his “down year” in 2017 was finishing as the 6th best WR. This was in large part due to the lack of touchdowns he scored, only getting 3 the entire season despite finishing with over 80 catches and 1,400 yards for the second straight year. History tells us that this is unlikely to happen again, as no other receiver has ever finished with more than 1,400 yards and only 3 touchdowns.
Jones is set up for another solid year as long as his decision to skip minicamp is not an indication of a hold out. He is still the top option in a high powered offense, and the addition of Calvin Ridley through the draft should open up space for Jones. Expect Jones to finish as a top 5 WR with a big jump from his 164 points last year. He’s no Antonio Brown, but he’s still a top option in 2018.
Mike Evans (WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Mike Evans disappointing 2017 season made it easy to forget that he was the best fantasy receiver just one season prior. A big reason he was so successful in 2016 was due to the 12 TDs he scored. Last year he did not have as much success finding the end zone, only scoring 5 times.
Evans finished as the 20th best WR last year, but unlike other players who finished in that range, Evans had a down year. In fact, Evans belongs to a group of only Antonio Brown and Julio Jones that have put up over 1,000 receiving yards for the past 4 years, showing that he can perform like the best players in the league.
Due to a nonexistent run game in Tampa, defenses were able to contain Evans effectively. The addition of Ronald Jones II however should bring Tampa’s run game back to life, opening up the field for Evans. Evans has put up 12 TDs twice in his short, 4 year career, and don’t be surprised if he scores that much in the 2018 season.
Emmanuel Sanders (WR, Denver Broncos)
Emmanuel Sanders had a forgettable season last year where he not only dealt with injury, but also failed to produce when he was on the field. His unimpressive 2 TDs were not only a testament to his troubles on the field, but also to an inconsistent pass game.
Enter Case Keenum, who is coming off a career year in Minnesota where he played like a top 10 quarterback for the second half of the season. Despite concerns attributing his success to the system he played in, it’s hard to deny that Keenum is an upgrade from Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Coming into the season healthy and with a new QB, Sanders is in a good position to succeed. Expect Sanders to score at least triple the touchdowns he had last year, securing himself as a viable flex play in 2018.