Three Sleeper Fantasy Wide Receivers

Three Underrated Wide Receivers To Consider On The Waiver Wire

[Editor's Note: Yes, the format is screwy and I am trying to fix it, it was the format it was given to me in. This is a guest article from fanduel.com, please welcome them with open arms like you have all the contributors.]

Everyone already knows about the top players at every position in fantasy football. The Calvin Johnsons and Larry Fitzgeralds of the world will be gone pretty early. However, there are a lot of value picks to consider later on in the draft. All three of these players are low risk, high reward types that can be picked up to check out the first few weeks of the season. On paper, all are poised to provide a lot more value than their current fantasy football draft slog suggests.

Brian Quick. Any wide receiver with the hands, speed and size (6’5”) of Brian Quick is worth a solid look. After staring at Appalachian State, he has yet to really find his groove in the NFL. He showed some signs in 2011, but 2012 looks to be that true make or break season. With the St. Louis Rams in need of offense, and their young quarterback Sam Bradford completely healthy, all signs point to Quick getting that shot to impress.

Santana Moss. Remember him? It’s easy to write off Moss as a wide receiver who is a step slow now that he is 33 years of age. The best way to add a little pep to the step of a wide receiver though is to pair him with a guy like Robert Griffin III. This type of rookie-veteran combo could very well be a great option for the Washington Redskins. Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis look to be the top two receiving options for the Redskins currently, but it’s easy to see Moss slip in there and get plenty of opportunities to succeed as well.

Titus Young. As mentioned above, everyone knows all about the ability of Calvin Johnson. Teams will be focuses on doing whatever necessary to shut him down during games. Naturally, that means other weapons will get open looks throughout the game. Enter Titus Young. The second year wide receiver should become a much more reliable option for Matthew Stafford as he has now had an entire season to get used to the NFL schedule. After a slow start, Young was still able to get 647 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Expect those numbers to go up more as long as both him and Megatron stay healthy. He is a great option to take and he should be available in the middle rounds of drafts.

This guest article was written by the football people at Fanduel.com, the place to go to play free daily fantasy football games or Fantasy Football For Cash

Wanna get the jump on fantasy football? Check out Fantasy Corner guaranteed to win or your money back!

Use the money you win using our fantasy football advice and buy SleeperTees!

Don't Forget to Follow the ReclinerQB.com Team on Twitter: @ReclinerQB @amazingmattyp, @SonnyPrier, @CoreyDoiron, @mwyche2, @TCM_Revolver, @ChurchOfYoda

Value of Agents For Top 10 Picks

By:  Bobby Shores

Wanna get the jump on fantasy football? Check out Fantasy Corner guaranteed to win or your money back!

[Editor's Note:  This was an article written before the news broke today on the RGIII signing, I checked it and it should still be relevant]

With the news breaking this morning from Adam Schefter that the Redskins have signed their next eight first round picks (or however many they gave up in the trade to land him), Quarterback Robert Griffin III, we should see the remaining Top 10 unsigned picks fall like dominoes (just waiting on the Jim Irsay tweet that says "We are close to signing #12", and this time it won't be a lie).

We have been fed the line that "rookie contracts are already negotiated", "every rookie should sign the day he is drafted because it's all slotted and there is no negotiations", "the era of rookie holdouts is forever gone" etc. ever since the new CBA was signed last year. And after the 2011 rookie class was signed so quickly I think we all began to believe it.....I am predicting future rookie training camp holdouts right here people, you heard it here first (at least I hope I am the first, even if I'm not, don't tell me).

To give you a little bit of background on the situation, last year all the rookie contracts (particularly high first rounders) were signed so quickly because the ink was still drying on the CBA, agents didn't have a ton of time to really delve into the details and find out what was available for negotiations, and with no offseason work and shortened training camps everybody was anxious to try and catch up before a year was completely lost on their already short NFL lifespans. This year the sticking point has been "offset language", which is essentially a "guarantee". For instance, if Morris Claiborne is a bust for the Cowboys and they cut him before his fourth season in the NFL, and the Cowboys owe him $5 million. Then he signs a contract with the Redskins for $2 million; the teams want the Cowboys to only owe him the $3 million difference while the agents want him to make $7 million....get it? Good! If not then tweet me and I'll explain it another way.

It seems like a minor thing to be haggling, and potentially holding out over, so what is the real reason behind these protracted rookie contract negotiations? Well my theory is that agents are trying to make themselves appear valuable to rookies, with these deals slotted the way they are there is no real need for an agent anyways. In fact, I honestly don't think rookies should hire "contract" agents until AFTER they have signed their rookie deals. Seriously, what's the point??? I mean some people will say this "offset" language deal is big, but realistically how many teams admit failure on a top 10 pick in the first four years? Exactly!

Since the money is slotted and there is no real negotiations on that part, there is no reason to give an agent 3%+/- of your deal to not do anything. I guess one of the advantages of having a "contract" agent for your rookie deal is the ability to use the "Training Compounds" that prepare you for your interviews and the combine. Those do seem to provide real value to the player as it helps them train for a bunch of tests that have little or no impact on how they actually perform during a football game. 

For real, when does a football player run 40 yards, in sprinter style, in a straight line during a football game? Or when do they bench press 225lbs (or even use that same form) during the same 60 minute span? How often do they have a chance to stand there, gather themselves physically and mentally and jump up and/or out as high/far as they can? Get back on focus Bobby....

The agents can also help the players create a very carefully crafted public image/persona that they sell to the teams drafting them and the fans (i.e. Tebow on Broadway & the Gator Quotes) that has little or nothing to do with the "real person" under the helmet. The agents also act as "recruiters" by talking up their clients to potentially interested teams, going over the value that drafting "Player X" will bring to their organization. Does all this really help? Do teams really listen to agents over their own scouts, or in addition to them? I guess there must be some success or the agents wouldn't waste their time doing it.....right?

So with these agents reaching and stretching to give themselves value to their current rookie clients, while also giving themselves ammunition to recruit future rookie's, what will be the next point of contention that they can find to delay high first round pick rookie signings? Rest assured, agents WILL find something, it's just the nature of the business. Unfortunately since I don't have a copy of the CBA, or any experience in contract law, or negotiations; I really don't know what the next step is, but hopefully I can get some insight from some agents that can steer me in the right direction.

So the question ultimately becomes, are the services provided by the "contract" agent, services that cannot be provided by the player's marketing agents? And if they are, are they worth the 3% +/- that they charge for it, roughly $500,000-600,000 on the Top 10 picks rookie deals? Obviously the players think so, what about y'all? Would you hire a contract agent to negotiate an already negotiated rookie deal? Let us know in the comments!

Wanna get the jump on fantasy football? Check out Fantasy Corner guaranteed to win or your money back!

Use the money you win using our fantasy football advice and buy SleeperTees!

Follow ReclinerQB on Twitter:  @ReclinerQB

Don't Forget to Follow ReclinerQB.com's other contributors on Twitter: @amazingmattyp, @SonnyPrier, @CoreyDoiron, @mwyche2, @TCM_Revolver, @ChurchOfYoda, @SleeperTees

So They Had a Draft? What's That Mean For Yours?

By: Matt Prendergast

Hey kids! Long time no talk....been busy with my macrame sculptures and innovations in the field of 'sitting around', but we're at that time....WELCOME TO THE RELAUNCH OF FANTASY CORNER AT RECLINERQB!

Yes, I know. It's June. And I hear you: 'Why in the good gosh darn would I think about my fantasy football league in June? I have Kobe Beef and British Colombian Salmon on my new Big Green Egg! THESE THINGS ARE GETTING RUINED WHILE I READ THIS! Also, please don't ask why I invested well over twelve-hundred dollars specifically on this get-together with my neighbor who has that kick-ass riding mower. That dude needs to know who's the boss, that's all.'

And that kind of attitude is exactly why you take seventh every freaking year in your re-draft league.

Now. Right now. This is when you begin to plan....and that's why ReclinerQB.com is here today; to lovingly take care of you. So let's get to the point of caressing of your wondering mind in regard to the newly christened 'changers of the game'!  Specifically, how should you be approaching the big-named players that scattered throughout the league in last month's NFL Draft?

THAT WHICH YOU DO NOT EXECUTE:

'I may not even put on my helmet the whole year'

1) DO NOT DRAFT ANDREW LUCK - Certainly deserving of his destined position as 'first pick of the whole entire draft OMG!'. Also certainly not deserving of any of your picks in your fantasy draft. And by that I mean: you'd be much better off using your eighth round pick on Alex Smith, or Blaine Gabbert, or possibly a punter.

Did you see the Colts last year? I'm being serious, did you watch ANY of their games, even for five minutes? That is a HORRIBLE team. In one of those 'maybe if we close our eyes for seven years it'll be all right' definitions of 'horrible'.  Peyton Manning might get my vote for 'All-Time MVP of the NFL Ever' for the fact that he clearly covered a nearly-incomprehensible number of holes on that team. And those holes? This year with even more gaping power.

Oh yes, and to welcome Andrew in? They let everybody even halfway decent go. Except for Reggie Wayne, who passed by the deserved 'I just want to win another ring' exit strategy in lieu of choosing the 'I won't get hit the next two years because this guy won't have time to find me' route. Smart choice. Oh, and Dwight Freeney, who doesn't catch footballs.

Vintage Double D:
Sure hands across the middle for victory.

2) DO NOT DRAFT ANY OF THE ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS -  But you're saying 'remember AJ Green last year'? Yes I do. I also remember two other things: a) he was available in 80% of my leagues in week 2, and b) He didn't do one god-freaking thing to help out during the playoff run.  Now granted, I play primarily in Non-PPR leagues, so I may have a grudge against dudes that only score one touchdown the last six weeks, but that's me. (Don't come at me with your Julio Jones nonsense, btw, that was an aberration of a rookie WR season).

Who's the biggest impact from-out-of-nowhere WR this year? Some dude you didn't even think about, that's who. (See: Cruz, Victor) Truth being truth, you should easily pick up ANY of the rookie WRs before week three, so use that draft choice you're thinking about in round eleven on  Donald Driver (the only GB receiver to actively participate in 'catching' during their last playoff game), or Santana Moss (yes, I said that out loud) or even Whatever Bears' Cast-off Ends Up the #3 Wideout on the Vikings (This year it's Jerome Simpson! Wait, he's not a former Bear! Tricky, Vikings....). I still prefer any veteran in a situation where they can maybe shine early to a rook with breakout potential at the start of the season. Because the best rookie receiver will have been either taken way too high, or not taken at all.

THAT WHICH YOU DO EXECUTE:

'I said: Where's. My. GATORADE. AT. REX?'

1) DRAFT RGIII - Okay, I say this with a caveat emptor: where you should take him, you won't get him. The absolutely perfect 'Cam Newton Part II' selection, but because the Redskins have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, he'll be taken in the fifth or sixth round of your draft, and by a guy who's intending on starting him. Let that go.

But on the off-chance that Robert Griffin the Third is still there in the ninth round: just do that thing. And then sit back and be patient, for his time will come, maybe even early and often.

The 'Skins brought a lot of hungry receiving talent in - rather than break the bank on one marquee dude (like Vincent Jackson), they went with a couple of young guys that have shown some flash, but still have big axes to grind in Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan - with Santana Moss still hanging around to provide the veteran stability, and the critical re-upping of Fred Davis (plus Cooley's still hobbling about), Washington put a lot of little pieces together nicely to help aid RG3 in his quest to make Cam Newton 2011 look like a chump.  Good luck to you.

Has Hillis beat in hat/hair/glasses category already

2) GO AHEAD WITH THAT TRENT RICHARDSON IDEA, AND PLAN ON STARTING HIM - Let's think about this, rationally. The Browns have next to nothing going for them. Still. A QB Battle between  Colt Malt Liquor and Red Wheeden? There's no winners there, not this year. There's losers, though, namely Greg Little and Mohammed Massaquoi (who, let's be honest, has looked like a potentially shiny diamond ring the last two years primarily because you're viewing him inside a giant box brimming over with dung).

But the one thing the Browns can kinda do is block, son. Ask Peyton Hillis or Montario Hardesty - in the last two years, both had flashes of world-conquering magic as Cleveland Freaking Browns. Barring a catastrophic leg injury between now and week one, they've got a headlining act in Richardson - and even if he's somehow healthy this year, Montario isn't going to be cutting in on those carries much.

An additional plus point here: since he is a rookie on the Browns, unless you're playing in a dynasty or die-hards league, he'll be there in the fourth or fifth round. That's solid value for what should be a weekly starting 2nd RB with minimal time-sharing. Just hope to god he doesn't get injured like every other Cleveland RB draft pick in the last six years.

NOTE: This is advice for your 2nd RB only. If you decide to go 'all in' on any Brown BEFORE the fourth round, at the VERY earliest, I wish you a tremendous day at your job taste-testing used gum for 'flavor retentionability'.

So there you have it: Four early rookie questions answered....come early August, when the other league owners are just picking up their Pro Football Weekly preview mags, you'll already be winning the draft.

More soon.....

Follow Matt on Twitter:  @amazingmattyp.  He is filled with jolly things

Don't Forget to Follow ReclinerQB's other contributors on Twitter:  @ReclinerQB, @heartsfootball, @SonnyPrier, @CoreyDoiron, and @mwyche2 . If you don't, Terrell Owens is going to coach your kid's Pop Warner team this year.

NFL Draft Quick Hits - Robert Griffin III

By:  Bobby Shores

Yesterday I did a quick and informal run down of my thoughts on Andrew Luck, today my lucky (no pun intended) readers will get a quick hit on what I think of RG3.

I first became a big fan of RG3 early in the 2010 season when I saw a freakishly athletic quarterback who would be a Kordell Stewart "Slash" style QB in the NFL (Editor's Note: I think Stewart would have been successful if  he would have been given more of a chance to make his style of play work at the NFL level), at the time I imagined him being the guy that brings the spread offenses that we are seeing take over the NFL to the next level (That was because I didn't realize what Cam Newton would end up doing).

As we should all know, the highest level of football (NFL) mimics the lower levels, and as players are bred from middle school through college playing "spread style" offenses than it will eventually make its way into the pro level also, which it is now doing. That is why you are seeing very few traditional fullbacks, tight ends as an extra wide receiver rather than an extra tackle, 3-receiver sets more often than not and rushing yards/attempts dwindling. The only position that has not made the full transition to the spread is quarterback, but that is rapidly changing.

Gone are the days where traditional "pocket passers" are the preference of NFL coaches, now if you are a 6'4 statue in the pocket (Drew Bledsoe) you have a much less chance of making it then the previously unthinkable 6'1 quick quarterback. Teams are wanting QB's that can fire a ball 20 yards down the field into a sprinting players arms while on the run, and when they sprint right are just as likely to keep the ball and run for a first down as they are to launch it to one of 4 eligible receivers running a myriad of underneath crossing routes. Yes, many people thought that player would be Tim Tebow, unfortunately those are the people who know more about their church's choir formation than they do the Patriot's "12" formation.

So what skills does RG3 bring to the pro game that could revolutionize the quarterback position? He is the rare (1st ever?) quarterback that not only has Olympic sprinter speed but also a big arm that can throw into tight spaces. He can make people miss like Michael Vick, but teams will fear his ability to carve up a defense more than his break-away sprinter speed. His touch on deep balls is better than any other quarterback that I have seen in the last few years since I have seriously been scouting players.

To top it all off, he will instantly be the best franchise role-model that the Washington Redskins can have. Not only is he very well spoken and came from a military family, but he attended Baylor University where he graduated with a degree in Political Science and a 3.67 GPA in only three years. He shows resilience, determination, smarts and extremely high character and even if he wasn't a star football player I would love one of my daughters to marry a guy like him.

Really, I see ZERO downside to RG3, and openly touted him as the far superior quarterback to Luck since his game against TCU early this season, and check my Twitter if you don't believe me. While most people have a favorite between the two, I believe that they are both great quarterbacks with extremely high ceilings. The only thing I worry about is RG3's growth being stunted under the father-son Shanahan duo. Will they rein him in and make him follow their offense to a "T", or will they do what every coach should do and mold their offense around him, run stuff that plays to his strengths. Only time will tell, but regardless, Dan Snyder's FedEx field should start adding more seats instead of taking them away.

Follow ReclinerQB on Twitter:  @ReclinerQB

Don't Forget to Follow ReclinerQB's other contributors on Twitter: @amazingmattyp, @mwyche2, @theffaddict, @heartsfootball