Second Year Players You Need To Draft
by Alan Seslowsky – Twitter: @Alanseslowsky

Every year fantasy players are full of excitement and optimism for rookies. We can’t blame you. It is normal to see a fresh set of faces with new skills. The incoming rookies have not disappointed us…yet. Inevitably most rookies will fail to meet expectations and become “values” the following year. Below is a list of three second year players that did not meet expectations in 2020, that RosterWatch likes as bounce-back candidates.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City (ADP 25 Round 3)

CEH qualifies as a second year player who disappointed. Clyde is obviously not a late round dart throw. He is going to cost you a second round pick. When most leagues draft around Labor Day, we expect Clyde to be a top 15 player. Not much has changed from last year when CEH was going in the top seven picks of your draft. He is still the lead running back on one of the best offenses in the league. Edwards-Helaire will have the same quarterback, same coach, and the same opportunity. The market likely overvalued him last season. He is being undervalued in 2021. If you are drafting in the eight picks of your traditional snake draft, CEH is a great bet in the second round. He still has the same upside and relatively high floor we believed last year. He comes fairly priced in 2021. He should be a target player for RosterWatch Nation.

 

Bryan Edwards, WR, Las Vegas (ADP 166 Round 13)

Ankle and foot injuries sidelined Edwards for four games during the middle of last season. Even when on the field, Edwards was not making an impact for fantasy football. In the last week of the season, Edwards did catch both of his two targets for 51 yards and a TD. That was enough for Edwards’ truthers to tout him as a sophomore sleeper in 2021. Bryan Edwards was a second round talent that fell to round three in the real NFL draft because of an injury. His draft cost is low enough in the double digit rounds that he is worth a gamble. He profiles as an alpha WR, with little competition for targets outside of Darren Waller. Edwards does operate in a different part of the field than Waller and fellow second year player Henry Ruggs. Bryan Edwards is a buzzy player,  for good reason. His raw talent and opportunity along with his ADP make him a player RosterWatch Nation should proactively target. 

 

Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia (ADP 132 Round 11)

Eagles fans will always compare second year wide receiver Jalen Reagor to last year’s Viking’s rookie stand out, Justin Jefferson. The Eagles selected Reagor with the 21st overall pick in 2020, when Justin Jefferson was still on the board. Jefferson was selected by the Vikings with the very next pick. The results were very different. Justin Jefferson is a locked in second round fantasy pick, and Reagor is now a late round dart throw. The Eagles did usurp Reagor, by drafting Alabama wide receiver, DeVonta Smith with the tenth overall pick in 2021. The market may be viewing Reagor as an afterthought. Having another elite pass catching player on the field may help Reagor. He will undoubtedly draw non-primary corner coverage. Reagor will be able to operate with his specific set of skills that include the ability to work in all areas of the field. A new coach and quarterback will presumably be good for Reagor too. When you are looking for high upside WRs late in your draft, Reagor is a player you should consider.