Wide Receivers Trending Down in Fantasy

Alshon Jeffery, Eagles: News recently dropped that Jeffery had no timetable for return from a Lisfranc injury. If you’re familiar with the oddly named injury, you know that it’s not a quick healing process, especially for a 30-year-old like Jeffery who has started to look extremely lumbering even when healthy. If that wasn’t enough of an uphill battle for him, Jeffery has to contend for targets with a now-healthy DeSean Jackson, a newly acquired Marquise Goodwin, a dynamic rookie in Jalen Reagor, two excellent TEs in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert and an emerging pass-catching RB in Miles Sanders. Jeffery’s best days are clearly behind him.

Michael Gallup, Cowboys: Gallup had a breakout season in 2019, with over 1,100 yards and 6 TDs, but I don’t see him approaching those numbers in 2020 for one big reason, and that reason is rookie WR CeeDee Lamb. Lamb was our consensus no.1 receiver going into the draft, and he may now be the most talented pass catcher on the Cowboys. He can play all over the field, but he’s the kind of sure-handed safety blanket over the middle that Dak Prescott can hang his hat on. Gallup won’t disappear in fantasy, but his 2019 season may just go down as his best.

Tyler Boyd, Bengals: Boyd had a rock-solid 2019 with 1,046 yards and 5 TDs, but if we’re expecting the Bengals to be better on offense this year, that could be bad news for Boyd. He had 60+ yards in 9 games in 2019, and all of them were losses in which he racked up targets in attempts to come from behind. With A.J. Green back and speedy rookie Tee Higgins in tow, along with a healthy John Ross and upstart rookie Q.B. Joe Burrow under center, Boyd won’t be the ball hog we’ve come to know.

John Brown, Bills: Brown had career highs in catches (72) and yards (1,060) in 2019, but that was before the Bills acquired Stefon Diggs in trade from the Vikings. Diggs is a combo of Brown and fellow Bill Cole Beasley in that he can take the top off a defense, as well as work inside and over the middle. Don’t expect Brown to beat or meet his 2019 numbers.