Playing the Slots: Outlooks for Slot Receivers in 2018 – AFC North

Slot receivers often go overlooked until it’s too late in the season to really utilize their potential. In this AFC North installment, I take a look at the prospects of the starting middle men for your fantasy consideration…

 

Willie Snead, Ravens: Snead had a run of bad luck in New Orleans last year, as he was hampered by injury, a suspension, and difficulty finding playing time after his absence. Now in  Baltimore, he has a chance to regain some of the 70 catch, 900 yard form he held with consistency in 2015 and 2016. Baltimore throws the ball more than anybody, and Snead is in line to get plenty of action as perhaps the second option behind Michael Crabtree. John Brown is around, but he hasn’t played a full season since 2014, and he’s no lock to productive even if he’s on the field, due to nagging injuries and his sickle-cell trait. No one seems particularly excited about Baltimore or Snead right now, so he will come cheap in fantasy. He’s going to be a worthwhile add, especially in PPR formats.

 

Tyler Boyd, Bengals:  Boyd had a solid rookie year in 2016 with 54 catches and 603 yards, before all but disappearing last season partially due to a MCL sprain but also for being a healthy scratch far too often. Sources close to the team anticipate a bounce-back year for Boyd as the slot man, in addition to him getting looks on the outside, in OC Bill Lazor’s new offense. Boyd’s upside is limited as a big play guy behind A.J. Green and hopefully speedster John Brown, but he could fill a nice niche as a primary possession receiver if the Bengals’ offense can emerge from the mire of mediocrity. It also doesn’t hurt that TE Tyler Eifert once again looks to be hobbled going into the season. I’m not particularly bullish on Boyd, but stranger things have happened. In fantasy, I’m leaving him undrafted except for in the deepest of leagues. You should have plenty of time to grab him if he comes around.

 

Jarvis Landry, Browns: Landry is no longer the top dog in his receiving corps, Josh Gordon has that distinction for the time being, but he does have the benefit of playing under pass-happy OC Todd Haley in Cleveland. There are even murmerings that Landry will be used down the field more, which may help mitigate his inevitable decrease in targets. In any case, Landry will be on the field for most offensive downs, and though he’s not as athletic as Gordon, Corey Coleman, or Antonio Callaway, he’s proven to be more dependable thus far than all of them – save the rookie Callaway, and he’s already sitting out of OTAs with a soft tissue injury. With more competition than in the past but the potential for bigger plays/more yardage, Landry still gets the benefit of the doubt in fantasy. I wouldn’t prioritize him quite as heavily as I would in the past in PPR formats though, especially with Duke Johnson also vying to eat up those same low-aDOT targets out of the backfield.

 

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers: Smith-Schuster turned out to be a pleasant surprise over the course of his rookie season, putting up 917 yards and 7 TDs on just 58 receptions as the slot man in Pittsburgh. Those are more than respectable numbers for a first year player in the same corps as the best receiver in pro football – He was also contending with Martavis Bryant for looks. Bryant is gone to Oakland, and Biletnikoff winner James Washington has been added to the fold to replace him, but Smith-Schuster is in line to have a similar if not better season than last year, as he really didn’t come on until the second half of the season. He has been dealing with a lingering knee injury, and that’s something to watch, but I am confidently drafting him as a WR 2 with upside. At just 21, he’s particularly valuable in dynasty leagues.