The hits keep coming to the wide receiver position.
Days after Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson went down with a season-ending injury, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a four-game suspension, according to several media reports. Bryant’s average draft position entering today was 63rd overall, putting him early in the sixth round for fantasy football owners in 12-team leagues.
His draft position also had him ranked as the 24-highest rated receiver in this year’s draft. He’s just behind Brandon Marshall and one spot ahead of Jeremy Maclin.
Bryant is second on the depth chart in Pittsburgh, behind the No. 1 rated wide receiver Antonio Brown, so volume of targets isn’t why he’s ranked so high. Bryant’s main redeeming trait is his ability to score touchdowns. Bryant didn’t catch a ball until Oct. 20 last season, but from there, he was all about touchdowns.
Bryant hauled in eight touchdowns in 10 games. He ranked 18th in touchdown receptions in the NFL last year and didn’t register a meaningful statistic for six weeks.
So what should fantasy football owners do with Bryant? His ADP will likely go down, giving Bryant a more true value. Bryant had a great rookie season, but he’s a boom or bust receiver. He only grabbed 26 catches last season, meaning if he doesn’t score touchdowns, his weekly value has a low upside.
Going into this year, his value was inflated, so now, he should be more in the spot where fantasy football owners can get a realistic return on their draft pick. However, there’s no reason to run away from Bryant.
The main goal of any fantasy football owner is to have the best team at playoff time. Bryant will miss four games at the beginning of the season, so a fill-in can easily man that spot while he sits on your bench.
If you were high on Bryant heading into the season, this suspension shouldn’t change your mind. If you thought Bryant was rated too high, then his recent troubles should put him in a more suitable ADP, making him more desirable to draft.
