Not that long ago, the running back was the undisputed king of fantasy football. Over the last few years – mostly due to rule changes – wide receivers have come a long way and now duke it out with running backs for fantasy football supremacy. Although it is hard to argue against a top running back, where the wide receivers really show their lustre is in the depth of the position. That depth shines through on the teams where their third string wideouts can contribute to a championship-quality fantasy football roster. If you’re playing NFL fantasy this season, here are the top five third wide receivers for the 2017 NFL season.
Taylor Gabriel
As a member of the top ranked offence in the NFL in 2016, Taylor Gabriel was a viable fantasy option last season, especially in deeper leagues. Gabriel will be 26 this season, entering his prime and will be looking to expand his role in the Falcons’ offence. The biggest thing holding Gabriel back is the fact the Falcons hired a new offensive coordinator this season. If the offence does take a step back, whether it be due to coaching changes or the Super Bowl hangover, Gabriel may not be as productive as possible. Still, Matt Ryan has passed for a minimum of 4500 yards every year since 2012, and it would not be surprising to see Gabriel get a bigger percentage of targets in 2017.
Randall Cobb
Cobb can be a superstar and has finished as a top-12 wide receiver before, but now looks more like a reliable veteran receiver on one of the best offenses in the league. Cobb is worth more in a PPR league but does have value in any league. Cobb’s biggest problem last season was his low touchdown total. He should see that number climb from four last year, closer to the 7.5 he averaged from 2012 to 2015. Cobb needs about 90 touches to be top-24 wide receiver, which may be a little optimistic. Expect around 75 touches, which still makes him one of the best third options in the NFL.
Remember that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense started really slow last season. On top of that, they struggled to run the ball until Ty Montgomery took over the job. Those things should allow Cobb to face less defensive attention this season, which makes him a great mismatch.
J.J. Nelson
True playmaking abilities and a chance to get more playing than the typical third receiver, J.J Nelson has one of the highest ceilings of any third receiver in the league. Although he is undersized, weighing in at only 156 lbs, Nelson is lightning fast and able to contribute to his fantasy production through some rushing attempts. In limited duty last season, Nelson was highly productive, registering 651 yards and seven touchdowns on only 38 touches (34 receptions and four rush attempts). His biggest weakness was he only caught 45.9% of his targets but that number should improve with better quarterback play. Remember that Carson Palmer was under constant pressure last season. If the offensive line is improved and he has time to work, Nelson is a third wide receiver who has plenty of upside.
Kenny Stills
Even with Ryan Tannehill’s out of the season, Kenny Stills can be as productive a third wide receiver. With Jay Cutler just being signed, the potential for Stills is a bit of a question mark, but many signs point to him being a good fantasy receiver. The first is how productive Stills was last season without Tannehill. Tannehill went down in Week 14 last year, which led to Matt Moore getting the last four starts (three regular seasons and one playoff). Stills had a touchdown in all three of Moore’s regular season starts and caught all five of his targets for 82 yards in their playoff defeat. The second is Dolphins’ head coach, Adam Gase, coached Cutler in the past. His years with Cutler were arguably Cutler’s best in the NFL. In one of those years, Cutler set career highs in yards per attempt and QB Rating. Also, keep in mind that Cutler has a bigger arm than Tannehill. Whereas Tannehill struggled with deep passes, Cutler should improve that area of the passing game for the Dolphins. That bodes well for Stills this season.
Josh Doctson
Filling in the role held by Jamison Crowder last season, Josh Doctson is one of the third wide receivers with the biggest upside. Last year, Crowder recorded a stat line 67-847-7 for Washington Redskins. Doctson played sparingly as a rookie, recording only two receptions. This year, he is poised to fill a much larger role on the offense and will greatly benefit from the departure of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson. Although he may not quite reach the heights of Crowder in 2017, he still plays in one of the more pass-friendly offenses, which ranked second in 2016 and 11th in 2015 in passing yardage.
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