4 Players to Stash in Fantasy Football From the AFC North

Sammie Coates, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Player

After a disastrous preseason game last week, many are off the Sammie Coates bandwagon and firmly on the Eli Rogers train. Two fumbles and a big drop can do that to a guy. And training camp reports have backed up this opinion, indicating that Rogers is clearly in the lead for snaps behind Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton.

So why profile Coates? Because while Rogers might be the safe bet to earn a consistent role in the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense, if anyone is going to make a significant fantasy impact in 2016 as the third receiver on this team, my bet will be on the Terrell Owens-sized prospect and not a 187-pound slot receiver. And while size isn't everything at the receiver position (just ask Antonio Brown), Rogers does feel a tad redundant behind the similar Wheaton and Brown.

What makes Coates so intriguing is his raw athleticism and power at the receiver position. He certainly doesn't have the best hands or ball-tracking ability downfield, making him perhaps a poor fit to replace Martavis Bryant as a deep threat, but he excels in the open field on drags and crossing routes like a Cordarrelle Patterson or a young Owens. And in those two comparisons, you can see both his downside and his upside.

At 6'1, 215 pounds, Coates ran a 4.43, had a 41" vertical jump, and put up 23 bench press reps for good measure. He was a top performer at the combine in four different drills, and his frame and speed just jumps out at you on the screen. But so do the mistakes and the inconsistencies, which could prevent him from ever making a difference on this team. But when trying to unearth the next hidden gem, our goal is to look for the next Martavis Bryant, not the next Willie Snead. Both have value, but only one will win you your league.

The Opportunity

In just 11 games in 2015, the now suspended Martavis Bryant had 92 targets in this Steelers' offense, scoring 6 touchdowns and presenting himself as an outstanding deep threat for the big-armed Ben Roethlisberger. While he was no where near as efficient on a per-target basis as he was during his unreal rookie year, his role was clearly defined and growing before his year-long suspension.

Brown is clearly locked in as one of the best receivers in football, but there is a wide open competition behind him for targets in what has become a 5,000-yard passing offense in the past few seasons.

Wheaton has been an effective player who just never seems to be on the same page with Big Ben, and the team may look to replace him as the second target if Rogers or Coates can develop. His per-play efficiency is impressive, but you can just sense the leash is not very long for Wheaton, and no one would be surprised if this is his last season as a Steeler. Ladarius Green is also battling some mysterious injuries (perhaps an ankle or maybe concussion-related headaches) and has been stuck in the training room this summer.

So yes, while Coates is raw and perhaps more shine than substance, should he develop as a player within this offense, his fantasy value will rise at a greater rate than even his statistical production will justify. That's what high upside players do (see Patterson, Cordarrelle). And for those in dynasty or keeper leagues, possessing that type of stock is valuable -- provided you sell or hold at the right moments.

For now, Coates is an absolute hold in deeper leagues.