Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Positional ADP: WR22 | Projected Finish: WR42
Martavis Bryant is one of the more electrifying wide receivers in the game -- when he plays. He hasn't done that since the 2015 season. It's hard to say what impact the time away had, and it's also hard to say when he'll play again.
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently clarified Bryant's conditional reinstatement:
"Upon his conditional reinstatement in April, Martavis Bryant was made aware it was only the beginning of a process toward a return to being a full contributing member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We have been informed by the NFL that Martavis is still in the process of being fully reinstated. "Until that time, Martavis will be permitted to take part in off-the-field team activities at training camp, but he will not be permitted to practice or play in any games."
Take your time and read that again. Bryant can't even practice with the team yet. Even if he's back for Week 1, it's not clear that he'll be in sync with Ben Roethlisberger, or that he will resume his previous role as the second wideout.
Eli Rogers played capably at times last year, as did Sammie Coates before injuries piled up. The Steelers also drafted Juju Smith-Schuster. Bryant is probably more talented than those guys, but all of them have a lot more recent experience and trust than Bryant.
Volume is crucial for every player, but opportunity has been especially important for Bryant. Here are his career splits based on getting six or more targets in a game.
Split | At Least 6 Targets | Less Than 6 Targets |
---|---|---|
Games | 11 | 10 |
Targets | 9.2 | 4 |
Catches | 5.2 | 1.9 |
Yards | 89.6 | 33 |
Touchdowns | 0.8 | 0.5 |
If one or more of Rogers, Coates, or Smith-Schuster eats into Bryant's opportunity, his output looks like it will take a big hit.
Instead Try
Michael Crabtree has a similar ADP, less competition for targets, no off-the-field problems, and is projected to be the 15th overall receiver this year.