10 Players You Should Be Targeting in Fantasy Football Drafts
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos
According to numberFire's expected points model, only seven quarterbacks last year were more efficient per drop back than Case Keenum was. Given his history, it's not going to be easy to replicate his 2017 performance.
He doesn't necessarily have to in order for Emmanuel Sanders to exceed his current draft cost, which is WR33.
Denver drafted a pair of wide receivers in Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton in this year's draft, signifying the probable end for Sanders and teammate Demaryius Thomas. But that end isn't coming in 2018.
Sutton is the higher-profile player of the two rookies, and he projects to be more of the traditional outside wideout at the NFL level. And if and when he wins the number-three receiver gig in Denver, that would mean, in three-wide sets, Manny Sanders would shift to the slot, where he's run roughly 24% of his routes from over the last three years.
If that slot percentage rises in 2018, Sanders could benefit given his new quarterback. In 2017, Minnesota -- Keenum's old team -- ranked eighth in yards to slot receivers, per Pro Football Focus. Adam Thielen thrived in that role. Perhaps Sanders, who's now finally healthy, will, too.
At the very least, you're getting a receiver who's averaged 8.57 targets per game over the last four seasons in the seventh round. It doesn't get much better than that.