The Best Players to Stash in Fantasy Football From the NFC West
John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
The Player
This one is cheating a bit, as pretty much everyone in the fantasy community is aware of John Brown. While many agree that the arrow is pointing up, his current ADP of 106 (41st receiver) suggests that many are skeptical that he will be more than an inconsistent, big play guy. He is also being drafted as the third best receiver to own in Arizona.
Count me as a believer that he can be so much more than that.
Consider for a minute that as a rookie out of Pittsburg State (where?) and catching passes from Drew Stanton and Ryan Lindley at times, Brown put up 48 receptions for 696 yards and 5 touchdowns. And that's with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd both playing 14 games last year.
A relative unknown coming out of college, Brown compares favorably to players who have had monster seasons in fantasy football.
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Vert | Broad | 3Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSean Jackson | 5' 10" | 169 | 4.35 | 34½" | 120" | 6.82 |
| Travis Benjamin | 5' 9" | 172 | 4.36 | 38" | 119" | |
| John Brown | 5' 10" | 179 | 4.34 | 36½" | 119" | 6.91 |
| T.Y. Hilton | 5' 10" | 183 | 4.34 | 35½" | 119" | 7.03 |
| Santana Moss | 5' 10" | 181 | 4.31 | 42" | ||
| Eddie Royal | 5' 10" | 184 | 4.39 | 36" | 124" | |
| Phillip Dorsett | 5' 10" | 185 | 4.33 | 37" | 122" | 6.7 |
| Santonio Holmes | 5' 10⅝" | 188 | 4.35 | 38" | 126" | 6.82 |
| Brandin Cooks | 5' 9¾" | 189 | 4.33 | 36" | 120" | 6.76 |
He closely resembles T.Y. Hilton, but I also see the DeSean Jackson and Santana Moss comparisons as well based on how he separates with ease and tracks the ball extremely well. All three players have been fantasy assets, often without stable quarterback situations (outside of Hilton). It's a lot easier to catch passes when no one has the speed to keep up with you.
Oh, his coaches are comparing him to another fast and slight receiver: Marvin Harrison. Not too shabby. It is also worth noting that Cardinals head coach has had a hand in drafting and coaching several smaller receivers such as Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Hilton.
He's not a player you want taking a pounding over the middle, but don't let his size prevent you from anticipating the types of numbers he can put up as a sophomore. As a rookie he demonstrated the ability to win deep, on the sideline and on bubble screens, proving to be a dangerous weapon in that Cardinals' offense.
The Opportunity
Carson Palmer needs to stay healthy, as he is really the only quarterback on the depth chart who can keep the passing game afloat. His Passing NEP per drop back of 0.18 and completion rate of 62.9% from last year far surpassed the numbers held by backups Drew Stanton (0.03 and 55.0%), Ryan Lindley (-0.12 and 48.4%), and Logan Thomas (-0.21 and 11.1%).
With Palmer operating a pass-happy Bruce Arians attack, there would be room Brown to really take off from out of the shadows of Fitzgerald and Floyd.
The former is 31-years-old and hasn't topped 1,000 yards since 2011. While he is still a valuable player as a possession receiver for this team, expecting him to regain his dominant form is a bit optimistic. His Reception NEP of 67.1 marks his least productive season from the past eight years.
Floyd possess the physical tools to be a superior weapon, but he struggled last year, regressing in his Reception NEP per target from 0.85 in 2013 to 0.69 in 2014. Still, even if he rebounds with better quarterback play, there is plenty of room in this offense for both Brown and Floyd to be 1,000-yard receivers.
At his current ADP, Brown possesses more upside than many of the wide receivers being selected ahead of him. While much of that is predicated on consistent, effective quarterback play, you could say that about almost every NFL team. If Palmer can be kept upright in 2015, don't be surprised if Brown becomes a top-20 wide receiver sooner rather than later. He's a guy to own in both dynasty and redraft formats.
