The “Risk Factor” was exemplified by our own Scott Neville in his positional rankings and we would now like to take it a step further. In Fantasy Football, your top priority in the draft is to avoid risk. Unfortunately, it seems as though certain big names players carry much more risk than others and leave fantasy owners wondering what in the world they should be doing. The next in the “Risk Factor” series is WR Antonio Brown, who has been making headlines for months now.
Risk Factor: 1/10
The dramatic rankings of Antonio Brown have been alive all offseason and now into the preseason when it comes to Fantasy Football. And this was before having no timetable due to his frostbitten feet. The fear is because people simply do not think the numbers will be there with his new QB Derek Carr. That fear is ridiculous. For anyone who has seen any videos of AB warming up this offseason, everything is still there. The quickness, the route running, the great hands, all of it. This is a guy who has never finished outside of the Top 5 at the WR position in PPR for the past 6 seasons. If people really are thinking that Ben Roesthlisberger had more to do with that than AB, they’re surely mistaken. The only risk with taking him? His feet, which once properly treated will no longer be a problem.
Where do you draft Antonio Brown?
2nd Round. No later. Overthinking in Fantasy Football only leads to struggles during the season. You don’t want that. What you do want at times is a sure thing, which Antonio Brown has been his whole career fantasy wise. The feet are going to heal. He has millions of dollars and plays in one of the biggest professional sports leagues in the world, AB will find the cure. Being the WR1 in all of fantasy four straight years gives you the recognition to be respected and chosen before unproven guys like Amari Cooper. AB and Derek Carr have been friends for a few years now and have worked during the offseason, so the chemistry has began to develop even with him not practicing. Don’t worry about risk with AB, there has been and forever will be no fear with Antonio Brown. Take him in the 2nd.
If you STILL do not believe the cure is easily accessible and AB won’t be ready for the season, Jay Glazer went out of his way to confirm that. The risk is non-existent for Antonio Brown, pick him at his ADP and enjoy the best fantasy receiver of the decade as a second round selection.
For more from the Risk Factor series, click on the links below: