By: Nick Mazzoni
This list of Free Agents is something to consider when trading for keepers or holding some of the players you might already own. A lot of questions still remain to be answered but a lot of times in fantasy it pays to be ahead of the news. Let your league mates think you are lucky but the more information you have at your fingertips the better your roster may look come next year.
Wide Receivers
- Allen Lazard- According to Playerprofiler, the 25-year-old Lazard was signed in 2018 as a Undrafted Free Agent and his speed score was ranked 88th percentile. Metrics that pair nicely with his 6-foot-3-inches, 223 lbs. body. Lazard has quietly played well behind the scenes as Green Bay’s high powered offense but if everything changes he might get the chance to be featured in this offense. Yet, a lot remains to be seen with Lazard as he has yet to top 40 receptions and 500 yards in a season. With that said he is purely a flier in the case Adams leaves and they don’t draft a WR in the 2022 draft or pick up a notable free-agent.
In the past three seasons he has maintained an average of 13 yards per reception.
Consider Lazard a deep league flier.
Expiring Contract: Davante Adams– Adams is a free agent in 2022, Unless Green Bay franchise tags him or Aaron Rodgers decides to stay in Green Bay, it’s likely that Adams signs elsewhere. Adams who has been a top WR for the last 3-5 years is looking for a big pay day and him leaving opens up over 100 targets elsewhere. It should also be understood that without Adams and/or Rodgers this offense will change significantly.
Regardless, there probably is no landing spot outside of the moon where Adams doesn’t become the featured WR. He is arguably one of the best in the game and will deserve to get paid. As long as he has a competent QB he should be a top-3 WR.
- Darnell Mooney has already taken over the alpha role in Chicago. According to Player Profiler, Mooney’s 40-yard dash clocked at 4.38. (95th percentile)
Through 11 games in 2021, Mooney has 83 targets catching 46 for 694 yards. In the last two weeks, Allen Robinson has been sidelined with an injury, Mooney has averaged 12 targets per game, nearly double his 6.5 targets averaged in the first 9 weeks where Robinson played.
There are a lot of looming questions left to be answered in Chicago. QB play needs to improve from Justin Fields and Coach Matt Nagy needs to be a better play caller.
Expiring Contract: Allen Robinson– Allen Robinson went from a top 25 WR to droppable in 2021. His time in Chicago seems to be coming to an end.
In 2019 and 2020 Robinson had over 150 targets and averaged 100 catches with over 1100 yards in both seasons. However in 2021 through 12 weeks and two of those weeks Robinson sat out with an injury. He has 50 targets, 30 receptions and 339 yards, while missing two games.
- Michael Pittman, 24-years-old, 6-foot-4-inches, 220 lbs. He was drafted in the second round in 2020 and according to Playerprofiler his catch radius and speed score was rated 89th and 93rd percentile.
He has already emerged as the Colts WR1 this season but with Hilton leaving and more time for Pittman to gain chemistry with Carson Wentz should only bring his value up.
Through 12 games this season Pittman has amassed: 91 Targets, 61 Receptions, 805 Yards and 5 Touchdowns. Already solid numbers through 2021 and with the attention that Jonathon Taylor has brought to opposing defenses Pittman’s role should continue to grow in this offense as a rising star in the league.
Expiring Contract: TY Hilton- Hilton is now 32-years-old and his contract ends at the end of 2021. He had an amazing career but hasn’t played a full 16 game season since 2017, and hasn’t had a 1,000 yard receiving season since 2018.
Early this season, Hilton had neck surgery where he contemplated retiring. According to NFL.com the star wideout consulted with retired Quarterback, Andrew Luck. Luck, who was the first overall pick in 2012 quickly took the league by storm but was riddled with injuries and retired in 2018 after only six seasons. In the 5 games Hilton has played this season he has amassed 21 Targets, 13 Receptions, 155 Yards and 1 Touchdown.
It should also be mentioned that Zac Pascals contract is expiring and while he hasn’t been a focal part of the offense. Still, last year and up until Week 12 of 2021 Pascals averaged 65.5 targets, 39 Receptions, 484.5 Yards and 4 Touchdowns.
- Elijah Moore– Moore is probably going to be a lot harder to obtain at this point. He has been playing well, he is a rookie with high NFL draft capital (2nd round) and he has seemed to be the only highlight reel the Jets have.
According to Playerprofiler, his pro-day 40-yard-dash was clocked at 4.35 which was rated at 92nd percentile. Still only 21-years-old, his 5-foot-9-inch, 175 lbs. body is nearly a clone to Crowder so it only seems right that he will take on that role plus more in the coming years. Next season his only competition for targets is Corey Davis which he may have already surpassed at the time this article was written at the end of week 12.
As of Week 12, Moore is on track to amass 59 Receptions, 737 yards and 6 Touchdowns. Numbers that he can easily reach and possibly surpass by the end of 2021, not bad for a rookie season on one of the worst teams in the NFL.
Expiring Contract: Jamison Crowder– Crowder has been a target hog since he has entered the league. With his contract ending in 2021. From 2019 to Week 12 of 2021 Crowder has averaged 7.25 targets per game he has played, if Crowder leaves there will be plenty of targets available for the NY Jets WR’s.
- Mike Evans- Through Week 12 Evans has 82 Targets, 50 Receptions, 695 Yards and 10 Touchdowns. He is Tampa Bay’s featured redzone target. If Tampa Bay loses Antonio Brown or Chris Godwin in 2022, Evans will likely be given a boost of targets and opportunities. However, in the event Tampa Bay loses both Godwin and Brown it is possible that Evans will have a harder time getting open with defenses likely to double team him more often, like they did in previous years before Brown and Godwin were around.
Expiring Contract: Chris Godwin-Tampa Bay has arguably the best WR core of any team in the NFL. Evans and Godwin have nearly identical numbers as the teams 1A and 1B WR duo. Add in what Antonio Brown has done when healthy and it’s anybody’s guess who is the featured WR of any given week.
Through Week 12, Godwin has 88 Targets, 67 Receptions, 806 Receiving Yards and 5 Touchdowns.
