With the NFL season approaching Week 7, fantasy football players are searching for help. They’re up late poring over their rosters for possible streaming plays. This week, veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard is one of the more interesting picks. He’s currently rostered in just 14.8% of leagues. If you want to get a leg up on your competition and add him to your roster, now is the time, particularly with Chris Godwin Jr. and Bucky Irving out.
He’s a veteran to be sure, but one that surprisingly hasn’t received much notoriety this year. If his improvement sticks, his performance will give managers who gamble on the former top-three pick a key advantage at fantasy football’s deepest starting position.
Analyzing Sterling Shepard’s Potential
In particular, Sterling Shepard’s knowledge and poise as a 6-year veteran player allow him to help the offence when things get chaotic. Most importantly, he has been a dependable safety valve for his quarterbacks. His unique skill set has already made him the first target of choice for any manager who wants a versatile, explosive wide receiver.
With a mere 14.8% roster percentage, Shepard’s been passed up by a lot of teams. Perhaps this reflects the fact that he had little playing time before then. With injuries decimating most every other position and his play coming into high-leverage matchups, he could provide the most upside of those listed. The call to stream him underscores how he stacks up in comparison to other widely available players, such as Kameron Johnson. This points to Shepard’s possible worth in today’s fantasy football ecosystem.
Fantasy managers would be wise to check back on his status as the week rolls on. A better matchup would increase his attractiveness even further, which makes him a great darts thrower for managers needing a boost to their production.
Emerging Talents: Josh Downs and Kimani Vidal
Shepard isn’t the only rookie Fortune’s been favoring on our fantasy football championships, and we’re here to tell you about a few of them. Josh Downs has scored in double figures in three of his six contests so far this year. He is currently only 41.5% rostered. Managers are getting him for the reliable WR2 performance that he brings.
Based on how Downs has operated under pressure, he can be trusted to hold his own in key matchups in the league. His steep rise is definitely a good sign. If he continues to put up reliable numbers, he’ll be a fixture in a ton of lineups.
Another intriguing name that’s received buzz is Kimani Vidal. He’s coming off an incredible performance with 21 touches for 138 yards and a touchdown scored him 22.8 points. It’s surprising that Vidal is only 27.1% rostered. He is quickly turning into a notable name for teams looking to add some running back depth. His performance highlights not only his immediate potential to contribute in a big way, but especially if he’s given more chances as the season continues.
Quarterback Performances: Jaxson Dart and Sam Darnold
Wide receivers and running backs usually hog the headlines. There’s other promising talent at the quarterback position that you shouldn’t miss out on. Last-minute addition Jaxson Dart put up some crazy numbers, 23.6 in a win against the Philadelphia Eagles. With his stellar performance, he’s captured the hearts of fantasy managers across the world. Dart’s current roster percentage is 34.4%. He is already looking like a great emergency-starter for teams who need depth during byes or to work around injured or poor-performing quarterbacks.
Sam Darnold is turning heads with impressive statistics this year, now on rosters in 23.1% of leagues. His performance has proven that he can be a strong option for fantasy rosters in need of a dependable weekly player at QB.
How these quarterbacks have been performing lately has been rewriting fantasy football history. Managers are still playing chess as they plot and scheme their way through the rest of the season.
Wide Receiver Standouts: Kendrick Bourne
Of course, Kendrick Bourne has been lighting up the fantasy community with his transcendent breakouts over the last few weeks. In fantasy Week 5, he went on to catch 10 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown for a huge 24.2-point day. He’s continued that momentum these past two weeks, hauling in five catches in Week 6. He gained 142 yards and was worth 19.2 points. He went for over 140 yards!
For one, he for years has been posting incredible statistics. All of that makes him an intriguing pick for fantasy managers looking to bolster their receiver group. Either way, Bourne is on an impressive trajectory. If he keeps this production up, he’ll quickly become a can’t-miss add for whoever needs an every-week wide receiver who regularly scores big points.
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