Worried about? Sammy edition...

[JoshGordonsDealer]

Perriman has a better chance at this point than Sammy. Sammy is not a good football player. Wasn't in college, hasn't been in the pros. Athletic advantage can make you look like something you are not when you are running go routes past everyone in college. I don't think even A Rodgers would make him fantasy relevant. Can't believe 10 points per game last year and 8 points per game thus far this year and guys expect a 1st rd pick in return for that garbage. You can never start him confidently, and more likely than not by acquiring him he will make your team worse. I'd be interested to see how many games he alone would lose for you with his 0 or 3 fantasy point weeks in your lineup while you could've instead started an Adam Humphries or Nelson Agholor, or Jeremy Kerley type player and won.

Either a quality shitpost or a sad sign of how far Sammy has fallen.

[Friction]

Maybe the Bills now know what they are doing. I always figured it was some combo of health (mainly), money (in any equation), and attitude (couple off field minor incidents that we KNOW of). Hard to say how he would be doing there this year as the clear #1 and right now almost the only target they would have, unless you count Zay. As a Buff fan, I am glad to see him gone at this point. Sometimes you gotta hit the reset button.

[clarion contrarion]

So far I have started him every week except for week 3, but I am sitting him this again this week. I am sure he will top 25 fantasy points on my bench.

I am a bit worried, I figured after a couple of games with the Rams he would be a decent target hog but that hasn't happened at all.

Edit: this is his 4th year in the league and he is healthy but not startable in a fantasy line-up, I can't imagine any situation where that doesn't make someone at least somewhat worried. Just for reference I am starting the crew of Docston, Robbie Anderson, and T Cohen over a healthy Sammy Watkins.

Same here! That week 3 game gave me confidence to roll him out these past 3... I'll be playing guys like Ricardo Louis, Taylor Gabriel and Nelson Agholor over him this week. Though I need to choose between him and Martavis in one league

That said, I'm considering throwing out an offer in the one league where I don't already own him. I think he'll bounce back, though I'm not sure anymore that it'll happen this year. I'm certainly not making offers for him in redraft.

just play one of the good clemson wr like jaron brown or humphries .... just kidding own him a few places and quite worried but there are some guys you go down with the ship on and some guys you throw overboard quick .... sammy cooper and in past times josh gordon are guys worthy of eating the full depreciation on due to the possible upside . Some(many) guys never reach their top end potential but if you off load every top shelf prospect that disappoints then just stop drafting guys and trade all your picks for vets . Now guys like perriman white or previous to this year agholor that just never look like they will get it I can move on from much easier. Even then that can bite you .

[Vcize]

During the offseason I promised myself that around week 6-7 I'd go after Sammy, because he'd be underperforming.

So I'm going to do it.

The worry with this is I think we all assumed he'd be under performing because he was on a terrible offense with a terrible QB that no one could succeed on. I don't think any of us envisioned he'd be a useless fantasy player despite playing on the league's highest scoring offense. And we certainly didn't think he'd be the 3rd WR on his own team in receptions and yards.

[lukkynumber13]

During the offseason I promised myself that around week 6-7 I'd go after Sammy, because he'd be underperforming.

So I'm going to do it.

The worry with this is I think we all assumed he'd be under performing because he was on a terrible offense with a terrible QB that no one could succeed on. I don't think any of us envisioned he'd be a useless fantasy player despite playing on the league's highest scoring offense. And we certainly didn't think he'd be the 3rd WR on his own team in receptions and yards.

Absolutely. That's why I'm concerned.

[ArrylT]

I remain as confident in Sammy Watkins as I have always been. There are no doubts in my mind that given the same number of targets as any other WR1 that Watkins will put up a WR1 season. Obviously it wont likely occur this year.

Didnt we already go through this in 2015? The number of WRs in 2015 to get 1000 yard seasons with less than 100 targets was

Sammy Watkins

And only Watkins and Desean Jackson have had 1000 yard seasons recently without needing 100+ targets.

Oh and yeah Watkins had a mere 329 yards after 10 weeks that season with a mere 33 targets. That was good for 74th amongst WR alone that year after 10 games. I remember tons of panic then too.

For the remaining 7 weeks (17 week season remember) Watkins was 9th in targets. He was 3rd in yardage & 5th in points (standard ppr).

Right now he has 25 targets. Thats good for 76th. The only WRs with more points on less targets are Fuller (5 TDs) and Ted Ginn.

You cannot produce if you don not have targets and I've seen nothing to suggest that it is Watkins as the sole cause of the lack of targets. Goff is basically a rookie QB in a new scheme with a coach that wants a spread the ball offense and a security blanket in Kupp and Watkins joined late.

If the question was if I had Watkins as my WR1 and was expecting Watkins to put up a top 12 season this year - then yes that owner should be worried.

But on talent and current situation I have absolutely no concerns about Watkins long term outlook.

All I needed to see was 1 game this year where he could put up WR1 numbers in a new offense. Check.

Would it be nice if Watkins had more targets, and does some of the blame fall on Watkins sure, but has anything changed to concern my long term outlook on Watkins. Nope. Nada. Zilch.

[ericanadian]

During the offseason I promised myself that around week 6-7 I'd go after Sammy, because he'd be underperforming.

So I'm going to do it.

The worry with this is I think we all assumed he'd be under performing because he was on a terrible offense with a terrible QB that no one could succeed on. I don't think any of us envisioned he'd be a useless fantasy player despite playing on the league's highest scoring offense. And we certainly didn't think he'd be the 3rd WR on his own team in receptions and yards.

The Pats are actually the highest scoring offense with the Chiefs in second unless you're counting defensive TDs, Special Teams TDs and safeties as offense.

[Seventy5]

I don't know, I was at the Jags vs Rams game sitting at the 50 and made a conscious effort to watch a lot of Sammy. He was open, and open OFTEN, but Goff wasn't looking his way often. There were two occasions where Sammy didn't make a scene, but you could see him kind of shoulder shrug/slightly raise his hands as if he was thinking "c'mon, I was just WIDE open' as Goff tried to force it to his first read elsewhere.

At the end of the day we need fantasy points, but I don't think his struggles are entirely on him this year. With that said, when and how will things change? Does he need another change in scenery?

I would like to buy-low in a few leagues, but nobody in my leagues will sell at even a slight discount. One owner even told me he actually still liked Watkins more than OBJ (cleared it up by saying he doesn't value them that way, but he wasn't interested in selling Watkins unless he was getting that type of return). Owners want to hold unless they're getting 95-100 cents on tha dollar, but there isn't any upside to buying at those prices right now.

[lukkynumber13]

I would like to buy-low in a few leagues, but nobody in my leagues will sell at even a slight discount.

Haha man I wish we were in a league together... I LOVE Watkins' talent, but I would sell him for a First and another piece (like Tate, Sanders, etc) in a heartbeat

[Cameron Giles]

It just hit me. Is Watkins the next Michael Floyd? Think about this, neither have had more than 66 receptions in a single season. Their athleticism and career numbers are eerily similar.

Watkins is more talented and skilled than Floyd. The biggest difference is that Arizona did everything they could to make Floyd the successor to Fitzgerald and he refused to take the wheel. Floyd has talent, but he's not a very smart player and doesn't have a great feel for the game.

The biggest things you have to look at with Watkins right now:

1. He joined the team in the middle of preseason and while he may know the playbook, the chemistry may not be there with Goff.
2. McVay's offense does not target any specific WR. It continues to take what the defense concedes and throws to the open man. McVay will not break from that strategy.
3. Watkins is largely a decoy, though it's not indicative of what he is or isn't doing.

How do you view this long-term? Well, it depends on what happens in free agency. The Rams aren't going to franchise Sammy at this rate.

I do think it's becoming very likely though that Watkins doesn't live up to his draft hype (though you could've said that a few years ago).

[Shcritters]

Am I worried? Yes. More than the beginning of the year? Yes. Do I think once he finds a home and can get a full offseason with a QB in that he will be a perennial WR2? Yes.

He's shown he can do it over short stretches (2nd half 2015). His value is so deflated right now that I couldn't sell for the equivalent of the upside he still has. In that situation you are in a solid 'hold' position.

[Shcritters]

Am I worried? Yes. More than the beginning of the year? Yes. Do I think once he finds a home and can get a full offseason with a QB in that he will be a perennial WR2? Yes.

He's shown he can do it over short stretches (2nd half 2015). His value is so deflated right now that I couldn't sell for the equivalent of the upside he still has. In that situation you are in a solid 'hold' position.

[lukkynumber13]

I do think it's becoming very likely though that Watkins doesn't live up to his draft hype (though you could've said that a few years ago).

What does that even mean? A "few" years ago?

Up until week 2 of last season, he was basically on the same career track as Mike Evans, and not flukily either. Dude put his talent on full display for most of his first 2 years.

[KingsKing]

I remain as confident in Sammy Watkins as I have always been. There are no doubts in my mind that given the same number of targets as any other WR1 that Watkins will put up a WR1 season. Obviously it wont likely occur this year.

Didnt we already go through this in 2015? The number of WRs in 2015 to get 1000 yard seasons with less than 100 targets was

Sammy Watkins

And only Watkins and Desean Jackson have had 1000 yard seasons recently without needing 100+ targets.

Oh and yeah Watkins had a mere 329 yards after 10 weeks that season with a mere 33 targets. That was good for 74th amongst WR alone that year after 10 games. I remember tons of panic then too.

For the remaining 7 weeks (17 week season remember) Watkins was 9th in targets. He was 3rd in yardage & 5th in points (standard ppr).

Right now he has 25 targets. Thats good for 76th. The only WRs with more points on less targets are Fuller (5 TDs) and Ted Ginn.

You cannot produce if you don not have targets and I've seen nothing to suggest that it is Watkins as the sole cause of the lack of targets. Goff is basically a rookie QB in a new scheme with a coach that wants a spread the ball offense and a security blanket in Kupp and Watkins joined late.

If the question was if I had Watkins as my WR1 and was expecting Watkins to put up a top 12 season this year - then yes that owner should be worried.

But on talent and current situation I have absolutely no concerns about Watkins long term outlook.

All I needed to see was 1 game this year where he could put up WR1 numbers in a new offense. Check.

Would it be nice if Watkins had more targets, and does some of the blame fall on Watkins sure, but has anything changed to concern my long term outlook on Watkins. Nope. Nada. Zilch.

Great post, my thoughts exactly

[pvillebiker]

The problem with Sammy's production now is Goff not Sammy. Pure and simple. Sure Goff's growing, but he ain't close to there yet.

My operating theme with Sammy's production for this year has and remains that it will be heavily slanted to the 2nd half of the season. I think he goes on a tear after the bye. Maybe not quite up to the lofty '15 second half tear, but a tear none the less. Will take him & Goff that long to get close to chemistry. And frankly that long for pressure to really mount on the coaching staff to find a way to get him the ball or concede that he ain't coming back after this year. Would you? Me neither. It's obvious that Goff built up lots of chemistry with Cooper's Kupp + Bob's Wood(s) in the off season. <cheesy joke alert> And zilcho with Sammy due to his late arrival from the land of the buffalo. That's huge for a near-rookie QB who defaults to his familiar guys when he panics.

One day he'll be familiar with Sammy too. Assuming Sammy hangs around long enough to find out. Sammy ain't Floyd. No way. No how. That is all.