The Deepest Sleepers

[ericanadian]

What do you guys think about Kirk Merritt?

I watched the Geogia game. Solid athlete, but the first thing that should stand out is that he was a 23 year old senior playing slot for Arkansas State. He came out on two wide formations and they ran two wide a fair bit. He sets up in the flat a lot and his footwork is bad enough that it offsets his athleticism. He has almost no route tree and doesn’t sell his route at all. He’s fast, but has poor footwork. I don’t see running in mud. He was able to beat Georgia deep on a couple occasions, but unfortunately his QB missed him on one and he straight up dropped a throw right into his hands on the second. Personally, I think he screwed around in college too much and was too busy working on learning offenses to learn how to be a receiver. He’s too old to play catch up now and I won’t be looking to invest at all.

[Pullo Vision]

I've seen a few XFL standouts discussed as potential sleepers-

PJ Walker- mobile QB, reunites with college coach, more familiar with Rhule's scheme than Bridgewater, who may be this year's Foles (FA addition beaten out by depth player)

Matt Jones- made all-XFL team before Covid shut down the season. Not rostered by any NFL team but teams eying him as an in-season signing.

[jjleurquin]

Gabe Davis- Probably a late 2nd early 3rd round pick in most drafts but being overlooked because of how deep this class was. Currently being drafted late 4th if he is picked at all in dynasty.

Gary Jennings/Isiah Ford- obviously Hurns and Wilson opted out, but it's looking more and more like Preston Williams wont play week 1. If he does play he wont be at 100 percent and considering he wasn't special last year just got targeted a lot last year. These 2 have very real chances to become the number 2 guy in Miami this year.

Javon Leake- played better than McFarland over the last 2 seasons on the same team. He could become Barkleys handcuff

Trayveon Williams- I think Gio had a great career for Cinci but it's looking like he might be done. Wouldn't be surprised to see him get cut. Williams should at some point take over the passing down work as well as become the handcuff to Mixon unless Rodney Anderson pushes for that spot

[Sriracha]

John Ursua - SEA

[Bronco Billy]

Preston Williams wont play week 1. If he does play he wont be at 100 percent and considering he wasn't special last year just got targeted a lot last year.

I don’t want to get off track given the topic, but this just jumped off the page for me. Considering that this guy was a rookie UDFA who was on target for a close to 1,000 yd season and was his team’s leading WR when he went down, I’m not sure what more was expected of him and how he going to give up his spot to the 2 nondescript WRs that are mentioned.

Wasn’t special? What exactly should he have accomplished? The reason he got targeted so much was because he was special. Not often you see a UDFA rookie lead his team in catches, which is what he was doing when he got hurt.

[Orenthal Shames]

Gary Jennings/Isiah Ford- obviously Hurns and Wilson opted out, but it's looking more and more like Preston Williams wont play week 1. If he does play he wont be at 100 percent and considering he wasn't special last year just got targeted a lot last year. These 2 have very real chances to become the number 2 guy in Miami this year.

Ford looked to be the slot receiver even before the Hurns/Wilson news.

Jennings has a nice profile to stash in deep leagues as well. Both are free.

[jjleurquin]

Preston Williams wont play week 1. If he does play he wont be at 100 percent and considering he wasn't special last year just got targeted a lot last year.

I don’t want to get off track given the topic, but this just jumped off the page for me. Considering that this guy was a rookie UDFA who was on target for a close to 1,000 yd season and was his team’s leading WR when he went down, I’m not sure what more was expected of him and how he going to give up his spot to the 2 nondescript WRs that are mentioned.

Wasn’t special? What exactly should he have accomplished? The reason he got targeted so much was because he was special. Not often you see a UDFA rookie lead his team in catches, which is what he was doing when he got hurt.

The reason he got targeted so much was because there wasn't much else to throw to. When he went down Devante Parker proved to be one of the best WRs in the NFL, a guy who was considered a bust until last year. He was a rookie I'll give you that, so he'll probably improve but he is dealing with a pretty big injury still. What exactly jumps off the page to you about Preston? Maybe I missed something.

[Bronco Billy]

Preston Williams wont play week 1. If he does play he wont be at 100 percent and considering he wasn't special last year just got targeted a lot last year.

I don’t want to get off track given the topic, but this just jumped off the page for me. Considering that this guy was a rookie UDFA who was on target for a close to 1,000 yd season and was his team’s leading WR when he went down, I’m not sure what more was expected of him and how he going to give up his spot to the 2 nondescript WRs that are mentioned.

Wasn’t special? What exactly should he have accomplished? The reason he got targeted so much was because he was special. Not often you see a UDFA rookie lead his team in catches, which is what he was doing when he got hurt.

The reason he got targeted so much was because there wasn't much else to throw to. When he went down Devante Parker proved to be one of the best WRs in the NFL, a guy who was considered a bust until last year. He was a rookie I'll give you that, so he'll probably improve but he is dealing with a pretty big injury still. What exactly jumps off the page to you about Preston? Maybe I missed something.

6’-4” 215 lbs NFL level talent that fell out of the draft because of off-the-field issues. There were some allusions that he had 1st round talent but that his behavioral issues spooked teams.

[Blueboy]

Aside from hearsay about where Williams would've gone in the draft if not for the criminal record and work ethic issues, the dude moves like a gazelle on the field.

[StripesOfKC]

I don’t want to get off track given the topic, but this just jumped off the page for me. Considering that this guy was a rookie UDFA who was on target for a close to 1,000 yd season and was his team’s leading WR when he went down, I’m not sure what more was expected of him and how he going to give up his spot to the 2 nondescript WRs that are mentioned.

Wasn’t special? What exactly should he have accomplished? The reason he got targeted so much was because he was special. Not often you see a UDFA rookie lead his team in catches, which is what he was doing when he got hurt.

The reason he got targeted so much was because there wasn't much else to throw to. When he went down Devante Parker proved to be one of the best WRs in the NFL, a guy who was considered a bust until last year. He was a rookie I'll give you that, so he'll probably improve but he is dealing with a pretty big injury still. What exactly jumps off the page to you about Preston? Maybe I missed something.

6’-4” 215 lbs NFL level talent that fell out of the draft because of off-the-field issues. There were some allusions that he had 1st round talent but that his behavioral issues spooked teams.

Any evidence for this?

His issues pale in comparison to Joe Mixon and Jeffrey Simmons who had videos of them knocking girls out and went in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

He's big yes but also slow, drop-prone and a near guarantee to get replaced in a year with one of the Dolphins 4 picks in the first two rounds (haven't seen a single mock where they don't go WR with one of those picks)

[jjleurquin]

The reason he got targeted so much was because there wasn't much else to throw to. When he went down Devante Parker proved to be one of the best WRs in the NFL, a guy who was considered a bust until last year. He was a rookie I'll give you that, so he'll probably improve but he is dealing with a pretty big injury still. What exactly jumps off the page to you about Preston? Maybe I missed something.

6’-4” 215 lbs NFL level talent that fell out of the draft because of off-the-field issues. There were some allusions that he had 1st round talent but that his behavioral issues spooked teams.

Any evidence for this?

His issues pale in comparison to Joe Mixon and Jeffrey Simmons who had videos of them knocking girls out and went in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

He's big yes but also slow, drop-prone and a near guarantee to get replaced in a year with one of the Dolphins 4 picks in the first two rounds (haven't seen a single mock where they don't go WR with one of those picks)

I think he meant illusions. Preston regardless of perception hasn't proved it on the field. Decent start for a rookie, but he's nothing more than a breakout candidate at this point, and I don't think his hold on the 2 is as strong as people seem to think. I'd rather have Ford/Jennings/Merritt at their prices. None were really rostered before Hurns and Wilson opted out.

[StripesOfKC]

6’-4” 215 lbs NFL level talent that fell out of the draft because of off-the-field issues. There were some allusions that he had 1st round talent but that his behavioral issues spooked teams.

Any evidence for this?

His issues pale in comparison to Joe Mixon and Jeffrey Simmons who had videos of them knocking girls out and went in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

He's big yes but also slow, drop-prone and a near guarantee to get replaced in a year with one of the Dolphins 4 picks in the first two rounds (haven't seen a single mock where they don't go WR with one of those picks)

I think he meant illusions. Preston regardless of perception hasn't proved it on the field. Decent start for a rookie, but he's nothing more than a breakout candidate at this point, and I don't think his hold on the 2 is as strong as people seem to think. I'd rather have Ford/Jennings/Merritt at their prices. None were really rostered before Hurns and Wilson opted out.

I agree with this. Decent talent but people are really overestimating how secure his role is as a UDFA based on his production in a throwaway year for the Dolphins

[Bronco Billy]

The reason he got targeted so much was because there wasn't much else to throw to. When he went down Devante Parker proved to be one of the best WRs in the NFL, a guy who was considered a bust until last year. He was a rookie I'll give you that, so he'll probably improve but he is dealing with a pretty big injury still. What exactly jumps off the page to you about Preston? Maybe I missed something.

6’-4” 215 lbs NFL level talent that fell out of the draft because of off-the-field issues. There were some allusions that he had 1st round talent but that his behavioral issues spooked teams.

Any evidence for this?

His issues pale in comparison to Joe Mixon and Jeffrey Simmons who had videos of them knocking girls out and went in the 1st and 2nd rounds.

He's big yes but also slow, drop-prone and a near guarantee to get replaced in a year with one of the Dolphins 4 picks in the first two rounds (haven't seen a single mock where they don't go WR with one of those picks)

Here are a few. There are more but I don’t want this to get too tedious.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndicatio ... s.amp.html (#16)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nflmocks.c ... l-far/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit ... d_draft_a/

https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/t ... t-21751928

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mattwaldma ... miami/amp/

https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia- ... 129291879/

If you think Williams is slow and not athletic enough, the only thing I can guess is that you make your decisions based on metrics and not from watching game tape.

And believe me, I was very skeptical too based on his off-field issues, his laziness at times on the field, and some bad drops. But you watch the game tape and then see how much he grew during OTAs, PS and then regular season and maybe you realize that this could have been an immature kid who didn’t like college and now that he’s in the NFL that he’s gotten very serious. It wouldn’t be the first time - Legarrette Blount for one was like that too.

In any case, I’m not going to clutter this thread further being off topic. You go ahead and dismiss Williams and we’ll agree to disagree and see in the future who ended up on the right side of this.

btw - not aimed at you, but when I typed allusions, I meant allusions.

[CGW]

I like the Ford call. He played well the last 4 games of the season last year and likely has a role this year with the holdouts. Williams had a great start to his rookie campaign, but I'm not buying him at the price people want. He may end up being special, but he didn't fall to UDFA entirely because of off the field issues. There is almost always a team willing to gamble on players with special abilities, regardless of the risk. Zero teams gambled on Williams.

Back on track - even with Williams in the lineup, Ford has a chance to win the slot role. The Miami offense is largely a wildcard with Tua, so I've picked up Ford and Jennings in a few leagues for free (vs paying a 1st for williams).

I still think Darwin Thompson is a deep sleeper. There isn't a ton of competition for CEHs backup and he's free.