The heat is cranking up across the nation; time to grab a cold one and chill by the pool. But it’s also the time of year when fantasy football slows down a little. Time to comb over rosters and offer trades, and time to find some players at the ends of rosters worth targeting or adding to your team.
Today, we are heading to the hottest areas of the nation – the South, NFC South, to be specific. I outline four deeper candidates that I would be targeting via trade or in my early waiver runs if they are free agents.
Keilahn Harris, WR ATL
The Falcons have a really tough depth chart to find sleepers and stashes on. Drake London, Mack Hollins, and Scott Miller are the starting WRs, and the depth chart drops off after those three. The running back is Bijan Robinson, and every league has Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson rostered. Kyle Pitts is the tight end, and Jonnu Smith is a solid backup. Beyond Desmond Ridder, there’s not much for the quarterback, and Taylor Heinicke is likely rostered in Superflex leagues.
Let’s go deep! I didn’t know much about Harris leading up to the draft, and Oklahoma Baptist’s all-time leading receiver was undrafted. The level of competition is amongst the lowest of all the rookies in the 2023 class, but Harris was impressive with what he faced. He’s likely a slot guy at 5’9” and 183 pounds. He’s got good hands and creates separation with quick moves and precise route running. Harris is experienced as a returner and will likely have special team value from day one.
Keilahn Harris Oklahoma Baptist #nfldraft
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) February 19, 2023
Tough grab. pic.twitter.com/3BnBWyvlwQ
Harris has a lot of work to do as a UDFA, but the depth chart is favorable for him to earn a role if he does prove he can compete against NFL defensive backs. This is definitely shooting from deep, but Harris is worth a dart throw in deep leagues.
Laviska Shenault Jr., WR CAR
Just a few short years ago, there was some hype for Shenault to be one of the next versatile weapons in the NFL. He had 600 yards in each of his first two seasons with Jacksonville and had 29 carries. Last season, his first with Carolina, he suffered a precipitous drop in production. Which has led to his value being as low as it is. In our recent ADP gathering, he’s not even a top 100 wide receiver.
Shenault will turn 25 in October, and some time to grasp the game in the NFL was to be expected. This is his fourth season, and the Panthers have a new franchise quarterback. The offense should open up some, and the coaching staff would benefit by manufacturing ways to get Shenault involved.
Terrace Marshall Jr. would also love to see a usage uptick in his third season. Veterans DJ Chark and Adam Thielen man the other two starting spots, but I don’t believe either guy is going to be a target hog at this point in their career. Rookie Jonathan Mingo is lurking, ready to step in, and Shenault is as well. Mingo has the draft capital and will likely see significant playing time, increasing as the year advances. Don’t count out Shenault, though. He’s itching for an opportunity and, in his fourth year, he’s running out of chances.
Jake Haener, QB NOS
I was hoping to get a chance in this series to highlight a quarterback, and here is my favorite rookie to stash later in my rookie drafts. No, it’s not Tanner Morgan or Sean Clifford, my favorite punching bags. I love a “gamer” at the quarterback position, and there’s none better than Haener amongst the few signal-callers outside the top five rookies.
Fresno St. QB Jake Haener can spin it. Some impressive throws and moments vs. Oregon.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) September 29, 2021
A QB prospect to keep an eye on. pic.twitter.com/6vR9LadhTe
The biggest knock on Haener was arm talent; let’s address that first. He’s not going to make across the field to the opposite sideline throws or air it out fifty yards downfield heaves. Haener will make many of the throws, and he throws with good anticipation. He’s got a great feel in the pocket and a good grasp of reading defenses. And he is a winner: Haener wants the ball when the pressure is on, and he’s going to lead the team to a win far more often than not.
The problem with stashing Haener is you will likely have to wait at least two full years for him to get a shot, barring injury or Derek Carr implosion. The Saints just traded for Carr, and he’s financially bound to the Saints until 2025, barring a trade. They can cut him with a massive penalty, but after 2025, they can move on inexpensively.
Jameis Winston is also standing in the way, signed until 2024, but he could be surpassed by Haener next season if the club likes what they see. It’s a bit of a stash to hold on to Haener, but I am rostering him in leagues where I can. I didn’t love any of the other deeper stash options in New Orleans, and I really loved Haener as a prospect.
Rakim Jarrett, WR TBB
There are a ton of rookies in Tampa Bay, and the team is in a massive transition as they move on from the GOAT, Tom Brady. Sean Tucker fell within the “deep stash” range, but he’s been picked in every draft I have seen, and he’s not a stash for me.
The starting wide receiver trio of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage is amongst the best trios in the NFL, but they are aging. I don’t see them sticking through the rebuild. Thankfully, there are some good options behind them.
Trey Palmer was right on the fringe, but I wanted to look deeper, which led me to Maryland’s Jarrett. A former five-star recruit, he’s a physical specimen but needs a lot of work in refinement to be successful. He’s likely a slot receiver, his footwork is clean and quick, and he excels in the middle of the field. But his route tree is limited, and his effort is questionable. Still, all the tools are there for Jarrett to be successful if he works hard, and NFL coaching should help.
If Evans and Godwin move on to greener pastures, Jarrett is likely the most physically gifted receiver in the room. It’s worth taking a shot and stashing someone with so much promise, but I would hesitate to spend much. It’s also tough to correct the lack of effort, and Jarrett could easily fade to nothing.
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