Rookie wide receiver Bryan Edwards is already turning into the Las Vegas Raiders worst-kept secret even though Henry Ruggs III was the first wide receiver taken off the board. Due to the Alabama’s product draft slot, most are expecting him to come in and contribute right away. On the other hand, Edwards initially only had a quiet buzz around him, but, the noise is getting louder, especially in fantasy football communities, where analysts and others are constantly looking for the next great diamond in the rough. Edwards might just be that guy in 2020.
Bryan Edwards Has the Look of a Surprise Fantasy Football Star
Already Historically Productive
Even before the draft, Edwards was already being called one of the most underrated receivers in the class. The South Carolina wide receiver shattered records held by other alumni, including Alshon Jeffery and Sterling Sharpe. He caught a pass in every single college game he played. In total, his 234 receptions and 3,054 yards place him third all-time in catches and fourth all-time in yards in the entire SEC.
Edwards is a big target at six-foot-three and 215 pounds. However, he still has the athleticism to go up and get vertical to high-point the football. After that, he uses his big frame to shed tackles and continue up the field. Take a look at these plays. One of them even caught the attention of Randy Moss:
Talk about late hands lol..@B__ED89 can play! pic.twitter.com/CK19g1QlyG
— Cover 1 (@Cover1) January 13, 2020
(Check out the rest of the thread for more great highlights from Edwards.)
Many believe Edwards’ title of a third-round receiver is deceiving. He likely would have gone at least one round higher but ended up dropping out of the Senior Bowl due to a knee injury. Still, what keeps him from being graded higher were knocks on his overall speed and his average of about five drops per season. What Edwards lacks in speed though, he makes up for in big-play ability and physicality.
As noted, it is tough for a rookie to make an impact in fantasy. Nevertheless, it can happen. In recent years Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper were fantasy relevant as rookies. Last season, D.K. Metcalf, D.J. Chark, and A.J. Brown were all fantasy starters. Notably, Metcalf and Chark weren’t first-round picks in the NFL and were undrafted in basically every re-draft league. Overall, Edwards has the look of the next player who could greatly outperform his draft position.
Find out how Edwards fits in the Raiders offense on the next page!
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