Fantasy draft season is officially here and it’s time to start deciding who you’re targeting and who you’re fading. When it comes to early-round picks, you should have a pretty clear idea of who you like and dislike, but once you get to the later rounds, things get trickier. One of the biggest late-round decisions fantasy owners will have to make this year will be who to pick between Packers wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison. Both are in what should be a great offense and catching balls from a future Hall of Fame quarterback. So, which one do you pick? I’ll break it down for you.
Draft Marquez Valdez-Scantling over Geronimo Allison
The Case for Geronimo Allison
Geronimo Allison is entering his fourth season in the NFL and has been quietly making a name for himself in Green Bay. His stats won’t necessarily jump off the page but it’s clear that he’s someone Aaron Rodgers trusts and that’s half the battle right there.
Allison played only four games in 2018 but made a real impact with 20 receptions, 303 yards, and two touchdowns. Those stats over a 16-game pace would’ve come out to 80 catches for 1,212 yards and eight touchdowns. That would’ve been good enough to finish as WR13.
Looking ahead to 2019, Allison is slated to play primarily out of the slot which should give him a nice bump in PPR leagues. That being said, his big-play ability will be somewhat hindered which is one of the biggest reasons why I have Valdes-Scantling ranked higher. When you’re picking at the end of your drafts, you should be looking for upside. Even if the player is a little riskier, their cost is so cheap it’s worth taking the shot.
Oftentimes, fantasy owners will feel more comfortable filling their bench with names they know and feel are safe when in reality, you should be doing that early in drafts as opposed to late. The late rounds are where you find your breakout players who can become weekly starters, not guys you think can get you five to eight points a week.
The Case for Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Second-year wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been a popular breakout name heading into the 2019 season and for good reason. After starting 2018 on the bench, Valdes-Scantling was thrust into a starting role after some injuries and immediately impressed. He finished the season with 38 catches for 581 yards and two touchdowns. For a rookie who only played a limited role, those numbers are promising.
He enters the 2019 season as the presumed outside receiver opposite Davante Adams which should give him a nice amount of one-on-one opportunities to exploit. What makes Valdes-Scantling so special in those one-on-one situations is his incredible speed. At the 2017 NFL combine, Scantling ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, which was the second-fastest time by any receiver that year.
Valdes-Scantling is going to be the new deep threat in this offense and as we’ve seen in the past, the deep threat in an Aaron Rodgers led offense can be a very valuable asset to have in fantasy.
My biggest concern for Marquez Valdes-Scantling will be his consistency, which is a concern I don’t have for Allison. Whereas Valdes-Scantling relies more on big plays, Allison is expected to receive a more consistent target share. That being said, I don’t see Valdes-Scantling as a DeSean Jackson type of boom or bust player. Meaning, he’ll have value even in the weeks he doesn’t score; the production probably just won’t be great, at least for PPR formats.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Is the Slightly Better Option
When it comes to deciding between these two players, you’re going to have to think about two things. First, what scoring format does your league use? Secondly, how have you filled out your starting roster?
If you’re playing in a standard scoring league, Valdes-Scantling is definitely the guy you want. In PPR, an argument could be made for Allison.
The second part of this equation is how you filled out your starting roster. If you went really safe with your early picks, I would go with Valdes-Scantling simply because of his big-play upside. If you drafted a lot of risky players early on, you might want to go with Allison as someone you can rely on in a pinch.
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