While there still is a long time to go before there are any meaningful NFL games played, the current average draft position(ADP) of the Los Angeles Rams’ Tavon Austin is something to keep an eye on as your fantasy football draft approaches. It is not often that you can draft a young wide receiver for an upcoming NFL season that finished the previous year as the 21st fantasy scoring wide receiver as the 48th wide receiver off the board as Austin’s current ADP has him being selected.
With underperforming pass catchers like Detroit’s Marvin Jones and Baltimore’s Breshad Perriman being taken off the draft board before Austin is being chosen, at this cost the wide receiver offers tremendous value as the 157th overall player being selected in current fantasy football drafts. He should have no problem being a WR4 for any fantasy team, with an upside of a WR3 in 2016.
Sure there are some concerns about Austin as he enters his fourth season in the NFL. The biggest of the wide receiver’s issues is his own quarterback or should we say quarterbacks. Case Keenum and Nick Foles will enter training camp competing for the number one spot on the depth chart for the Rams’ quarterback position. While neither of these two signal callers will get you excited about owning one of their targets in the passing game, neither of them should hurt Austin’s value to the Rams’ offense and subsequently your fantasy team either.
The pass catcher led the team with 52 receptions last season with Keenum and Foles sharing the quarterback responsibility. And the truth is the Rams are going to have to throw the ball to someone and Austin is clearly the best bet on the roster. In 2015, he saw his targets jump to 86 from 44 the year before, so it is obvious that the coaching staff agrees. With no other playmakers in the offensive huddle besides running back Todd Gurley, expect the coaches to continue to be creative in finding ways to get the ball in the playmaker’s hands.
In addition to the screen and bubble passes, Austin should continue to get plenty of rushing attempts in 2016. He rushed the ball 52 times last season for 434 yards and four rushing scores. And with any luck, the quarterback situation works itself out and Austin will be able to start to run some pass patterns downfield where he will get to take advantage of his 4.34-second 40-yard dash time.
If there is a legitimate concern about Austin it should be his propensity to get injured. In three seasons in the NFL, the Rams’ No. 1 pass catcher has played 16 games in a season just one time. But with such a late ADP, the injury risk is minimized, as it is likely that you will draft at least four wide receivers prior to selecting Austin. So even if he can’t suit up for 16 games this season, your fantasy prospects should not be ruined as you should be well protected by his late ADP.
Another thing working in Austin’s favor is that, at the age of 25, he is entering his prime and is ready for another big jump in his production. History suggests that wide receivers enter the best parts of their careers starting at age 25.
With no real concerns regarding his fantasy floor and nothing but upside, drafting Tavon Austin with the 157th pick in your upcoming fantasy football draft is a no brainer. With minimal risk because of Austin’s role in the Rams’ offense there really is nothing to lose on a wide receiver set to enter the best part of his NFL career. Look to cash in on the value play late in your 2016 fantasy football draft.
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