YAC to basics

By Kelly May  |   Thursday, July 31, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Fantasy Football
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You’re two fantasy draft picks away from it being your selection and you have your eye on a wide receiver. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Wes Welker are staring back at your from your draft board. Before you know it, you’re on the clock. Whom do you take?

Both guys are second receivers in offenses that like to throw the football all over the field. Both had good statistical years last season. Both seem to fit a particular role in their team’s scheme. But there is one glaring difference between the two that makes the decision pretty easy. Welker is a yards after catch guy, while Houshmandzadeh is a touchdown-grabbing type.

Most fantasy owners who have started Welker for an entire season realize that fact within a few weeks. It's not to disparage Welker in the least -- after all, he’s a valuable fantasy player in all leagues -- but beware the YAC receiver as a dependable source for points each week. Oftentimes, his box score reads four receptions, 65 yards and no touchdowns.

It’s pretty simple to understand why a guy like Braylon Edwards, Randy Moss or Terrell Owens is so valuable. When they catch the ball, it’s often in the end zone.

The dominant receivers in the NFL should be gone within the first couple of rounds, depending on your league’s size. If you’ve spent your early picks on running backs and a quarterback, you may start to wonder which wideouts you'll get.

The biggest key to rating receivers is understanding where their yards are coming from. If they catch a 5-yard slant and turn it into a 30-yard gain down to the goal line, only to get forced out of bounds by the safety, that’s great. But that means they're probably not going to catch the fade in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.

If you’re in position to draft Welker, Brandon Marshall or Roddy White, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Just realize what you’re getting. Guys like them are going to pile up yards and be on highlight reels, but as far as getting you great fantasy scores, they’re not always worth the high draft choice.

In all actuality, you should look at a YAC receiver the same way you view a backup running back who shares a good number of carries with the starter (for instance, Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville). They’re great for a consistent number of points each week, and occasionally they’ll have a game where they produce a ton. But in the end, if you’re counting on them to score a touchdown and put your team over the top each week, you’re sorely mistaken.

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