2018 CFF Wide Receiver Profiles

     CFF Wide Receiver Rankings 2018     

                   College Fantasy Football
 

Summa Cum Laude

1. David Sills, V, West Virginia
At Morgantown, QB Will Grier and WR David Sills, V are the most exciting pass-and-catch duo in the land. At 13, Sills famously committed to USC as a quarterback, nevertheless he initially enrolled at West Virginia in 2015. After one season on campus, Sills transferred to El-Camino College (JUCO) to play behind center, but the following season returned to the Mountaineers and converted to wide receiver. Last year, Sills dominated opponents: He recorded 60 catches for 980 yards and eighteen touchdowns, which led the nation. Sills was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award and named All-American honorable mention. At 6-foot-4 and 203 pounds, the senior excels in the red zone with strong hands and stupendous leaping ability. He also boxes out defenders to gain positioning and corral the pass. Only three receivers—Johnny Rogers (1971) Tim Brown (1987) and Desmond Howard (1991)—have captured the Heisman, and in the explosive West Virginia aerial assault, Sills is a dark horse to be named the fourth wide out in history to bring home the trophy. The game breaker is a first-round selection in CFF drafts this summer. 
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 74 for 1,210 and 15
Total Fantasy Points: 291 (24.3 ppg.)

2. Anthony Johnson, Buffalo
Poor academics in high school led Anthony Johnson to travel a different route to stardom: He played back-to-back seasons at the JUCO level—Butler and Iowa Western—before earning a scholarship at an FBS school. In 2016, Johnson registered at Buffalo and redshirted his first season on campus. When he finally suited up, the junior became a CFF celebrity. Johnson corralled 76 passes for 1,356 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. For his outstanding performance, he was designated First Team All-American by PFF and First Team All-Mid-American Conference. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, the Bulls’ playmaker is an elite athlete who lined up all over the formation: on the outside, in the slot and in the backfield. Johnson has tremendous body control, outstanding ball skills and strong hands. Johnson flirted with turning pro but decided to return to school to earn his sociology degree and wants to be the first member in his family to earn a diploma. In 2017, Buffalo established a school record 5,183 total yards and a conference-best 290.8 passing yards per game. With QB Tyree Jackson leading the offense and three returning offensive linemen, Johnson will be peppered with targets again and likely replicate last year’s production. 
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 80 for 1,300 and 13
Total Fantasy Points: 288 (24.0 ppg.)

3. A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
While Ole Miss cannot earn a bowl invitation after the NCAA’s Committee of Infractions issued its ruling, Coach Matt Luke and the Rebels are moving forward. Luckily, Luke can rely on one of the most explosive passing games in the nation with QB Jordan Ta’amu and receivers A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf. Coming out of high school, Brown was an Under Armour All-American, consensus 4-star prospect and top-70 recruit in the nation by numerous scouting services. As a true freshman, he played in every game and totaled 29 receptions for 412 yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore, Brown became a household name with 75 catches for 1,252 yards and 11 touchdowns and was named a Semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. He exceeded 100 yards receiving six times and corralled 77% of passes thrown to him. Brown torched South Alabama for 233 yards and totaled 167 versus Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. In the Grove Bowl to conclude spring practices, the junior continued his excellent production with a 5-catch, 133-yard outing. At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Brown looks like a safety and overpowers defensive backs. With deceptive speed, he makes quick cuts and employs strong hands to secure the pass. CFF diehards and NFL scouts look forward to following Brown all season.
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 79 for 1,300 and 13
Total Fantasy Points: 287 (23.9 ppg.)

4. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
New Coach Herm Edwards has not walked the sidelines in nine years. Fortunately, he inherits a loaded aerial assault behind quarterback Manny Wilkins (Sr.) and receivers N’Keal Harry (Jr.) and Kyle Williams (Jr.). The Sun Devils also return four starters along the offensive line and will employ a spread, 11-personel base offense with a run-heavy attack according to coordinator Rob Likens. Without question, Harry is the predominant playmaker in Tempe, Arizona. Two years ago, he earned Freshman All-American honors after making 58 catches for 659 yards and five touchdowns. In 2017, the junior reached an even higher level of production with 82 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns, earning First Team All-Pac 12. Harry stretches the field vertically with a quick first step, long-strides and sneaky speed. He also tracks the ball well into his mitts down the field. With elite size at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he uses his frame to box out defenders, leaps over opponents and outmuscles smaller defensive backs. Against press coverage, Harry uses hands to gain separation, and in traffic, remains focused in order to corral the pass. Despite a professed commitment to a ground game, Edwards and Likens would be wise to take advantage of their best weapons on offense. In May, I listed the Sun Devils’ star as my number one Devy prospect, and I will be watching him thrive and progress throughout the upcoming crusade. Harry should easily surpass the 1,000-yard threshold and score double-digit touchdowns for CFF owners.
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 75 for 1,220 and 10
Total Fantasy Points: 257 (21.4 ppg.)

Magna Cum Laude

5. T.J. Vasher, Texas Tech

Over the past three seasons, Coach Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense has produced a different all-star at receiver: Keke Coutee (2017), Jonathan Giles (2016) and Jakeem Grant (2015). The Red Raiders’ passing game has been one of the best to invest in as a CFF fanatic. As a redshirt freshman last year, T.J. Vasher appeared in 13 games, and during the last eight contests, Vasher caught 27 passes. For the season, he secured 29 catches for 545 yards and six touchdowns while averaging an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. Vasher was a 4-star prospect who chose Texas Tech over Ohio State, Mississippi, Texas A&M and Oklahoma and missed the 2016 crusade after suffering an injury and being granted a medical-hardship. He might be the best Red Raider wide out since Michael Crabtree. He has a rare blend of size, speed and body control, which is a near perfect skill set for the spread offense. With long arms at 6-foot-5 and 198 pounds, Vasher has a huge catch radius and very good hands to snatch the pigskin away from defenders. He can haul in short passes, escape tacklers and reach the end zone with deceptive speed. Astute fantasy fanatics always invest in Kingsbury’s passing game, and Vasher likely returns the highest dividends.
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 70 for 1,130 and 10
Total Fantasy Points: 243 (20.3 ppg.)

6. Trevon Brown, East Carolina
Coach Scottie Montgomery has won only six games during the past two campaigns and needs to get East Carolina headed in the right direction. It is a daunting task with a new quarterback and poor defense. Trevon Brown is one player that Montgomery will rely on to put some wind in the Pirates’ sails. As a sophomore in 2015, he snatched 41 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns. The senior missed the entire 2016 season after being ruled academically ineligible and returned last year, recording a 60-catch, 1,069-yard and seven-touchdown campaign. How explosive is Brown? He recorded two 95-yard touchdowns last season. During spring practices, the coaching staff and teammates lauded Brown’s athletic ability and skill set. “I’m glad Brown’s here and I want to see him every day because he’s as good a football player as we’ll see this year,” offensive coordinator David Blackwell stated. At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, Brown is bigger than the majority of defensive backs in the American Athletic Conference and a preseason AAC All-American. Both Justin Hardy and Zay Jones were CFF luminaries at East Carolina, and Brown will continue the tradition in 2018.
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 79 for 1,180 and 8
Total Fantasy Points: 245 (20.4 ppg.)

7. Ty Lee, Middle Tennessee
Coach Rick Stockstill and quarterback Brent Stockstill (coach’s son) have led the Blue Raiders for the last three seasons, and it is their last opportunity to reach the promised land in C-USA. All-American receiver Richie James—who recorded back-to-back 100-catch seasons in 2015 and 2016 but missed eight games last year—left campus to pursue his professional career. Junior Ty Lee ascends to the top of the pecking order in the passing game. Last year, Lee led Middle Tennessee in every major receiving category: receptions (79), yards (955) and touchdowns (5). He was named Second Team All-C-USA, and in 2016, voted Freshman All-American by FWAA. When the season kicks off, Lee ranks fifth in career receptions, seventh in receiving yards and tenth in touchdown receptions at Middle Tennessee. At 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Lee is a versatile athlete and even started a game at running back against Syracuse, rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, for the Blue Raiders. If Brent Stockstill can stay healthy, the aerial assault should soar, and Lee could be an All-American candidate in 2018.
2018 Projections
Receptions, Receiving Yards and TDs: 86 for 1,200 and 10
Total Fantasy Points: 266 (22.2 ppg.)