PFF ranks Buffalo Bills receivers as lower tier fantasy options

Pro Football Focus ranks Buffalo Bills’ John Brown and Robert Foster as low-tier wide receiver options for the upcoming fantasy football season.

Similar to the quarterback position, Pro Football Focus tiered up wide receivers based on their fantasy football outlook entering 2019. The first tier was given to superstars; with DeAndre Hopkins and Davante Adams as the only in the bunch. Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and others took the second. A member of the Buffalo Bills doesn’t show until tier-8, aka “late-round targets.”

Freshly signed receiver John Brown found himself in tier-8, alongside a bevy of veterans and rookies alike. PFF’s Jeff Ratcliffe mentions Brown’s excellence in Baltimore before playing with dual-threat Lamar Jackson,

"And don’t overlook Brown in Buffalo. He was a top-25 fantasy wideout before Lamar Jackson took over in Baltimore last season."

Before the Jackson-era kicked off in Baltimore, Brown was on a tear playing alongside Joe Flacco. In his first nine games of 2018, he caught 34 balls for 601 yards on an average of 17.7 yards per catch. Brown, a deep-threat by nature (4.34 second 40-time), has historically done his best work playing with big-armed quarterbacks such as Flacco.

In his first two seasons in the NFL, Brown caught 103 passes for 1,699 yards and 12 touchdowns. His quarterback and head coach — Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians — at the time weren’t afraid to dial up the deep ball often, and Brown was a benefactor. Like Palmer and Flacco before him, Buffalo quarterback, Josh Allen doesn’t hesitate to push the ball downfield with a supersized arm.

Brown projects as a seamless fit in the Bills’ offense. In Buffalo, he should continue to act as a field stretcher. But he will also get his fair of touches considering that as he currently stands, he’s the most experienced and productive outside receiver on the Bills roster.

Fellow speedster Robert Foster also makes an appearance on the list as a tier-9 fantasy receiver, aka, “last-round darts,” and the last grouping. The tier he finds himself is a talented bunch, but it’s filled with skepticism revolving their roles in their respective offenses and lack of consistent experience. Nevertheless, he may be a steal for many in fantasy drafts.

After going undrafted, getting released, and resigning with the Bills, Foster finished 2018 as Buffalo’s second-best receiver in terms of yards with 541. He played just 13 games and started three. Between weeks 11-15, Foster tallied 90+ receiving yards four times and built chemistry with Allen as his go-to deep-threat.

Via PlayerProfiler.com, no NFL receiver finished above Foster in yards per reception (20), target quality rating (9.4), and average target distance (20.9). Only one fell ahead of him in yards per target (12.3) and four in yards per pass route (2.94). According to Sharp Football Stats, Foster finished as the Bills’ best receiver in passer rating when targeted with 114. His deep right rating of 149 is nearly perfect.

Despite Foster’s impressive latter-half of his rookie season, many are unsure as to what his role will be within the Bills’ offense. His potential is immense, but the Bills’ starting trio of receivers likely won’t have Foster in it. Instead, Brown, Zay Jones, and Cole Beasley will probably get the starting nods.

However, injuries and unforeseen circumstances are commonplace in the NFL. If a starter goes down, Foster is the likeliest option to come in. If a receiver disappoints, the same could happen. Many believe Foster is the future of the Bills’ receiving unit, and that’s justifiable, but he won’t have it given to him to start the season.