Fantasy Football Sleeper 2011: Jeremy Maclin

Jeremy Maclin is a number 2 wide receiver with the potential to put up stats like a number 1 receiver. He doesn't have all the glamor that DeSean Jackson has but last year Maclin outscored Jackson in fantasy points. Of course Jackson played two less games than Maclin but that is another advantage Maclin has over Jackson. Jackson is known to be injury prone while injuries have never been a problem with Maclin. This year I believe that Maclin will end up within the top 10 wide receivers in the NFL. I have seen him ranked as low as 18 while browsing a few sites online. Only 8 spots but that is about 2 rounds difference in your fantasy football draft, in my opinion this makes Maclin a steal.

In your draft I still suggest you draft Jackson before Maclin. He has more upside than Maclin due to his big play ability. But last year Maclin caught 70 passes for 964 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Jackson had 47 catches for 1,056 yards and 6 touchdowns. Maclin outscored Jackson last year in fantasy points, below I'm going to list off some reasons why Maclin can do it again, or at least match Jackson's output.

• Maclin had 10 touchdowns last year, 4 more than Jackson.
• Maclin is more consistent because he runs over the middle routes.
• Jackson has injury and concussion concerns. His toughness has been questioned as well.
• Maclin is slower than Jackson but he is still fast with 4.5 speed at 200 pounds.
• Maclin had 70 receptions last year, 23 more than Jackson.
• Opposing defenses focus on shutting down Vick and Jackson to stop the big play which often leaves Maclin with single coverage.
 

Now if your still not convinced that Jeremy Maclin can put up a comparable amount of fantasy points as DeSean Jackson than my question to you is whats the problem with that? Vick is an extraordinary quarterback who will be at the helm all season this year so long as he's healthy. He favors receivers a lot as the Eagles often keep their tight ends on the line to block and keep Vick safe. Opposing defenses blitz the Eagles a lot to cause Vick to mess up, but this has doesn't effect receivers as much because they are given softer coverage and open for the occasional big play. Andy Reid is a very pass happy coach and provides plenty of opportunities for both Maclin and Jackson to succeed.

Maclin should provide solid numbers for your fantasy football team. If you draft him you won't be disappointed.