Nelson Agholor, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles (1st Round, 20th Pick)
The Philadelphia Eagles did the unpredictable with their overall 20th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. After failed attempts to move up in draft order for the opportunity to select quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team stayed put and selected USC’s Agholor. Since departing with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Eagles’ receiving unit took a hit. Agholor, who has a lot of similar style characteristics to Maclin should be a snug fit for the team’s offense.
Here’s a look at Agholor’s USC career and an outlook as to what is in store when it comes to the receiver as a fantasy football prospect.
College Career:
Stats: 178 Receptions, 2,572 Receiving Yards, 37 Returns, 540 Return Yards, and 24 Total Touchdowns
Agholor arrives in Philadelphia after a prime 2014 college season where he totaled 1,313 yards from 104 receptions and scored 12 touchdowns. He also tallied 197 punt return yards while scoring two return touchdowns along the way. Not surprisingly, Agholor led the team with those 104 catches in 2014.
For his overall accomplishments in 2014, Agholor ranked third in receptions and second in receiving yards for the entire Pac-12. As for his overall NCAA ranking, Agholor managed the seventh most receptions and the ninth most receiving yards of all his collegiate completion.
2014 saw Agholor cross the 200-yard receiving mark twice in a win over Washington State on November 1, 44-17 and again on November 13 in a victory over California 38-30.
During Agholor’s previous two seasons, he totaled 1,259 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns from a total of 74 receptions. Obviously, Agholor’s 2014 season is where he really broke out.
Predicted by some to be selected in the second round, Agholor has periodically struggled with creating distance against cornerbacks at times and in blocking. By selecting Agholor 20th overall, the Eagles must believe in his the USC product’s ability to efficiently run routes and in his natural catching abilities.
The Eagles did not get their quarterback, however they now have added dual threat receiver and awesome punt returner for whoever is going to be their quarterback come September.
Competition:
The Eagles are currently stacked to the max at the wide receiver. However, don’t let this be confused with the team being loaded with fabulous receiving talent. Currently, second-season Jordan Matthews sits a top of the receiving unit in depth after a better-than-average rookie season that saw him put up 872 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014.
Behind Matthews is Riley Cooper who managed 577 yards and three touchdowns and a constantly injured Miles Austin. Below Austin lies seven other wide receivers that really should not be any worries to pass up Agholor in competition.
Agholor likely will compete to become the No. 2 receiver to play opposite Matthews or in the slot. With his wonderful punt return speed, it would not be surprising to see the Eagles utilize him in this role as well. However the summer practices and the preseason play out, Agholor should have an impactful presence on the team’s offense in 2015.
2015 Outlook:
The 2015 draft class was filled with some exceptional wide receivers, even when compared to last season’s batch of fantasy rookies. With that said, Agholor could find himself ranking within the top 40 wide receivers when it comes to fantasy points in 2015. Matthews is going to be the receiver to target, however, for those who play in leagues where return yardage earns fantasy points, Agholor could be a gem in that area.
Agholor’s 2015 fantasy value is also tied to who will be calling the signals in Philly this fall. As it appears now, the Eagles have Sam Bradford in line for that duty. If this is the case, there will be lots of rust for Bradford to shake off. Mark Sanchez would provide a fresher option for quarterback, however, he has some trouble when it comes to hitting the bull’s eye.
Should it come to a point where Tim Tebow is under center, then fantasy owners of Agholor may need to visit the waiver wire. Overall, Agholor should be drafted, however only as a WR3/4 at this point in time with the expectation of 600-700 yards and a handful of touchdowns in 2015.
Dynasty Outlook:
Agholor makes a decent keeper pick to obtain for a lower cost moving forth. Should he begin to outplay his competition and become seasoned with a reliable and consistent quarterback, then he will be worth the investment.
The Philadelphia Eagles incorporate an equal share of the run game so they are not exactly considered a “pass-happy” offense. This means Agholor’s numbers aren’t going to look like those of Green Bay Packers’ wideout Randall Cobb anytime soon. The best advice would be to pick up Agholor as cheaply as possible and hope that he surprises in reward for years to come.