In some instances, rookie wide receivers were a big help to their respective teams this year. Amari Cooper lived up to the lofty hype for the Oakland Raiders while Stefon Diggs, Jamison Crowder and Tyler Lockett all exceeded expectations. Unfortunately, the flip side is true as well; several rookie pass-catchers failed to make the impact they were expected to. Miami's DeVante Parker and Baltimore's Breshad Perriman were limited due to injuries. Philly's Nelson Agholor never really took off. But in each of those instances, poor team play can be highlighted as a culprit to some extent. What's the excuse for Carolina Panthers second-rounder Devin Funchess?
The Panthers are enjoying a bye-week right now thanks to their No. 1 seeding in the post-season following a 15-1 year. Yet Funchess, who was expected to take over for the injured Kelvin Benjamin, was not a huge contributor to that success. That may change in 2016 and fantasy football owners should take note.
"Considered by some to be a better fit at tight end when he entered the league out of Michigan last year, Funchess is one of the league's biggest wide receivers at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds," ESPN's Mike Clay wrote. "The Panthers' 2015 second-round pick couldn't overtake the likes of Ted Ginn Jr., Corey Brown and Jerricho Cotchery as a rookie, but Funchess is absurdly young at 21 and impressed, for the most part, when called upon. He hauled in 31 of 61 targets for 474 yards and five touchdowns and averaged 0.33 fantasy points per pass route, which ranked 12th among qualified receivers. Funchess' hands were a red flag when he entered the league and his eight rookie-season drops only add to the concern. Funchess' size locks him in to a big role near the goal line, but keep in mind that 6-foot-5, 240-pound Kelvin Benjamin, who led the NFL in end zone targets as a rookie, will return from a torn ACL in 2016. If he can solve his drop issue, Funchess will push Ginn for the starting gig opposite Benjamin in 2016."
The Panthers were one of the more ground-based offenses in the NFL this past year, attempting the sixth-fewest passes (501) in the league. This obviously limits Funchess' fantasy value and his opportunities to contribute. But Ginn recorded 44 passes for 739 yards and 10 touchdowns as the team's nominal No. 1 wide receiver this year. Could Funchess improve on those numbers as a No. 2 option behind a healthy Benjamin next year? The raw talent and physical tools suggest so. He's worth a late-round flier as a low-risk, high-reward draft pick next season.
