Will Henry Ruggs Ever Become A Reliable Fantasy Wide Receiver?
Mike Mayock put his nuts on the table when he took Henry Ruggs ahead of every single other wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft. Not a decision I agree with, but that’s a story for another day. After one year, that decision isn’t looking so wise. CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson both exploded as rookies. Jerry Jeudy struggled with drops but otherwise flashed talent. Ruggs pretty much showed up as a one trick pony deep ball guy who probably will struggle to stay on the field.
Will Ruggs ever become a reliable fantasy wide receiver? It’s way too early to suggest Ruggs can’t play at all, but it’s also hard to trust him in fantasy this upcoming season. Ruggs, the former first round pick out of Alabama, finished the 2020 season as WR89. On the season, Ruggs finished with 452 yards and two scores.
There are reasons to suggest Ruggs can thrive here. Derek Carr rated out as the second-best deep-ball passer by NFL Next Gen Stats. Scott Logush wrote a post earlier this week saying that it was comical how much hate Carr got. In reality, Carr should not be viewed as a deterrent to Ruggs’ fantasy outlook.
We know Darren Waller is going to get his. Mark him down for 140-150 targets this year barring injury. My question is does Ruggs get his looks? Nelson Agholor is gone by the addition of John Brown is probably a scarier proposition. Brown is more talented than Agholor and will carve his niche out. Hunter Renfrow, Zay Jones, Willie Snead, and Bryan Edwards are other notable names on the depth chart.
Ruggs is more talented than all of those guys but that doesn’t mean he’s in line for the touches. Ruggs needs to prove he’s more than a deep threat. Otherwise, he’s just Marquise Brown with a quarterback that can throw better. Not someone you can ever trust in your lineup. It’s hope and pray city for one long touchdown.
I don’t hate the flier on Ruggs. If he hits, we could be looking at prime DeSean Jackson which is very fantasy relevant. I’m just not sure that guy is ever coming. Not to mention the fact that the fantasy production will likely come in an inconsistent fashion making it tough to ever put him in your lineup.
