Skip to main content
Advertising

Terrelle Pryor's fantasy stock rises by joining Redskins

Stay up to date with all of the free agent signings, trades and their respective fantasy impact with our 2017 free agency live blog.

Terrelle Pryor was a big question mark in this free agency pool, as we wondered if teams would be willing to sign the converted quarterback to a longterm deal after a single (albeit breakout) season as a wide receiver. Instead, it appears Pryro is betting on himself by signing a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins, reportedly turning down a longer-term contract with the Browns. With DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon already out of the picture in Washington, Pryor will have big shoes to fill as one of the top pass-catchers in a pass-happy offense.

Walking out the doors of FedExField with Jackson and Garcon are also 214 targets, roughly 35 percent of Kirk Cousins' attempted passes in 2016. Pryor saw 140 looks last season, bringing in 77 for 1,007 yards and four scores, so volume shouldn't be an issue in his new home. As a size-speed freak, Pryor should help replace the downfield element lost with Jackson, while simultaneously improving the team's struggles in the red zone. With Jamison Crowder primarily playing in the slot and last year's first-round pick Josh Doctson still a health question mark, Pryor should start Week 1 as the No. 1 option for a passing attack that put up 9,189 yards and 55 touchdowns over the last two years.

Now, there are some concerns we should address with Pryor that could trickle into the fantasy realm. First, Pryor has only done it for one year. Now, I'm usually not one to fall down this skeptic line of thinking, but Pryor's situation as a converted quarterback is unique. We should be sure to study his tape in the preseason to make sure teams haven't figured him out, though that could be moot given Pryor's immense athletic gifts.

In addition, the front office and organization are in a bit of turmoil at the moment after firing general manager Scot McCloughan, and their relationship with Kirk Cousins appears to be rocky. Let's also not forget that Pryor had numerous players around the league publicly call him out last year as well, and didn't receive any other long-term offers aside from the Browns (as far as we know). These won't directly play into Pryor's fantasy value, but are worth noting to keep an eye on in the coming months. Odds are it will be all sunshine and roses on the field though, so don't let this sway you from targeting Pryor in drafts this fall.

All told, Pryor feels like a great early-to-mid round WR3 to target. I could see drafting him as a WR2, but as I said on the latest NFL Fantasy LIVE podcast I'd prefer to target Pryor in the Round 5 area with two more stable pass-catchers ahead of him. Pryor's ceiling is immense in this offense, but the few question marks still swirling put a bit of a damper on his draft stock. That could work out in our fantasy favor, though. Stay tuned.

-- Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar or "Like" his page on Facebook.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.