For the past six seasons, Antonio Brown has been the best receiver in the league. From 2013-2018, Brown accumulated 9,145 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns as he was named to six straight Pro Bowls. And if you have had Brown on your fantasy teams during that stretch, you likely won your league a time or two.
Since 2013, no player has totaled more fantasy points (PPR) than Brown, and that includes quarterbacks. In fact, it’s not even close. Brown has scored a total of 2,031 points over the past six seasons, and the closest non-quarterback to Brown is Julio Jones at 1,613 points. Brown has consistently been the best receiver in fantasy football and a league-winner.
However, he isn’t be drafted as such this season. Looking average draft position (ADP) and expert rankings, Brown is consistently being selected outside of the top-20 picks, according to FantasyPros.com:
In most years, acquiring Brown in your fantasy league would require you to spend a first-round pick, if not the No. 1 overall selection. But as of today, there is a chance he can be had at the bottom of the second-round or into the third-round, depending on your league size.
Can Brown replicate the success he had in Pittsburgh with new quarterback Derek Carr and coach Jon Gruden? That remains to be seen. But one thing we know to be true is that Brown is a generational receiver. And at the age of 31, he still likely has a few prime years left in his body, even if that means he’s not the best receiver in fantasy any longer.
If you pick early in your drafts and can pair Brown with a reliable running back, such as Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley, that might just be the ideal way to start a draft. At this point in the summer, Brown appears to be a screaming value. Once he gets back onto the practice field, expect his ADP to rise.
