Okay, so I’ve been knee-deep in fantasy football draft prep, and the big question mark hanging over my head was Odell Beckham Jr. Should I even bother drafting him? Here’s how I went about figuring that out.
The Initial Worry
First off, I was, like, super hesitant. The guy’s coming off another major injury, and he’s not getting any younger. It felt risky. My gut reaction was “no way,” but I knew I needed to do more than just trust my gut.
Digging into Stats and Projections
So, I started by pulling up his stats from the last few seasons he actually played. Not pretty, lots of missed games. I needed more, so i checked some fantasy football projections from different websites. They were all over the place, some had him as a decent WR3, others barely had him as a flex option.
Looking at the Ravens’ Situation
Then, I shifted my focus to the Baltimore Ravens. New offensive coordinator, a quarterback that likes using the pass. I considered, is there room for Beckham to actually get targets? They’ve got some other receivers, but none that are obvious superstars.
Watching Game Footage (When I Could Find It)
This was tough. It’s not like there’s a ton of recent game footage of Odell. I did manage to find some clips from his workouts and a few plays from his previous seasons. I watched the way he moved, how sharp his cuts looked, tried to gauge his speed. Hard to tell, to be honest.
The “Expert” Opinion Circus
Of course, I also spent some time reading and listening to what the so-called fantasy football “experts” had to say. Again, a mixed bag. Some were bullish, saying he’s a steal at his current average draft position. Others were saying to avoid him like the plague.
Making My Decision
After all that, here’s where I landed. I decided that I’m willing to take a chance on Odell, but only in the later rounds. He’s absolutely not someone I’m targeting early. He’s a high-risk, high-reward player. If he stays healthy and clicks with the Ravens’ offense, he could be a league-winner. If he gets injured again… well, I won’t have wasted a high draft pick on him.
- Risk Assessment: High.
- Reward Potential: Also High.
- Draft Strategy: Late-round flier only.
Ultimately that’s the key. Don’t reach for him. If he falls to you in, like, the 8th round or later, and you need a receiver, then maybe it is the time to take this gamble.
