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It’s time for another new series.
Sure, it may only be the middle of June, but in all honesty, it is never (ever) too early to start prepping for Fantasy Football season. We live, breathe, eat, sleep and pray the almighty fantasy game. Many of you are already aware of my Fantasy 32 series, in which I highlight the relevant and not-so fantasy relevant positions of every team in the league. Now, I am starting up Fantasy Feud. I will be discussing two players that are closely ranked together in my personal ranks. Then, I choose which one I’d prefer. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, as Jim Carrey would say, “Alrighty Then!” We open up this series debating Randall Cobb and Percy Harvin.
Making the case for Cobb
Let’s face it. The only person that is higher on Cobb this season is the guy tossing him the football. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has spoken very highly of his potential new number one wideout, saying Cobb can be a “100-catch guy”. He also went on to say that he will emerge into a big time star. Quite frankly, I can’t say I disagree with him. Cobb broke out a season ago, catching 80 balls for 954 yards and eight touchdowns, ultimately becoming one of the waiver wire darlings of the year. Some banged up wideouts such as Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson provided Cobb with more of an opportunity to emerge. Well, Jennings is off to Minnesota and with Rodgers praising Cobb, I fully expect him to be the team’s number one target in the passing game. It’s funny that I am debating these guys, actually, because Cobb draws a striking resemblance to Harvin. A smaller guy who is great in space and shows terrific versatility. Cobb is incredibly difficult to cover when lined up in the slot and I don’t expect that to change in 2013. Last year, he lined up in the slot a whopping 84.4 percent of the time. Simply put, he flourishes there and will likely do so again next year. The middle of the field should belong to Cobb. Rodgers and that Green Bay offense will be slinging the ball all over the field, and while Russell Wilson looks like the real deal, he’s no Aaron Rodgers. Remember, despite selecting two backs during this April’s draft, this team isn’t sold on running the football. Expect to see Cobb involved in the backfield as well. To sum this up, the Packers will do everything possible to get the ball into the hands of Cobb. An uptick in targets and catches should make him a viable low-end WR1, and a number 10 spot in my rankings.
Making the case for Harvin
Now in Seattle, Harvin is a perfect fit for this offense. First, he gets a gigantic upgrade at quarterback from Christian Ponder to the sophomore Wilson. Secondly, the system is right up Harvin’s alley. A west coast style of offense that will line him up in anyway possible, aching to get him the ball with space. Remember back towards the beginning of last year when Harvin took off as one of the top five fantasy wideouts? He was a PPR and target monster. Well, again, that was with Ponder throwing him the ball, so imagine the kind of numbers he can put up with Wilson at the helm. Harvin is a guy that is going to touch the ball at least 10 times per contest, whether it be through the air or on the ground. From an athletic and skilled standpoint, he is one of the best in football, so Seattle would be crazy not to heavily involve their new toy. Harvin will be reunited with former offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell. The two were heavily involved a few year’s back, and Bevell will figure out a plethora of ways to get Harvin in space. Of course, you have to think of an injury history with Harvin. He only played nine games last season and seems to almost always be questionable on gameday. The migraines appear to be a thing of the past, but you just never know with head issues.
The Verdict
The upside for both of these guys is crazy high. Harvin is only 25 and Cobb is 22, and at that age, they really can only get better. Both are also incredibly comparable to one another, making for some of the more electric wideouts in the game today. However, if it was my pick in a draft and both were sitting there, I’d side with…
Cobb.
I love the situation for Cobb. An opportunity to emerge as THE guy in a high powered passing offense featuring the best signal caller in the game. That alone makes Cobb intriguing. Sure, Harvin is joining Wilson, who looks like the real deal. But they’ll have to build up chemistry, whereas Cobb and Rodgers are already there and then some. Certainly both are exciting and should take that next step sooner rather than later, but I’m expecting a bit more out of Cobb.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
