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WR and kick return for LSU, Odell Beckham Jr., has seen his stock soar since his outstanding performance at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine recently. Beckham Jr. showed off his great hands and quickness at the Combine, where he posted a 4.4 second 40-yard dash time and a 38.5 inch vertical jump.
He is considered to be one of the top WRs in the draft and is projected to be picked in the middle of the first round. He is an electric play maker that can score in multiple ways like Minnesota Vikings WR Cordarrelle Patterson.
As fantasy football GM look to size up Beckham Jr. heading into this season, it may seem difficult to predict how he will fair this year in his rookie season. There is no doubt that Beckham Jr. will be a successful receiver in the NFL, but some fantasy GMs may question if his game will translate into the NFL smoothly.
Beckham Jr.’s skills allow him to play bigger than his 5-foot-11 frame. The main knock on him is his strength. He put up seven reps of 225 pounds. His lack of strength will corners to jam him easily at the line and impede on his routes. The most important thing to remember is that his most glaring deficiency can be fixed easily with a little time in the gym.
In 2014 standard fantasy leagues, Beckham Jr. should be viewed as a very late round selection, his ability to score from multiple positions on the field could provide some easy touchdowns for fantasy GMs. He may struggle in the first few games of the season trying to get acclimated to the power of the pro game, but he should feel more comfortable as the season goes along.
Fantasy owners shouldn’t look for Beckham Jr. to break 1,000 yards and have 10 touchdowns in his rookie year, but he can still have a respectable year if he is put into the proper situation when he is drafted.
In keeper leagues, Beckham Jr’s value will be much higher as he should develop into one of the most prolific playmakers in the league over the next couple of seasons, and his current strength issue will be well behind him. Due to his potential and the fact that he impressed many critics at the Combine, forward-thinking fantasy GMs in keeper leagues can draft Beckham Jr. as a valuable trade chip.
Alexander Muir is a writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @AmuirAlex, “Like” him on Facebook or add him on your network on Google.
