20/20: Will Fuller

Rob Willette Posted On February 17, 2016

Welcome to 20/20. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine later this month, we’ll be profiling 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2016 by giving you 20 facts you must know.

1.) Player Name — Will Fuller

2.) College — Notre Dame

3.) Height/Weight — 6-foot-0, 184 pounds.

4.) Birth date — 04/16/1994

5.) Class — Junior

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6.) Basic college stats —

2015 – 62 receptions 1258 yards 20.3 YPR 14 TD

2014 – 76 receptions 1094 yards 14.4 YPR 15 TD

2013 – 6 receptions 160 yards 26.7 YPR 1 TD

7.) NFL Draft round projection — Day two. He has traits which NFL teams covet, yet without a true lead receiver profile I do not see him sneaking into round one.

8.) Current NFL comp — Mike Wallace.Wallace is a true burner who can outrun anybody on the football field and turn slants into long touchdowns. He also struggles in contested catch situations and serves best as an ancillary option, which is where I feel Fuller can thrive.

9.) Best possible destination — Pittsburgh Steelers. The immediate need at receiver is far from glaring in Pittsburgh, but playing with an elite quarterback and being eased into a complementary role on offense is an ideal situation for most second-tier receiver prospects. Fuller could assume the Markus Wheaton role – nay – he could define it.

10.) Worst possible destination — Minnesota Vikings. The aforementioned Wallace struggled in Minnesota largely due to scheme fit and his skill-set not meshing well with rhythm and timing passer Teddy Bridgewater. Though personnel changes could allow for a more high octane vertical passing attack, Fuller could easily get lost in Minnesota’s offense.

11.) Best current skill — Speed. Fuller has it in spades. He has excellent long speed and can accelerate in a hurry. It is a trait teams will always value; Fuller’s presence opens up the field and allows a lot of creativity in your play calling.

12.) Skill that needs to be improved — Hands. Drops have been a hot discussion in the fantasy community lately, and while I am in the camp which feels they can be an overrated stat, Fuller can still hurt drives with an occasional bout of the dropsies. He lets the ball get into his body and despite a competitive approach at the catch point, this can hurt him in contested catch situations.

13.) Past/current rookie ADP — 14th overall and 10th WR in the February ADP, 12th overall and 9th WR in the January ADP, 13th overall and 11th WR in the December ADP.

14.) Projected dynasty value — While I appreciate Fuller’s value to an NFL club, I am not bullish on him from a fantasy perspective. Without being a featured piece on offense, I’d forecast WR3 type upside with the occasional quiet game driving owners bananas.

15.) Steady Performer — Despite being known for flashy big plays, Fuller was a consistent producer all season, being slowed only by Clemson and the juggernaut known as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He also flexed his muscles against top competition, torching Stanford (6/136/1) and Ohio State (6/113/1) in the Irish’s final two games.

16.) Ambivalent to his quarterback — Fuller shined regardless of who was under center. From Everett Golson to Malik Zaire to DeShone Kizer, he was able to find a way to stuff the stat sheet and produce big plays.

17.) Touchdown Maker — Fuller tied for third in the nation in receiving touchdowns in 2014 and tied for fifth in 2015. He knows how to find the end zone and does so in a variety of ways.

18.) More than just a speed merchant — While I have touched heavily on Fuller’s speed, it is not the only hallmark of his game. He’s a tireless worker on the football field and runs refined routes in a system which asks its receivers to play with a bit of nuance. With his speed always being a threat, he can be dangerous underneath as teams opt to have him beat them with his intermediate game.

19.) Can he gain good weight? — While we have seen plenty of smaller receivers have success – especially with rules limiting and almost eliminating contact from defenders – the NFL is still a big man’s game. Fuller’s slight build is a concern, and it could lead to issues beating press coverage, especially early in his career. If he struggles at the line of scrimmage, all the speed in the world will not help him succeed as NFL plays develop quickly and have no time to wait for him to generate separation.

20.) High Praise — While player comparisons are often a fruitless endeavor and interpreted incorrectly, respected NFL evaluator Mike Mayock took to Twitter to compare Fuller’s game to former Colt great Marvin Harrison. Fantasy owners would be rather smitten with Fuller were he to even approach the numbers Harrison was posting at his peak.

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