Allen Hurns: Fantasy football value pick

By Luke Sims | Sep 8, 2015

Allen Hurns may not get the same level of hype as Allen Robinson, but he is as deserving as any other no. 2 receiver to be on your fantasy football team.

The Jacksonville Jaguars sport a formidable young duo in their first two wide receiver slots. Originally that duo was supposed to be 2014 second-round picks Robinson and Marqise Lee but with the latter’s inability to stay healthy and the dominant play of Allen Hurns, the job fell to the undrafted rookie.

2014 is in the books and with it goes a 677 yard season complete with six touchdowns on just 51 receptions.

Hurns’ 2014 totals just barely skimmed the surface.

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In my opinion, Hurns is the more “sure bet” over Allen Robinson because of his proven ability to play all 16 games. Last season he started eight and is now firmly entrenched as the no. 2 wide receiver, getting starts all season long.

Last season he was the only wide receiver to play in all 16 games. Lee, Cecil Shorts, and Robinson all struggled with injuries, finding their way onto the football field only to be taken off again. While I hope that Robinson can fulfill his potential and doesn’t end up injured (and there is no indication that he will), Hurns showed that he can be on the football field week in and week out and that the is valuable to both the Jaguars and your fantasy football team.

Just how valuable can he be?

In his first game ever he put up the sixth best debut by a fantasy football player. Those 23 points made anybody who had taken a chance on him immensely happy. He had 110 yards on just four receptions for two touchdowns.

While he didn’t duplicate that performance in 2014, he did have one other 100 yard game and six games of 60 yards or more.

2015 will be a time for Hurns to branch out from a solid foundation laid in his rookie season and truly become an NFL-caliber wide receiver.

One of the primary knocks against Allen Hurns was his issue with drops in his rookie campaign. With six, he was among the team leaders and it contributed to his meager 56% reception rate. With another offseason under his belt and a year of experience, expect those issues to fade.

As a starter we can also expect his targets to increase. Last season he was targeted just 97 times. While Allen Robinson will likely get 130 or so in 2015 and tight end Julius Thomas will get plenty of looks as well, expect Allen Hurns to see an increase as his starting role expands. With Thomas out for up to the first month of the season, Hurns’ targets should increase as well.

Now I’m not advocating for Hurns to be your top wide receiver in your fantasy football team. I am, however, advocating that if you need a bargain pick at wide receiver then he is an excellent choice. A consensus 82nd overall wide receiver across major leagues and a consensus 247th player overall, Hurns can be had cheaply in the late rounds of your draft. He’s the kind of guy you can take a flier on.

And it’s a flier that could pay dividends.

There aren’t very many other starting wide receivers you can take with the a pick in the 240 range. There are even less who can give you five or more touchdowns in a season.

Allen Hurns has a big play ability that is tough to ignore. He’s a big, physical wide receiver who can outplay defenders, battle for the ball, shrug off a tackle, and take it to the house. He had two multiple TD games in his rookie season and will only get better. His rise will be complemented in the rise of Allen Robinson (who demands attention) and quarterback Blake Bortles (who will get better in year two).

Take a chance and reward yourself with Allen Hurns as a value pick on your fantasy football team.

Next: Allen Robinson belongs on your fantasy football team

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