Opportunity is king in projecting fantasy football production. Here is a look at the overly strong and weak NFL depth charts at each skill position and what potential cut players could quickly find 53-man roster spots elsewhere, continuing with the wide receiver position:
WIDE RECEIVERS
The typical NFL roster keeps six wide receivers
POTENTIAL SHUFFLE PLAYERS
Braxton Berrios, Dontrelle Inman, Demaryius Thomas: With the rise of Maurice Harris and Jakobi Meyers plus special teams ace Matthew Slater likely taking spots along with Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and NKeal Harris, this is a tough roster to crack for Berrios, Inman, and Thomas unless Harris or Meyers is on the move.
Ashton Dulin: A metric marvel of the 2019 class, the small school product has an uphill climb to make the Colts' roster. Dynasty league players should remember the name for future opportunities.
Jordan Lasley has bounced around after being a promising early Day 3 selection. He is a projected cut without much fanfare but still on the NFL fringe for a future opportunity.
Washington: Suddenly there is decent depth on their wide receiver depth chart. Plenty of local reporting has Josh Doctson, even with a guaranteed salary, a potential mover (low-level trade) by Week 1. Robert Davis, a size-athleticism specimen, could also be below the roster line.
Emanuel Hall, Javon Wims: The Bears are one of the deeper depth charts in the league. Hall has speed to burn and Wims has flashed occasionally thus far in the NFL. Both are good enough to stick as WR4/5 on other teams for 2019.
Jake Kumerow, Allen Lazard: Kumerow is the name here for the Packers. The preseason darling from last year seems like a lock by the buzz he receives, but many publications have Kumerow on the outside of the cut line considering the bigger names and pedigree in the WR3-6 zone of the depth chart.
Terry Godwin: The Georgia product has plenty of athleticism, but a strong depth chart ahead of him to carve a 53-man spot.
LilJordan Humphrey: Emmanuel Butler has garnered more positive buzz than Humphrey, who plummeted in NFL Draft appeal after a poor workout. Humphrey flashed some in the first preseason game but has an uphill climb to crack the Saints' final roster.
Chad Williams: It has been a swift slide for the former Day 2 pick, a surprising one at that, with Williams. With Arizona bringing in three rookies of note, plus kicking the tires on Michael Crabtree, Williams is as good as gone from Arizona's final roster.
Richie James, Jordan Matthews: James may have an elevated chance for the 53 with Trent Taylor's foot surgery creating doubt for the start of the regular season. However, James is likely on the outside of the cut line. Matthews is running out of chances to make a roster at this point in his career.
Amara Darboh, Jazz Ferguson: Seattle has bolstered their depth chart in a short time, pushing Darboh, a former Day 2 pick, to the roster fringe (and likely off of it). Ferguson has an enviable size-athleticism combination on paper from the 2019 rookie class despite going undrafted.
WEAK DEPTH CHARTS
Bills: They have an unspectacular depth chart overall and depend on the health of John Brown as one of their integral starters. Contending for final roster spots include retread Andre Roberts and youngsters like Ray-Ray McCloud, Isaiah McKenzie, David Sills, and Cam Phillips.
Jets: Robby Anderson, Quincy Enunwa, and Jamison Crowder are locked and loaded but the rest is up in the air. Deontay Burnett and Greg Dortch are young sub-sized options with Josh Bellamy an older veteran who has bounced around the NFL. The Jets are in the crosshairs of adding at least one receiver currently on another roster or from the free-agent pool.
Ravens: The WR4-5-6 spots are wide open for Baltimore with options like Michael Floyd, Jaleel Scott, Jaylen Smith, and Antoine Wesley potential in-house candidates.
Browns: With the suspension of Antonio Callaway the Browns are thin behind their now Top 3 of Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Rashard Higgins. Jaelen Strong has bounced around the league, Damion Ratley had a couple of moments in Cleveland, and D.J. Montgomery has some metric appeal from the low-pedigree 2019 rookie crop.
Texans: With Keke Coutee's ankle injury, Houston is rail-thin behind DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Vyncint Smith and DeAndre Carter have some semblance of profile with Houston, but the rest are fringe NFL players at a maximum.
Broncos: The WR5-6 spots (and maybe WR4) are up for grabs in Denver. Tim Patrick is a strong candidate for one of the spots after flashing last season with the depth chart running on fumes. Juwann Winfree would need to finish strong to earn a spot from the rookie pool, still leaving a vacancy for a rogue in-house option or addition.
Chargers: Their Top 3 is solid with Travis Benjamin in the WR3 spot, but the rest of the depth chart is a ghost town.
Lions: Danny Amendola will look to replace Golden Tate's slot role from 2018. Andy Jones, Brandon Powell, Tommylee Lewis, and Travis Fulgham are contending for final spots but this is a thin group either way outside of additions from other depth charts.
Vikings: Laquon Treadwell has been a massive disappointment even trying to get something out of him as the WR3. Dillon Mitchell has been a disappointment from the rookie crop.
