I’m here to tell YOU why Detroit’s sophomore pass-catcher, Amon-Ra St. Brown, is a dynasty fantasy football BUY as we continue our 2022 Dynasty Target series.
Background
After being drafted early in the fourth round by the Detroit Lions, there wasn’t particularly much fanfare in the fantasy football community for former USC pass-catcher Amon-Ra St. Brown (ARSB).
Although breaking out for the Trojans as a Sophomore with over 1,000 yards and six TDs in thirteen games and being widely projected as a day-two prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft, the combination of his fall into day three and being selected by a thought-to-be toothless Lions offense caused the fantasy community to overlook him.
Amon-Ra’s rookie campaign started slowly, with only two double-digit fantasy point hauls coming in his first eleven games. And then the explosion. In his last six games to close the season, Amon-Ra produced WR1 numbers as he caught 51 of his 67 targets for 560 yards and 5 TDs (and one rushing TD). The former Trojan had double-digit targets in each of his last six games and at least eight receptions per game through that stretch.
Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown for the #Lions win 🔥
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) December 5, 2021
pic.twitter.com/mHY1Q3sKOK
This late-season breakout saw Amon-Ra become not only become a hot name in the FF community but also a league winner. The rookie almost kept pace with the top-scoring skill position player Cooper Kupp through weeks 13-18. Did anyone have a 4th round rookie coming in clutch during the FF playoffs on their bingo card?!
Current Situation
Now you could be forgiven for thinking that the case to go and target ARSB in your dynasty fantasy football leagues is a cut-and-dry one, but it’s not quite that simple.
Injuries to star offensive playmakers T.J. Hockenson and D’Andre Swift for big chunks of the 2021 season saw ARSB’s targets & target share sky-rocket. Not only are both Hockenson and Swift going to be ready to start the season, but there’s also some added competition for targets in the shape of Free Agent acquisition, D.J. Chark and first-round Draft pick Jameson Wiliams.
Hockenson’s role as the alpha in the passing game is unlikely to change early on, and Swift’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield is why many are touting him as a top 5 fantasy option at the position. Former Jaguars WR Chark will provide a deep threat that was sorely lacking for Detroit last season, but it’s the man the Lions traded up in the first round for that is most likely to cause people to question ARSB’s dynasty value.
Jameson Williams was, for many, the premier WR in the 2022 class and Detroit were obviously big fans as they traded all the way up from the last pick in the first round to twelve overall so they could select the former Alabama burner. Williams has the ability to line up all over and become the true #1 receiver Detroit has lacked since the retirement of Calvin Johnson. For more on Jameson Williams, check out fellow FIFer Keith Flemming’s Prospect Profile on him here:
With the pass-catching options suddenly looking plentiful in Detroit, it’s only natural to wonder if ARSB will be able to live up to the hype generated after the strong finish to his rookie campaign.
Because of this, he has become a popular ‘Sell’ candidate amongst FF ‘experts’ and content creators, but I’m twisting whilst everyone else is seemingly turning when it comes to Amon-Ra St. Brown being a Dynasty Fantasy Football buy.
Outlook
ARSB predominantly lined up in the slot as a rookie, finishing with the 6th most slot snaps amongst WRs in 2021, according to PFF. This shouldn’t come as a surprise when you consider the type of player ARSB is. He’s a smaller receiver, measuring in at 5’11 and under 200lbs. He also isn’t what you would call a speedster, only running a 4.66 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but what he lacks in size and speed he makes up with elsewhere.
His ability to make the first man miss or break solo tacklers pops on tape, as does his ability in contested catch situations. According to PlayerProfiler.com, ARSB caught over 61% of his (18) contested-catch targets. Both of these traits are useful for winning in the slot. And for all those that say “slot players can’t be good fantasy football scorers.” maybe remind them that players like Cooper Kupp, Keenan Allen, Chris Godwin, Jaylen Waddle & Tyreek Hill make up half of the top-10 route runners from the slot…
It should also help that Lions QB Jared Goff isn’t a passer that likes to stretch the field with his arm. In fact, Goff ranked dead last in intended air yards last season. So, whilst D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams are stretching the field, it could be ARSB in the slot who benefits most from a gun-shy passer.
Amon-Ra St. Brown finished the 2021 season as a fantasy football darling, and I believe he can be that again in 2022. He doesn’t turn 23 until late October, and apart from the Lions adding two deep threats coming off of injuries and welcoming back two players who missed time with injuries last year, not much has changed.
“Experts” will have you thinking now is the time to sell ARSB, but I disagree. I recently acquired ARSB and a 2023 4th-round pick in a paid league for a 2023 2nd & 3rd. This value for a young pass-catcher who has already shown he can put up elite FF numbers, and who I feel has a safe bottom-end WR2 / high-end WR3 floor is well worth the risk, especially as you weren’t sniffing him for less than a 1st just a few months ago.
Thanks for checking out our article on Dynasty Target Amon-Ra St. Brown. Over the course of the summer make sure to click here for more Dynasty Target articles discussing players for you to acquire this season
For all your other Dynasty needs, tune in to “Dynasty365“, our weekly Dynasty Podcast, as part of the Fantasy In Frames Podcast Network.
