Devy Fantasy Football Player Watch: Wide Receivers To Watch Week 2

Devy fantasy football players to have your eye on this weekend.

Marc Poust | Sep 10, 2021

Devy Fantasy Football Player Watch: Wide Receivers To Watch Week 2 /

There are plenty of players to keep your eye on that will affect your devy fantasy football team. With the college football season in full swing, let's look at the five wide receivers to keep an eye on in this weekend's slate of contests.

Winston Wright Jr. - Wide Receiver - West Virginia

Winston Wright Jr. might be small in stature but he brings a game-changing ability to the field. — Winston Wright Jr. might be small in stature but he brings a game-changing ability to the field

The 5’9” 180-pound pass-catcher was quite impressive against Maryland in the season opener but not in the regard most would perceive. His receiving production did not stand out by any means, as his six receptions and 42 yards were rather pedestrian compared to some of the receiving stat lines across the country. What stood out most about Wright Jr.’s game against the Terrapins was his ability in the return game. While the Savannah, Georgia native has been electric as a kick returner throughout his Mountaineers’ career, averaging 26.1 yards per attempt on 32 career returns, shattering Tavon Austin’s single-game record with 199 kickoff return yards warrants acclamation. While he led West Virginia in receptions last week, head coach Neal Brown will continue to utilize the Memorial Day School product’s playmaking ability, stating, “we’re going to get him the ball in a bunch of different ways offensively.” Wright Jr. will have plenty of opportunities to flash when LIU comes to Milan Puskar Stadium for “Family Day,” as the Sharks allowed the top two Florida International receivers to combine for nine receptions, 216 yards, and two touchdowns.

.@WVUfootball - Winston Wright Jr.'s 98-yard kickoff return, which set up a TD for WVU in Saturday’s game versus Maryland pic.twitter.com/0hVHNQLS1z
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 8, 2021

Zay Flowers - Wide Receiver - Boston College

One of the best receivers in college football is Boston College's Zay Flowers

From an ordinary three-star prospect from the Sunshine State to one of the top receivers in the ACC, the gamble on Flowers has proven to be beneficial. To no one’s surprise, the University School product outright overwhelmed the Colgate defense, reeling in seven receptions for 135 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The chemistry between the junior and quarterback Phil Jurkovec appears to be in midseason form, as Flowers recorded more catches than the next two Boston College receivers combined. Flowers flew on to the national scene in 2020, as the Fort Lauderdale, Florida product joined Alex Amidon as the only Eagles’ receivers ever to receive First-Team ACC accolades. His nine receiving touchdowns were the second-most in school history behind Super Bowl XXVII champion Kelvin Martin. The ACC Wide Receiver of the Week will lead the Eagles as they head to Amherst to take on UMass in “The Battle of the Bay State,” a rivalry that started over 100 years ago. Expect the third-year pass-catcher to continue his high-volume role as Jurkovec’s primary option going into week two, as the Minutemen were just gashed for 375 yards through the air by Pittsburgh’s offense a week ago.

Jordan Whittington - Wide Receiver - Texas

The freshman, Jordan Whittington, looks to put on a show this weekend

While freshman Xavier Worthy received the abundance of offseason hype around Austin, the redshirt sophomore stole the show in the season opener. Whittington was without question Hudson Card’s primary read against Louisiana-Lafayette, as the playmaking pass-catcher snatched seven passes for over 110 yards and scored his first career receiving touchdown. His statistics appear spectacular at first glance, but when you dive in and realize that he forced five missed tackles and recorded a first down on all but one of his receptions, it makes you appreciate the Cuero High School product’s performance. Over the past two seasons, the third-year player has been forced to miss time, aggravating a sports hernia injury in the first game of his freshman campaign and dealing with a hip flexor sprain in 2020. It is hard to predict how targets will be distributed as Card continues to develop as a passer, but with last week’s performance in mind, it is safe to say that Whittington will continue to be one of, if not, the primary option once again as the Longhorns head to Fayetteville to take on the Razorbacks.

Jordan Whittington is one tough dude to tackle on @TexasFootball 😤 pic.twitter.com/Op0w6wmr0W
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 4, 2021

Dontario Drummond - Wide Receiver - Ole Miss

Ole Miss looks to have another solid receiver in Dontario Drummond

When Elijah Moore and his 102 targets moved on to the Jets, the primary discourse around Oxford was identifying the most suitable candidate to take over the heavy-volume role in Lane Kiffin’s offense. Throughout the offseason, most pundits gave credence to either John Rhys Plumlee or Jerrion Ealy being the most plausible choices, as they both possess smaller statures with shiftier skillsets. Drummond, the 6’1” 220-pounder, surprised many when he lined up in the slot for all but four of his passing-down snaps, but what left the entire college football world scrambling for words was how well he produced. In the Monday night prime-time matchup against Louisville, the fifth-year pass-catcher put forth a Herculean effort, catching all nine of his targets and exploding for 177 yards and a touchdown. With over 50 percent of his yards coming after the catch and five forced missed tackles, the former East Mississippi Community College standout proved he is more than capable of being Matt Corral’s primary option. Drummond looks to continue his breakout campaign when Austin Peay comes to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the annual Military Appreciation Game.

Matt Corral with a DIME
Dontario Drummond with the AMAZING CATCH https://t.co/5vIU9Zig6K
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 7, 2021

Zakhari Franklin - Wide Receiver - UTSA

Zakhari Franklin looks to help lead UTSA to a victory this weekend. — Zakhari Franklin looks to help lead UTSA to a victory this weekend

Franklin has been one of the focal points of the Roadrunners’ offense since landing in San Antonio as a low-profile two-star prospect. The Cedar Hill, Texas native’s performance was paramount in landing their second win against a team from a Power Five conference in program history, pulling in ten grabs for 155 yards and scoring a 19-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Franklin has been particularly explosive when playing at home, averaging over six receptions and 92 yards in his last seven performances inside the Alamodome. Considering the junior is well on pace to break all of UTSA’s major career receiving records with one year of eligibility remaining, it is evident that the 6’1” 185-pounder deserves more discussion from the national media. It is hard to take much from Lamar’s defense, as they dominated a much inferior North American University team 47-3 a week ago. Either way, there is no indication that they have the defensive personnel to hang with a hot Roadrunners’ squad, so expect Franklin’s early-season dominance to continue.

Really impressed by @UTSAFTBL WR Zakhari Franklin

Converted multiple 3rd and longs in win vs. Illinois - just knows how to separate and catches everything pic.twitter.com/RbFHczK2sZ
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) September 8, 2021