New Orleans Saints: Is Ted Ginn Jr Worth Fantasy Football Draft Pick?
The Saints signing Ted Ginn Jr added some more depth to wide receiver but will a new offense drop his value or make him a hot fantasy commodity?
Drafting for a professional football team might be hard, but drafting a fantasy football is harder. Okay, not really — but it seems like each year, it gets more and more competitive. With players on new teams, rookies and retirements, draft day aren’t always easy. One name worth noting before drafting is Ted Ginn Jr., the former Carolina Panther set to join the New Orleans Saints in 2017.
Ginn is an interesting prospect for the upcoming season. With a new team, new quarterback and a new offense, drafting him could help give your team that special edge. Before you start drafting, let’s looking back at Ginn’s fantasy season last year.
Last season, Ginn played for the Carolina Panthers and the team went 6-10. The worst in the NFC South, the team was a far cry from the Superbowl contenders of the previous season. Owned in 14 percent of fantasy leagues, Ginn finished out the season with four touchdowns, 752 receiving yards, and 54 reception.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Obviously, this wasn’t the high production numbers from 2015. According to Rotowire, Ginn averaged 6.8 points per game last season in regular leagues and 10.2 in PPR leagues. If you compare those stats to last season, Ginn had a major decline. In 2015, he was averaging 9.3 points per game and 12.3 in PPR leagues. With the addition of Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess, a decline seemed almost inevitable.
This season could be a breakout one for Ted Ginn Jr, especially in fantasy. With Brandin Cooks gone, he’ll become WR2 or WR3, depending on where you place Thomas and Snead. By the time the regular season is here, Brees and Ginn’s relationship should be developed and they should have chemistry so there’s no reason to doubt that.
There are definitely a lot of pros for drafting Ginn such as his speed, his experience and an average of almost 14 yards per catch. He’s a talented receiver if the Saints can utilize him and could be good for picking up yards even if he doesn’t get touchdowns. Scores seem to be relegated to either Thomas or Snead, but that could change. Also, Ginn could be the team’s punt returner, only adding to his value.
No doubt, Ginn is a talented receiver, but there are some cons with him too. The biggest con I see is him being overshadowed. Much like he was in Carolina, the same could happen in New Orleans. Despite his speed, Ginn didn’t go to the end zone much last season either. Ginn has been known to make some costly fumbles and drops.
Ginn definitely isn’t worth using a first- or second-round pick on. However, he could be worth looking into during the later rounds when people are scrambling. He’s a vastly underrated player and one who could become a potential threat. Even if you don’t draft Ginn, he could be a player to watch.
Next: New Orleans Saints: Grading Team’s 2016 NFL Draft Class
It really depends on what you’re looking for for your team. If you need a veteran wideout as your WR3, then go ahead and pick up Ginn. If not, then I’d skip him and pick someone who could have a more prominent role. It’s all about how much you’re willing to do to risk to win. And as all fantasy players know, it’s all about winning.