2017 NFL Draft fantasy profiles: WR John Ross

Profile

Let’s start with the obvious here shall we? John Ross is fast. Like really, really, really freaking fast. Like when he enters the NFL, he will be the fastest man in the league and will probably have to get a 99 speed rating in Madden 19 fast. That fast.

• HB Leonard Fournette
• HB Dalvin Cook
• HB Christian McCaffrey
• WR Mike Williams
• WR Corey Davis
• WR John Ross
• TE O.J. Howard
• TE David Njoku

However, what makes Ross a first round talent and a very intriguing receiver isn’t just his insane mind-blowing speed. Yes, that’s nice to have but Ross is more than just his record breaking 4.22 40-yard dash. He’s a pretty complete receiver.

Ross didn’t just run go-routes in college and actually is a refined route runner. He has extremely quick feet and is able to get in and out of breaks on a dime without giving anything away to the defensive back. His slant route per PFF was one of the best in college football. Unlike the previous receivers on this list, Ross doesn’t drop the ball. For a small guy, he has a vice grip and is able to naturally catch away from his body. In the last two years, Ross only dropped six balls out of 105 catchable passes.

And of course, add in his breakaway speed, and he’s a threat to take the ball to the house every time it gets into his hands. Think 2010 DeSean Jackson, when he posted a ridiculous 22.5 yards per catch and 1160 yards from scrimmage. Plus, like Jackson, Ross can make plays for you in the kicking game.

Ross’ flaws are almost entirely size related. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, he can’t box out corners and can get bumped off his routes. He doesn’t possess the rare Steve Smith ability of winning jump balls despite his size. He also has a history of injury, tearing his MCL in 2014 and ACL in 2015.

If Ross goes to the right team, he could instantly be a big impact guy in the league. He can be the guy in an offense but I don’t know if I would expect that role when he initially enters the league. I see him as a classic “Boom or Bust” receiver in fantasy and as such, I’m looking to take him around 6-7 rounds. Though, if he goes to my dream team (you’ll see who in a sec) I could be persuaded to take him earlier.

Best Fantasy Fits

• Cincinnati Bengals: Remember my dream team? Ding, ding, ding! I LOVE this pairing from both a fantasy and real life perspective. Ross can do everything for an offense, but his speed instantly becomes something that defenses need to worry about wherever he is on the field. Pairing him with A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Andy Dalton turns this offense from tough to cover to impossible to cover. Remember when the Bucs signed DeSean Jackson and ever since then I’ve been going around saying that Jameis Winston is going to be a top 10 fantasy QB this year? Yea, that’s exactly what will happen to the Bengals offense if they draft Ross. Everyone on the field will be helped, Green will see less quadruple teams and Dalton will have another explosive weapon to pass the ball to. To me, this pairing makes almost too much sense.
• Philadelphia Eagles: For Philly, it’s all about getting weapons for Carson Wentz. They went out and signed Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, both of whom will make an impact on the team. However, getting a talent like Ross would give Wentz the home run hitter that the Eagles think they have in Smith. Ross can also lineup all over the field, meaning that he wouldn’t nessecarily take the slot role from Jordan Matthews who worked very well out of the slot last year. Now, this may seem like the classic case of “too many receivers and only so many targets” which is true. However, Jeffery hasn’t proved to be able to last a full season and Smith is old. And in there you have targets for Ross.
• Tennessee Titans: I know I’ve already picked the Titans for both Williams and Davis but hear me out. While adding Williams and Davis do make sense, adding Ross to be the number one receiver himself also makes sense. The Titans are build upon their power run game and Delanie Walker dominates the middle of the field. Adding Ross would give the Titans a threat on the outside who could also play in the slot to work alongside last year’s free agent signing Rishard Matthews. Unlike both the Bengals and Eagles, the Titans are in desperate need of reliable targets to catch the football so Ross wouldn’t have too much competition when it comes to targets in Tennessee. Really his only competition would be Walker and the two of them can work harmoniously together.