Scotty Miller set to have a breakout fantasy performance in Week 2

After much speculation and waiting, we finally got the news we anticipated that wide receiver Chris Godwin will miss the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Carolina Panthers. No one is set to benefit more than WR Scotty Miller, who could have a breakout fantasy football performance in Week 2 as a result. 

Make all the jokes you want about Tom Brady and his wide slot receivers’ stereotypical traits, but one cannot argue about the results, and especially, their value for fantasy football. Brady has helped make generational wealth for guys like Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and even Chris Hogan, who had 12 touchdowns during his time in New England. Miller is poised to join this list and contribute immediately, for not only the Buccaneers but for fantasy as well. His value extends past when Godwin returns to the field. 

Scotty Miller was one of the most valuable receivers across the NFL in Week 1

Even with a full complement of perimeter options, Miller was still able to contribute at a high level in Week 1. Miller saw six targets in their first game, catching five passes for 73 yards. Good enough for 12.9 PPR fantasy points. 

However, when you dig deeper into what he did on the field, which PFN’s OVM (Offensive Value Metric) is designed to do, you find that Miller was one of the most valuable receivers across the entire league. His OVM score of 35.33 puts him in the elite range for possible outcomes.

During the PFN Weekly, which airs every Tuesday at 6:00 pm EST, Benjamin Allbright, Cody Roark, and Brett Yarris discussed how impressive Miller looked in Week 1. Note: The article continues after this video.

Scotty Miller needs to be rostered in fantasy leagues and started due to Chris Godwin’s absence

I advocated that Scotty Miller needed to be rostered as one of the top waiver-wire options earlier in the week as I expected Godwin to miss this game. Now that it has become official, please go and see if he somehow slipped through the cracks. On September 16th, Miller was rostered in only 12.1% of leagues and has climbed slightly to 20%. 

There are a plethora of top tier wide receivers that have been declared out for Week 2 already. Michael Thomas, Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin, A.J. Brown, and Courtland Sutton will miss their matchups, leaving their fantasy managers scrambling for a replacement on short notice. 

Miller’s fantasy outlook is clear in the short-term, but there is room for long-term value

Miller presents a fantastic opportunity to outperform the expectations as he sits under the radar, partially to still having Mike Evans on the roster. Brady is not the type of quarterback who wants to push the ball down the field, which hurts Evans. Brady is already 1.5 yards over his career average of 6.97 intended air yards per attempt. Brady is already looking Miller’s way. During their Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Miller saw 19.33% of the team’s intended air yards.

Although Scotty Miller is not the typical slot receiver, he is exactly what this team needs and should see instant fantasy success. I will not be shocked if, by the time Sunday’s game is over, Miller had a stat line of seven catches on ten targets for 90 yards and a touchdown. Don’t be surprised if he ends up inside the top-25 at the position this week. Also, please don’t say I didn’t warn you.

With Godwin out, Miller’s fantasy value is clear for this week. Do not be surprised, however, if he continues to hold value when Godwin returns, and the rest of Tampa Bay’s WR corps is fully healthy. As mentioned above, Brady does not like to push the ball down field. Miller could be that cushion that Brady tends to rely on underneath. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Miller turns into a similar role as Edelman or Welker was for Brady in New England. If that holds any truth, he could become a consistent WR3/Flex option on a weekly basis.

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Tommy Garrett is a writer for PFN covering Fantasy Football. You can read more of his work here and follow him at @TommygarrettPFN on Twitter.