What do Rick James and hot wings have in common? Other than being able to help you clear your sinuses, they’re both from Buffalo! Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has taken James’ place as Buffalo’s Super Freak and he’s neck and neckbeard with quarterback Josh Allen for the hottest thing since Buffalo wings.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen Diggs grow into the player everyone watched explode before their eyes this season. I saw him in person at Good Counsel High School and at the University of Maryland. What I’ve seen is consistent development across every level of football he’s played. He’s always been the smooth route running, zone busting, return touchdown scoring, footwork master. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with speed and precision. The physical tools are just one part of Diggs’ game. He’s as cerebral of a player as anyone in the NFL. A wide receiver who understands the game the way Diggs does is a tremendous asset for Josh Allen and Gabriel Davis specifically.
To examine Diggs’ consistency and growth let’s take a look at the tables below. They represent his three college seasons and his first three NFL seasons.
University of Maryland 2012 – 2014
| Year | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 54 | 848 | 15.7 | 6 |
| 2013 | 34 | 587 | 17.3 | 3 |
| 2014 | 62 | 792 | 12.8 | 5 |
| Total | 150 | 2,227 | 14.8 | 14 |
Minnesota Vikings 2015 – 2017
| Year | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 52 | 720 | 13.8 | 4 |
| 2016 | 84 | 903 | 10.8 | 3 |
| 2017 | 64 | 849 | 13.3 | 8 |
| Total | 200 | 2,472 | 12.6 | 15 |
What you’ll find is a player who has been consistent throughout his career from College Park to the NFL. He has developed not only within the offensive system he’s a part of but also cerebrally about the game. He went from a remarkable athlete sharpening his tools to one of the masters in his craft. What you’ll also find in the tables above is in spite of mediocre at best quarterback play. In his three seasons at Maryland he endured five different starters at quarterback including a linebacker at one point due to a rash of ACL injuries. Diggs didn’t get any favors at quarterback once he arrived in the NFL either. In the 2015 – 2017 NFL seasons Diggs’ quarterbacks were: Teddy Bridgewater (2015), Sam Bradford and Shaun Hill (2016), and lastly Case Keenum and Sam Bradford (2017).
Next we have a table which demonstrates how Diggs has developed as a wide receiver and is finally getting the attention he deserves from fans, media, and top-tier cornerbacks.
NFL 2018 – 2020
| Year | Team | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | MIN | 103 | 1,021 | 10 | 9 |
| 2019 | MIN | 63 | 1,130 | 17.9 | 6 |
| 2020 | BUF | 127 | 1,535 | 12.1 | 8 |
| – | Total | 293 | 3,686 | 13.3 | 23 |
Diggs is no longer the secret he once may have been. He’s no longer being overlooked. Stefon Diggs’ time has come to reign! With his offensive ties to Allen I believe Diggs has yet to have his best fantasy season. Many football fans are just realizing his potential now after he led the league in targets (166), receptions (127), receiving yards (1,535), and, trailed only Packers’ Devante Adams (77.2%) in catch percentage (75.5%) among wide receivers with 100 or more targets
Looking ahead, what is Diggs worth in fantasy leagues? He just turned 27 years old, he doesn’t take big hits, he’s tied to Allen, he’s fast enough to beat defenses over the top, and smart enough to pick holes in zone coverage. In re-draft leagues he’s going to be in my top three wide receivers and in dynasty leagues, my top five. Stop overlooking Stefon Diggs!
Want to talk more about Stefon Diggs or all things fantasy football? Hit me up on Twitter (@SantosLHalper83) and be sure to check out more great content at Fantasy Intervention!
