Robert Meachem

Released by the Chargers in August of 2013.

A former first-round draft pick with good size and speed, Meachem never graduated from role player to featured target in New Orleans’ diverse offense. This year, he takes his wares to San Diego where he should compete for targets with talented but less established players in Vincent Brown and Malcom Floyd. At 6-2, 210, and able to beat defenses deep, Meachem put up strong per-play numbers again in 2011, 15.5 YPC, 10.3 YPT on 60 targets. While he’ll no longer benefit from Sean Payton, Drew Brees and the Superdome, he’ll be in a favorable passing environment with Philip Rivers and good weather year round. And that Meachem signed a four-year, $29 million deal with $14 million guaranteed is a good sign the Chargers intend to feature him more heavily than the Saints did. Meachem underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery in late January, but was a full participant in the Chargers voluntary workouts in April and should be 100 percent healthy for the start of training camp.

After a mini breakout in the second half of 2009, Meachem didn't take the next step last year, remaining a talented role player rather than a primary target. At 6-3, 217 and plenty of deep speed, Meachem looks the part of a No. 1 receiver, and his per-play numbers – 9.7 YPT, 14.5 YPC – were excellent as usual. But the Saints spread the ball around to Marques Colston, Lance Moore and Devery Henderson as well as to their tight ends and backs, and Meachem apparently hasn't made the case that he deserves more than the 65 targets he's averaged the last two years. That could change with Henderson likely to be released and in any event, Drew Brees would probably use all of his weapons no matter who was on the roster. Meachem had offseason ankle surgery, but is expected to be fine for the start of training camp.

It took him until Week 6 to get going, but the former first-round draft pick finally cashed in on some of his promise. Meachem parlayed his role in the highpowered Saints attack to the tune of 11.1 yards per target (2nd in the league among wideouts with 65 targets or more), 16.0 yards per catch, a 69 percent catch rate (3rd) and nine touchdowns. At 6-3, 210, Meachem is the full package — big, strong and athletic enough to outleap and outfight defenders for the ball and fast enough to run by them. He’s tough to bring down in the open field and has good hands. Meachem’s route running is still a work in progress, and while he’s in one of the most prolific passing offenses in the league, he’s but one of many options for Drew Brees at this point. Nonetheless, Meachem’s 32-476-6 line in the second half of the year was comparable to teammate Marques Colston’s 33-478-3, only with twice as many touchdowns. And while Colston’s already at his peak, Meachem still has room to get better. Meachem had surgery to repair cartilage on the second toe of his left foot in May, but it’s considered minor, and he’s expected to be 100 percent for the start of training camp.

Meachem is one of the most intriguing players on the Saints' roster. A first-round draft pick in 2007, he has shown flashes of his potential. However, with the Saints being deep at the wide receiver position, Meachem has struggled to find consistent playing time. In his third year as a pro, he is definitely a sleeper candidate in fantasy leagues thanks to the potency of the Saints' offensive attack behind Drew Brees.

The Saints attempted by far the most passes in the NFL last season despite not having a reliable No. 2 receiver to complement Marques Colston. Devery Henderson is a one-dimensional speed guy, David Patten is long in the tooth and Lance Moore and Terrance Copper aren't every down players. That leaves Meachem, the team's first round draft pick last year who missed the season with a knee injury. At 6-3, 210, Meachem has excellent size and good burst, and he impressed coaches during spring minicamps. Now that he's finally healthy, Meachem should get a chance to claim a role in the offense.

Someone’s got to play opposite Marques Colston, and if it’s not Devery Henderson, it just might be Meachem, the 27th overall pick in this year’s draft. At 6-3, 210, and with good speed and excellent burst, Meachem can run by defenders and make acrobatic catches down the field. He’s stoutly built, and he’s tough to bring down after the catch. Meachem’s not a good route runner, however, he has concentration lapses and is prone to drops. Still with his physical tools and playing with Drew Brees in Sean Payton’s offense, there’s a lot of upside here – that is, if he lays off the Big Macs. Meachem showed up to spring minicamps overweight and out of shape.