Brandon LaFell

LaFell quietly had a productive season with 13.5 YPC, 8.1 YPT, four catches of 40-plus yards and six touchdowns. This year, he will face more competition for targets after the Bengals spent the ninth overall pick on speedster John Ross. At 6-3, 210, LaFell has good size but isn't especially fast -- he ran a 4.54 40 at the 2010 Combine, and at age 30, he's not getting any quicker. But LaFell moves well for a tall player and was Andy Dalton's go-to option when A.J. Green was out late in the year. Despite the added competition, LaFell could begin the year as the starter opposite Green, though his precise role will become clearer during training camp. Even if LaFell wins the job, Ross will get his share of downfield looks, Tyler Boyd will have a role and TE Tyler Eifert, along with Green, will likely see most of the red-zone looks.

After a productive year as the Patriots' No. 2 receiver, LaFell entered 2015 with a foot injury, missed five games outright and never seemed to establish any consistency. As a result, the 29-year-old finds himself in Cincinnati this year. At 6-3, 210, with 4.54 speed, LaFell moves decently for a tall receiver, and even during an off year caught two passes of 40-plus on only 74 targets. With Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu gone, LaFell has a chance to be the Bengals' No. 2 receiver opposite A.J. Green, but he'll have to beat out second-round pick Tyler Boyd. Even if he doesn't, he'd have some involvement as the No. 3.

While second-year man Aaron Dobson was getting most of the preseason buzz, it was LaFell who emerged as Tom Brady's No. 3 target behind Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. In all, LaFell was passably efficient (8.0 YPT, 19th among the league's 41 100-target WR), but he caught 62 percent of the balls thrown his way, dropped only two passes all year and scored seven times. At 6-3, 210, LaFell has good size, and he saw 15 red-zone targerts and six targets from inside the 10 (both T-18th), but the 6-6, 265-pound Rob Gronkowski is usually going to be Brady's first look from in close. LaFell's not especially fast (4.54 40), and only 10 of his 119 targets resulted in receptions of 20-plus yards, including just two of 40-plus. But he's still penciled in as the No. 2 wideout on the team's depth chart, when healthy, though a lingering foot injury has landed him on the PUP list to start the regular season.

Someone has to stretch the field in New England and it could very well be LaFell, who signed with the team in March. At 6-2, 210 and with 4.54 speed, LaFell averaged 10.9 YPT in 2011 and 8.9 YPT in 2012 before a down year in 2013. LaFell is behind Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman on the depth chart, but both are small, possession types, and only Aaron Dobson has better tools to make big plays. While LaFell, along with Dobson, both have red-zone size, tight end Rob Gronkowski is likely to dominate those targets so long as he’s healthy.

While Steve Smith is the team's top target, LaFell was actually its most efficient – and that's been true two years running. Of course, Smith is the player seeing extra defensive attention, and LaFell's 15.4 YPC and 8.9 YPT came on just 76 looks. Still, 13 went for 20 or more yards and two went for 40-plus. At 6-3, 206 and with good long speed, LaFell has the ability to make plays down the field. His biggest problem, other than Smith dominating the targets, is Carolina’s run-first approach in the red zone. Cam Newton attempted only 60 passes there all year (20th) despite playing all 16 games, and LaFell himself saw only nine targets in that area. Still, LaFell will be the team's No. 2 wideout again this year, and Smith turned 34 in May.

Someone has to start opposite Steve Smith, and it appears LaFell is the most likely candidate. LaFell saw just 56 targets last year, but put 10.9 YPT and 17 YPC. At 6-3, 206, and with good long speed, LaFell has the physical tools to produce, but Cam Newton leaned heavily on Smith and then spread the rest of the targets around between LaFell, the team’s tight ends and other receivers. And while Legedu Naanee has left to play in Miami, David Gettis – who was a factor in 2010 – should be healthy and could push LaFell for the job.

The 78th pick of the 2010 draft, LaFell didn’t make a significant impact during his rookie season. Much of that was due to inept quarterback play in Carolina, but fellow rookie – and sixth round pick – David Gettis seemed to leapfrog LaFell on the depth chart. At 6-3, 206 and with good speed, he has the physical tools to break out, should the Panthers generate any kind of passing offense – something that’s entirely possible but unlikely, given their current quarterback situation of Jimmy Clausen, Cam Newton or Derek Anderson.

The 78th pick in the 2010 draft, LaFell falls into a favorable situation with the Panthers. After Steve Smith the WR situation in Carolina is wide open, since last year's No. 2 Dwayne Jarrett did little to hold on to his job. LaFell is a good combination of size and speed, though off field issues dropped him down on draft day. He is worth a late round grab in deep seasonal formats and possibly a second round pick in rookie-only drafts.