Making the Case

• 5-Star Prospect
• Elite College Performer
• RD1 NFL Draft Pick
• Proven NFL Performer
• Elite QB Play
• Pass-Happy System
• Healthy
• Motivated (?)
• Top-5 Upside
• WR32 Price Tag

Calvin Ridley is shaping up to be a 2023 league-winner.

This article will cover all of the reasons why.

For starters, Calvin Ridley has never not been elite.

He was a 5-star prospect.

& ESPN had him ranked as the #1 WR in his recruiting class.

He put up 89/1045/7 as a true freshman at Alabama (!!)

Declared-early after 3 seasons.

& was a RD1 NFL Draft pick (26th overall).

He put up 64/821/10 his rookie season in the NFL.

63/866/7 in 13 games his 2nd season (full-season pace of 77/1065/8).

Before exploding for 90/1374/9 on 143 targets in 15 games his 3rd season.

The only players with more receiving yards than him that year (2020)?

• Stefon Diggs
• Travis Kelce
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Justin Jefferson
• Davante Adams

Only Davante, Diggs, & Kelce averaged more yards per-game.

Even in 2021, Ridley’s 4th season – he had 52 targets through the first 5 games. A full-season pace of 166 targets (a total which would’ve ranked 5th in the NFL).

Unfortunately, ATL started 2-3 (a year after going 4-12)…

& Ridley decided to step away from the team due to “mental health” issues.

He had a losing record all 4 seasons with ATL.

He never returned during the 2021 season (in which ATL finished 7-10).

& even though it was rumored he’d be traded to play for a new team in 2022…

He was suspended the entire season for gambling before that could happen.

The dynasty community pretty much threw in the towel – & Ridley’s value plummeted as a result.

The trade to JAX has given his value a recent boost.

But has it risen enough?

Calvin Ridley is a former #1 WR recruit who went for 1000+ yards as a true freshman at Alabama, got picked RD1 in the NFL Draft after declaring-early, & had over 1,300 receiving yards & a pace of over 160 targets his last two seasons in the NFL…

& now he gets to play with Trevor Lawrence…

In a pass-happy system…

Lawrence was one of the best college QB prospects in recent memory & just put up 4,113 passing yards, a 66.3% completion percentage, & 25-8 TD-INT ratio in his second NFL season.

JAX was 9th in passing attempts per-game.

Christian Kirk (who never had a 1,000-yard season), put up 84/1108/8.

Evan Engram went over 70 receptions & 750 receiving yards for the first time in his career.

& Zay Jones (who never topped 56 receptions or 652 yards once in 6 years) put up 82/823/5.

If Trevor Lawrence & the JAX system can maximize players like Kirk, Engram, & Zay Jones – just imagine what they’ll be able to do with an elite player like Calvin Ridley…

A Top-5 finish is legitimately within the range of outcomes.

“Lawrence to Ridley” could be the next “Allen to Diggs.”

At WR32 pricing you simply MUST take that chance.

Ridley isn’t “29” or “30.”

He’s 28.

& he will be 28 for the entire 2023 season.

(He doesn’t turn 29 until December).

He’s younger than Kupp, Davante, Diggs, & Tyreek – all of whom dynasty managers have no issue investing in, at higher prices.

By all indications – Ridley is healthy.

He’s not attempting to come back from any sort of injury – he was just suspended.

& now he has all sorts of extra motivating factors (like restoring his reputation, & playing for a team with a winning record).

If he shows up healthy & motivated in 2023 – odds are, he flourishes.

The price is only going to continue to rise – especially once he’s officially reinstated.

So BUY-in now. It’s not too late.

Draft him at his WR32/82 overall price tag in startups.

Sell younger unproven WR’s like Jameson, Pickens, & Dotson for Ridley+

Sell higher-priced vets like Deebo for Ridley+

Sell overpriced RB’s like Najee & Dobbins & Dameon Pierce for Ridley+

Get Calvin Ridley on your team.

He’s a MUST-target at his current cost.