Brandon LaFell was a huge disappointment with the Patriots last year, released last month. He was a quality No. 2 for them in 2014, however, and the Bengals seem likely to ask the same of him in 2016. They lost their No. 2 and 3 receivers in free agency.
With Marvin Jones in Detroit and Mohamed Sanu in Atlanta, the Bengals should give heavy targets to LaFell this season. There's still the draft and training camp to sort out, of course, but right now the only other candidate is another former Patriot, ironically also named Brandon, Brandon Tate. No way he's their No. 2, so it should be LaFell.
As Ian Allan noted back when the Patriots released him, though, LaFell was one of the worst receivers in the league last year, catching only half of the passes thrown his way. He was working with Tom Brady, of course, so it probably wasn't a case of the future Hall of Famer sailing a lot of errant balls around. LaFell just wasn't very good.
Still, there's potential for production with Andy Dalton. Jones last year caught 65 passes for 816 yards and 4 TDs. All of those scores came with Dalton healthy; the passing offense slipped when he missed the final month of the season. So maybe he can get back on the fantasy radar.
But it's telling that he was out there for so long before the Bengals finally signed him. And a reminder of how ineffective he was a year ago.
Reception percentages from last year are shown below. Note that the receiver LaFell will likely replace, Jones, was much better.
| 2015 RECEPTION PERCENTAGES | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Tgt | Pct |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 78 | 1,069 | 14 | 103 | 76% |
| Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 59 | 604 | 2 | 78 | 76% |
| Keenan Allen, S.D. | 67 | 725 | 4 | 89 | 75% |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1,215 | 9 | 145 | 75% |
| Danny Amendola, N.E. | 65 | 648 | 3 | 87 | 75% |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 136 | 1,834 | 10 | 193 | 70% |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 90 | 813 | 6 | 128 | 70% |
| Jeremy Maclin, K.C. | 87 | 1,088 | 8 | 124 | 70% |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 52 | 536 | 5 | 75 | 69% |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 61 | 692 | 7 | 88 | 69% |
| Willie Snead, N.O. | 69 | 984 | 3 | 101 | 68% |
| Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 85 | 997 | 8 | 126 | 67% |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 136 | 1,871 | 8 | 203 | 67% |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 110 | 1,157 | 4 | 166 | 66% |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 86 | 1,297 | 10 | 132 | 65% |
| Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 84 | 1,138 | 9 | 129 | 65% |
| Pierre Garcon, Wash. | 72 | 777 | 6 | 111 | 65% |
| John Brown, Ariz. | 65 | 1,003 | 7 | 101 | 64% |
| Rueben Randle, NYG | 57 | 797 | 8 | 90 | 63% |
| Marvin Jones, Cin. | 65 | 816 | 4 | 103 | 63% |
| Steve Smith, Balt. | 46 | 670 | 3 | 73 | 63% |
| Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109 | 1,502 | 14 | 173 | 63% |
| Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 60 | 1,047 | 9 | 96 | 63% |
| Anquan Boldin, S.F. | 69 | 789 | 4 | 111 | 62% |
| Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 52 | 720 | 4 | 84 | 62% |
| Roddy White, Atl. | 43 | 506 | 1 | 70 | 61% |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 79 | 829 | 6 | 129 | 61% |
| Allen Hurns, Jac. | 64 | 1,031 | 10 | 105 | 61% |
| Donte Moncrief, Ind. | 64 | 733 | 6 | 105 | 61% |
| Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 96 | 1,450 | 13 | 158 | 61% |
| Eric Decker, NYJ | 80 | 1,027 | 12 | 132 | 61% |
| Tavon Austin, St.L. | 52 | 473 | 5 | 87 | 60% |
| Brian Hartline, Clev. | 46 | 523 | 2 | 77 | 60% |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 105 | 1,304 | 6 | 177 | 59% |
| Calvin Johnson, Det. | 88 | 1,214 | 9 | 149 | 59% |
| Kamar Aiken, Balt. | 75 | 944 | 5 | 127 | 59% |
| Robert Woods, Buff. | 47 | 552 | 3 | 80 | 59% |
| Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 52 | 849 | 6 | 89 | 58% |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 85 | 922 | 9 | 146 | 58% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 111 | 1,521 | 11 | 192 | 58% |
| Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 54 | 807 | 4 | 94 | 57% |
| Cecil Shorts, Hou. | 42 | 484 | 2 | 75 | 56% |
| Terrance Williams, Dall. | 52 | 840 | 3 | 93 | 56% |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 76 | 1,135 | 6 | 136 | 56% |
| Markus Wheaton, Pitt. | 44 | 749 | 5 | 79 | 56% |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 72 | 1,070 | 6 | 130 | 55% |
| Travis Benjamin, Clev. | 68 | 966 | 5 | 125 | 54% |
| Martavis Bryant, Pitt. | 50 | 765 | 6 | 92 | 54% |
| Mike Wallace, Minn. | 39 | 473 | 2 | 72 | 54% |
| Andre Johnson, Ind. | 41 | 503 | 4 | 77 | 53% |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 50 | 483 | 1 | 94 | 53% |
| Allen Robinson, Jac. | 80 | 1,400 | 14 | 151 | 53% |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 69 | 1,124 | 5 | 134 | 51% |
| James Jones, G.B. | 50 | 890 | 8 | 99 | 51% |
| Nate Washington, Hou. | 47 | 658 | 4 | 94 | 50% |
| Kenny Britt, St.L. | 36 | 681 | 3 | 72 | 50% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 74 | 1,206 | 3 | 148 | 50% |
| Harry Douglas, Tenn. | 36 | 411 | 2 | 72 | 50% |
| Brandon LaFell, N.E. | 37 | 515 | 0 | 74 | 50% |
| Ted Ginn, Car. | 44 | 739 | 10 | 97 | 45% |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 31 | 401 | 3 | 72 | 43% |
--Andy Richardson
