Around the NFL

June 19, 2021

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Can big-play threat put it together?

If we assume that Aaron Rodgers plays for Green Bay this year -- not certain, but there seems to be no interest on the part of the team in trading him, and Rodgers doesn't seem likely to actually sit out when push comes to shove -- the secondary receivers need to be considered. Davante Adams, Robert Tonyan, and?

Green Bay drafted another A Rodgers, Amari, in the 3rd round. They also have Allen Lazard, who went for 451 yards a year ago (and was a big part of the offense the first month of the season, prior to missing six games with an abdomen injury). And then there's Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

MVS is a frustrating case. Rodgers has talked him up plenty in his career, while also giving him death stares during games after he drops a pass or perhaps screws up a route. Last year he caught 4 touchdowns of at least 45 yards, but caught only 1 or 0 passes in nearly half (seven) of his games. Really tough to put a guy into the lineup with a floor that low, even though he has a high ceiling. (What struck me from the picture accompanying this article is how thinly built he is, listed at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds.)

But somebody has to be the No. 2 wideout in this offense, and maybe the 26-year-old Valdes-Scantling can finally take hold of the job in his fourth season. That upside is pretty impressive.

In each of his first three seasons, Valdes-Scantling has averaged over 15 yards per catch. That includes finishing over 20 yards per reception in 2020 -- best in the league over that timeframe (45-plus targets).

BIG-PLAY WIDEOUTS, 2018-2020
Year	Player	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
2020	Marquez Valdes-Scantling	63	33	690	20.9	6
2019	Mike Williams (Clemson)	90	49	1001	20.4	2
2019	A.J. Brown	84	52	1051	20.2	8
2018	DeSean Jackson	74	41	774	18.9	4
2020	Nelson Agholor	82	48	896	18.7	8
2019	Kenny Golladay	116	65	1190	18.3	11
2020	Jalen Guyton	55	28	511	18.3	3
2020	DJ Moore	118	66	1193	18.1	4
2019	John Ross	56	28	506	18.1	3
2018	Josh Gordon	71	41	737	18.0	4
2019	Stefon Diggs	94	63	1130	17.9	6
2019	Breshad Perriman	69	36	645	17.9	6
2018	Mike Evans	138	86	1524	17.7	8
2019	Marquez Valdes-Scantling	56	26	452	17.4	2
2018	Dante Pettis	45	27	467	17.3	5
2019	Mike Evans	118	67	1157	17.3	8
2018	David Moore	53	26	445	17.1	5
2020	Gabriel Davis	62	35	599	17.1	7
2018	John Brown	97	42	715	17.0	5
2018	Tyreek Hill	137	87	1479	17.0	12
2018	Tyler Lockett	70	57	965	16.9	10
2020	Breshad Perriman	60	30	505	16.8	3
2019	Michael Gallup	113	66	1107	16.8	6
2018	Courtland Sutton	84	42	704	16.8	4
2018	T.Y. Hilton	120	76	1270	16.7	6
2019	James Washington	80	44	735	16.7	3
2019	DeVante Parker	128	72	1202	16.7	9
2020	Will Fuller	75	53	879	16.6	8
2019	Chris Conley	90	47	775	16.5	5
2020	Jerry Jeudy	113	52	856	16.5	3
2020	Rashard Higgins	52	37	599	16.2	4
2018	Tyrell Williams	65	41	653	15.9	5
2020	Justin Jefferson	125	88	1400	15.9	7
2019	Terry McLaurin	93	58	919	15.8	7
2019	Josh Gordon	47	27	426	15.8	1
2020	Mike Williams	85	48	756	15.8	5
2018	Will Fuller	45	32	503	15.7	4
2020	DK Metcalf	129	83	1303	15.7	10
2019	DK Metcalf	100	58	900	15.5	7
2019	Chris Godwin	121	86	1333	15.5	9
2019	Tyrell Williams	64	42	651	15.5	6
2019	Courtland Sutton	124	72	1112	15.4	6
2018	Mike Williams (Clemson)	66	43	664	15.4	10
2019	Darius Slayton	84	48	740	15.4	8
2020	A.J. Brown	106	70	1075	15.4	11
2018	Michael Gallup	68	33	507	15.4	2
2018	Marquez Valdes-Scantling	73	38	581	15.3	2
2020	Calvin Ridley	143	90	1374	15.3	9
2018	Kelvin Benjamin	67	25	380	15.2	1
2018	Chris Hogan	55	35	532	15.2	3
2018	Kenny Golladay	119	70	1063	15.2	5
2020	Scott Miller	53	33	501	15.2	3
2020	Corey Davis	92	65	984	15.1	5
2020	Julio Jones	68	51	771	15.1	3
2018	A.J. Green	77	46	694	15.1	6
2019	Amari Cooper	119	79	1189	15.1	8
2018	Brandin Cooks	117	80	1204	15.1	5
2019	Randall Cobb	83	55	828	15.1	3

I've been in a couple of best-ball drafts, and there's not a lot of interest in Green Bay wideouts (after Davante Adams). Neither Valdes-Scantling, Lazard nor Rodgers are being selected until very late. Some of that is definitely concern over Aaron Rodgers' future (nobody wants to see Jordan Love trying to connect with MVS), and some is the lack of clarity on the No. 2.

But there's some upside in MVS, if the price is right, and it seems to be right now. In the later rounds of drafts, he's a guy to consider.

--Andy Richardson

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

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