Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant was suspended for the first four games of the season on Thursday for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. While a little marijuana smoke isn't necessarily a big deal, Bryant's decision to put himself in a situation to be suspended has wide-ranging ramifications.
For the Steelers, it means that two of the team's top offensive playmakers will be out for the first two games. Remember, running back Le'Veon Bell was suspended over the spring after being stopped on DUI and marijuana possession charges last summer.
From a fantasy perspective, this four-game suspension is huge news.
Bryant, a second-year receiver from Clemson, caught 26 passes for 549 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. Prior to Thursday's news, Bryant had an ADP at the top of the sixth round (24th receiver off the board). For those who have already conducted their drafts, losing a bottom-end WR2 or top-end FLEX option before the regular season hurts big time. My recommendation there would be to potentially pick up rookie Sammie Coates as an option in Pittsburgh. The fourth-round pick caught two passes for 60 yards last week against the Green Bay Packers, and is likely to take over as the team's No. 3 receiver behind Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton until Bryant returns.
For those who have already set their big boards but haven't conducted their drafts yet, it's no time to panic. The performance Bryant put up as a rookie coupled with the rave reviews he's drawn around Pittsburgh this summer made him a sexy WR2 option. Though, there are some other high-upside players near his ADP level.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson is going about a half dozen picks below Bryant. His upside is nowhere near his younger counterpart, but it's reasonable to believe Jackson will put up WR2 numbers this season. Targeted an average of 151 times over the past two seasons, the 10-year NFL veteran saw his touchdown numbers dwindle to just two this past year. Though, most of that had to do with horrendous quarterback play in Tampa Bay. Prior to last year, Jackson was averaging eight touchdowns per season over the previous three campaigns. With Jameis Winston now under center, it's likely he will be near that number in 2015.
Another player to keep tabs on as a potential WR2 replacement for Bryant is second-year Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams, who will be replacing Jordy Nelson in the team's starting lineup with the latter out for the year due to an ACL injury. Adams had an up-and-down rookie campaign, but seems to have gained the trust of Aaron Rodgers. It doesn't take a genius to realize what that means from a fantasy perspective. Adams' current ADP finds himself as an eighth round pick, but that's likely going to trend upwards as more recent drafts are conducted.
As it relates to Bryant, he should be around the 90th pick mark after news of the four-game suspension. That would enable you to already have at least two receivers on your roster by the time you make the decision to draft the talented youngster. Definitely don't rely on him as a WR2 this year unless you find value in a stopgap WR2 option.