Dolphins beat writer Omar Kelly on WR Brian Hartline: "I’ve watched Hartline closely, and critically for three seasons. During that time I’ve been won over by his intelligence, and solid route running. I’ve also concluded he’s a solid starter. One that has some upside to do more. I’ve pointed out Hartline’s numbers in his first three seasons are superior to those of Jordy Nelson, hinting that Hartline could have a similar breakout season to the one Nelson produced in Green Bay’s offense."
Hartline has a tremendous opportunity this season with the lack of experienced receiving talent in Miami and the installation of a new pass-friendly offense. There are a few warning signs, however. His Fantasy Points / Target (0.94) has been lackluster the last two seasons, though it was impressive (1.22, #22 among qualified WRs) in his rookie year when he caught three TD passes. He should see more redzone targets this season given his size (6'2"), the departure of Brandon Marshall and his penchant for making the sideline grab. (Also, Nelson's jump from 1.10 FP/T in 2010 to a league-leading 2.28 in 2011 shows that a big jump is not unprecedented.) Hartline's Catch % (i.e. receptions/targets) was a below-average 53.0% in 2011 -- however, he was much better (61.4%) in 2010. He's not quite as big as Nelson, or as fast, but opportunity is a big part of fantasy success, and Hartline has that in spades. (Hit the Full Article link to see Hartline's highlight reel.)
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