Rueben Randle had about as up and down a season as you can have at the wide receiver position in 2014. He finished the season with 12 catches and nearly 300 yards in the last two games, but was benched twice throughout the year due to inconsistency and wound up with season totals of 938 yards and only three touchdowns. The Giants will hope that Randle can be an outside threat this year, complementing Victor Cruz and last year’s rookie sensation Odell Beckham Jr.
Fantasy Upside
The Giants have been able to support three fantasy receivers before, and Randle did set a career high with 71 catches last season. Randle has good size and can get downfield, flashing WR1 ability at times. He also provides a different skill set than Cruz and Beckham Jr. on the Giants’ roster, which should give him the opportunity to remain in the lineup.
Fantasy Downside
Randle was woefully inconsistent last year, and if the Giants get more of the same from him in 2015, it’s very likely he’ll find himself benched again. Additionally, he played with an injured Beckham Jr. early in the season and an injured Cruz during the latter part of the year, so targets will be lessened with all three guys in the lineup. The Giants also still have hopes for Corey Washington, which might shorten Randle’s leash if he gets a case of the dropsies early in the season.
Bottom Line
This is likely a pivotal season in Randle’s career. Entering his fourth year in the league, he has shown just enough to peak interest, while still leaving a lot of questions about his potential unanswered. Fantasy owners should consider him a risky bet as a bench WR with the upside to pan out, but he’s not someone that owners should count on for consistent production as an immediate fantasy starter.