The Best Players to Stash in Fantasy Football From the AFC West

Clive Walford, TE, Oakland Raiders

The Player

Rookie tight ends have a history of disappointing in fantasy football, and Clive Walford isn't likely to emerge as a top-12 player in the 2015 season. But that doesn't mean he won't be relevant at a weak position, and dynasty owners should know his name as the season unfolds.

A former high school basketball player, Walford didn't start playing football until his senior year before signing with the Miami Hurricanes as a three-star recruit. As a senior, he posted 44 receptions for 676 yards and 7 touchdowns, leading the Raiders to select him in the third round of the 2015 draft.

While not an elite athlete at the position, the 6'4", 250-pound prospect seems to play faster than his 4.79-second 40-yard-dash time suggests and consistently made plays down the seem at college. A smooth athlete, he is more Dwayne Allen than Jimmy Graham but still has the requisite talent (and blocking ability) to be a valuable fantasy commodity.

The Opportunity

While many assume that incumbent starting tight end Mychal Rivera had a solid season, a look beyond the stat line and into the metrics reveal that he was actually one of the least efficient tight ends in football.

His -3.10 Target NEP was the worst among tight ends with at least 60 targets, with Larry Donnell's -0.65 being his closest competitor. For contrast, Delanie Walker posted a 12.82 Target NEP on a similar number of targets.

In addition, he finished in the bottom four at his position in Catch Rate, Reception NEP per target and Reception Success Rate. To put it mildly, he wasn't particularly good at football, and the team has actively been trying to push Walford to supplant him on the depth chart this offseason.

With the young Derek Carr relying heavily on short passes last season, Walford could emerge faster than some expect, providing a security blanket over the middle for the young quarterback. This is especially true if his blocking continues to develop into a strength, something that often keeps young tight ends off the field early in their careers.

He is a must-watch player for dynasty owners, and his preseason bears watching for those looking at streaming tight ends for redraft leagues.