Here's Why DeVante Parker Is a Solid Dark-Horse Option to Lead the NFL in Receiving Yards in 2020


Believe it or not, DeVante Parker had the fifth-most receiving yards in the NFL last season, tallying a career-best 1,202. Despite that, he's available at just +3700 to lead the league in receiving yards in 2020, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Despite being tied for just the 17th-best odds to finish the 2020 campaign as the NFL's receiving leader (15th among WRs), the Miami Dolphins wideout actually has a real chance to surprise some people.
MIA WR DeVante Parker went on a serious run from Week 11 to Week 17... in that span vs. other WRs (per PFF)...
— Michael Kist (@MichaelKistNFL) May 12, 2020
Receptions: 39 (7th)
Yards: 733 (1st)
Yards/Route: 2.51 (4th)
TD: 5 (t-1st)
QB Rating: 117.2 (6th)
PFF Grade: 86.4 (4th)
(graphics via @KlipDraw) pic.twitter.com/gSNa8VtooT
Casual fans might not have noticed, because Parker didn't really turn it on until the second half, but when he did he never looked back. Over his first nine games, Parker averaged a respectable 52.1 receiving yards per game, putting him on pace for an 834-yard season.
But over his final seven contests that figured ballooned to 104.7 yards per game, putting him on pace for 1,675 yards – which would've been good for the second-best total in 2019. That wasn't really the result of one or two games either, as Parker was consistently dominant down the stretch. In fact, he recorded at least 91 receiving yards in five of his final seven games.
It'll be tough for him to maintain that pace, but Parker has always been viewed as a supreme talent. If he's finally put it all together, he could be a force in Miami for years to come. He should also benefit from the improvements Miami has made to its roster, including a revamped offensive line and the addition of Tua Tagovailoa.
QB Tua Tagovailoa's 2019 passer rating on deep targets (20+ yards downfield): 134.3 - 3rd in NCAA
— PFF MIA Dolphins (@PFF_Dolphins) May 9, 2020
WR DeVante Parker's 2019 ranks on deep targets:
Receptions: 14 (t-4th)
Drops: 0 (t-1st)
Yards: 478 (4th)
TDs: 5 (t-2nd)#Dolphins #FinsUp
He's likely best viewed as a dark horse, but Parker absolutely has a chance to post another monster season in 2020.
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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.