Week 3 – Torrey Smith vs. Cleveland
Torrey Smith has had a rough start to the season. He didn’t do much against a tough Bengals secondary in Week 1, and then he only had one catch and 10 yards against the Steelers last week. He remains a big play threat on the outside that can score from a distance if he gets the opportunity. He just hasn’t done it yet through two games.
This week, he faces another tough AFC North secondary as the Browns’ cornerback Joe Haden will likely be lined up across from him. Haden is a physical player who is emerging as one of the best in the game, which doesn’t bode well for Smith to bounce back in Week 3. Because of his speed and big play ability, Smith is still a fantasy option, but we have him ranked as a low end WR3 this week because of the matchup against Haden. Fantasy owners should be cautious.
Week 2 – Torrey Smith vs. Pittsburgh
Torrey Smith was disappointing in week one against the Bengals stingy defense, finishing with 50 yards on only three receptions. He drew most of the attention of the defense, which opened up things for Steve Smith across from him and TE Dennis Pitta underneath and in the seam.
Smith faces a Steelers defense that allowed only 230 yards passing from the Browns last week, and a defense that has given Smith fits in the past. While he was productive the last time he faced Pittsburgh, in five career games against the Steelers, he has averaged only 3.6 receptions, 53 yards, and scored only two total touchdowns against them. Smith is still a WR3 option this week, but expect the Steelers to hit Smith at the line and keep a safety over the top on him all game.
Week 1 – Torrey Smith vs. Cincinnati
The presence of Steve Smith opposite Torrey Smith might improve both receivers’ numbers this season, with Torrey Smith getting the nod as the WR1 in the Ravens’ new offense. Smith set career highs last year in yards and receptions, and he’s a dangerous vertical threat and a big play waiting to happen.
This week, he may have a bit of a hard time excelling against the Bengals pass defense, which ranked fifth in the league last year. Smith is still a viable fantasy WR, but we have him in that low end WR2 to high end WR3 territory with a tough Week 1 matchup.
Tasked with replacing the departed Anquan Boldin and taking a big step as an elite WR1 in the Ravens’ offense last year, Torrey Smith was expected to have a huge breakout fantasy season. Many doubted him, most believed, but in the end, he wound up somewhere in the middle of legit WR1 and miscast WR2, posting career highs in receptions (65) and yards (1,128), but only scoring four touchdowns, the lowest in his young, three year career. He has improved to some degree in each of his first three seasons, but time will tell if he is ready for the breakout this season that everyone was expecting last year.
Fantasy Upside
Smith likely will never be the kind of player that can consistently beat double coverage, which means that some of his upside heading into 2014 lies with the additions of Steve L Smith from Carolina and Dennis Pitta back from injury to help take the defensive focus off the fast, but undersized Smith. Mostly though, Smith is a durable, reliable target in Baltimore, with a new offensive coordinator in Gary Kubiak who should help give the offense a little more punch. Additionally, Smith still has those extremely fast wheels of his, making him a big play waiting to happen.
Fantasy Downside
It’s very possible we’ve seen the best of Smith. Last year, he finished 17th in receiving yards, and caught 65 balls, meaning he put up good, but not great numbers. He’s only six feet tall, so he’s never going to be a top red zone target, and he looked miscast as a top wideout last season on a team that really needed someone to step up in the passing game. Perhaps most concerning is the highly effective combination of press coverage and safety help that teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers have used to completely negate Smith’s talents, and cause him to often disappear in the passing game.
Bottom Line
Smith should remain a solid fantasy option, and it’s very likely he repeats his numbers from last season, possibly with even a few more touchdowns. However, expecting a huge leap is probably wishful thinking, and it’s far more likely that Smith has shown us who he is. He’s a borderline WR2/WR3 in most weeks, with added value in leagues that reward long touchdowns. While it’s possible that the addition of Kubiak, along with an improved array of weapons opens things up for the speedy Maryland product, it’s more likely that we’ve seen the best of what Smith has to offer.
