Jordy Nelson: 2014 Fantasy Football Profile and Projection

- Updated: July 15, 2014

Calvin Johnson. Dez Bryant. Jordy Nelson.

Aside from all being talented receivers, those three wideouts share something specific in common — they are the only three wide receivers with a minimum of 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns over the past three seasons combined.

(If you include tight ends, there is a fourth member of the 3,000/30 club: Jimmy Graham.)

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Nelson finished last season with 85 receptions for 1,314 yards, both of which were career highs, and eight touchdowns. As productive as he was last season, Nelson would have been more productive had Aaron Rodgers not missed a significant chunk of the season with a broken collarbone.

In the nine games that Rodgers started (and finished), Nelson posted a statistical line of 49/810/7. In those games, he averaged 90.0 yards per game and 16.53 yards per reception. As a comparison, Nelson averaged 72.0 YPG and 14.0 Y/R in the seven games that Rodgers did not finish while scoring only one touchdown.

Along with teams like Chicago and Atlanta, the Packers have one of the league's top wide receiver duos with Nelson and the versatile and dynamic Randall Cobb, who missed 10 games last season. Even though Rodgers spreads the ball around and Nelson finished 23rd in targets last season, Nelson thrived with Cobb in the lineup.

Nelson had a minimum of 66 yards in each of the six games that Cobb played last season including three 100-yard outings. Over those six games, he averaged 6.17 receptions and 107.5 yards per game as well as 17.43 yards per reception.

While he possesses excellent size (6-3, 217) and underrated speed, Nelson appeared on a list by NFL.com's Bucky Brooks of the 10 receivers with the best hands in the league.

Brooks wrote that Nelson displays "the toughness and physicality to excel between the hashes. Concentration, focus and hand-eye coordination are the key traits to survival in the middle of the field, and Nelson doesn't just survive -- he thrives..."

One of the things that could be a fantasy boost to Nelson as well as the rest of the team is that coach Mike McCarthy would like the team to play at a faster pace in 2014, which means more plays and production for the entire offense. Last season, the Packers ranked 11th in the league with 67.125 plays per game, but McCarthy would like the team to average 75 per game, which would have led the league last year.

Based on his current average draft position (ADP) from Fantasy Football Calculator, Nelson being selected at the end of the second round (2.11) and as the WR7, on average. That coincides with my expectation as I currently project him to be the seventh-highest fantasy scorer among wide receivers.

2014 Fantasy Strength of Schedule

Based on cumulative fantasy points allowed last year of their opponents this year, Nelson and the Packers wide receivers have the seventh-easiest fantasy schedule. In the fantasy playoffs, they face the Falcons, Bills and the Darrelle Revis-less Bucs.

- Resources: Fantasy Football WR Strength of Schedule | 2014 Packers Team Schedule

2014 Stat Projection: 82 receptions, 1,283 yards, 10 TDs

- More: 2014 Fantasy Football Profiles | 2014 Fantasy Football Projections

Check out our 2014 fantasy football rankings:

Good luck in your 2014 fantasy football leagues!