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First Down: Only simpletons would avoid Odell Beckham in Round 1

As the summer heats up, Yahoo's resident Noisemaker will offer his hot takes on specific players, trends and strategies much discussed in Fantasyland. Naturally, whatever he forecasts, the opposite is bound to occur. Feel free to offer your two cents in the comments section below.

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The Pickle: Off a history-making campaign in which he compiled 91 receptions (on 129 targets), 1,305 yards and 12 TDs in only a dozen games (17.2 fantasy points per game, WR1), the single greatest output by a rookie wide receiver ever, Odell Beckham Jr. has surprisingly become a divisive subject. If positioned in the back half of round one, should you invest in the Giants wideout? Is he worth the approximate $30-$35 price tag in auction formats?

Reasons why you should sell the farm for Beckham:

Skill Set. There may be no receiver with better route-running and ball-adjustment abilities than Beckham. His precise cuts, terrific long-range speed and remarkably quick feet exploit defenders with ease and allows him to instantly gain separation. His 2.74 yards per route run last year set the pace among WRs by a fairly wide margin. Demaryius Thomas was second at 2.69, A.J. Green third with 2.59. Also equipped with Spidey-like hands, he ranked No. 5 in drop rate, botching just two passes on 93 catchable attempts.

Offensive Scheme. Ben McAdoo's offense, patterned after the Packers', is a vertically-minded system that peppers opponents with numerous passes. Overall, the Giants chucked it 607 times in 2014, the ninth-most attempts in the league. More specifically, from Week 9 on Eli Manning averaged 41.8 attempts per game, more than any QB during that stretch. The handsome workload provided Eli and Beckham several opportunities to establish a chemistry akin to Hall and Oates, one that is sure to carry a tune this fall. A shaky, injury-ridden D often forced the Giants skyward, but even if improvements are made in that area, the sophomore should still entice 10-plus targets per game.

Fantasy Strength of Schedule. Admittedly, defensive impacts are difficult to predict this early in the game. Without viewable observations and fresh data, quantification can only be made based on recent results. Still, New York, thanks in large part to four combined matchups against Philly and Washington, has the fifth-friendliest schedule for fantasy WRs in 2015. Additional tilts against Atlanta and New Orleans offer encouragement. If trends aren't bucked, Beckham will face a number of vulnerable secondaries.

Reasons why some are unwilling to sell a single chicken for Beckham:

Limited Track-Record. The wideout's 12-game sample has many skittish. Ardent supporters of proven, sustainable commodities will pass on him, and presumably Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans and Brandin Cooks, for that reason. Ignorant. Yes, there are several examples of second-year targets that crash and burned. Eddie Royal, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen immediately come to mind. Conversely, guys like Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin and Julio Jones continued to flourish. Given Beckham's extraordinary talents, he's aligned more with the second group.

Victor Cruz. Roughly seven months removed from a gruesome patellar tendon injury, the veteran is reportedly at 75-80 percent. He recently began running routes, cutting and planting at three-quarters speed. The news is promising, but the road to a full recovery remains long. A Mayo Clinic study on post-patellar athletes concluded it took an average of 18 months before full range of motion was achieved. Cadillac Williams is probably the best example of a player who bounced back strongly from the injury. Recall he ruptured knees in consecutive years and rushed for a stunning 1,035 yards and seven TDs in his 2009 return. Cruz could be ready by Week 1, but even if active the slot man will likely play second fiddle. Recall he was only on pace for a 61-898-3 line pre-injury last year. And that was off a sharp decline in 2013. The Salsa King will wrest away some targets, but not enough to warrant concern. If anything, Cruz's presence would be beneficial as he would help lure attention away from Beckham.

Uncontrollable Superstitions. Many will circumvent ODB solely because he's the newest Madden cover athlete. It's laughable. Leave chasing mythical beasts to cryptozoologists and the bumbling 'biologists' from "Mountain Monsters." The long line of failures tied to Madden are coincidence, nothing more. Did Richard Sherman spontaneously combust last year? No, he was an All-Pro and ranked No. 1 in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus allowing a 41.1 QB rating on passes thrown his direction. Previous spokespersons Marshall Faulk, Ray Lewis and Drew Brees also logged quality seasons the year their likenesses graced the game. Still believe? Feel free to mount a leprechaun.

Fearless Forecast: Smart money says Beckham is unlikely to experience a significant decline in Year 2. He's a unique talent tied to a favorable offense who should be selected with the utmost confidence inside the overall top-10 and even higher in keeper formats. Though his overall sample size is minute compared to Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch, Adrian Peterson and Andrew Luck, his floor is similar. He's mailman reliable. Keep in mind, the bust rate of WR1s (Those drafted inside the position's top-12 who failed to finish inside the top-15) over the past six years is 33.3 percent. RB1s during that stretch checked in at 43.1 percent. Yes, fantasy is a game of Frogger, everyone in every round is trying to avoid getting flattened by a semi-truck, but throwing cash at a young, ultra-dynamic WR1 who averaged a league-leading 0.26 fantasy points per snap (350 snap minimum) in his rookie season is a sage move. Unless Ultron reanimates and torches him with a concussion blaster, a final effort in range of 105 receptions, 1,500 yards and 11-14 touchdowns is inevitable. The thought of pairing him with a second-class RB (e.g. Arian Foster, Jeremy Hill or C.J. Anderson) or, for the zeroRB faithful, Aaron Rodgers, is awfully appealing. Score that combo and the elation would be equivalent to this. I would gladly take him anywhere between picks No. 6-10 or shell out $33-$37 for his services. Really Antonio Brown, Beckham and Dez Bryant are 1A/1B/1C. He's that special. He's that good. Go ahead and believe in silly curses.

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