Premier Athleticism:Sanu's most important trait is his natural athleticism. In addition to being a receiver, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has gained 122 combined rushing yards in the previous two campaigns. He can pass the ball, too: A triple-option quarterback in high school, Sanu has completed all five NFL pass attempts for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
A Promising 2014: Although Sanu started just four games last season and didn't produce much, he was an effective option in 2014, when he caught 56 passes for 709 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He finished that year with two 120-plus yard performances and hauled in a career-long 76-yard touchdown against Atlanta.
Stepping into a Bigger Role: Perhaps a big reason why Sanu's numbers declined in 2015 was the presence of Marvin Jones. In 2014, Sanu notched 27 deep targets as Jones sat out the entire season with an ankle injury. (Moreover, Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert missed 15 games that year.) When Jones returned last fall, however, Sanu's deep targets fell to nine. Playing on the same team as Jones and A.J. Green, who combined for 53 deep targets in 2015, cut into Sanu's big-play chances—forcing him to run lots of short and intermediate routes. All things considered, it's not surprising that his yards per reception dipped from 14.1 to 11.9. While Julio Jones is undoubtedly the Falcons' best WR, he doesn't rely on the deep ball as much as Sanu's former teammates. Joining Atlanta should give him more opportunities to shine.
Drop Issues Fixed: Sanu's production may have recently dwindled, but he has improved his consistency of late. After dropping nine passes in 2014 and six in 2013, he didn't drop a single ball last year. True, Cincy QBs targeted him less in 2015, but it's encouraging to see him become more reliable when called upon.
A Rutgers Legend: Sanu enjoyed a highly successful college career at Rutgers, where he caught 210 passes for 2,263 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He was used a lot in the run game, as well, rushing for 653 yards and nine TDs on 125 carries. With 3,019 all-purpose yards as a Scarlet Knight, Sanu got drafted by the Bengals in the third round (83rd overall) in 2012.
