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| Wednesday, April 27, 2022 |
| If you bet on the right rookie wide receiver over the past two seasons, you got historic production that probably made your Fantasy team a contender even if you didn't do a lot else well. Justin Jefferson put up 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie two years ago, and then got one-upped by Ja'Marr Chase last season, who had 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. |
| Those were the two best rookie wide receiver seasons of all time, of course, so it's probably asking a lot for anyone to replicate that -- there aren't any wide receivers left from that Joe Burrow-led LSU offense, are there? Of course, they weren't the only difference-makers from their classes -- Jaylen Waddle and CeeDee Lamb stepped on the field as must-start WRs, and Tee Higgins, Chase Claypool, Brandon Aiyuk, Devonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Elijah Moore (among others) had their moments as rookies, too. |
| So getting acclimated with the incoming rookie wide receivers is probably a pretty good idea. We may not see another Chase or Jefferson, but it's a pretty safe bet that at least a few of these guys are going to play a significant part in Fantasy championships next season. In yesterday's edition of the FFT newsletter, we got to know the top running back prospects for the 2022 draft class, and today, we have scouting reports from Dave Richard, Heath Cummings, and Dan Schneier on the top wide receivers from our Dynasty offseason coverage. You can also find Heath's updated Dynasty rankings -- including rookie-only drafts. |
| Before that, though, here's a friendly reminder that you have a chance to win a spot in the 2022 FFT Podcast League by correctly predicting the top 10 picks in this year's draft. The most accurate predictor will be guaranteed a spot in this year's league, where you'll get to prove your mettle against Adam Aizer, Jamey, Dave, and Heath. You can sign up here. |
| And now, here are the top wide receivers from the 2022 class: |
| Garrett Wilson, Ohio State |
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Age: 22
5-foot-11, 183 pounds |
| Wilson doesn't have prototypical No. 1 wide receiver size, but he's extremely fast (4.38 40-yard dash) and put up big numbers at one of the best programs in the country. His numbers -- 70 catches, 1,058 yards, 12 touchdowns as a junior -- are impressive enough, but he did that in just 11 games. Will it translate to the NFL level? |
| Profile by Dave Richard |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Green Bay Packers: "The Pack have a major need at receiver and one of the game's all-time best passers. Anyone they draft would gain instant Fantasy appeal, but Wilson could help recover some of the stats left behind by both Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as soon as Week 1. Green Bay's West Coast offense is suited well for Wilson's quick-twitch separation in space." … Also: Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "Wilson is among the most talented and athletic receivers in the 2022 class, but I'm worried about him contributing on the same level as guys like D.J. Moore or Terry McLaurin, much less the level of elite-tier players like A.J. Brown or DK Metcalf. His size is a legit concern -- the same concern people have had with Tyreek Hill and Tyler Lockett ... and Marquise Goodwin and Peerless Price. If he can stay on the field then he can become a regular staple in lineups for a long time. That upside will get him drafted as an easy top-6" |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "A handful off the snap and into his route ... Seasoned route runner who mixes his speed with false steps to separate from defenders ... Extremely fluid athlete ... Played beyond his 5-foot-11 frame thanks to incredible leaping ability ... Savvy when it comes to impromptu plays ... Can contribute on special teams as a punt returner ... Aside from a concussion in late October 2021, Wilson has not had a documented injury." |
| Weaknesses – "Lean body with very limited physicality ... There's little evidence he can consistently beat press coverage, break tackles or compete for contested passes ... Adding muscle might impact his speed and agility ... Lack of concentration and/or body-catching led to occasional drops on well-thrown targets (5.9% drop rate) ... Vision and decision-making with the ball in his hands were good, but sometimes saw on-coming defenders and cost himself some yards by cutting back." |
| NFL comparison |
| "Wilson has a nearly identical skill-set as T.Y. Hilton had when Hilton came out of Florida International. The difference? Wilson is much more NFL-ready wide receiver than Hilton was thanks to his route-running and overall technique. Wilson also has larger hands to help him snare passes. Hilton developed into a dangerous wideout thanks to his incredible separation, but his size eventually became his downfall after too many injuries. There is a fear something similar could happen to Wilson, but it might take some time for defenders to catch up to him." |
| Jameson Williams, Alabama |
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Age: 21
6-foot-1, 179 pounds |
| Williams might have been the No. 1 WR taken if not for a torn ACL suffered in the national championship game, and reporting of late indicates he may end up there anyway. He has told reporters he is ahead of schedule in his recovery, and coming off a 79-catch, 1,572-yard junior season, it's not hard to see why NFL teams might view him as worth the risk. |
| Profile by Dave Richard |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Kansas City Chiefs: "Williams wouldn't have to get rushed back as the Chiefs have Mecole Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to hold down the fort as downfield threats. Once he does get acclimated, he'll have a great shot to thrive because Andy Reid has proven over and over that he knows how to get guys open downfield. Plus, Patrick Mahomes has one of the best arms in the game. Williams' highest ceiling could get realized here. " … Also: Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "Long-term Fantasy managers will basically overlook Williams' torn ACL and stay fixated on his speed. However, because he's not a well-rounded receiver, there is potential for some downside -- perhaps more so than other top-shelf wideouts in the draft class. So much will come down to where Williams is drafted: If he's stuck with a meandering quarterback or a run-minded offense for the foreseeable future then his upside is hindered. If he lands in a terrific offense with a great quarterback or on a team that may undergo a quarterback change in 2023, then he has a shot to be very special for Fantasy. He's a lock as a top-10 pick in rookie-only drafts and could sneak into the top-3 if the draft results in a best-case scenario." |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "Tall and slender build. He certainly might be able to add bulk to his body without diminishing traits ... Long, lanky arms with nearly 76-inch wingspan ... Specialized in lining up wide but did pull up across the formation and was used in motion ... Fooled cornerbacks with effective footwork off the snap ... Ran every route in the book but was constantly open versus zone coverage because defenders feared his speed ... Legit deep-ball game breaker with good acceleration and very good speed ... Consistently followed his blockers on shorter and intermediate plays for max gains ... was a willing battler for footballs in close quarters and actually leaned into tacklers at the end of plays ... Incredible, albeit fairly inexperienced, kick-returner. Had two touchdowns on 10 returns with a 35.2-yard average ... Also registered a tackle as a gunner in the SEC title game ... He told reporters he asked to play on special teams." |
| Weaknesses – "Only one year of dominant football -- played behind plenty of receivers at Ohio State (including Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave) before transferring to Alabama ... Tore his ACL in January during the national championship game ... Lean build with thin legs ... Though he wasn't scared of contact, he was not a physical player nor had much play-strength to break tackles routinely ... Was inconsistent judging deep passes ... Awareness is a question mark ... Below-average run-blocking technique with usually negative results." |
| NFL comparison |
| "Williams is a game-breaking, ball-in-space receiver who can be especially effective when schemed up. He also has room to improve physically and functionally. Thinking about his best traits and his size, I think of Robby Anderson a lot. That's not a back-handed compliment -- Anderson made his career catching long throws, but he didn't have many (any?) great quarterbacks throwing to him. The same thing could end up happening to Williams, but he could also have a much better career statistically if he has a capable quarterback throwing to him." |
| Drake London, USC |
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Age: 21
6-foot-3, 219 pounds |
| How good was London last season? He suffered a fractured ankle in October and was still the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, finishing with 88 catches for 1,084 yards, and seven touchdowns in eight games. London has ideal size and physical traits, even playing for USC's basketball team in 2019-20 before focusing on football. |
| Profile by Dave Richard |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Kansas City Chiefs: "It might take a while to come true, but London would be the theoretical heir to Travis Kelce's spot. Both are big dudes who move well for their size with reliable hands. London, like Kelce, profiles as a touchdown machine. By 2023 or 2024, Kelce could set off on a new adventure outside of football and London would take over as Patrick Mahomes' biggest target (literally!)." … Also: Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "Burly, plus-sized receivers don't grow on trees and London got plenty of experience not only seeing a lot of targets at USC but also learning to adjust to inferior quarterback play. Just because he didn't run a slew of downfield routes doesn't mean he won't at the pro level -- nobody should think of him as a giant slot receiver. That gives him potential to be the top Fantasy wideout in the draft class, but he would get there sooner if a team drafted him and did opt to use him similarly to his 2021 campaign (lots of targets, lots of touchdown chances) while also grooming him for a big role." |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "Beastly size with long, strong arms to go with tough-to-cover height, quality jumping ability and strong legs ... Experienced lining up everywhere but was especially on the wide left side of the formation in 2021 after playing 92% of his snaps in the slot in 2020 ... Hitch/comeback movements happened quickly for a guy his size ... Regularly used his large body to box-out, re-adjust and/or out-reach defenders for targets of any length ... Fearless. Was very willing to cross the field to catch a pass or deliver a block. Never seemed shy about absorbing or delivering hits ... Solid blocker with the potential to be incredible." |
| Weaknesses – "Nearly half (46%) of his career receptions were made within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage ... lack of burst into his route often saw cornerbacks stay within an arm's length ... Wasn't asked to run a full or overly complex route tree ... Drew a lot of contact -- big body means big target for defenders to hit. He got blasted frequently and must learn to give himself up more often ... Fractured his right ankle on Oct. 30, 2021, then suffered a mild hamstring pull in early April 2022, delaying his recovery. He should be OK for the start of training camp this summer." |
| NFL comparison |
| "If surrounded by some good teachers, London could quickly develop beyond just a big, physical receiver and turn into someone like Alshon Jeffery. Most remember Jeffery for his size, his downfield receptions and his touchdown totals. Jeffery wasn't necessarily faster than people gave him credit for but rather was crafty about working in open space, which is the part of London's game that needs to be unearthed. It wouldn't be surprising to see London follow Jeffery's trajectory of being a solid contributor in his first few years before developing into a No. 1 Alpha." |
| Treylon Burks, Arkansas |
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Age: 22
6-foot-2, 225 pounds |
| Burks accounted for 37.2% of the Razorbacks' receiving yards over the past two seasons and was used all over the field -- including occasionally out of the backfield. Burks was a bully in college, and he's got the kind of size and athletic profile we're looking for from a young WR. |
| Profile by Dan Schneier |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Green Bay Packers: "Any team that drafts Burks will want to start him off in the slot. While he projects as someone who can win on the outside as a boundary X receiver, with examples to back it up on film, he has a lot more reps in the slot and his college coach agrees that's where Burks fits best. The Packers can give him that right away -- after trading away Davante Adams and losing Marques Valdez-Scantling in free agency, the depth chart here is wide open. Making this fit even clearer is the offense Matt LaFleur runs in Green Bay. There should immediately be quick-hitting options to maximize getting the ball to Burks in space early, including plays that will put Burks in motion (into the backfield like he was at Arkansas). The Packers were rumored to be interested in drafting receiver prospect Lavishka Shenault a couple cycles ago and Burks can offer them a lot of what they were going to get with Shenault -- but with a higher ceiling." Also: Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "Burks has seen his Dynasty stock dip slightly since his combine, and it's not just because of the slower-than-anticipated 40-yard dash. Burks also registered a disappointing vertical jump (19th percentile among WRs) and 3-cone (used to test agility; 8th percentile). If this sounds familiar, these were the same knocks used against DK Metcalf in the pre-draft process (not the exact drills, but a poor combine), and he also slipped in Dynasty drafts. Burks will settle in as a middle to back-half first-round pick in Dynasty rookie drafts held before the draft, and depending on which team selects him, he could rise fast." |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "Size. Burks has it all -- length, strength, and physicality ... He uses his size better than any receiver I've studied thus far in the class ... Breakaway speed is an asset for Burks no matter what his 40-yard dash time says ... Burks brings versatility to the next level as he can line up in the slot, as the X or in the backfield as a playmaker ... For a player of his size, Burks does an incredible job of separating from defenders on in-breaking routes ... Surprisingly agile and effective on horizontal routes ... Burks is a broken tackle machine in the open field who does an excellent job using his entire body to shrug off defenders ... Excellent at high-pointing the football and making acrobatic catches ... Good burst, eats up ground on vertical routes ... Uses his body well to initiate contact and make things difficult for smaller defensive backs." |
| Weaknesses – "Burks was rarely tested by press coverage (only 39 total snaps against press in 2021) ... Played the slot almost exclusively at Arkansas and had some of his production schemed up within that Arkansas system ... definitely a bit tight in the hips and this could lead to concerns about his ability to throttle down and get into his breaks smoothly ... expected more from Burks as a blocker given his size ... Poor testing (vertical jump, agility drills, explosive jumps and straight-line speed)." |
| NFL comparison |
| "Burks measured in almost identical to former Cowboys star WR Dez Bryant at the combine (Treylon Burks at combine: 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, 4.55 40 -- Dez Bryant at combine: 6-2, 225, 4.52 40) and there are similarities in their games too. Like Bryant, Burks does an excellent job going up to get passes and winning vertically without elite straight-line speed. He is also surprisingly effective on quick in-breaking routes. Burks may even have a slight edge on Dez when it comes to his tackle-breaking ability and breakaway speed." |
| Chris Olave, Ohio State |
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Age: 22
6-foot, 187 pounds |
| Olave ended up getting overshadowed by Wilson in the end, but he was a consistently productive part of the Ohio State offense for three years, leaving the school as the all-time record holder for receiving touchdowns with 35. As you might recall, that school has had quite a few good players come through. |
| Profile by Dave Richard |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Kansas City Chiefs: "This is an obvious landing spot. Olave would settle in as Patrick Mahomes' most reliable outside threat for the next half-decade at least and be at the other end of plenty of long throws. Adjusting as a rookie could be tricky since he'd see every opponent's No. 1 cornerback right from the start, but in time he'd become a huge asset." Also: Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "If Fantasy managers view Olave as a great No. 2 NFL receiver with a chance to evolve into a No. 1, they'll be fine. His route-running, speed and on-field experience and savvy are ready for the NFL, but his body and ability to become a do-it-all playmaker hold him back at this point. He has to especially learn how to overcome the league's fastest and strongest cornerbacks before he can consistently make plays. Can it happen? Yes, but it'll take the right team to guide him while he plays and develops -- preferably one with a track record of wide receiver success. A quality quarterback wouldn't hurt, either. Expect Olave to be among the first six picks taken in rookie-only drafts, likely no worse than the third receiver off the board." |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "Experienced! Three-year starter at Ohio State ... Explosive burst off snap ... Agile feet and nuance made him a very good route-runner ... Very good acceleration and speed created problems for opposing defensive backs ... Never seemed to fear an impending hit ... Aside from leaving a 2021 game early after taking a hit, there is no documented injury history dating back to high school." |
| Weaknesses – "Can he improve his physicality and play strength? ... Average height and modest build ... Wasn't pressed often in coverage, but when he was he was slowed down and impacted his ability to make gains after the catch ... Pro Football Focus said Olave avoided two tackles all of 2021 and 10 for his entire career." |
| NFL comparison |
| "Olave is a fast, savvy receiver who can run great routes but doesn't play with a lot of physicality. Pair that with his average height and lean build and he's reminiscent of Brandin Cooks, who has been busting past NFL defenders for eight years despite being under six-foot and 190 pounds. Cooks' quickness has helped him get open and make plays for years. Hopefully, Olave does the same thing at the next level and doesn't fall prey to the shortcomings most undersized wide receivers have." |
| George Pickens, Georgia |
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Age: 21
6-foot-3, 195 pounds |
| You have to dream a bit more on Pickens than with most of his peers, because we just don't have the same kind of track record with him. He played just 24 college games across three seasons, including just four as a junior when he had five catches for 107 yards and no touchdowns. Of course, the fact that he even made it back for the end of the season is impressive enough, considering he suffered a torn ACL in late March during spring practices. He did get loose for a 52-yard gain in the National Championship game against Alabama, a tantalizing glimpse of what he's capable of. |
| Profile by Heath Cummings |
| Best Fantasy fits |
| Green Bay Packers: "If everything went right, Pickens could absolutely be a true No. 1 wide receiver, and there are few opportunities available for that type of receiver better than Green Bay. If the Packers make him their first wide receiver drafted, I would go in with the expectation that Pickens would beat out Sammy Watkins and Allen Lazard to be Aaron Rodgers' No. 1 option." Also: Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs |
| Dynasty outlook |
| "Pickens has the long-term upside of a top-12 Dynasty and redraft wide receiver, but I'd expect he'll debut much later than that. If he's drafted in Round 1 by the Chiefs or Packers, then Pickens will likely start as a boom-bust borderline WR2 in Dynasty, with a wide range of outcomes from there. If he falls out of the first two rounds I would expect him to come in around WR40 in Dynasty with more upside than downside. In rookie drafts, his ceiling is probably around pick eight or nine while his floor is at the two-three turn." |
| Scouting report |
| Strengths – "Pickens' height/speed combination alone gives him a projectability many receivers in this class just don't have ... His catch radius is enormous, even bigger than his measurables might suggest ... His quick recovery from ACL surgery indicates a work ethic he'll need to fine tune his game ... While his body strength needs some work, his hand strength is unquestionable." |
| Weaknesses – "Pickens would disappear for long stretches. He was held below 50 yards in half of his college games ... He has a hard time getting off the line against press coverage ... There's not enough of him to box out in the red zone ... His route running and technique needs to improve if he's going to win consistently as a No. 1 option ... He never earned better than an 18% target share in any season." |
| NFL comparison |
| "It's hard to find a perfect comp because of Pickens' size/speed combination and lack of production. But Robby Anderson seems good for an expectation, at least. We saw Anderson as a pure deep threat early in his career and a boom-or-bust Fantasy option. He earned more volume as time went on, but he never quite hit the ceiling he could have. Pickens has more upside than Anderson certainly, but there's no guarantee he'll hit it." |
| Other WR to know … |
| Jahan Dotson, Penn State (No. 43 prospect on CBS Sports big board) Christian Watson, North Dakota State (47)Skyy Moore, Western Michigan (50)Khalil Shakir, Boise State (77)John Metchie III, Alabama (78)David Bell, Purdue (91) Calvin Austin III, Memphis (94)Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (95)Wan'Dale Robinson, Kentucky (105)Velus Jones, Jr., Tennessee (118)Justyn Ross, Clemson (124)Alec Pierce, Cincinnati (140) Tyquan Thornton, Baylor (159) |
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