It wouldnt be challenging to follow the narrative that Jalen Hurts (QB PHI) needs to improve as a pocket passer. Tutu Atwell (WR LAR) Round 2, Pick 57. Round 6, Pick 191 | Minnesota Vikings, 25) Michael Woods II, Oklahoma Theres an argument that the USC star was settling into life in Detroit and getting up to speed in the NFL, but we cannot ignore those splits. The 2022 NFL Draft kicks off on April 28 with the first round. Last year he logged the second-lowest aDOT of his career . ARSB finished the season as WR21 in PPR scoring and WR23 in standard after torching opposing defenses through the last six weeks. Josh Palmer (WR LAC) Round 3, Pick 77. That should help him not drop many passes (four last year and seven over three years). The positive news for Moore is that some of his peripherals are strong if you look beyond the box scores and snap shares. Bateman recorded a 0 and 5-yard performance in his final six games, two games in the 20s, one in the 50s, and one over 100. 2022 DRAFT OUTLOOK: He might be a helpful Fantasy receiver for however long Gallup is out, which puts him on the late-round radar. Chase snapped Jeffersons record five months later while posting 1,455 yards, albeit with an extra game on the schedule. While there are no Ja'Marr Chasesor a Heisman winner this winter like DeVonta . Expect him to be a top-six pick. You don't have to think that way! Which wide receivers were drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft? Mock in minutes (free) with our fantasy football draft software. With an NFL-ready frame and a return-specialist-like approach when met with wimpy tacklers, hes been the centerpiece on offense for the 6-3 Razorbacks. Make no mistake, having him as the WR6 of this class is more about a potential historic class than it is a knock against St. Brown, although it may be a little of both. WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 2022 NFL DRAFT After the WR drills of the combine, we now regard Drake London and Jameson Williams as the two best NFL prospects - players that we only had second-round grades on at the start of the season. BRONX, NY - DECEMBER 29: Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Rakim Jarrett (5) battles Virginia Tech Hokies linebacker Dax Hollifield (4) for extra yardage during the first quarter of the New Era Pnstripe Bowl on December 29, 2021 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. A rookie experiencing ups and downs in the NFL is nothing new, and we see it all the time. If he doesn't appear to have a path to instant playing time, though, the pick could be a waste. If he adapts to Dallas' offense quickly, he wouldn't have much competition for playing time as at worst the No. But what if the collective NFL isn't as impressed with a rookie class? Anyone they draft would gain instant Fantasy appeal, but Wilson could. He is smooth with great hands and will likely become a quality pro outside receiver. The NFL rewarded his efforts with the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award despite his ejection for throwing a punch. He scored an unofficial 9.98 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. No team ran the ball more than the Atlanta Falcons. Reed could be a nice mid-round slot receiver from the 2023 NFL Draft. There just wasnt enough volume to go around for players like that. In theory, that should have led to his progress getting on the field, but Marshall struggled to maintain a consistent snap share or post any actual production. What must be remembered is Watson did this in roughly just half a season, as he dealt with nagging hamstring issues in the early part of the season. Pro Football Network, LLC. Despite what opposing coordinators have attempted to do to counter Sterns dominance, he continues to improve while showcasing a skill set NFL circles drool over in the passing game. The Rams have a long list of wide receivers ahead of Atwell, leaving this once trendy name with nowhere to land but the waiver wire. The next-closest league, the ACC, has produced 21 . Whether you want to believe its a coincidence, Wilson missed weeks 8-11, which coincided with Moores hot streak. Thats a 17% TD rate. Breaking Down NFL's 2022 WR Rookie Class Jack McKessy January 9, 2023 The 2022 NFL regular season came to an end on Sunday night, closing the book on the rookie season for dozens of first-year players. ROOKIE-ONLY DRAFT OUTLOOK: The more we see and hear Zach Wilson improve, the more Garrett Wilson moves closer to the No. The addition of Randall Cobb (WR GB) before the 2021 season put a dent in Amari Rodgers potential value as a rookie. He has quite possibly some of the most natural Metchie entered the 2021 college football season as an expected first-round pick and he hasn't disappointed looking like the potential Skyy Moore has gone under the radar of NFL scouts for the most part of his college career, but this is changing. 4. That makes him a great fit for the Chiefs, actually no quarterback had more attempts against zone coverage last year than Patrick Mahomes. He appeared in eight games and returned 15 combined punts and kickoffs while being limited to just 10 offensive snaps. The Detroit Lions surprised everyone by trading up to grab Jameson Williams with the 12th overall pick. Height: 6-1 1/2 | Weight: 179 | Age as of Week 1: 21. SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION HOLIDAY BOWL. He's got a little more to learn in terms of route-running, his big size does make him easier to catch up with, and a mild injury history is worth knowing about, but it's obvious the Falcons are trying to build a receiving corps full of skyscrapers. Of all the position groups in the 2022 NFL Draft class, one of the most exciting was this year's group of rookie receivers. It never dropped below 84% through the last three weeks, though the production was spotty down the stretch. Pro Football Network passionately delivers purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. After the Rams' victory in Super Bowl LVI capped off the 2021 season, the NFL released the official first-round order -- which. Unfortunately, the rookie wide receivers season ended early, missing the last five games due to a quad strain and COVID protocols. It's hard to imagine it happening while he's with the Titans since their offense is so run-centric, but that philosophy could someday change once Derrick Henry hangs 'em up. Watson is a do-it-all receiver and was great in his career at North Dakota State. Thornton never broke into the starting rotation, waiting until Week 14 to record a 90% snap rate in a single game. 2022 DRAFT OUTLOOK: Drafters will take Moore just because he's on the Chiefs. Round 3, Pick 105 | San Francisco 49ers, 18) Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech And if you need proof, the past 12 seasons have all produced a top 12 finish in team passing yards per game. The safest time to take him is Round 10 or later. The Browns have been rumored to be looking at wide receiver in the draft and have been linked to Will Fuller V (WR FA). . Elijah Moore (WR NYJ) Round 2, Pick 34. It might be a stretch to say there's one who could produce like Elijah Mitchell or Elijah Moore. DeVonta Smith (WR PHI) Round 1, Pick 10. He shouldn't get taken until at least Round 11. It was concerning, considering we never got an explanation from the team, but if you bought the dip while fantasy managers hit the panic button, congratulations, and well played. 1. He's a good route-runner with room to be even better and has pretty reliable hands, even though they're a little small. The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone. Long-term dynasty drafters will consider taking Williams as soon as second overall. Chris Olave, also from Ohio State could well be the second wideout taken, hes slightly faster than his teammate, but doesnt have the power or supreme hands - still, hes a top prospect and could easily dominate at the next level. We'd keep the long-term investment in Tolbert to the back half of the second round. As we entered the 2021 . For more from him, check out his Twitter at @tweetsbychad. ROOKIE-ONLY DRAFT OUTLOOK: Because he has potential to be the Steelers' No. Hes a mid to low-end WR2, where I anticipate his production to live, but fantasy managers should still prioritize him over the older options in that range. Coming off a torn ACL, John Metchie was likely not going make an immediate impact, but he was expected to get involved by midseason. While hes put skeptics in bed since, proving to be one of the top wideouts in all of football this fall, when a class as deep as this year is set to enter the fold, the stress on general managers to get it right has more slack. 2022 NFL Draft - Top Wide Receivers. Tolbert could find himself as a top contributor for the Cowboys in 2022, especially since Michael Gallup is still in recovery from a torn ACL. He remains a solid stash, however, in this explosive offense. A pass-catcher that dominates at the onset of a route due to his explosive quickness and short-area burst, Williams ability to couple his isolation skills with sure hands and YAC ability is unmatched by many in college football. Round 3, Pick 88 | Dallas Cowboys, 16) David Bell, Purdue A surprise third-round selection of the Chargers, Josh Palmer showed flashes in his rookie season, finishing with 33 catches on 49 targets for 353 yards and four touchdowns. In perspective, 1.22 is the lowest all-time for a wide receiver and would be extremely low even for a tight end. Wilson, at the moment, certainly appears to be the best receiver of the draft class. And Bateman still produced and looked like a quality player in the process. Waddles massive target share came from Tua Tagovailoa (QB MIA) and Jacoby Brissett (QB CLE), but he fared much better with Tua, averaging 17.7 PPR points in 10 games as opposed to 10.4 PPR points in five games with Brissett. Better QB play translates to better WR play; thats no surprise. The two should go within 12 spots of each other with Burks frequently second. After the WR drills of the combine, we now regard Drake London and Jameson Williams as the two best NFL prospects - players that we only had second-round grades on at the start of the season. The Panthers made Marshall a second-round selection after displaying a solid combination of college production, metrics, and early breakout age. Thats less than the six we saw in 2020, and marks the third-straight year in which five or more receivers were taken in the first round. Round 7, Pick 229 | Seattle Seahawks, 27) Dareke Young, Lenoir-Rhyne There is something about wide receivers coming from Baylor that seem to disappoint in the NFL despite otherworldly athletic profiles. At the same time, his 33 catches and 446 receiving yards ranked second among the Texans, that likely qualifies as the most unremarkable achievement of all time. Although 60% of Toneys routes on the season came from the slot, he lined up there just 45% of the time. Garret Wilson will be an excellent pro - he has elite 4.38 speed, good hands, runs perfect routes, and is a hard worker who gives 2021 was a spectacular year for Jameson Williams where he exploded into the national attention. And Olave did this all with subpar quarterback play, something the Saints believe they addressed by adding Derek Carr. Dont get me wrong, St. Brown isnt just going away, and there is value with his role in the Lions offense, but it would be a win if he produces WR3 numbers next season. Weight: 219. Robinson was injured in his first NFL game. Published: Apr 12, 2022 at 12:30 PM The 2022 NFL Draft class is full of wide receiver talent,. Despite what opposing coordinators have attempted to do to counter Sterns dominance, he continues to improve while showcasing a skill set NFL circles drool over in the passing game. Indianapolis Colts. Still, he put together a solid rookie campaign with 515 yards and a touchdown on 46 grabs. After trading back, the Washington Commanders secured Jahan Dotson out of Penn State with the 16th pick. I would start him in fantasy, coach Mike McDaniel said, referring to Waddle on The Dan LeBatard Show. The Steelers are wizards at cultivating talent, and with Diontae Johnson in a contract year and Chase Claypool disappointing the coaching staff in 2021, there should be ample opportunity for Pickens to become a quality contributor in 2022 and potentially their No. Ill bet you undershot it. In 2020 (33-407-3) and 2018 (56-797-8), Reed contributed as well. After sparking excitement amongst fantasy owners with a combined 35.2 PPR points across his first two games, Rondale Moore took six games to tally that many points again. Williams made his first appearance in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rookie wide receivers impact the game earlier and more often than weve ever seen. There were times when Burks seemed like a slower player, and other times when he had the speed of a smaller receiver. After being drafted one pick behind JaMarr Chase, Jaylen Waddle became one of 25 rookies to record over 1,000 receiving yards, along with Chase and fellow rookie Kyle Pitts (TE ATL). Based on exclusive interviews with Falcons position coaches, area scouts and the decision-makers at the top, the Falcons brass details the moments that solidified the decision to draft each of the . The draft order below was determined using SportsLine's . Arguably the top wideout in CFB is USCs Drake London, who finds himself out for the rest of the season. Its a passing league. OT. Johnson has versatility at the next level. He had an impressive average of 17.4 yards per catch. 2022 DRAFT OUTLOOK: The best part about Dotson is that some Fantasy managers will dismiss him because he's on Washington, or because he's not as high-profile as other receivers. While regression is possible, theres no reason to believe Chase cant replicate his numbers next season or improve upon them. A few wide receiver sleepers to look for in the 2022 NFL Combine are Christian Watson from North Dakota State, George Pickens from Georgia, Jahan Dotson from Penn State, and John Metchie from Alabama. I was a big fan of Elijah Moores game as he prepared to enter the NFL Draft, so I wouldnt consider this ranking a knee-jerk reaction after the second-round picks mid-season surge. Fantasy managers should treat Moore as a dynasty WR2 with WR1 upside. The Falcons will count on Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder as their quarterbacks this year, which isn't great, but they're not bad enough to completely wipe out London's upside in an offense that figures to throw a lot this year. Add in the other three and four-wide receiver sets, and we are looking at 65%. Turning his perceived route running weakness into a relative strength is a massive boon for a rookie receiver, especially one that battled COVID-19 and several injuries during his rookie campaign. Pickens also had a pair of ugly moments on the field, first getting into a fight during a game and then getting called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty while on the bench of another. Although we wont see any boundary talents taken in the top five selections when the draft rolls around this spring, what you can expect is headlining talent from the opening round to the final selection, as the 2022 wide receiver class looks to represent one of my favorite positional groups this season. Metchies NFL career was put on pause as he rightfully focused on his recovery and will look to hit the field at the start of 2023. However, after the Tennessee Titans sent A.J. After teams put claims on players they've selected throughout the three-day spectacle in Kansas City, they headed to the negotiating table to hammer out their . The NFL is a different beast than college football. 3 Fantasy receiver, potentially as a bargain compared to fellow rookie Drake London. It didnt take Chase long to make an impact as he caught five of seven targets in week one, leading to 101 yards and a touchdown. Techie with an interesting slant on player evaluation? R7, Pick 258 | Green Bay Packers. WR. We love to see the 98th percentile college target share and a 93rd percentile breakout age, while the 81st percentile college dominator and 76th percentile college yards per reception are nothing to sneeze at. Plus, he averaged 2.4 yards per route run, 11th in the NFL. He ranked as the No. Tuimoloau, and Others, Top DTs in the 2024 NFL Draft: Ranking Maason Smith, JerZhan Newton, and Others, Top iOL in the 2024 NFL Draft: Ranking Donovan Jackson, Cooper Beebe, Sedrick Van Pran, and Others. After missing week 4 with a concussion and the teams Week 6 bye, Moore tallied just 79 yards on nine receptions through his first five appearances. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Next Up - FantasyPros Football Podcast: 12 Most Overvalued Players | AVOID THESE BUSTS, 190 K. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Tolbert's a sudden-moving receiver with good size. Which running backs were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft? But even then, little changed, as Thornton averaged 28.6 routes run over the Patriots final five games. In the 2022 NFL Draft, a total of 28 wide receivers were drafted. The talent stems far from Alabama, as the physically dominant Treylon Burks out of Arkansas is the best player you probably havent heard of this college football season. It's not a wish to think Olave could be the most productive rookie receiver in 2022. However, as the trail has become an increasingly competitive path to sign the stars of stars from the prep level, players slip through the cracks and land at some of the countrys smallest programs. I sure would like to ask him this question a second time and see if the teams acquisition of Tyreek Hill (WR MIA) changes his answer. 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Four QBs go in top 10, LSU's Kayshon Boutte first wide receiver off the board A stronger quarterback class is projected in 2023 . He set a freshman record at Georgia with a 49-727-8 stat line, then followed it up with an equally impressive sophomore year before missing two games with an injury, then tearing his ACL in a practice in March 2021. From an efficiency standpoint, Londons usage was incredible for a rookie. section: | slug: 2022-fantasy-football-rookies-analyzing-the-wide-receiver-class-including-2022-and-rookie-draft-outlooks | sport: football | route: article_single_fantasy | This year's draft takes place on April 28-30 in Las Vegas. 1, but the offense was unable to get any rhythm in the passing game under Marcus Mariota. Keep scrolling, and we find that his actual catch rate was just 54% (107th), his target quality rating was 3.76 (105th), and his catchable target rate was 60.7% (108th). It was also his only catch of the season, as he ended the year with one reception on nine targets. Height: 6-4-1/8 | Weight: 208 | Age as of Week 1: 23. Some started out strong and have maintained, some got out fast but have hit the typical rookie wall and others began slowly but have rapidly risen near the top of their class. Should help him not drop many passes ( four last year he logged the aDOT. 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