Rookie Report Card: Jamison Crowder

Dan Meylor

crowder

Each week throughout the season, I’ll cover one or two rookies in the Rookie Report Card and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week. On top of reviewing my expectations for each player coming into the league and covering how he’s performed at the NFL level to this point, I’ll actually give him a grade in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, 2015 potential and long term upside.

The series continues with a look at Jamison Crowder.

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Jamison Crowder, WR WAS
Week 17 Stats: five receptions, 119 receiving yards, one touchdown

Coming out of Duke, Crowder was an unknown by most that don’t follow ACC football closely. In his last three years with the Blue Devils though, he established himself as a playmaker, both offensively and on special teams. Averaging 90 catches for 1,159 yards and seven touchdowns over his final three years on campus, Crowder proved himself as solid pass catcher while in Durham but that didn’t convince everybody he could be as effective on Sundays.

Crowder’s biggest asset is easily his quickness in small spaces and it shows all over the field. At the snap of the ball, he has the ability to instantly get opposing defenders on their heels and often times simply runs past them on deep routes. When working underneath, his change of direction skills and instant burst allow him to gain separation easily which makes him a strong route runner – particularly in man coverage where he isn’t being jammed at the line of scrimmage.

Despite his shiftiness, route running skills and good hands, Crowder was seen by many during the draft process as a special teams player. After all, he averaged 14.5 yards per punt return and scored five touchdowns on returns over his final two years in college.

I have to admit that I took Crowder off my rookie cheat sheets in many of my leagues last summer. Much of his production in college came on bubble screens and gimmicks that required the offensive coaching staff trying specifically to get the ball into his hands because he was their best playmaker. I figured that simply wouldn’t be the case in the NFL.

The biggest thing keeping Crowder off most dynasty owners’ radar coming out of college was his size. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing just 185 pounds, Crowder doesn’t have the size or vertical skills to rise above defensive backs for jump balls and lacks the physicality to shield the ball from defenders when trying to make a catch in traffic. His lack of size also makes him easily re-routed in press coverage.

When the Redskins drafted Crowder early in the fourth round, they likely envisioned him as a punt returner and part time receiver behind DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts. Due to injuries to Jackson and Roberts though, Crowder has played a relatively big role in the Redskins’ passing game – catching 59 passes for 604 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season. He saved his best game for week 17 though.

In Sunday’s win against the Cowboys, Crowder hauled in five passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Most of his impact came early in the game. He caught a four-yard touchdown late in the first quarter where he was uncovered on a quick out but his biggest impact came on plays that set up scores for his teammates.

On the first play of Washington’s second possession from near midfield, Crowder lined up in the slot to the right. With the Cowboys in off coverage he ran a quick bubble screen, made the catch and used his acceleration as well as a couple great blocks from Brandon Scherff and Morgan Moses to blast down the right sideline. He was tackled out of bounds at the five yard line for a 44-yard gain, which set up a touchdown on the next play.

Then in the second quarter, Crowder was at it again but this time it wasn’t on a bubble screen. On third-and-five, he lined up in the slot to the right. With two receivers to the outside of him running inside routes, he ran a wheel route down the right sideline and absolutely torched Brandon Carr. Kirk Cousins threw the ball over his outside shoulder which forced Crowder out of bounds after the catch or he would have gone 72 yards for a touchdown. Instead, the play went for 28 yards and set up a field goal later on the drive.

Overall, Sunday’s game was easily Crowder’s best as a pro and dynasty owners should take a couple things away from his effort.

First, each of the plays highlighted here were designed to get Crowder the football. That means Jay Gruden is building plays around him which means he sees Crowder as a playmaker. That can mean nothing but good things for Crowder’s fantasy upside.

The second thing dynasty owners should make note of coming out of week 17 is that despite his consistent use as an underneath option up to this point in the season, the Redskins’ coaching staff is willing to use his speed downfield as well as in the red zone. While he’ll never develop the size to be a big red zone threat, it’s encouraging that he’s on the field no matter where the Redskins have the ball.

At this point, Crowder has proven that he should enter 2016 as the Redskins’ primary slot receiver. Although his ceiling is limited due to his lack of size and physicality, his quickness, hands and route running compliment Cousins’ check down passing style perfectly which makes him a threat to make an impact in fantasy – but likely only in PPR leagues.

As dynasty owners prepare for the off-season, they should see Crowder as a developmental prospect worthy of a roster spot. If he continues to improve his skills as a receiver and the Redskins continue to improve their offense in general, he has a chance to develop into a WR3 in PPR leagues. With what should be a very low price tag through the off-season, any owner looking for cheap youth at wide out should inquire about adding Crowder – despite his limited ceiling.

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Keep checking back through the NFL playoffs as I’ll continue the Rookie Report Card series by doing an overview of all dynasty relevant rookies – position by position.

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dan meylor