Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Jordan Lasley, WR BAL

Name: Jordan Lasley

Position: Wide Receiver

Pro Team: Baltimore Ravens

College Team: UCLA Bruins

Draft Status: Fifth round, 162nd overall

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

COMBINE REVIEW

• HEIGHT: 6’1’’
• WEIGHT: 203 Pounds
• ARM LENGTH: 32 3/4’’
• 40-YARD-DASH: 4.5
• VERTICAL JUMP: 34.5’’
• BROAD JUMP: 112’’

STRENGTHS

Lasley has a second gear that allows him to blow by defensive backs and make plays downfield. He’s also very explosive off the line of scrimmage and if the opposing corner doesn’t solidify a good punch while in press coverage or is slow off the line, then Lasley will more than likely burn the defense for a big play. Not only is he deceptively fast, but he’s also good at tracking the ball while it’s in the air; which helps him catch the ball without losing stride. Opposing defenses must know where he’s lined up at all times because once he hits open space, he’s a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

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WEAKNESSES

Catching the football isn’t one of his strong points. Over the last two years, he dropped 16 percent of the passes thrown his way. One of the reasons why he drops so many passes is that he’s a habitual body catcher. He doesn’t attack the ball while it’s in the air and lacks the my-ball-mentality at the catch point. Press coverage might be an issue for him considering his limited size and strength.

Off the field issues casted a dark cloud over his collegiate career. He was suspended by the team multiple times during his tenure at UCLA. He also was arrested twice in 2016. A lot of these offenses were minor and hopefully, he will transition away from some of these habits once he gets established in the NFL.

OPPORTUNITIES

There’s a lot of ambiguity in Baltimore’s receiving corps and with a rock-solid training camp, Lasley could get the chance to see a considerable amount of playing time early in his career. His ability to make plays downfield will help him carve a role in the offense. Lasley will more than likely won’t get the opportunity to start right out of the gate as a rookie, but he should be in the mix within the next few years.

THREATS

Next year’s draft will be bursting through the seams with quality wide receiver talent. I wouldn’t bet against the Ravens spending a first-round pick on a receiver next year. Unless something changes, the team needs to add young quality talent to the receiving corps in the worst way. If the Ravens do use one of their top picks on another pass catcher next year, then that could deflate Lasley’s long-term potential. How they handle the draft will give us an insight into how they feel about their current roster.

I mentioned earlier that there’s a lot of ambiguity with the team’s receiving corps. However, the team does have a strong veteran presence with Michael Crabtree, Willie Snead, and John Brown. All three of those receivers are talented enough to prevent Lasley from stealing a large market share of the passing targets.

SHORT-TERM EXPECTATIONS

I expect him to be a role player during the first couple years of his career. He should make the 53-man roster, but he will more than likely see a limited amount of snaps per game. Injuries will need to occur for him to become a key staple of the offense. Lasley should work his way up the depth chart after his second or third year when he gains more experience and develops some of his skillsets. He might be a solid best ball or DFS play on some weeks, but I don’t expect him to be a consistent fantasy producer during the early stages of his career.

LONG-TERM EXPECTATIONS

He’s either going to fizzle out of the league or be one of the team’s starting wide receivers. Lasley is a boom-bust prospect. I say this because he only has one year of outstanding college production. He’s not a route running technician and currently relies more on speed, burst, and athleticism to win on the field.

I think he has the talent to develop into a solid WR2 in fantasy. He has the speed to blow by the defense and he can make plays downfield. This could help him accumulate some big weeks in fantasy, making him a solid DFS play.

On the flip side, he does need to sharpen his skills and get better at catching the ball. He also needs to be a more proficient route runner before he becomes an everyday starter. This is not a knock on his overall ability, but it’s just a testament saying that he needs to turn the corner before his team can count on him on a regular basis.

NFL COMPARISON

When I watch Lasley play he reminds me a lot of Torrey Smith. Both players can beat the defense with their speed and are good at tracking the ball down while it’s in the air. Smith is a shade faster, but overall the two players have a lot of qualities that resemble each other.

PROJECTED RANGE FOR ROOKIE DRAFTS.

With a Rookie ADP of 43.40, Lasley is usually falling to the mid to late fourth-round of rookie drafts. He is usually around the 20th wide receiver off the board. He’s an excellent selection at this point of the draft because he presents plenty of upside and due to his price tag, he presents limited risk. The majority of fourth-round picks are going to bust, so you might as well draft players with a lot of athleticism and upside to maximize those late round opportunities. This is exactly the type of player I like to select in the later portions of the draft. I like to go big or go home and Lasley definitely has the potential to do something big if he puts the time in to develop his game.

He’s not a player I’m going out of my way to get on my team in every draft, but I’m not afraid to take a few swings at the piñata either.

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