Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Jalen Reagor, WR PHI
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty owners, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In the Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profile and where they fit.
Name: Jalen Reagor
Position: Wide receiver
Pro Team: Philadelphia Eagles
College Team: Texas Christian
Draft Status: Round one, 21st overall.
Video Highlights
Individual game tapes can be found in the DLF film room.
Combine Review
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 206 pounds
- Arms: 31 3/8″
- Hands: 9 1/2″
- 40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
- Bench press: 17 reps
- Three-cone: 7.31 seconds
- Vertical jump: 42”
- Broad jump: 138”
Strengths
- Hits top speed very quickly off the line
- Versatility to create plays from all levels
- Smooth in routes and able to create separation over the top
- Shows a wide range of route capability
- Decent contested catch ability for his size
- Devastating vertical receiver
- Great wiggle for change-of-direction mobility
Weaknesses
- Ball skills fall short when compared to his athleticism
- Minimal pass-blocking chops
- Does not always finish his routes cleanly
- Needs to improve concentration on making the catch before turning upfield
- Struggles in press coverage
- On the short side compared against many top-tier cornerbacks
- Almost exclusively lines up on the right side of the formation
Opportunities
Anyone looking for a round-one rookie who could immediately be engulfed in opportunity, look no further than Reagor. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz finished the 2019 season with a new NFL record he was the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards and have zero receivers have 500 or more yards. Now the Eagles have got him a new toy.
Injuries stacked up on this offense throughout the 2019 season. DeSean Jackson returned to town for precisely one meaningful game before injury cut short his homecoming. Alshon Jeffery was in and out depending on the week. Last season’s second-round rookie, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, battled mediocrity throughout his rookie campaign.
Heading into the upcoming season, let’s examine a few things from the opportunity standpoint.
Jackson proved last season that he still had some juice but he is 33 years old and returning from core-muscle surgery. Jeffery is 30 and has a history of injuries. Coming off of a Lisfranc surgery, there is some concern to be had moving forward.
The reality is Reagor should walk into plenty of targets right away. The idea that his game is a one-trick pony built solely on speed is false. He is a legitimate threat for big yards or a score from wherever he acquires the ball. The Eagles obviously saw more to his game than just the breakaway speed factor, and they will want to utilize his skillset early on.
Industry terms such as electric, dynamic, big-play threat, and explosive all seemed to get tossed around these days. All of them apply to Reagor. He does lack some polish but he knows how to create yards with the ball in his hands.
Threats
Draft capital is immediately on Reagor’s side. First-round pedigree speaks volumes as to how the Eagles value Reagor, and how they may dole out opportunity. That being said, it will not be just handed to him. There is some proven talent ahead of him to sift through.
Jeffery has a long history of injury, sure. He also has a proven track record of productivity when healthy and on the field. He has played in 39 games during his three seasons with the Eagles. During that stretch, he has put up 165 receptions on 285 targets for 2,122 yards and 19 touchdowns. Jeffery, when on the field, is a favored target for Wentz.
Jackson returned to his NFL home and immediately reminded Eagles coaches and fans what he is capable of. Sure, he played one meaningful game last season, but he blew the roof off in that game. He finished with 154 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Jackson has been good for every quarterback he has played with, with the exception of Jameis Winston. While not always reliable for fantasy, if healthy he will be starting two-receiver sets.
Arcega-Whiteside should still be in the mix, despite a lackluster rookie season. The Eagles also added another speedster in Marquise Goodwin, whom they acquired from the San Francisco 49ers.
We cannot omit the tight ends and their massive target share. The duo of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert combined for 222 of Wentz’s 607 attempts last season, and that trend will continue.
Short-Term Expectations
The Eagles had zero intentions of remaining as thin at receiver as they were last season. Between acquiring Goodwin and the draft, they’re bringing four new receivers to town. Aside from Reagor, they also drafted John Hightower in the fifth round and Quez Watkins in the sixth.
The short-term expectations are somewhat hazy, as rookies are unable to take part in mini camps and there are unclear health statuses for the two most reliable receivers. It is unknown if Jeffery will be ready to start the season as he rehabs from a LisFranc surgery last December. Jackson is supposedly on-track to start the season with a clean bill of health.
Reagor shows a strong football IQ and will have to acclimate quickly both to the NFL and the Eagles playbook. He could find himself shouldering more of a load if injury hampers the return of Jeffery or Jackson. Having a group of receivers who are almost all in the “holy crap he’s fast” category means Reagor will have to bring something extra to the table. The motivation is there to separate himself from the rest of the receiver pack.
Long-Term Expectations
Reagor may not profile as the team’s alpha receiver but possesses enough of a skill range to make him a productive fantasy asset for years to come. His ability to get the first down, or wind up in the end zone was well documented during his college years. He may not soak up six to eight targets per game but has the ability to do his damage with four or five.
Reagor will have some work to do as he transitions to the NFL. He will need to work on his route running as he shied away from contact in getting separation. Defenders at the next level will be more physical, especially at the line of scrimmage; meaning he will need to run cleaner, more focused routes.
He may need to be more involved in the blocking scheme if he is going to spend any time in the slot. While his receiving ability fits the idea of lining up in the slot or as the Z, his pass blocking may be his worst trait and that could keep him out of the slot.
He is not fully polished but possesses the skill-set that fits this offense. Once acclimated into head coach Doug Pederson’s system and given an opportunity to build some chemistry with Wentz, Reagor should be the long-term playmaker the Eagles drafted him to be.
NFL Player Comparison
One of the first players who comes to mind for comparative purposes is Santonio Holmes. The size and speed are comparable and Holmes had some wiggle that made him dangerous with the ball in his hands as well. Think big-play threat with elite speed, like a heavier Percy Harvin.
Projected Rookie Draft Range
Per DLF ADP, in rookie drafts, Reagor is currently the eighth player off the board, behind CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy and just ahead of Justin Jefferson and Henry Ruggs.
In single-quarterback dynasty ADP, he settles in as the 25th receiver taken, putting him behind Stefon Diggs and Deebo Samuel and just ahead of Terry McLaurin and Robert Woods.
His ability as a play-maker paired with Wentz makes this an intriguing spot to get him early. Roster construction can easily sway this range of picks for individual teams.
In superflex rookie formats, he slides down to 12 and is just ahead of Henry Ruggs and Denzel Mims.
Between the player, the landing spot, and the potential for nearly-immediate opportunity, I like getting Reagor in this spot. There is some risk present there, but the upside is higher for Reagor than some of the players going around him.
- August Dynasty ADP Risers and Fallers - August 27, 2024
- July Dynasty ADP Risers and Fallers - July 31, 2024
- 2024 Dynasty Riser, Faller and Longshot Predictions: Houston Texans - July 14, 2024
