Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Van Jefferson, WR LAR

Levi Chappell Posted On June 12, 2020

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: Van Jefferson

Position: Wide receiver

Pro Team: LA Rams

College Team: Florida Gators

Draft Status: Round two, 57th overall

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

COMBINE REVIEW

Height: 6’2”
Weight: 197 pounds
Arm Length: 32 6/8”
Hands: 91/8”
40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds
Bench press: N/A
Vertical jump: N/A
Broad jump: N/A
Three-cone drill: N/A
20-yard shuttle: N/A

STRENGTHS

Elite route runner
Changes route speed accordingly
Quick feet and change of direction
Engaged in run blocking
Underrated speed
Great body control on 50/50 balls
Natural hands catcher

WEAKNESSES

Low college production
Will be a 24-year-old rookie
Gets pushed around by physical man coverage
Limited run-after-the-catch ability

OPPORTUNITIES

The opportunity for Jefferson is pretty obvious… Brandin Cooks was traded to the Houston Texans. Although injured for most of 2019, Cooks was a very productive player for the Rams. He was targeted over 115 times in 2018, catching 80 passes for over 1,200 yards and five touchdowns. Jefferson walks into a good passing offense that likes to run a lot of 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers) sets, and has a void at the WR3 position.

Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods will be relied on heavily to receive a large workload, but we have seen LA’s offense support three WRs before, not to mention Kupp has had his fair share of injuries which could open up even more opportunities for Jefferson.

THREATS

The shortened off-season is one of the biggest threats to incoming rookies. We are living in crazy times, and rookies may not be able to get the normal amount of reps with the team and/or quarterback that they would normally have. All of that will work against them.

The other main threat to Jefferson seeing the field and making an impact will be Josh Reynolds. Reynolds has played well at certain times in his career. He has done a good job filling in for Cooks and Kupp when they were injured but has never produced consistently. Most likely, Jefferson and Reynolds will be battling it out for the WR3 in that offense.

SHORT-TERM EXPECTATIONS

Jefferson’s short term expectations will obviously depend on whether or not he is able to find the field consistently in 11 personnel. If he is able to see the field, I think he could make an impact in his rookie year. He is a high floor, safe rookie simply due to his age. It’s no secret that a 24-year-old should be able to compete against grown men more than a 21-year-old would be able to.

LONG-TERM EXPECTATIONS

Jefferson lacks top athleticism, which I think hinders his long term upside. He is also on the same team as Kupp, Woods, and Tyler Higbee – he may never be a focal point of the offense. His experience in college and elite route running should allow him to have a high floor and contribute to a team but I doubt we ever see Jefferson as a top-tier dynasty option.

NFL PLAYER COMPARISON

A high-end player comparison that I see in Jefferson is Jeremy Maclin. Both are in the 6’1”-6’2” range and around 200 lbs. Jefferson was projected to run in the low 4.4s and Maclin ran a 4.45 at his Scouting Combine. The main difference between Maclin and Jefferson is that Maclin excelled in his two years at Missouri while Jefferson didn’t have impressive numbers at Florida. They are both great route runners and excel at getting open against zone and soft man coverage.

The lower-end player comparison I see for Jefferson is Demarcus Robinson. They are similar in size and weight. Robinson has flashed at times, but has never consistently put together games. Jefferson may be a solid backup or occasional spot starter, but nothing more.

PROJECTED ROOKIE DRAFT RANGE

According to DLF’s Rookie ADP, Jefferson is being drafted towards the top end of the third round. His average draft position is 28 and he is the 14th wide receiver being selected.

The hit rate on third-round rookie picks are very low, but Jefferson is a relatively safe pick. He is worth a shot based on his second-round draft capital and solid landing spot. Those factors give Jefferson a puncher’s chance at making an impact on the Rams and your dynasty squad.

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Levi Chappell

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Fueled by coffee, Levi spends most of his days in the real estate industry. When not in the real estate world, he is engulfed in dynasty and other sports. When other kids were playing with lincoln logs and legos, Levi was reading sports almanacs... for fun. "Too much fantasy" is not in his vocabulary.