Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Drake London and Malik Willis

Each week throughout the season, I’ll cover at least 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 how well he’s lived up to those expectations at the NFL level to this point, I’ll grade the player in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, rookie season potential and long-term upside.

The series continues as we take a look at a pair of rookies with massive upside, Drake London and Malik Willis.

Drake London, WR ATL

Week 16 Stats: seven receptions, 96 yards (nine targets)

One of the premier draft prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, regardless of position, London was seen by most in the dynasty community as one of if not the top receiver in a group of high-potential options.

Tall and athletic, he profiled as a possession receiver with the potential to develop into an elite end zone target because of his length (6’-4”), build (220 pounds), and ball skills. An excellent basketball player, he understands body positioning and how to use his size and leaping ability to high-point the football in a crowd.

While at USC, London hauled in 15 touchdowns in just 22 games, including seven in his breakout junior season in 2021 where he caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards in only eight games. That’s not a typo, he averaged 11 catches per game in his final season on campus.

London’s few detractors pointed to a lack of explosiveness at the line of scrimmage and out of his breaks as a reason to doubt his potential but he proved in college he can be a contested catch king both on the perimeter as well as out of the slot by always working back towards the quarterback and using his size to outmuscle defenders for positioning.

When London was selected eighth overall in the draft as the first wideout off the board, dynasty managers knew there would be some growing pains in Atlanta due to the lack of quarterback talent on the Falcons roster but there was genuine excitement about his landing spot. Some dynasty managers had him as high as number one or two overall on their dynasty rookie draft board following the NFL Draft.