Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two
Throughout the season, the Rookie Report Card has covered some of the biggest rookies and not only looked at their performance to date – but also their long-term upside. Now that the regular season has wrapped up and dynasty managers are looking towards the future, we have an opportunity to take one last look at the 2022 season and assess the rookies. A final report card if you will.
We covered 38 rookies throughout the season, including 16 wide receivers. Let’s put a bow on the season by taking one more look at each of these pass catchers’ first year playing on Sundays, as well as a quick glimpse into their futures.
Alec Pierce, WR IND
2022 Stats: 41 receptions, 593 yards, two touchdowns (78 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: Week Five
After a strong start to his rookie season, catching 24 passes for 373 yards and one touchdown over a six-week stretch, Pierce appeared to hit a bit of a rookie wall. He caught only 17 passes for 220 yards and a score over his final nine contests. Nevertheless, he had stretches where he appeared to be a solid complementary receiver to Michael Pittman Jr despite the Colts’ trouble under center throughout the season.
Pierce was mostly effective as a rookie on short to intermediate routes such as crossers and out routes but made a reputation in college primarily as a deep threat. If new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, along with whoever their new quarterback is, use Pierce at all three levels in his sophomore season with any amount of consistency, he could realize his fringe WR2 upside as soon as this season.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR NYG
2022 Stats: 23 receptions, 227 yards, one touchdown (31 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: Week 11
Despite playing just five games as a rookie, Robinson made an impression on dynasty managers. Even though he missed 11 games due to multiple knee injuries (including a torn ACL that cost him the final seven weeks of the year), he proved the early-second round draft capital the Giants used on him should not have been the surprise it was to most.
Robinson looked shifty and nearly uncoverable at times out of the slot. The Giants’ coaching staff just started creating opportunities in space for the rookie when he was lost for the year to injury, and he looked dynamic in that role – turning quick screens into first downs and play-action flat routes into chunk gains.
There hasn’t been an indication if he’ll be back on the field in week one yet but any dynasty manager should remain hopeful that when he does return, he’s at full health. As long as the Giants don’t add another shifty slot receiver this off-season, there’s no reason Robinson can’t be a solid PPR WR3 with weekly WR2 upside for dynasty managers at some point in 2023.
Rashid Shaheed, WR NO
2022 Stats: 28 receptions, 488 yards, two touchdowns (34 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card:
A complete unknown coming out of college, Shaheed played his way into meaningful playing time for the Saints and onto dynasty rosters everywhere as a rookie. He was used primarily as a field stretcher but made multiple big plays including a 44-yard touchdown run against the Bengals, a 53-yard touchdown catch against the Cardinals, and a 68-yard score against the Falcons.
Late in the season, Shaheed got regular playing time due to injuries at wideout and played well. He turned in a WR36 showing against the Buccs, a WR15 performance versus the Falcons, and a WR21 outing against the Eagles over the final five weeks of the year.
Although it’s easy to see the Saints adding multiple receivers this off-season, Shaheed is a legitimate sleeper in case they aren’t able to add legitimate options to compliment Chris Olave. I ended my write-up in week 15 about him with a line about Miles Austin and Victor Cruz being undrafted and complete unknowns to most of the dynasty community until they suddenly weren’t. It wouldn’t be that shocking if Shaheed followed in their footsteps.
Khalil Shakir, WR BUF
2022 Stats: 10 receptions, 161 yards, one touchdown (20 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: None
After getting very few snaps early in his rookie season, Shakir mixed in as a backup slot option late for the Bills, catching five of seven targets for 91 yards in Buffalo’s two playoff games. Although his limited usage as a rookie was as a typical slot receiver, his college film is littered with creative touches on jet sweeps, quick screens, and even as a runner out of the backfield so it will be interesting to see if the Bills decide to use him that way in the future.
To reach his WR3 upside, Shakir will have to surpass Isaiah McKenzie on the depth chart as well as prove he should have plays drawn up for him to get the ball in space.
Tyquan Thornton, WR NE
2022 Stats: 22 receptions, 247 yards, two touchdowns (45 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: Week 17
I didn’t see a lot of dynasty upside in Thornton when he was drafted by the Patriots over players like George Pickens and Skyy Moore and honestly, following his rookie season I still don’t. He’s a deep threat who plays in an offense that doesn’t stretch the field and rotates receivers more than any other team in the league.
With that said however, with Jakobi Myers moving on in free agency and only DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor to compete with for targets (so far), there remains a sliver of breakout potential if he can prove he’s more than just a deep threat this off-season.
Christian Watson, WR GB
2022 Stats: 41 receptions, 611 yards, seven touchdowns (66 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: Week Ten
Many dynasty managers call overlook Watson’s success as a rookie, saying he was too touchdown-dependent and Aaron Rodgers was the reason made such a big impact. I say: hogwash!
Sure, Watson dropped a couple of deep bombs and didn’t appear to be on the same page as his MVP quarterback on a couple of other occasions – creating some low points – but his high points were spectacular and included a monthlong stretch where his WORST fantasy finish was WR10 for the week.
Watson showed as a rookie that he may have the highest ceiling of any rookie (not just wide receiver) in the 2022 class due to his freakish speed (4.36) for a player who is 6’-4” and 211 pounds. That speed showed on multiple occasions in 2022 but he wasn’t just used as a deep threat. He was also featured on crossing routes and slants, making big plays at all three levels.
There’s no doubt that Watson needs to work on his hands and route running but it’s well-documented that he’s a hard worker and he takes to coaching well. I don’t like to bet against those kinds of guys – particularly when they are this athletic – so I’ll continue to believe he has elite fantasy upside.
Jameson Williams, WR DET
2022 Stats: one reception, 41 yards, one touchdown (nine targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: None
It was essentially a lost season for Williams with the exception of the Lions getting his feet wet with a handful of deep shots late in the season. Although he didn’t put much on tape as a rookie outside of showing he still has elite speed, the sky remains the limit for the former Crimson Tide standout due to his elite downfield separation skills and impressive catch radius.
There are still some skeptics out there due to his slim stature (6’1”, 179 pounds) and concerns about his ability to handle physical corners so it’s not too late to buy in on Williams and his WR1 upside at a reasonable price. A perfect Robin to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Batman (or vice versa), nobody should be surprised if he’s a weekly starter early in 2023.
Garrett Wilson, WR NYJ
2022 Stats: 83 receptions, 1,103 yards, four touchdowns (147 targets)
Regular Season Rookie Report Card: Week Two
Wilson was the most productive rookie receiver in the 2022 class, clearing 1,100 yards and hauling in 83 passes while finishing as the WR21 in PPR. What made those numbers even more impressive is that he did it with the not-so-incredible quartet of Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White, and even Chris Streveler throwing him the ball.
Wilson proved as a rookie that his silky smooth speed before and after the catch and ability to make contested catches translated perfectly to the next level. He worked all three levels of the defense and consistently got separation on possession routes as well as downfield.
Wilson is already being valued as a WR1 in dynasty and there’s no reason why he can’t deliver those types of numbers as soon as 2023. It’d take a king’s ransom for me to deal him at this point.
- League Tycoon: Dynasty Salary Cap Fantasy Football - December 15, 2023
- Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two - March 22, 2023
- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Offensive Player Dynasty Review - March 10, 2023
