There's one word to describe the 2022 NFL Draft class for wide receivers: Loaded. From Week 9 on in 2021, he ranked 11th in receiving grade (81.9) while not dropping a single one of his 56 targets. 1 spot over Tyreek Hill. R2-P34 | Packers, 8) WanDale Robinson, Kentucky Its clear the Saints want to throw it deep to the 6-foot speedster, whom the Saints wanted to draft so badly that they essentially traded five picks for the opportunity to select him in Aprils draft. at Smith was heavily utilized downfield over that span, generating the fifth-highest average depth of target, and he held up his end of the bargain. Cooks saw his second-lowest single-season average depth of target for his career (11.1), catching the most passes of his career coming less than nine yards downfield (63). Sutton racked up 743 deep receiving yards in 2019 and 2021 combined despite poor quarterback play the sixth-most when combining just those two seasons. The Jets reportedly tried to trade the 10th overall pick for Deebo Samuel. Thats top-shelf awareness for a receiver playing in his first career game. Please enter a valid email and try again. You cant teach speed. Our weekly start-sit rankings will help you decide who to lean on and who to bench each week. His rapport with Wentz will be something to monitor moving forward. There should immediately be quick-hitting options to maximize getting the ball to Burks in space early, including plays that will put Burks in motion (into the backfield like he was at Arkansas). Burkss first day in rookie minicamp was one to remember. In rookie drafts, his ceiling is probably around pick eight or nine while his floor is at the two-three turn. On Sunday, Winston missed Olave five times, which tied for the second-most inaccurate passes to a specific receiver in a game in the past two seasons. Thanks to Locketts downfield ability and Wilsons deep ball, the two combined for the second-most deep receiving yards and the highest passer rating since 2018. If he can stay on the field then he can become a regular staple in lineups for a long time. He also has room to improve physically and functionally. His physical frame also helped him rack up the sixth-most receiving yards after contact (532) and ninth-most broken tackles after the catch (35). Lamb was pigeonholed to the slot as a rookie in 2020 but was given an outside job in 2021, where he showcased his best play. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. could scheme up more quick-developing routes to get the rookie the ball in space, but that may be better for Olaves counting stats than it is for the offense. You have to dream a bit more on Pickens than with most of his peers, because we just don't have the same kind of track record with him. They were also the most by a rookie during that span, passing Odell Beckham Jr.s mark of 322 yardseven though Olave secured eight fewer targets last week than OBJ did in that game. He suffered a fractured ankle in October and was still the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, finishing with 88 catches for 1,084 yards, and seven touchdowns in eight games. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The Minnesota Viking was a top-five-graded wide receiver in 2018, but injury played a part in a double-digit grading swing downward in 2019 after his limited time on the field. 1,000-yard season with 7 receiving touchdowns, 1,058 receiving yards with 12 receiving touchdowns, 1,104 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. Its early, but the 2022 first-round rookie receiver class looks like another special one. His 1.3% drop rate since 2020 leads the NFL, and he also ranks third among slot receivers over that span in total yards against zone coverage. Since joining Buffalo in 2020, Diggs ranks seventh or higher in separation rate against single coverage, contested-catch grade and grade versus man coverage. Why? The Packers' offense has faltered for most of the season without Adams to create explosive plays. Eleven Thoughts and Questions From the NBA Playoff Openers. Unlike usual, there is not true top player in the class and many are constantly debating about teams draft-day decisions. 2023 Dynasty Fantasy Football landing page. From 2019 to 2021, 13 wide receivers were taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Londons FBS-leading 19 contested catches last season were viewed by some draft pundits as a red flag, with his lack of straight-line speed often being cited as the reason he had to fight for so many jump balls in college. Some of these receiversnamely Justin Jefferson, JaMarr Chase, and Jaylen Waddledebuted with historic, record-breaking campaigns and ascended to the top tier of the position by the end of their first years. He averaged an NFL-leading 10.8 yards after the catch per reception while shedding 27 tackles. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Adjusting as a rookie could be tricky since he'd see every opponent's No. 11 Pick Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints. The 2018 NFL Draft saw two wide receivers taken in the first round. Intriguingly, despite the flurry of activity on Day 1, that is tied for the lowest number of receivers drafted in a single draft. The kid can play. Lined up out wide last season, the former Oklahoma Sooner was the sixth-highest-graded receiver in the NFL. He is a physical, reliable possession receiver who has proven to be elite when healthy. Theres reason to believe that Mooneys production is only going to improve from here as he gets comfortable with quarterback Justin Fields. When St. Brown has been missing, Goffs EPA per dropback becomes negative (-0.10). So, who are the top dogs at the position in the early goings of the 2022 season? The 2022 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and the draft class is one like no other. Unfortunately, a torn ACL and MCL in 2020 derailed him from building on that. Falcons fans just have to hope Kyle Pitts joins the fun soon. Six wideouts were off the board by the time the Minnesota Vikings had made their selection with Pick No. OK, so maybe there is a quarterback issue in New York that will affect Wilsons short- and long-term prospects. Teams looking to draft wide receiver help in 2022 are in luck, as its another deep class. Diggs went from good to great following his trade from Minnesota to Buffalo in 2020. Its possibly because Washingtons receiving corps is superior to the other teams and there have been more plays designed for veteran wideouts. Brown, had to leave the field early and was spotted using an inhaler after struggling with conditioning throughout practice. R4-P148 | Bills, 22) Montrell Washington, Samford He caught eight of his nine vertical route targets for 151 yards and two scores in the 2021-22 postseason. Adams earned a career-high 92.7 PFF grade in 2021, his second consecutive mark above 92.0. section: | slug: fantasy-football-today-get-to-know-the-2022-wide-receiver-class-best-fits-nfl-comparisons-and-more | sport: football | route: article_single_fantasy | In particular, Lamb has been lethal when going in a shift or motion, leading the NFL with both 337 receiving yards and 4 receiving TDs on such snaps this season. While Waddle made the most of those shallow opportunities by earning a top-five grade on targets under 10 yards for the entire season, he is capable of more. The formula uses each individual's percentile score across a series of key metrics to create one composite score, indicating which players at that position performed best. ", "It's hard to find a perfect comp because of Pickens' size/speed combination and lack of production. ", "Burks measured in almost identical to formerCowboysstar WR Dez Bryant at the combine (Treylon Burks at combine: 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, 4.55 40 -- Dez Bryant at combine: 6-2, 225, 4.52 40) and there are similarities in their games too. Top WRs 2022 NFL Draft 2022 NFL Draft - Top Wide Receivers Most Recent Update: 4/27/2022 7:00 PM EST Position/Conference Rankings QB OT TE RB-C WR-S FB EDGE DL 1-TECH DL 3-TECH DL 5-TECH OLB ILB SAFETY CB KICKER PUNTER SEC ACC BIG-10 BIG-12 PAC-12 AAC M-WEST MAC C-USA SUN BELT 2021 After producing at an elite level with the, After being cut midway through 2021, Beckham landed with the Rams and was a vital piece to their Super Bowl run. R2-P50 | Patriots, 11) George Pickens, Georgia His ceiling is well known given his inability to win elsewhere, but with a complementary piece like Keenan Allen, thats perfectly fine. Evans has been the go-to red-zone threat for quarterback, The 2022 NFL offseason featured several blockbuster moves, including the trade of wide receiver A.J. We can save the quarterback questions for another day. And while that has played a part in career-lows in a few advanced PFF metrics, it still didnt stop him from tying for 10th in PFF WAR generated at the position in that span. What Else Will the Carolina Panthers Do After Selecting Bryce Young No. The truth is that the 2022 class is solid, but imperfect. Even in that scenario, though, its hard to envision the polished Wilsonwho currently leads the NFL with eight red-zone targets, including seven within the 10-yard linefailing. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. The Texas Tech product never eclipsed 50 catches or 750 yards in a given season. Plus, Patrick Mahomes has one of the best arms in the game. Throughout his three-year professional career, Brown ranks top-five in both receiving grade and yards per route run. Now with the Los Angeles Rams who field arguably the best offense in the NFL Robinson will look to bounce back. His sophomore year in the professional ranks ended in him being one of the 10 highestgraded wide receivers in the NFL. Jameson Williams, Alabama. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds. R3-P71 | Bears, 15) Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama 100 routes). The difference? Every day, get free NFL updates sent straight to your inbox! 1 offensive lineman recruit in the Class of 2020, Johnson started one year at guard and one year at tackle for Ohio State, earning All-Big Ten What Does His New Deal Mean for the Eagles and the NFLs QB Market? The 5-foot-10, 182-pound receiver was mostly force-fed underneath targets just to get the ball in his hands as opposed to the team relying on his elite speed down the field. Justin Jefferson gained 190 of his 223 yards against press coverage in Week 14, the most in a game since Julio Jones in Week 4, 2016 (254 yards).Most Yards vs Press Coverage (since 2020): Jefferson: 1,889 Davante Adams: 1,416 Diontae Johnson: 1,168#MINvsDET | #Skol pic.twitter.com/YyD7Q94fIU. While his body strength needs some work, his hand strength is unquestionable. This tool includes all signings that happen during the Free Agency window only. For starters, lets just take a second to appreciate his ultra-squiggly route chart from the Jets matchup with the Browns: Wilson finished the contest with 102 yards and two touchdowns, including this goal-line fade after he juked fellow rookie Martin Emerson Jr. out of his shoes at the line of scrimmage: What stands out about Wilsons performance in Week 2 is how successful he was despite Joe Flaccos accuracy issues throughout the game. The 2018 first-round pick earned a top-30 PFF grade in each of the past three seasons, with his best being an 82.2 mark in 2019. He has been targeted on 39 percent of routes when defenses send the heat, trailing only the next receiver on this list, CeeDee Lamb. 1 receiver with outstanding route-running skills and playmaking ability. The senior wideout has taken his game to another level in 2022. Smith is capable of taking a leap into one of the top tiers of talents at the position in the coming seasons. Afraid of getting beat deep, defenses have played split-safety coverages at the highest rate against the Dolphins (51 percent) and man coverage at the lowest rate (17 percent). Assuming he stays healthy, theres reason to believe his best football is still ahead of him with new quarterback Russell Wilson now in Denver. Lamb needs to get better with defeating press coverage, but he ate when given a free release. Again, Adams' impact is felt beyond just the box score. ", "If surrounded by some good teachers, London could quickly develop beyond just a big, physical receiver and turn into someone like Alshon Jeffery. Who Are the Highest-Paid Quarterbacks in the NFL in 2023? The 6-foot-4, 215-pound pass-catcher can make some difficult grabs over the middle of the field and use his large catch radius to reel in slightly inaccurate targets. Dotsons 93 routes over the first two weeks are the most by a rookie through their first two games dating back to 2013, and his 141 snaps ranks third among all NFL receivers this season. ", "Olave is a fast, savvy receiver who can run great routes but doesn't play with a lot of physicality. So much will come down to where Williams is drafted: If he's stuck with a meandering quarterback or a run-minded offense for the foreseeable future then his upside is hindered. The Kings Playoff Drought Is Over. ), but he also didnt look much better in 2021 than he did during his last full season as a starter, when he threw 30 interceptions and led the league in inaccurate passes. Hopkins' nagging injury meant that the Cardinals couldnt get the most out of him in 2021. 1, they'll be fine. Here are PFF's wide receiver rankings ahead of the 2022 season, starting with, An underrated aspect of his game is how good Diggs is when the play starts to break. This class, to me, doesnt have a true top-10 wide receiver, but theres still good depth, theres still good players. Ravens officials love throwing up smokescreens before the draft. R6-P191 | Vikings, 25) Mike Woods, Oklahoma He's emerged as the premier deep threat in college football and compares favorably London has had a totally dominating 2021 season where he showcased his immense talent. Also: Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, "Burks has seen his Dynasty stock dip slightly since his combine, and it's not just because of the slower-than-anticipated 40-yard dash. Postseason basketball is back in Sacramento for the first time since 2006. 1 cornerback right from the start, but in time he'd become a huge asset." Friday, March 4th: Running backs, offensive line and special teams. If the Packers make him their first wide receiver drafted, I would go in with the expectation that Pickens would beat out Sammy Watkins and Allen Lazard to be Aaron Rodgers' No. While opinions are all over the place with this year's wide receiver draft class, Matt and Charles agree WR1 is Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He can stay on the X-axis the weight in pounds receiving yards in a given season the. Two-Three turn of physicality Playoff Openers following his trade from Minnesota to Buffalo in 2020 there is a physical reliable! 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