2022 Rookie Preview: Wide Receivers

With the 2021 fantasy football season coming to an end, it is now time to move into dynasty draft season. It is an exciting time for dynasty managers as you prepare your draft boards for fantasy glory. For many dynasty owners, the off-season is just as fun as the regular season. I am going to break down my top five rookie wide receivers for your upcoming rookie drafts. Keep in mind, things will change fairly often as the off-season moves along and the NFL Draft nears. Check out an early look at some of the top wide receivers in 2022 Rookie Preview: Wide Receivers.

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Treylon Burks – Arkansas

6’3″ 225 pounds

Arkansas native Treylon Burks will sit atop my wide receiver rookie rankings after a great career for the Razorbacks. During his final season at Arkansas, Burks hauled in 66 catches for 1104 yards and 11 touchdowns. Burks is a big, physical receiver that has breakaway speed. This combo sets him apart and provides him a monster ceiling in the NFL. One thing you will quickly notice on Burks is his ability to consistently produce yards after the catch. Arkansas found multiple ways to get Burks the football and he was able to use his strength to stiff-arm defenders and his speed to break away and outrun defenders’ angles. Another trait that sticks out is his contested catchability. The height, vertical, and massive hands make for a big catch radius and are a huge reason for his success in his contested catch rate. Burks also is a very versatile receiver consistently winning matchups lining up on the outside, the slot, and even out of the backfield.

Garrett Wilson – Ohio State

6’0″ 192 pounds

The Ohio State product is another excellent athlete that excels in yards after the catch. During his final season at Ohio State, he brought in 70 catches for 1058 yards and 12 touchdowns. While versatile with the ball in his hands, he profiles best as a slot receiver. He has shown quick bursts and great short-area moves able to turn short passes into large gains. One of his best traits is elite route running. He shows great burst cutting in and out of his routes constantly winning his matchups with his top-end route-running ability. Wilson has shown the ability to get off the line of scrimmage well, making him hard to jam. This is partly due to his great hand technique as well as his elite ability in his short-area moves. Wilson has shown good, strong hands at Ohio State and has good balance and body control to make tough catches.

Drake London – USC

6’5″ 210 pounds

Drake London is another big-time receiver coming out of this deep 2022 class. Before going down for the season London hauled in 88 catches for 1084 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite playing in just the first eight games of the season, London was still named PAC-12 offensive player of the year. While watching his film it is clear to see why London is widely considered to be a first-round NFL draft pick. London has great size for the WR position and displays great body control. He does not get enough credit for his route running ability. He displays a good change of pace in his routes and can get in and out of his breaks quickly. He has great hands and with his large frame makes great contested catches. He is not the fastest of receivers but uses his size to separate from tacklers and gets north quickly.

Jameson Williams – Alabama

6’2″ 189 pounds

Before tearing his ACL in the national championship, Williams hauled in 79 catches for 1,572 and 15 touchdowns. If you are looking for elite speed from a wideout look no further than Williams as he has clocked a 4.25 40-yard dash. While his speed is his best attribute, he also shows good balance and is able to stay upright through tackles and add yards after the catch. He also displays great body control to change tempo to win at many route types. He is lethal in double-move routes, with his elite speed and tempo changes. Due to his slender frame, he has some problems with press coverage and sustained blocking, but is still an elite prospect and has the ability to contribute immediately to any NFL team.

George Pickens – Georgia

6’3″ 200 pounds

After tearing his ACL in spring practice many wondered if Pickens would be able to play this season. After intense rehab, Pickens was able to come back and play the team’s final four games. After coming off the injury, he was only able to secure five catches but was still able to flash his big-play ability in those few catches. Pickens shows great body control in his routes, and the ability to contort his body to go up and make big plays to bring in difficult catches. He has great hands and has shown to be very comfortable catching the football away from his body, providing him with a large catch radius. With the ball in his hands, he is able to make a quick move using his sneaky agility. He will need to improve his route running and control his tempo better coming out of routes but has shown the ability to be a consistent downfield threat. The injury really hampered his on-field production this season, which could give us the ability to draft him later than his talent suggests.

This is a very talented rookie wide receiver class and one of the deepest we have had in a few years. We have a great mix of physical receivers and speedsters, providing us with many options to take for our dynasty teams. As the NFL Draft approaches, we will continue to monitor each prospect and adjust our rankings. The five wide receivers above are my top targets, but I will give you a few more names that you should keep an eye on as the NFL Combine and Pro Days are still to come.

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David Bell – Purdue

Skyy Moore – Western Michigan

Chris Olave – Ohio State

Jahan Dotson – Penn State

Wan’Dale Robinson – Kentucky

Jalen Tolbert – South Alabama

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