One easy way to put together a breakout article is to just list as many second and third-year wide receivers as you can. The plan is not foolproof, and you will certainly have some misses, but that’s also been where a lot of the big hits have come from as well. Last year, four of the top 15 wide receivers in terms of PPR FPPG were second-year receivers and two more were in there in their third year. The year before, a third of the top 15 were in their second or third year. And the 2022 draft class looks primed to continue the trend.
There are seven excellent breakout candidates from last year’s crop of rookies. Some, like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Christian Watson will be on everyone’s breakout lists. Drake London likely will be too. Others, like Treylon Burks, Jahan Dotson, and George Pickens face longer odds but possess immense upside. Here is my optimistic case for all seven, as well as the earliest I would draft them in a PPR redraft league. And don’t worry, at the bottom of this article, I have seven more breakouts who do not play wide receiver. At least not officially.
Good stuff from CBS, hard to argue with any of their picks.
I would add Dolcich with Payton and think Akers got his head on straight to be the Rams bell cow and a top RB.
Cam Akers (RB – LAR)
“I thought we were going to get a Cam Akers breakout in 2022, but maybe that prediction was simply a year too early. Akers was a disappointment for most of last season but had a torrid finish, leading the NFL in rushing over the final six weeks of the regular season and ranking RB4 in half-point PPR scoring over that stretch. He topped 100 rushing yards in each of his last three games. Akers currently has very little competition in the Rams’ backfield, and the team doesn’t have enough early-round draft capital to bring in a high-profile challenger. Rams head coach Sean McVay rode his young running back hard down the stretch last season. Over the Rams’ final six games, Akers had 104 carries. If he gets anything close to the sort of usage that McVay gave Todd Gurley a few years ago, Akers will be a good bet to finish in RB1 range this year.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Fitz agrees with me on Akers, and then some. I may get the better of my bad trade (Jacobs for Akers) with Zak yet.
Don’t forget about the new players coming in…1st and 2nd round talent at WR is crazy this year. I drafted only rookie WR last season and that was a huge success.
Wilson
Olave
Watson
This is only about the rookie draft and many here are dynasty players. Last year, I took London at 11 and Burks at 15, added Pickens off waivers and Jameson off IR.
Got a 4th for Pickens and Jameson was the major part in my trade for a 1st which likely will end up with Robison to go with my 2nd 1st in Gibbs.
This year has no where near the same talent. Njigba is very good but in my view not as good as Burks, although they are ranked closely. Johnston has great potential but needs a lot of work. Not an Addison fan but do like Flowers.
Bahamas aka DJ is a good friend and knowledgeable poster who played DB in college. Glad he joins in.
He will be joing one of my new leagues this season under the delusional idea of kicking my ass. This alone should make him a couple of immediate friends. LOL
Don’t forget about the new players coming in…1st and 2nd round talent at WR is crazy this year. I drafted only rookie WR last season and that was a huge success.
Wilson
Olave
Watson
