Fantasy Index

Factoid

Rookie wide receivers

Riding the wave created by Beckham, Evans and Benjamin

Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin all had huge rookie seasons last year. Jordan Matthews and Sammy Watkins weren’t bad either, as five of the top 25 wide receivers were rookies. Should we all, therefore, be looking to pick up guys like Amari Cooper, DeVante Parker and Kevin White in the middle rounds?

As well as those guys played last year, historically it tends to take longer for rookie receivers to get going.

In the previous 20 years, only two rookie receivers ranked in the top 10. And only 22 in those seasons ranked in the top 25 at their position.

Those are the kind of odds you’re fighting. With as many good receivers as there are in the league already, it doesn’t really make much sense to consider selecting any of these rookies before at least 20 other wide receivers have been drafted.

On the chart below, I’m using the fantasy scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards. Three of the guys (tagged with asterisks) have kick returns blended into their TD totals. The final column is their rank – where they placed statistically in their rookie season.

ROOKIES AMONG THE TOP 25 WIDE RECEIVERS
YearPlayerNoYdsAvgTDRk
1995Joey Galloway, Sea.*67103915.59(17)
1995Chris Sanders, Hou.3582323.59(22)
1996Eddie Kennison, St.L.5492417.111(13)
1996Terry Glenn, N.E.90113212.66(15)
1996Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ6384413.48(21)
1996Marvin Harrison, Ind.6483613.18(23)
1998Randy Moss, Minn.68131319.317(1)
1999Kevin Johnson, Clev.6698614.98(16)
2003Anquan Boldin, Ariz.101137713.68(5)
2003Andre Johnson, Hou.6697614.84(23)
2004Michael Clayton, T.B.80119314.97(15)
2004Lee Evans, Buff.4884317.69(24)
2006Marques Colston, N.O.70103814.88(14)
2007Dwayne Bowe, K.C.7099514.25(25)
2008Eddie Royal, Den.9198010.85(23)
2009Percy Harvin, Minn.*6079013.28(25)
2010Mike Williams, T.B.6596414.811(11)
2011A.J. Green, Cin.65105716.37(17)
2011Julio Jones, Atl.5495917.88(20)
2011Torrey Smith, Balt.5084116.87(25)
2012T.Y. Hilton, Ind.*5086117.28(23)
2013Keenan Allen, S.D.71104614.78(17)
2014Odell Beckham Jr., NYG91130514.312(6)
2014Mike Evans, T.B.68105115.512(10)
2014Kelvin Benjamin, Car.73100813.89(16)
2014Jordan Matthews, Phil.6787213.08(24)
2014Sammy Watkins, Buff.6598215.16(25)

—Ian Allan

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