There were three wide receivers drafted in the top 10 last April, and those teams will certainly give them a chance to make an immediate impact. But while Corey Davis, Mike Williams and John Ross will certainly push for snaps right away, it won't be easy for them to be difference makers.
Ian posted the chart a couple of days ago showing how of the top 100 fantasy tight ends in the last 10 years, only one has been a rookie. Although there have been far more rookie wide receivers to post meaningful contributions, the top 100 fantasy wide receivers over that same time period (standard scoring) have included only two rookies -- Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. Very unlikely the 2017 crop, then, adds anyone to that group.
TOP 100 WIDE RECEIVERS OF THE LAST 10 YEARS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Yds | TD | Pts |
2007 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 98 | 1493 | 23 | 287.3 |
2011 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 96 | 1681 | 16 | 265.2 |
2014 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 129 | 1698 | 14 | 261.1 |
2015 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 136 | 1834 | 11 | 256.2 |
2015 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 136 | 1871 | 9 | 241.1 |
2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109 | 1502 | 14 | 234.2 |
2014 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 111 | 1619 | 11 | 229.9 |
2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 98 | 1519 | 13 | 229.9 |
2014 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 88 | 1320 | 16 | 228.0 |
2013 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 87 | 1646 | 9 | 227.4 |
2013 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 92 | 1430 | 14 | 227.0 |
2012 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 122 | 1964 | 5 | 226.4 |
2007 | Terrell Owens, Dall. | 81 | 1355 | 15 | 226.0 |
2007 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 80 | 1289 | 16 | 224.9 |
2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 80 | 1400 | 14 | 224.0 |
2015 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 96 | 1450 | 13 | 223.3 |
2013 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 84 | 1492 | 12 | 221.2 |
2015 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 111 | 1521 | 11 | 220.1 |
2012 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 118 | 1508 | 11 | 216.6 |
2011 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 68 | 1263 | 15 | 216.3 |
2008 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 96 | 1431 | 12 | 215.1 |
2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 122 | 1569 | 9 | 213.9 |
2009 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 101 | 1569 | 9 | 212.9 |
2012 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 92 | 1382 | 12 | 211.7 |
2007 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 104 | 1510 | 10 | 211.4 |
2016 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 97 | 1257 | 14 | 209.7 |
2010 | Brandon Lloyd, Den. | 77 | 1448 | 11 | 209.0 |
2013 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 98 | 1426 | 11 | 208.6 |
2016 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 96 | 1321 | 12 | 208.1 |
2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 82 | 1536 | 9 | 207.9 |
2008 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 78 | 1331 | 12 | 207.0 |
2010 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 72 | 1162 | 15 | 206.6 |
2014 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 91 | 1287 | 12 | 206.4 |
2009 | Randy Moss, N.E. | 83 | 1264 | 13 | 206.4 |
2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 91 | 1305 | 12 | 206.0 |
2013 | Brandon Marshall, Chi. | 100 | 1295 | 12 | 205.5 |
2008 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 115 | 1575 | 8 | 205.5 |
2012 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 97 | 1350 | 11 | 204.8 |
2013 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 110 | 1499 | 9 | 204.3 |
2012 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 94 | 1434 | 10 | 203.4 |
2010 | Roddy White, Atl. | 115 | 1389 | 10 | 203.2 |
2009 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 63 | 1167 | 12 | 202.4 |
2013 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 93 | 1233 | 13 | 201.4 |
2016 | Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 106 | 1284 | 12 | 201.3 |
2007 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 100 | 1409 | 10 | 200.9 |
2014 | Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 101 | 1404 | 9 | 200.8 |
2010 | Greg Jennings, G.B. | 76 | 1265 | 12 | 198.4 |
2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 81 | 1320 | 11 | 197.8 |
2016 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 101 | 1367 | 10 | 197.6 |
2007 | Chad Johnson, Cin. | 93 | 1440 | 8 | 196.7 |
2013 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 89 | 1421 | 7 | 196.6 |
2014 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 104 | 1593 | 6 | 195.4 |
2013 | Eric Decker, Den. | 87 | 1288 | 11 | 194.8 |
2014 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 85 | 1318 | 10 | 191.8 |
2015 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 78 | 1069 | 14 | 190.9 |
2015 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 86 | 1297 | 10 | 189.7 |
2010 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 60 | 1257 | 10 | 189.6 |
2010 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 77 | 1120 | 12 | 189.2 |
2011 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 80 | 1411 | 8 | 189.1 |
2011 | Steve Smith Sr., Car. | 79 | 1394 | 7 | 189.0 |
2012 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 72 | 1384 | 8 | 188.4 |
2007 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cin. | 112 | 1143 | 12 | 187.7 |
2013 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 82 | 1332 | 9 | 187.4 |
2009 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 97 | 1092 | 13 | 187.2 |
2009 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 100 | 1264 | 10 | 186.4 |
2007 | Marques Colston, N.O. | 98 | 1202 | 11 | 186.2 |
2011 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 87 | 967 | 9 | 185.2 |
2012 | Eric Decker, Den. | 85 | 1064 | 13 | 184.4 |
2012 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 112 | 1598 | 4 | 183.8 |
2008 | Greg Jennings, G.B. | 80 | 1292 | 9 | 183.2 |
2016 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 91 | 1448 | 6 | 182.8 |
2012 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 79 | 1198 | 10 | 182.8 |
2008 | Steve Smith Sr., Car. | 78 | 1421 | 6 | 182.1 |
2009 | Roddy White, Atl. | 85 | 1153 | 11 | 181.5 |
2008 | Roddy White, Atl. | 88 | 1382 | 7 | 180.6 |
2007 | Brandon Marshall, Den. | 102 | 1325 | 7 | 180.2 |
2013 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 85 | 1314 | 8 | 179.4 |
2009 | Sidney Rice, Minn. | 83 | 1312 | 8 | 179.2 |
2014 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 82 | 1345 | 7 | 178.5 |
2011 | Roddy White, Atl. | 100 | 1296 | 8 | 177.6 |
2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 68 | 1051 | 12 | 177.1 |
2012 | Roddy White, Atl. | 92 | 1351 | 7 | 177.1 |
2016 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 83 | 1409 | 6 | 176.9 |
2014 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 85 | 1133 | 10 | 176.6 |
2008 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 89 | 1038 | 11 | 176.5 |
2009 | Brandon Marshall, Den. | 101 | 1120 | 10 | 175.9 |
2015 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 1215 | 9 | 175.5 |
2015 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 88 | 1214 | 9 | 175.4 |
2012 | Marques Colston, N.O. | 83 | 1154 | 10 | 175.4 |
2015 | Eric Decker, NYJ | 80 | 1027 | 12 | 174.7 |
2007 | Plaxico Burress, NYG | 70 | 1025 | 12 | 174.5 |
2016 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 75 | 997 | 12 | 173.7 |
2012 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 118 | 1354 | 6 | 173.4 |
2011 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 72 | 1193 | 8 | 173.0 |
2009 | Vincent Jackson, S.D. | 68 | 1167 | 9 | 171.8 |
2010 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 111 | 1355 | 6 | 171.5 |
2010 | Hakeem Nicks, NYG | 79 | 1052 | 11 | 171.2 |
2013 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 109 | 1407 | 5 | 170.7 |
2010 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 86 | 1216 | 8 | 170.6 |
2011 | Vincent Jackson, S.D. | 60 | 1106 | 9 | 169.7 |
Worth noting that there have been plenty of quality rookie wideouts in that time frame, albeit not top-100 guys. Last year both Michael Thomas and Tyreek Hill were top-15 wide receivers. Amari Cooper ranked in the top 25 at the position in 2015. Difficult to do, though.
--Andy Richardson