It doesn’t seem to be happening for Martavis Bryant in Oakland. He hasn’t even appeared yet in a preseason game, of course, but the coaches indicate he’s not picking up the offense properly.

Jon Gruden ripped Bryant at the start of the week, of course. And now James Jones (a former Raiders receiver) says offensive coordinator Greg Olson told him the same thing. Bryant has ideal size and speed but simply doesn’t know the offense.

“They said he’s not picking up the playbook, and that’s the reason of a little frustration right now because they want to get him on the field but he’s not able to grasp the playbook yet,” says Jones, who’s now an analyst for NFL Network. “They need him to pick it up.”

Jordy Nelson is an older receiver who’s lost some speed, but with his superior experience and know-how, he looks like a better fantasy choice right now. He’ll probably start, with Bryant more likely to fill a limited role as a third receiver.

The Steelers may have known exactly what they were doing when they shipped away Bryant for a third-round pick. He doesn’t seem to be the same guy he was at the start of his career. In Bryant’s first two seasons, he averaged 1.53 fantasy points per pass play – 3rd-best among the 84 wide receivers with at least 100 targets in those seasons.

RECEIVERS: PRODUCTION PER PLAY (2014-15)
PlayerTgtNoYardsAvgTDPt/Tgt
DeSean Jackson143861,69719.7101.61
Odell Beckham132911,30514.3121.53
Martavis Bryant141761,31417.3141.53
Jordy Nelson151981,51915.5131.52
Torrey Smith155821,43017.4151.50
Doug Baldwin2011441,89413.2171.45
Odell Beckham158961,45015.1131.41
Dez Bryant2101191,72114.5191.36
Terrance Williams157891,46116.4111.35
A.J. Green2481552,33815.1161.33
Allen Hurns2021151,70814.9161.32
Antonio Brown3752653,53213.3231.31
Sammy Watkins2241252,02916.2151.31
Jeremy Maclin2671722,40614.0181.31
Michael Floyd188991,69017.1121.28
Brandon Marshall2781702,22313.1221.27
Allen Robinson2321281,94815.2161.25
Randall Cobb2551702,11612.4181.25
Emmanuel Sanders2771772,53914.3151.24
Jordan Matthews2311521,86912.3161.22
Malcom Floyd160821,41717.391.22
Eric Decker2471541,98912.9171.22
Brandin Cooks1991371,68812.3121.21
T.Y. Hilton2641512,46916.4121.21
Cole Beasley1248995610.791.21
Calvin Johnson2771592,29114.4171.20
John Brown2041131,69915.0121.19
Marques Colston1661041,42213.791.18
DeAndre Hopkins3191872,73114.6171.18
Julio Jones3672403,46414.4141.17
Jermaine Kearse135871,22214.061.17
Kenny Stills148901,37115.261.17
Alshon Jeffery2391391,94014.0141.16
Mike Evans2721422,25715.9151.16
Willie Snead1016998414.331.15
Kenny Britt156841,42917.061.15
James Jones2101231,55612.7141.14
Donte Moncrief154961,17712.391.11
Rueben Randle2171281,73513.6111.10
Amari Cooper130721,07014.961.10
Mike Wallace1871061,33512.6121.10
Demaryius Thomas3612162,92313.5171.09
Markus Wheaton166971,39314.471.09
Kendall Wright153931,12312.191.09
Larry Fitzgerald2481721,99911.6111.07
Steve Smith Sr.133791,06513.561.07
Greg Jennings1287895012.271.07
Kamar Aiken159991,21112.281.06
Eddie Royal141991,01610.381.06
Kelvin Benjamin146731,00813.891.06
Andre Holmes1316189414.781.05
Julian Edelman2231531,66410.9111.04
Chris Hogan1207787611.461.03
Travis Benjamin171861,28014.981.03
Jarius Wright112761,03013.621.03
Marvin Jones1036581612.641.03
Golden Tate2701892,14411.3101.02
Mohamed Sanu147891,18413.351.01
Nate Washington166871,30515.061.00
Roddy White1921231,42711.68.99
Anquan Boldin2411521,85112.29.99
Jerricho Cotchery132871,06512.24.99
Brandon LaFell1931111,46813.27.98
Miles Austin1016079213.23.96
Pierre Garcon2161401,52910.99.96
Keenan Allen2101441,50810.58.95
Michael Crabtree2541531,62010.613.94
Robert Woods1841121,25111.28.94
Vincent Jackson2051031,54515.05.90
Jarvis Landry2771941,9159.99.89
Riley Cooper1367690411.95.89
Brian Hartline1408599711.74.88
Danny Amendola131928489.24.83
Andre Johnson2241261,43911.47.83
Harry Douglas1478796711.14.82
Andrew Hawkins156901,10012.22.78
Reggie Wayne1166477912.22.78
Tavon Austin131837158.65.77
Taylor Gabriel1196486213.51.77
Dwayne Bowe1096580712.40.74
Jeremy Kerley1015456110.43.73
Marqise Lee1005261311.82.73
Davante Adams1608892910.64.73
Cecil Shorts III1105355710.51.56

Bryant last year ranked 58th of 85 wide receivers (with at least 50 targets). (The league leader last year, by the way, was the player who replaced Bryant – JuJu Smith-Schuster.

RECEIVERS: PRODUCTION PER PLAY (2017)
PlayerTgtRecYardsAvgTDPts/Tgt
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.795891715.871.69
Will Fuller, Hou.502842315.171.69
Marvin Jones, Det.107611,10118.091.53
Sammy Watkins, LAR703959315.281.53
Tyreek Hill, K.C.105751,18315.871.53
Ted Ginn, N.O.705378714.841.47
Tyrell Williams, LAC694372816.941.40
Stefon Diggs, Minn.956484913.381.40
Paul Richardson, Sea.804470316.061.33
Brandin Cooks, N.E.114651,08216.671.32
Nelson Agholor, Phil.956276812.481.31
Travis Benjamin, LAC623456716.741.30
Antonio Brown, Pitt.1631011,53315.291.27
Robert Woods, LAR855678113.951.27
Davante Adams, G.B.1177488512.0101.27
Doug Baldwin, Sea.1167599113.281.27
Chris Hogan, N.E.593443912.951.25
Ryan Grant, Wash.654557312.741.25
Cooper Kupp, LAR946286914.051.24
DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.174961,37814.4131.24
Robby Anderson, NYJ1146394114.971.19
Rishard Matthews, Tenn.875379515.041.19
Devin Funchess, Car.1116384013.381.19
Albert Wilson, K.C.624255413.231.18
Kenny Stills, Mia.1055884714.661.15
Amari Cooper, Oak.964868014.271.15
Keelan Cole, Jac.834274817.831.12
Kelvin Benjamin, 2 tm784869214.431.12
Alshon Jeffery, Phil.1205778913.891.11
T.Y. Hilton, Ind.1095796616.941.11
Josh Doctson, Wash.783550214.361.11
Keenan Allen, LAC1591021,39313.761.10
Julio Jones, Atl.148881,44416.431.10
A.J. Green, Cin.143751,07814.481.09
Jermaine Kearse, NYJ1026581012.551.09
Michael Crabtree, Oak.1015861810.781.09
Golden Tate, Det.120921,00310.951.09
Allen Hurns, Jac.563948412.421.08
Mike Wallace, Balt.925274814.441.07
Adam Thielen, Minn.142911,27614.041.07
Chris Godwin, T.B.553452515.411.06
Mohamed Sanu, Atl.966770310.551.04
Jaron Brown, Ariz.693147715.441.04
Michael Thomas, N.O.1491041,24512.051.04
Marquise Goodwin, S.F.1055696217.221.03
J.J. Nelson, Ariz.612950417.421.02
Sterling Shepard, NYG845973112.421.01
Deonte Thompson, 2 tm693855514.62.98
Randall Cobb, G.B.92666539.94.97
Jordy Nelson, G.B.88534829.16.96
Mike Evans, T.B.136711,00114.15.96
Tyler Lockett, Sea.714555512.32.95
Jarvis Landry, Mia.1611129878.89.95
Bennie Fowler, Den.562935012.13.95
DeSean Jackson, T.B.905066813.43.94
Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.1611091,15610.66.94
Jamison Crowder, Wash.1036678912.03.94
Martavis Bryant, Pitt.845060312.13.93
Marqise Lee, Jac.965670212.53.92
Trent Taylor, S.F.604343010.02.92
Dez Bryant, Dall.1326983812.16.91
Danny Amendola, N.E.866165910.82.91
Demaryius Thomas, Den.1408394911.45.89
Cole Beasley, Dall.63363148.74.88
John Brown, Ariz.552129914.23.87
Rashard Higgins, Clev.502731211.62.86
Jeremy Maclin, Balt.724044011.03.86
Taylor Gabriel, Atl.513337811.51.86
Adam Humphries, T.B.836163110.31.83
Torrey Smith, Phil.673643011.92.82
Brandon LaFell, Cin.895254810.53.82
Seth Roberts, Oak.654345510.61.79
Bruce Ellington, Hou.572933011.42.79
Dede Westbrook, Jac.512733912.61.78
DeVante Parker, Mia.965767011.81.76
Eric Decker, Tenn.835456310.41.75
Pierre Garcon, S.F.674050012.50.75
Roger Lewis, NYG723641611.62.74
Kendall Wright, Chi.915961410.41.74
Emmanuel Sanders, Den.924755511.82.73
Corey Coleman, Clev.582330513.32.73
Terrance Williams, Dall.785356810.70.73
Zay Jones, Buff.742731611.72.59
Ricardo Louis, Clev.612735713.20.59
Corey Davis, Tenn.653437511.00.58

—Ian Allan