When a wide receiver is selected in the second round, you can at least think about them making an immediate impact. A couple of weeks into the preseason, it looks like a mixed bag for the six wideouts selected in the second round back in April.
For a couple of those players, the depth chart makes starting right away unlikely. Courtland Sutton isn't going to beat out Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders, though it does look like he has a firm grip on the No. 3 job so far. Dante Pettis will probably be no better than the No. 4 in San Francisco, and D.J. Chark -- though he's drawn praise in practices -- has a crowded field ahead of him in Jacksonville.
But things look better for the other three, especially after this weekend's games. Anthony Miller started and caught 3 passes for Chicago; good chance he opens across from Allen Robinson in the starting lineup. James Washington blew up with 5 catches for 114 yards and 2 TDs for the Steelers. He looks like your favorite for that No. 3 job. And Christian Kirk stepped up in the battle for the No. 2 job in Arizona, catching 4 passes for 49 yards and a score.
Over the last 10 years, there have been 42 wide receivers selected in the second round of the draft. Only seven have put up top-40 fantasy numbers in their rookie seasons. (Those players are in bold.)
2ND-ROUND ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS, 2008-2017 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Pk | Player | No | Yds | TD | FFRk |
2017 | 37 | Zay Jones, Buff. | 27 | 316 | 2 | 89th |
2017 | 40 | Curtis Samuel, Car. | 15 | 115 | 0 | 99th+ |
2017 | 62 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 58 | 917 | 8 | 15th |
2016 | 40 | Sterling Shepard, NYG | 65 | 683 | 8 | 35th |
2016 | 47 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 92 | 1137 | 9 | 8th |
2016 | 55 | Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 54 | 603 | 1 | 70th |
2015 | 37 | Devin Smith, NYJ | 9 | 115 | 1 | 99th+ |
2015 | 40 | Dorial Green-Beckham, Tenn. | 32 | 549 | 4 | 55th |
2015 | 41 | Devin Funchess, Car. | 31 | 473 | 5 | 57th |
2014 | 39 | Marqise Lee, Jac. | 37 | 422 | 1 | 93rd |
2014 | 42 | Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 67 | 872 | 8 | 25th |
2014 | 45 | Paul Richardson, Sea. | 29 | 271 | 1 | 99th+ |
2014 | 53 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 38 | 446 | 3 | 77th |
2014 | 56 | Cody Latimer, Den. | 2 | 23 | 0 | 99th+ |
2014 | 61 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 48 | 548 | 2 | 67th |
2014 | 63 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 84 | 758 | 5 | 42nd |
2013 | 34 | Justin Hunter, Tenn. | 18 | 354 | 4 | 75th |
2013 | 41 | Robert Woods, Buff. | 40 | 587 | 3 | 57th |
2013 | 59 | Aaron Dobson, N.E. | 37 | 519 | 4 | 59th |
2012 | 33 | Brian Quick, St.L. | 11 | 156 | 2 | 114th |
2012 | 43 | Stephen Hill, NYJ | 21 | 252 | 3 | 93rd |
2012 | 45 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 24 | 367 | 3 | 81st |
2012 | 54 | Ryan Broyles, Det. | 22 | 310 | 2 | 95th |
2012 | 63 | Rueben Randle, NYG | 19 | 298 | 3 | 88th |
2011 | 44 | Titus Young, Det. | 48 | 607 | 6 | 44th |
2011 | 58 | Torrey Smith, Balt. | 50 | 841 | 7 | 24th |
2011 | 59 | Greg Little, Clev. | 61 | 709 | 2 | 53rd |
2011 | 64 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 25 | 375 | 1 | 79th |
2010 | 36 | Dexter McCluster, K.C. | 21 | 209 | 1 | 99th+ |
2010 | 39 | Arrelious Benn, T.B. | 25 | 395 | 2 | 90th |
2010 | 60 | Golden Tate, Sea. | 21 | 227 | 0 | 99th+ |
2009 | 36 | Brian Robiskie, Clev. | 7 | 106 | 0 | 99th+ |
2009 | 50 | Mohamed Massaquoi, Clev. | 34 | 624 | 3 | 59th |
2008 | 33 | Donnie Avery, St.L. | 53 | 674 | 3 | 42nd |
2008 | 34 | Devin Thomas, Wash. | 15 | 120 | 1 | 99th+ |
2008 | 36 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 33 | 366 | 2 | 84th |
2008 | 41 | James Hardy, Buff. | 9 | 87 | 2 | 99th+ |
2008 | 42 | Eddie Royal, Den. | 91 | 980 | 5 | 19th |
2008 | 46 | Jerome Simpson, Cin. | 1 | 2 | 0 | 99th+ |
2008 | 49 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 62 | 912 | 4 | 26th |
2008 | 51 | Malcolm Kelly, Wash. | 3 | 18 | 0 | 99th+ |
2008 | 53 | Limas Sweed, Pitt. | 6 | 64 | 0 | 99th+ |
Three of those guys have done it in the last two seasons: Michael Thomas, Sterling Shepard and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Miller, if he does secure that No. 2 job, looks like the favorite to join that club, with Kirk probably the 2nd-best bet.
—Andy Richardson