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Second-round wide receivers

Kirk, Washington come off good preseason games

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
YearPkPlayerNoYdsTDFFRk
201737Zay Jones, Buff.27316289th
201740Curtis Samuel, Car.15115099th+
201762JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.58917815th
201640Sterling Shepard, NYG65683835th
201647Michael Thomas, N.O.92113798th
201655Tyler Boyd, Cin.54603170th
201537Devin Smith, NYJ9115199th+
201540Dorial Green-Beckham, Tenn.32549455th
201541Devin Funchess, Car.31473557th
201439Marqise Lee, Jac.37422193rd
201442Jordan Matthews, Phil.67872825th
201445Paul Richardson, Sea.29271199th+
201453Davante Adams, G.B.38446377th
201456Cody Latimer, Den.223099th+
201461Allen Robinson, Jac.48548267th
201463Jarvis Landry, Mia.84758542nd
201334Justin Hunter, Tenn.18354475th
201341Robert Woods, Buff.40587357th
201359Aaron Dobson, N.E.37519459th
201233Brian Quick, St.L.111562114th
201243Stephen Hill, NYJ21252393rd
201245Alshon Jeffery, Chi.24367381st
201254Ryan Broyles, Det.22310295th
201263Rueben Randle, NYG19298388th
201144Titus Young, Det.48607644th
201158Torrey Smith, Balt.50841724th
201159Greg Little, Clev.61709253rd
201164Randall Cobb, G.B.25375179th
201036Dexter McCluster, K.C.21209199th+
201039Arrelious Benn, T.B.25395290th
201060Golden Tate, Sea.21227099th+
200936Brian Robiskie, Clev.7106099th+
200950Mohamed Massaquoi, Clev.34624359th
200833Donnie Avery, St.L.53674342nd
200834Devin Thomas, Wash.15120199th+
200836Jordy Nelson, G.B.33366284th
200841James Hardy, Buff.987299th+
200842Eddie Royal, Den.91980519th
200846Jerome Simpson, Cin.12099th+
200849DeSean Jackson, Phil.62912426th
200851Malcolm Kelly, Wash.318099th+
200853Limas Sweed, Pitt.664099th+

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

Fantasy Index