Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Around the NFL

K.J. Osborn

No. 3 headed for uptick in value

Following up on Ian's post about Adam Thielen's release on Friday, I thought I'd take a look at how that might benefit the current No. 2 on the roster, K.J. Osborn. I figured he probably had better numbers with Thielen out of the lineup. But I was surprised just how much better.

Thielen didn't miss any games last year, so there's not much to go on with Osborn -- a fifth-round pick back in 2020 who's now entering his fourth season -- as the No. 2 from that season. But he was definitely one of the very best No. 3s, catching 60 passes for 650 yards and 5 touchdowns. Only 2 3rd-best receivers (in terms of yards on their respective teams) had more yards last year, Tyler Boyd and Keenan Allen. Only Allen had more catches. (To be clear, no one would consider Allen a No. 3, but because of injuries he had fewer yards than both Mike Williams and Josh Palmer.)

2022 3RD-BEST WRS (YARDS), BY TEAM
No. 3 WRsNoYdsTD
Tyler Boyd, Cin.587625
Keenan Allen, LAC667524
K.J. Osborn, Min.606505
Alec Pierce, Ind.415932
Marvin Jones, Jac.465293
Jahan Dotson, Was.355237
DJ Chark, Det.305023
Nico Collins, Hou.374812
Greg Dortch, Ari.524672
Elijah Moore, NYJ374461
Kendrick Bourne, N.E.354341
Russell Gage, T.B.514265
Romeo Doubs, G.B.424253
Michael Gallup, Dal.394244
Isaiah McKenzie, Buf.424234
Trent Sherfield, Mia.304172
Jauan Jennings, S.F.354161
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ten.253973
Marquise Goodwin, Sea.273874
Van Jefferson, LAR243693
Quez Watkins, Phi.333543
Isaiah Hodgins, NYG333514
Hunter Renfrow, L.V.363302
Justin Watson, K.C.153152
Kendall Hinton, Den.243110
Chase Claypool, Pit.323111
Shi Smith, Car.222962
Rashod Bateman, Bal.152852
Tre'Quan Smith, N.O.192781
Damiere Byrd, Atl.132682
Dante Pettis, Chi.192453
David Bell, Cle.242140

Osborn did, however, have a shot at being the No. 2, late in 2021. That year, Thielen got hurt early on against Detroit, returned briefly a couple of weeks later, then was shut down for the season. In the last six games of the year, Osborn was the No. 2 behind Justin Jefferson. Here are his numbers from those games.

OSBORN W/O THIELEN, 2021
OppTgtRecYdsTD
at Det.74471
Pit.93831
at Chi.33210
LAR75681
at G.B.53501
Chi.41211

That's 19 catches for 290 yards and 5 touchdowns in six games -- about 3 catches for 48 yards and a touchdown per week.

Finally, Osborn also finished strong this past year, even with Thielen playing his usual snaps in most games. In the last five games of the regular season he caught 30 passes for 388 yards and 3 TDs; he scored again in the playoff loss to the Giants.

It's early, and the Vikings could still add somebody else. But a name to file away; I expect I'll be interested in Osborn as a later-round pick this summer.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index