The rookie receivers didn’t do all that much in the preseason. Marvin Harrison hardly stepped on the field, while Rome Odunze caught only one pass. Malik Nabers, at least, caught 4 passes, including a pair where his ability to elevate above defensive backs was on display.
But that’s what the preseason is now, with players largely kept in bubble-wrap. Odunze couldn’t keep his feet in bounds on what would have been a touchdown, and we call that a positive – he’s getting credit not for what he did but what he might have done.
With the way teams treat the preseason now, it’s rare for a receiver to demonstrate in the preseason that he’ll be making an instant impact. In the last six years, 19 receivers have put up top-30 numbers in their first season (using PPR scoring). Only one of those players finished with 60-plus receiving yards in the preseason (Rashee Rice).
Odell Beckham and Justin Jefferson didn’t even play in their initial preseason, while Ja’Marr Chase was plagued by drops, catching only 1 of the 5 passes thrown his way. They all ended up dramatically outperforming their ADP.
With that in mind, I will concede that I have perhaps been too aggressive in downgrading Xavier Legette, Keon Coleman and Ladd McConkey. But in the cases of those guys, there’s not only a lack of productive but a lack of evidence that they’re going to play starter-type roles initially.
| ROOKIE RECEIVERS FINISHING WITH TOP-30 NUMBERS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Reg season | PPR |
| 2023 | Puka Nacua, LAR | 5 | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 1 | 105-1486-6 | 4th |
| 2023 | Jordan Addison, Min. | 3 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 70-911-10 | 23rd |
| 2023 | Jayden Reed, G.B. | 7 | 4 | 46 | 11.5 | 1 | 64-793-8 | 25th |
| 2023 | Rashee Rice, K.C. | 19 | 14 | 155 | 11.1 | 0 | 79-938-7 | 27th |
| 2022 | Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 8 | 6 | 52 | 8.7 | 0 | 83-1103-4 | 21st |
| 2022 | Chris Olave, N.O. | 5 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 1 | 72-1042-4 | 24th |
| 2022 | Drake London, Atl. | 1 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 0 | 72-866-4 | 28th |
| 2021 | Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 5 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 81-1455-13 | 5th |
| 2021 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 4 | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 104-1015-6 | 12th |
| 2021 | Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 10 | 6 | 28 | 4.7 | 0 | 90-912-5 | 22nd |
| 2021 | DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 4 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 64-916-5 | 30th |
| 2020 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 88-1400-7 | 6th |
| 2020 | CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 74-935-5 | 22nd |
| 2020 | Chase Claypool, Pitt. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 62-873-9 | 23rd |
| 2020 | Tee Higgins, Cin. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 67-908-6 | 28th |
| 2019 | A.J. Brown, Ten. | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 52-1051-8 | 22nd |
| 2019 | DK Metcalf, Sea. | 4 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 58-900-7 | 29th |
| 2019 | Terry McLaurin, Was. | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 58-919-7 | 30th |
| 2018 | Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 11 | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 1 | 64-821-10 | 20th |
| 2017 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 6 | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 0 | 58-917-7 | 20th |
| 2017 | Cooper Kupp, LAR | 10 | 8 | 105 | 13.1 | 1 | 62-869-5 | 25th |
| 2016 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 10 | 6 | 95 | 15.8 | 0 | 92-1137-9 | 7th |
| 2016 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 12 | 4 | 90 | 22.5 | 0 | 61-593-6 | 18th |
| 2015 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 15 | 8 | 124 | 15.5 | 0 | 72-1070-6 | 21st |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham, NYG | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 91-1305-12 | 8th |
| 2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 7 | 5 | 96 | 19.2 | 1 | 68-1051-12 | 13th |
| 2014 | Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 19 | 12 | 173 | 14.4 | 1 | 73-1008-9 | 16th |
| 2014 | Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 19 | 15 | 134 | 8.9 | 0 | 67-872-8 | 25th |
| 2014 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 7 | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 65-982-6 | 27th |
| 2014 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 8 | 7 | 73 | 10.4 | 0 | 84-758-5 | 30th |
—Ian Allan