Team Fit: Atlanta's projected starters at receiver before his
pick: Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd and Olamide Zacchaeus. Bypassing
Garrett Wilson here suggests the Falcons are hoping for Calvin Ridley to return from suspension next year because London and
his 6-4 frame provide a very nice complement to Ridley's quickness
and fluidity. It also gives Atlanta a pair of power forwards (along
with 6-5 TE Kyle Pitts) to play over the top of most secondaries.
Creating separation was a problem for London at USC, but he should
be a very solid No. 2 receiver in Atlanta if Ridley remains a
Falcon long-term. A good expectation for what London initially
might be would be late-career Larry Fitzgerald (after he became
more of a full-time slot).
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? Pitts figures to be the
main man for the foreseeable future in Atlanta, but London should
have no issue being the top receiver immediately (he better not).
Nevertheless, with Marcus Mariota expected to be his quarterback
in 2022, London will likely struggle to be much more than a middling
WR4 most weeks.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Team Fit: Wilson's Stefon Diggs-like upside makes up for his
landing spot, as Zach Wilson's viability as a potential stud is
still very much in question. Elijah Moore emerged in a big way
as a rookie, and he is likely the long-term answer in the slot
for Gang Green. Garrett Wilson may be a bit undersized, but he
is more than capable of winning on the outside and makes for a
fine complement to Corey Davis for now. While his speed and quickness
should make him a viable Day 1 starter at Z, the Ohio State product's
best feature at the pro level right away may be his ability to
win in contested-catch situations. Look for Garrett Wilson to
team up with Elijah Moore long-term as Davis slowly fades into
the background over the next year or two.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? It
should be interesting to see if Moore or Wilson takes hold of
the No.1 receiving spot in New York. However, finding enough targets
for both of them - and trying to justify Davis' big free-agent
contract from last year - may be too much for Wilson to overcome
as a rookie. Treat Wilson as a WR4 with significant upside if
Davis or Moore gets hurt.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Team Fit: Olave is a high-level route-runner with great hands
who just happens to run a sub-4.4 40. He does not do much after
the catch, but he makes a ton of sense for a team with a screaming
need for a dependable receiver - hopefully opposite a healthy
Michael Thomas - that believes it can challenge for a Super Bowl.
He is a high-floor prospect at worst with the potential to be
something approaching Calvin Ridley in a few years. For the foreseeable
future, Olave will likely be much more useful in between the 20s
than near the end zone simply because his relative lack of athleticism
is not going to make him an attractive target on back-shoulder
or high-point throws.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? Olave figures to start
immediately over Marquez Callaway, but he will be hard-pressed
to be much more than a WR4 with a healthy Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara ahead of him in the pecking order.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Team Fit: The Lions believe they have their alpha in Amon-Ra St. Brown. They added D.J. Chark in free agency, and now they
get a receiver who should become one of the league's most feared
deep threats very quickly. Chark does not present a huge obstacle
long-term (he signed a one-year deal), but the presence of St.
Brown and T.J. Hockenson will likely limit Williams' targets (and
potential alpha target share) for the foreseeable future. Being
tied to Jared Goff is probably the bigger issue, as the former
No. 1 overall pick is not one of the league's strongest-armed
quarterbacks capable of maximizing Williams' game-changing speed.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? Williams may not be
ready until late October at the earliest due to his expected recovery
time from a torn ACL. While will be a great high-upside stash
in leagues with IR spots, it could be a tall order for him to
be anything more than the third option behind St. Brown and Hockenson
- especially without the benefit of a training camp to get his
timing down with Goff.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Team Fit: The selection of Dotson gives Washington a dynamic
slot option that should be able to take advantage of all the open
space Terry McLaurin and (hopefully) Curtis Samuel can give him.
The Penn State product has some of the best hands in this draft
class, and his ability to create space and change directions effortlessly
should ease his transition to the pros. As a player who profiles
as a more sure-handed Diontae Johnson, Dotson should thrive in
Washington sooner than later if Carson Wentz doesn't completely
meltdown. Dotson has good speed (4.43) and a large catch radius,
meaning he should be productive even if Wentz doesn't buck his
aggressive tendencies.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? The presence of McLaurin
and Samuel will give Dotson some time to adjust to the pro game
if he needs it, while Logan Thomas and J.D. McKissic will be around
to pick up the short stuff. Barring injury to one of the aforementioned
players, it is hard to see Dotson serving as anything more than
a WR5 this year.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts?
Check back on the website next week.
Team Fit: The Titans did the unthinkable and traded A.J. Brown,
presumably because they were not willing to pay him $20+ million
per season. Therefore, they did the only thing they could: draft
the prospect who they hope can be a cheaper and (slightly) younger
version. Burks has alpha wideout traits and could eventually grow
into that role early in his career if he works tirelessly on his
route-running. However, it is far from a sure thing that Burks
will provide the same "dog mentality" to the Titans
that Brown did. Thankfully, the addition of Robert Woods earlier
this offseason gives Burks some time to settle in and learn from
a consummate pro. Nevertheless, the Brown-Burks swap (Burks and
a third-rounder for Brown) still feels like a gut punch for a
team that may only have one or two more years of Derrick Henry
in his prime.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? The Titans undoubtedly
expect Burks to take on a big role immediately, so a strong case
can be made that he should be viewed as a WR3 with huge upside.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Team Fit: Pickett is the most pro-ready QB in the class with
Kirk Cousins-level upside. Following Big Ben's retirement, Pittsburgh
had little choice but to go quarterback with only Mitch Trubisky
and Mason Rudolph serving as legitimate options. Pickett emerged
in a big way in his third season under the tutelage of former
OC Mark Whipple, appearing very comfortable working through his
progressions and throwing his receivers open downfield. While
he lacks elite athleticism, he brings more than enough rushing
upside to the table that OC Matt Canada should be able to implement
the style of offense he could not last year with Big Ben still
around.
What does it mean in redraft (12 teams)? Low-end QB2, assuming
he wins the starting job in camp.
Where should I expect him to go in my rookie drafts? Check back
on the website next week.
Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and been featured in USA Today's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He hosted USA Today's hour-long, pre-kickoff fantasy football internet chat every Sunday in 2012-13 and appears as a guest analyst on a number of national sports radio shows, including Sirius XM's "Fantasy Drive". Doug is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.