CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, and Tee Higgins all broke out in a big way in 2020. What did all of them have in common? They were all first-year wideouts. Rookie receivers don’t get the same type of recognition as rookie running backs, but pass-catchers can make an immediate impact, too. Which wideouts will fit that bill in 2021? Here are eight impact rookie wide receivers.
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Ja’Marr Chase (CIN)
I won’t spend too much time on Chase, because as the fifth pick in the draft and a former teammate of Joe Burrow‘s, he should be primed for a big season right out of the gates. Chase will have competition with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd for targets, but there’s no reason he can’t make an immediate impact in his first season. After all, Cincinnati selected Chase rather than an offensive lineman in the draft.
Jaylen Waddle (MIA)
It was Waddle, and not teammate and Heisman winner DeVonta Smith (see below) who was the first Alabama receiver off the board in this year’s draft. Miami is a team that’s been building momentum for a couple of years now, but the Dolphins haven’t been able to put it all together. This season, Miami signed Will Fuller and drafted Waddle all the way up at No. 6 to address a key area of concern within the offense. Expect him to be involved early and often for the up-and-coming AFC East team.
DeVonta Smith (PHI)
The reigning Heisman trophy winner doesn’t need an in-depth analysis here. Philly took him at No. 10 with the expectation that he contributes immediately, and that’s a likely outcome for his rookie season. Smith has little competition for targets, and his high-volume role should yield significant results. Philly fielded one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL in 2020, and Smith was the only significant offseason upgrade. The Eagles traded up to get him, and the superstar talent should be the featured pass-catcher in a new-look Eagles offense.
Rashod Bateman (BAL)
Baltimore made it a point to address its deficiencies at the receiver position by selecting Bateman in the first round of this year’s draft. The Ravens have had a ton of success as a run-first team since Lamar Jackson took over as starting quarterback, but the receiving game has been clearly lacking. In 2018 and 2019, Baltimore ranked 23rd and 24th in passing yards, and in 2020, the team ranked dead last in that category with a pathetic 171.9 yards per game. That was worse than even the Jets and Patriots, showcasing how pedestrian the Ravens’ passing offense was a season ago.
Elijah Moore (NYJ)
Moore joins a new-look Jets team with the opportunity to seize an impactful role right away. The Biletnikoff finalist led the FBS with 149.1 receiving yards on 10.8 receptions per game in 2020, breaking A.J. Brown‘s single-season receptions record in the process (86). Gang Green also added Corey Davis and Keelan Cole while retaining Jamison Crowder, but Moore has more than enough talent to carve out a quality target share as a rookie.
D’Wayne Eskridge (SEA)
Eskridge can be a sneaky-good producer as a rookie, thanks to the opportunity he’ll have in the Seahawks offense. He’ll replace David Moore, who averaged a 26/388/4 receiving line across the last four seasons. Eskridge is a speedy receiver who can make some noise in the short and intermediate game while defensive attention is focused on studs D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Nico Collins (HOU)
Collins has gotten off to a good start with Houston and recently received plenty of praise from Texans coaching staff and players. He joins the team with an opportunity to contribute right away. Though he opted out of the 2020 season, his skills were still highly sought after in the NFL Draft. Collins has a big body (6’4, 215) that enabled him to average 19.7 yards per catch in 2019 as a jump-ball specialist, though his speed and strong hands make him a worthy receiver in the short and intermediate game too. Houston’s receiving corps features Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, Keke Coutee and a lackluster group of depth options, which will allow Collins to compete for a starting job this season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)
A major theme of this article is opportunity, and St. Brown could have plenty of it in 2021. He joins a team that has completely revamped its receiving corps and has a new quarterback. The only receiver on the roster from a season ago is sophomore Quintez Cephus, and the top targets for Jared Goff are Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams. Perriman has played well in stretches throughout his career, but the journeyman has failed to put together a complete season thus far. Williams missed all of last season with a torn labrum, and Cephus is yet unproven. St. Brown has a clear path to starter reps if he impresses in training camp or any of the aforementioned receivers misses time.
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
