The 2022 NFL Draft is yet again poised to feature several difference makers at the wide receiver position. While claims have been made that the class lacks a star-caliber player in the mold of Ja’Marr Chase, there is an abundance of players who look ready to contribute in a big way for whichever NFL team selects them come draft day.
The headliners of the class have been bantered about and debated plenty to this point in time, but your fantasy roster needs to extract value from the later portions of your rookie draft. Every year some players get selected in the second half of rookie drafts who go on to not only have fantasy relevance, but some of those selections can be like striking gold for your fantasy roster. Of course, not all of your late-round rookie selections will pan out and become fantasy superstars, but the depth of the wide receiver position in college football has led to a stronger likelihood of finding late-round gems to flesh out your fantasy roster. So who are the under-the-radar names at wide receiver that you need to keep your ear to the ground on as the pre-draft process rolls on?
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Tre Turner (Virginia Tech)
While his college statistics are not of the eye-popping variety, Tre Turner was a consistent, reliable pass catcher over his tenure at Virginia Tech. Across four seasons with the Hokies, he never posted less than 500 receiving yards in a season. He is capable of playing both on the boundary and from the slot position, all while attacking multiple levels of the field as a route runner. He does still have some room to grow in that regard, but his solid hands combined with top-notch body control make him an intriguing option. A big catch radius and long frame pair nicely with said body control and could very easily help endear him to whichever quarterback is throwing to him on the team that selects him. He is the very definition of flying under the radar currently.
Khalil Shakir (Boise State)
Khalil Shakir has been undeniably productive over the last three seasons for the Boise State Broncos. After breaking out as a sophomore in 2019 to the tune of 872 receiving yards, Shakir followed that up with a junior season that saw him average just over 100 receiving yards per game in 2020. His senior season saw him post high marks in all major statistical categories, with 77 receptions, 1,117 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. The fact that he may be resigned to largely playing from the slot at the professional level should not deter fantasy managers from adding him to their teams in the third round of rookie drafts. He still has room to improve as a route runner, but his athletic ability and elusiveness help him contribute in a big way in yards after catch situations. Players in that mold regularly carve out weekly fantasy relevance in points per reception formats. His ability to chip in on special teams will improve his odds at sticking on an NFL roster, and that counts for something when determining who to roll the dice on later in your rookie drafts.
Erik Ezukanma (Texas Tech)
Athletic upside is often worth gambling on in rookie drafts, especially in the later rounds. Erik Ezukanma has all of the physical traits you could ask for when putting together a wide receiver prospect. He has the size, he is expected to measure in around 6’3″ and weigh in around 220 pounds, and physical playing style to make him a worthy late round target in rookie drafts. It’s fair to wonder what Ezukanma’s statistical output could have been if paired with a higher caliber quarterback during his time with Texas Tech. He offers enough deep speed to pair with his imposing physical stature to win downfield, where he can shine in contested catch situations. His strength is evident in yards after catch scenarios. The physicality he plays with makes him a real burden to bring down for a single tackler. Though Texas Tech often used him as a receiver on the perimeter, the NFL team who selects him would be wise to look to move him inside as a big slot receiver at times. After never topping 750 yards receiving in a single season for the Red Raiders, a team with an established signal-caller in the NFL may be able to unlock the best of Ezukanma’s game.
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