There was only one quarterback, Kenny Pickens, taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. There were no running backs among the top 32 picks.
That made wide receiver once again the marquee rookie offensive skill position for this season. From Round 1 through Round 7, 28 wideouts in all were selected, including the initial six going from No. 8 to No. 18 overall.
Some of those early picks have been healthy enough in their first NFL training camp and exhibition games to flash on their high pedigree and promise. What’s been more impressive is seeing later-round picks also showing they can be key immediate contributors to their teams.
With Week 2 of the the NFL preseason coming to a close, here’s breaking down which notable wide receivers picked before No. 200 overall have stood out the most ahead of their rookie regular seasons, weighing their performance in relation to where they were drafted:
Early NFL rookie wide receiver grades
1. George Pickens, Steelers (Round 2, No. 52 overall)
Grade: A+ | Stats: 5 catches on 7 targets for 49 yards, TD
Pickens has zoomed into a prime position as the Steelers’ new preferred No. 2 receiver to Diontae Johnson, taking advantage a shaky, shoulder injury-marred camp for Chase Claypool. Now Pickens looks like the outside field-stretcher of choice with Claypool developing more into the big slot. It also wouldn’t hurt if the Steelers just start Pickett from the get-go to boost the rookie-to-rookie love.
2. Romeo Doubs, Packers (Round 4, No. 132 overall)
Grade: A+ | Stats: 6 catches on 12 targets for 69 yards, 2 TDs
Aaron Rodgers challenged his young receiver corps and declared how much he wants seasoned veterans topping the pecking order without Davante Adams. Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff have had some issues too, with Doubs’ drops. But with all due respect to Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins, Doubs brings a dangerous downfield element that none of them can in trying to replace the shot-play production of Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Rodgers can get picky with the Packers’ wideouts, but he also can’t ignore someone who can help him stretch the field best with his big arm.
3. Alec Pierce, Colts (Round 2, No. 53 overall)
Grade: A+| Stats: 3 catches on 4 targets for 36 yards
The Colts have been thrilled with the speed, hands, route-running of Pierce. They also like the fact, like No. 1 wideout Michael Pittman Jr., he can use his size and quickness outside or inside. The Cincinnati kid has all but secured a startling role for a thin corps on a run-heavy offense Matt Ryan will be locked into Pittman often, but Pierce can open things up by taking the top off defenses at times.
4. Khalil Shakir, Bills (Round 5, No. 148 overall)
Grade: A+ | Stats: 8 catches on 8 targets for 151 yards
Shakir has led the Bills in receiving in their two preseason games as the Boise State product looks like the right choice to back up Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis on the outside. Before he settles into a much bigger role for Josh Allen in 2023, Shakir should get some key field-stretching looks in four wide, given Jamison Crowder and Isaiah McKenzie are varied slot options.
5. Chris Olave, Saints (Round 1, No. 11 overall)
Grade: A | Stats: 3 catch on targets for 32 yards, TD
Olave is off to a strong start in the Saints’ revamped downfield passing game. They want to be more aggressive spreading the field and throwing downfield with Jameis Winston and Olave is central to those plans off the elite intermediate possession skills of fellow Ohio State product Michael Thomas. The flashy big playmaking will continue as a No. 2.
6. Jahan Dotson, Commanders (Round 1, No. 16 overall)
Grade: A | Stats: 2 catches on 2 targets for 23 yards
Dotson is living up to expectations as the ideal No. 2 outside to established No. 1 Terry McLaurin. He’s been as fast as advertised speedy vertical threat but he’s also shown command with his hands and route-running. He is the type of downfield target with whom Carson Wentz connects well, too.
7. Erik Ezukanma, Dolphins (Round 4, No. 125 overall)
Grade: A | Stats: 8 catches on 12 targets for 132 yards
Ezukanma is having a Shakir-like camp in the AFC East operating as a high-upside No. 4. He exploded for a big second preseason game, proving he’s the best of the rest behind Tyreek HIll, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson. In a revamped, remixed receiving corps, Ezukanma has taken advantage of getting to connect often with fellow rookie Skylar Thompson at QB. That has helped him earn a roster spot and should rise to have more relevance than a fourth newcomer, Trent Sherfield.
8. Wan’Dale Robinson, Giants (Round 2, No. 43 overall)
Grade: A- | Stats: None
Robinson has had a big camp and the Giants have been careful to deploy the versatile weapon too much in the preseason, perhaps staying vanilla before unleashing their big plans for him when games count. Slot? Outside? Backfield? It doesn’t matter. Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka were brought to lead New York’s offense to make it more explosive and dynamic around Daniel Jones and Robinson might be needed most to support Kenny Golladay, given he’s battling for key snaps with oft-injured Sterling Shepard and the mercurial Kadarius Toney.
9. Garrett Wilson, Jets (Round 1, No. 10 overall)
Grade: B+ | Stats: 2 catches on 3 targets for 25 receiving yards
Wilson has incredible talent and arguably should have been taken ahead of London. But he’s dealing with some drop issues and questions at quarterback while adjusting to an outside-inside role to complement rising second-year star Elijah Moore and veteran Corey Davis.
10. Danny Gray, 49ers (Round 3, No. 105 overall)
Grade: B | Stats: 4 catches on 6 targets for 123 yards, TD
Deebo Samuel is the clear No. 1 in San Francisco and is getting paid like it. By all accounts, perhaps motivated by the new big-play threat of Gray, Brandon Aiyuk has had a buzzworthy camp to fly out of the doghouse. Gray has flashed good deep chemistry with Trey Lance to give the 49ers their most explosive receiving corps in the Kyle Shanahan era operating behind that duo and Jauan Jennings.
11. Skyy Moore, Chiefs (Round 2, No. 54 overall)
Grade: B | Stats: 3 catches on 4 targets for 23 yards
The first name is the limit for the Chiefs’ versatile slot option drafted to replace a good chunk of Hill’s role. After being slowed by a hip injury early in camp, Moore has turned it on to prove more that he can be trusted as a cog Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes can move all over the field. He is working to be more integral than Valdes-Scantling and Juju Smith-Schuster to support Travis Kelce.
12. Drake London, Falcons (Round 1, No. 8 overall)
Grade: B | Stats: 1 catch on 1 target for 24 yards
London started Atlanta’s first preseason game with Marcus Mariota. Before leaving with a knee injury to shelve him for a little while, he caught his lone target. At 6-4, 219 pounds, when healthy, London remains on track to be Falcons’ clear No. 1 outside target playing off bigger tight end Kyle Pitts (6-6, 245 pounds).
13. David Bell, Browns (Round 3, No. 99 overall)
Grade: B | Stats: 3 catches on 4 targets for 46 yards
Bell is trying to accelerate his work in late August practice coming off a foot ailment suffered in early June minicamp. Leading the team in receiving in his first preseason action, Bell showed his size-speed potential as a big slot for a team needing more intermediate help behind Amari Cooper
14. Velus Jones Jr., Bears (Round 3, No. 71 overall)
Grade: B- | Stats: 1 catch on 2 targets for 4 yards
Jones has flashed some of his speed playmaking at wideout, but he’s been even more impressive with his burst in the return game. He’s gotten more opportunity early with Byron Pringle, the veteran newcomer No. 2 to Darnell Mooney, missing much time with a quad injury. Jones is still headed for No. 3 duties, but that might be a more calculated shot-play role behind Mooney, Pringle, tight end Cole Kmet and the backs in the passing game.
15. Jalen Tolbert, Cowboys (Round 3, No. 88 overall)
Grade: B- | Stats: 4 catches on 11 targets for 35 yards
Tolbert has had a strong camp but with limited QB help in the preseason, it hasn’t translated yet to efficiency in production during games. Dallas is high on him out of necessity with Michael Gallup still on the mend and James Washington going down. Tolbert is a solid talent, but too much might be being put on him too early.
16. Jalen Nailor, Vikings (Round 6, No. 191 overall)
Grade: B- | Stats: 4 catches on 6 targets for 33 yards
Nailor is making noise as another passing game standout from Michigan State behind his QB with the Vikings, Kirk Cousins. Along with fellow Big Ten alum Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Nailor’s impressive play has led to some shakeup behind Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn. Nailor won with his smarts and route-running in college and that’s translated well to earn a roster spot and versatile backup role.
17. Montrell Washington, Broncos (Round 5, No. 162 overall)
Grade: B- | Stats: 4 catches on 7 targets, 33 yards
The Broncos needed more from Washington sooner than expected as a potential speedy big-play threat outside after Tim Patrick went down, given slot-suited K.J. Hamler had to move up to No. 3 behind Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. Washington, like Jones, will make his big rookie mark in the return game, but he’s earned some key initial offensive chances from Russell Wilson, too.
18. Kyle Phillips, Titans (Round 6, No. 163 overall)
Grade: C | Stats: 1 catch on 5 targets for 11 yards
Phillips has shown good toughness and route-running despite limited production so far to stick as a backup slot in what will likely be a six-man deep receiving corps.
19. Treylon Burks, Titans (Round 1, No. 18 overall
Grade: D | Stats: 1 catches on 4 target for 4 yards 1 rush for 4 yards
The Titans drafted Burks to replace traded A.J. Brown with some intent to put in a Deebo Samuel-like hybrid role. The final first-rounder from Arkansas has struggled to show the reliability needed to start with Robert Woods. He’s been outshined in camp by young carryovers Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Racey McMath and Dez Fitzpatrick. Burks’ slow development is one of the major disappointments so far, given the high pick.
Incomplete rookie WR grades
Jameson Williams, Lions (Round 1, No. 12 overall)
Williams will add a big-play element to complement veteran newcomer D.J. Chark and second-year slot ace Amon-Ra St. Brown when fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in January’s national championship loss to Georgia. The question is whether Detroit can feel good about arm-limited Jared Goff delivering the deep ball well to him.
Christian Watson, Packers (Round 2, No. 34 overall)
Watson has missed crucial camp time with a knee injury. He hasn’t had the chance to establish chemistry with the demanding Rodgers while Doubs has taken over as the rookie star. Watson has his work cut out for him to find rookie receiving relevance following a return to practice this week.
John Metchie III, Texans (Round 2, No. 44 overall)
Houston will need to wait on this other former Alabama big-play receiver to have impact as he was ruled out for the entire 2022 season well before camp. Here’s wishing him good luck to get back on the field soon as he battles leukemia.
Tyquan Thornton, Patriots (Round 2, No. 50 overall)
Thornton was having a great first camp as a key new playmaker for Mac Joens while veterans such as Kendrick Bourne were getting negative reports. Unfortunately, Thornton will now miss the first half of his rookie season after suffering a major collarbone injury in game action against the Panthers.
Calvin Austin III, Steelers (Round 4, No. 138 overall)
Like Watson in relation to Doubs, Austin has been battling a difficult injury (foot) while Pickens has put on an absolute show in camp and game action.
Hits: 0
