April 18, 2024
The 2014 rookie wide receiver class might be one of the juiciest that we have had in years. There are big, physical receivers as well as small, quick twitched ones. I will rank where I have these players about how successful I think they will be in a two to three-year window. This is a…

The 2014 rookie wide receiver class might be one of the juiciest that we have had in years. There are big, physical receivers as well as small, quick twitched ones. I will rank where I have these players about how successful I think they watkinswill be in a two to three-year window. This is a snapshot before their worlds get changed with the team that drafts them. Please read my individual play reports for more involved player descriptions.

1. Sammy Watkins, Clemson

He is simply the best play maker in his class. The receiver mostly ran short routes and bubble screens in college, but has great athleticism and the best catch radius of his class. I have him in my top eight dynasty wide receivers regardless of where he goes. Sure Watkins is not a huge physical receiver, but he has enough quicks to separate from most NFL coverage.

2. Mike Evans, Texas A&M

The best big receiver in this receiving class and he may have the best hands. He is physical down the field and can out jump almost anyone. Despite all the “Johnny Football” love, I am of the opinion that Evans made Manziel, not the other way around. Evans is a huge red zone threat and is a solid blocker who can help out his entire offense.

3. Odell Beckham, Jr, LSU

The wide out is not the biggest, nor is he the quickest. He is one of the most complete receivers in his class as he runs crisp routes, returns kicks, blocks well in the running game, and has a fantastic short area burst that helps him get separation all over the field. Beckham adjusts well to poorly thrown passes and is an ideal WR2 in a pass-first offense.

4. Davante Adams, Fresno State

He is a very physical receiver that reminds me quite of a bit of 49ers Anquan Boldin. Adams is quick off the line and does a great job of catching the ball at its highest point down the field. The receiver runs a complete route tree and can play any wide receiver spot on the offense. I know I have him ranked higher than most, but I see tremendous upside to his game. Perhaps having a quarterback with better ball placement in the NFL, will make him more of a threat.

5. Brandin Cooks, Oregon State

The diminutive receiver has a huge catch radius, great stop and start ability, and good downfield vision. It’s easy to see a bit of Steve Smith and DeSean Jackson in his game. Much like those two wide outs, he plays with a chip on his shoulder and demands the ball. His size will scare off some owners, but don’t let that be you.

 6. Marqise Lee, USC

Many people might be surprised of the perceived lack of respect that I am giving Lee, ranking him sixth in his class. While he had two productive seasons alongside Robert Brooks, injuries and double coverage slowed the receiver down in 2013. Lee tends to round his routes and doesn’t show a lot of consistency on the gridiron. He catches the ball well and could be an excellent WR2  in the NFL.

7. Paul Richardson, Colorado

This quick-twitched skinny receiver is great in space as he has that make anyone miss skill. He is fearless running the majority of his routes in the middle of the field. Richardson shows more toughness than some wide outs bigger than him. If he can hold up to the physical nature of the NFL, he could emerge as one of the most underrated downfield threats.

For any questions or comments, please feel free to follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley or @Dynasty_Blitz.

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