Breakout Wide Receivers: Second-Year Players (2023 Fantasy Football)

While the 2022 NFL regular season ended, it’s never too early to look ahead to the 2023 campaign. That’s especially true when it comes to fantasy, which never sleeps! Here are a handful of second-year wide receivers on the verge of breaking out in 2023.

Breakout Wide Receivers to Draft: Second-Year Players Targets

You can find our expert consensus best ball rankings here. And here’s our best ball ADP.

Chris Olave (NO)

Chris Olave had a magnificent rookie season as a target vacuuming wide receiver with future alpha potential. Olave finished as the WR25 in fantasy points per game, which doesn’t do any justice to his sparkling efficiency metrics. Olave was 15th in target share (26.7%), third in air yard share (40.8%), and tenth in target per route run rate (29.3%). He was seventh in open rate (ESPN analytics), immediately behind Stefon Diggs, while also ranking tenth in yards per route run. With Michael Thomas likely gone and Jarvis Landry out the door, Olave will walk into 2023 as the clear number one target in the passing attack. If he can improve on his 11 red zone targets (40th) and four total touchdowns (37th), he could easily finish as a WR1 in 2023.

Drake London (ATL)

Drake London excelled in his rookie season, although fantasy gamers were not elated with his WR43 finish. If we look deeper than the raw counting stats, London’s future is incredibly bright. If earning targets is a skill (it is), then London proved to be among the league’s elite. He ranked 22nd in raw target volume last year (117) with the fifth-highest target share (29.4%) and second-highest target per route run rate (32.4%) among wide receivers. London also blazed in efficiency stats ranking 16th in open rate (per ESPN analytics), tenth in PFF receiving grade, and 14th in yards per route run (minimum 50 targets). London gave a glimpse into his 2023 upside down the stretch last season. In Weeks 13-18, he was the WR20 in fantasy, even though he failed to score a touchdown in this span. London is a target vacuuming WR2 with WR1 upside in 2023.

Garrett Wilson (NYJ)

Garrett Wilson had a fantastic rookie season, underscored by his WR30 finish in fantasy points per game. Wilson was ninth in PFF receiving grade, 23rd in YAC per reception, and 25th in yards per route run (per PFF minimum 50 targets). Wilson was also 14th in receiving yards (1,103), 16th in receptions (83), and ninth in red zone targets. If his quarterback play improves in 2023, the sky is the limit. Wilson had to suffer through the sixth-most unrealized air yards, 93rd-ranked target quality, and 92nd-ranked catchable target rate. Wilson should be viewed as a WR2 with WR1 upside in 2023.

Christian Watson (GB)

Christian Watson was the talk of the town after blowing up the Senior Bowl and combine last year. Worries about Watson began to mount for many in camp and during the early part of the season as he dealt with nagging injuries. Once healthy, Watson proved that the cream does rise to the top. He emerged as the Packers’ clear number-one wideout. Watson ranked 14th in open rate (per ESPN analytics), 12th in yards per route run, and third in fantasy points per route run. He was fourth in YAC per reception behind only Deebo Samuel, Rondale Moore, and Jaylen Waddle (minimum 50 targets, per PFF). Even with Green Bay’s quarterback situation unsettled for 2023, Watson can still emerge as a strong WR2 that has huge WR1 upside.

Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles

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