Second-Year Players: Rashee Rice, Dontayvion Wicks, Josh Downs (Fantasy Football)

When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Here we break down all second-year fantasy football players to consider in your upcoming drafts. Let’s dive into a few notable second-year fantasy football players below.

Fantasy Football Second-Year Players: Draft Advice

Rashee Rice (KC)

Rashee Rice showcased promise in his rookie season with the Chiefs, tallying 105 receptions for 1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns in 20 games, earning him a 19% target share. Despite an average of 10.9 fantasy points per game, he surged post-Week 6, averaging 12.1 points and ranking within the top 20. However, concerns arise due to increased competition from additions like Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy. Additionally, Rice’s legal issues stemming from a high-speed hit-and-run crash may result in a multi-game suspension, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming NFL season.
– Andrew Erickson

Josh Downs (IND)

Josh Downs had a promising rookie season with the Colts, showcasing his skills with 68 receptions and 771 receiving yards. Despite his strong performance, Downs struggled to find the end zone, recording only two touchdowns. However, his production dipped after sustaining a knee injury, impacting his performance in the latter part of the season. Nonetheless, Downs displayed potential from Weeks 1-8, leading the Colts in yards per route run and maintaining a solid 19% target share.
– Andrew Erickson

Dontayvion Wicks (GB)

Dontayvion Wicks made significant contributions to the Packers’ offense during Christian Watson’s absence, showcasing his big-play ability and reliability as a target. With 39 receptions for 581 yards and 5 touchdowns, Wicks demonstrated his potential to be a valuable asset in the passing game. Despite being a fifth-round rookie, he ranked among the top rookies in yards per route run, hinting at his promising future in an offense led by Jordan Love. As a deep sleeper, Wicks has the opportunity to emerge as a key playmaker in the Packers’ ascending offense.
– Andrew Erickson