When it comes to building a dominant dynasty team, identifying young talents with immense potential is paramount. Buying in on WR’s in their 2nd or 3rd year in the NFL is a great way to have a long-term dynasty asset and help your team win a championship.
In previous articles, we discussed other WR’s taken in the late rounds of the 2022 NFL draft, and we’re continuing a series where we’re going to evaluate each WR taken in the 2022 NFL draft to see if they are worth a stash on your Dynasty Fantasy Football roster. We’re working our way up from the bottom rounds to the top.
As we prepare for the upcoming preseason and NFL season, today we’re going to take a look at some other WR’s that were drafted in the 5th -7th rounds and see if any of them are worth a potential roster spot on your dynasty team.
Bo Melton, Michael Woods II, Jalen Nailor, Kyle Phillips, & Montrell Washington are each vying to make their mark in the fantasy football world. Let's break down each player's draft capital and look at some news for each.
Bo Melton - Seattle Seahawks (7th Round):
Bo Melton is an intriguing prospect who was thought to bring versatility to the Seahawks' receiving corps. Drafted in the 7th round, Melton showed steady improvement during his time at Rutgers, culminating in an impressive senior season. The 6'1" wide receiver possesses reliable hands, crisp route-running, and deceptive speed.
Fantasy Outlook: Despite this, last year he basically competed with fellow wideout Dareke Young and rarely saw the field. While he did dominate college and currently has a player comp to a fairly successful receiver in Nelson Agholor, at this point he is way too risky to even think about rostering in dynasty formats. Since he’s been drafted, the Seahawks have waived him and he’s now fighting for a roster spot on the Packers practice squad.
Consensus: Not worth your time
Michael Woods II - Cleveland Browns (6th Round):
Michael Woods II, a 6'1" playmaker, made a splash during his college career at Arkansas before transferring to Oklahoma. Drafted in the 6th round by the Browns as part of the Amari Cooper trade with the Cowboys, Woods showcased excellent ball-tracking ability and a knack for making contested catches.
Fantasy Outlook: While he possesses the tools to be successful, he doesn’t have the draft capital to make an impact, and in April he tore his Achilles and is out for the 2023 season.
Consensus: Not worth your time
Jalen Nailor - Minnesota Vikings (6th Round):
Speedster Jalen Nailor's blazing 40-yard dash caught the attention of scouts, leading to his selection by the Minnesota Vikings in the 6th round. The Michigan State product brings electric playmaking ability and special teams value to the table.
Fantasy Outlook: Currently the Vikings like what they see in Nailor as he did see the field briefly last year and performed ok when he played (13 Targets, 9 Receptions, 179 Receiving Yards). He’s projected to make the 53-man roster this season as the 4th receiver in Minnesota behind Jefferson, Addison, and Osborn. Monitor Nailor's development during the preseason, and consider adding him to your dynasty roster in deeper leagues depending on how that goes.
Consensus: Worth a look depending on league size and bench spots available
Kyle Phillips - Tennessee Titans (5th Round):
The Titans added Kyle Phillips, a dependable and technically sound receiver, to their roster in the 5th round. Standing at 6'0", Phillips has a knack for getting open and making tough catches.
Fantasy Outlook: He played in the first NFL regular season game last year and made an impact but then promptly got hurt and was out for the majority of the rest of the year. Even though the Titans have recently signed veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins, Phillips is someone they like and is currently scheduled to be the #3 starting slot receiver for the team. The Titans offense as a whole runs through Derrick Henry and the run game, and QB Ryan Tannehill hasn’t done much in the past to show he can support three receivers (much less two), so there may not be much left for Phillips when it comes to target share, but barring injury he should see the field the majority of the year, and you can do worse.
Consensus: Similar to Nailor only in a better situation, worth a potential bench stash if you have an extra spot.
Montrell Washington - Denver Broncos (5th Round):
The Denver Broncos selected Montrell Washington, a developmental wide-out with intriguing size and athleticism in the 5th round. At 6'3", Washington possesses raw potential and speed and was brought on by the previous Broncos regime.
Fantasy Outlook: Washington faces steep competition in the Broncos’ receiving corps, especially from this year's 2nd round pick Marvin Mims. Last year, he crushed it in both training camp and the preseason, and was the team’s main kick/punt returner on special teams during the year due to his speed. He did, however, have 5 fumbles, and the Broncos also have KJ Hamler and Tim Patrick waiting in the wings. The play time and volume are unlikely to be there unless he wows the new regime again this preseason.
Consensus: Not worth a pickup or bench stash at this point unless there’s some major injuries or he has a great preseason again.
Final Thoughts on these 5th-7th Round WR's:
With these receivers, only Kyle Phillips stands out as the most appealing fantasy option among the group, given his promising situation in the Titan’s offense and steady development. Jalen Nailor also holds some slight (albeit limited) upside, thanks to his playmaking ability and the potential for the #4 spot in the Vikings' offense. Michael Woods II, Bo Melton, and Montrell Washington, while intriguing prospects, are better suited to staying on the waiver wire.
As always in fantasy football, careful monitoring of preseason performances and depth chart changes is essential to making informed decisions when adding any receivers to your dynasty team.
