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 to see if they are worth a stash on your Dynasty Fantasy Football roster. We’re working our way up from the bottom rounds of the 2022 NFL draft to the top. 

As we prepare for the upcoming season, today we’re going to take a look at the WR’s drafted in the 4th round and see if any of them are worth a potential spot on your dynasty roster.

Erik Ezukanma, Romeo Doubs, Calvin Austin, and Khalil Shakir are vying to make their mark, and let's break down each player's draft capital and look at some news for each.

Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech - Miami Dolphins

Ezukanma, selected by the Miami Dolphins, is an intriguing prospect with good size and athleticism. He has shown the ability to make contested catches and has demonstrated solid route-running skills during his college career. However, in his rookie year last year, according to Player Profiler (https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/erik-ezukanma/), he had these stats:

• Games Played: 1
• Targets: 1
• Receiving Yards: 3
• Routes Run: 2

Fantasy Outlook:  That's a grand total of.....1. Just 1. To that end, Ezukanma should be viewed as a developmental prospect who could emerge as a red-zone threat and possession receiver over time. However, it’s pretty clear at this point that he should be ignored for all fantasy purposes, as he played in literally 1 game last year and he needs to show consistent play time before we’d even begin to consider him for our fantasy teams.

Consensus: Completely off the Radar

Romeo Doubs, Nevada - Green Bay Packers

Romeo Doubs, drafted by the Green Bay Packers, is an exciting receiver with excellent speed and big-play ability. His college production was impressive, showcasing his potential to be a game-changer at the NFL level. The Packers' offense, now led by Jordan Love, offers an enticing opportunity for Doubs to make an impact. While his 4th round draft capital isn’t anything to get excited about, he does have a path to fantasy relevancy and last year had the following stats (https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/romeo-doubs/): 

• Games: 13
• Target Share: 15.7% (solid)
• Target Rate: 23.6 (above average)
• Routes Run: 282
• YPRR: 1.51

Fantasy Outlook: These stats are solid, and his 23.6% target rate indicates the potential for consistent fantasy relevancy (in general we like to see WR’s with at least a 20% rate). As a result, Doubs currently has a good chance to be a valuable asset and potential breakout as the 2nd or 3rd WR in the Green Bay offense. He could be especially valuable in leagues that reward big plays and yards after the catch, as his deep threat ability could translate into several explosive performances throughout the season. With Christian Watson currently slated as the WR1, Doubs has a good chance to be a valuable flex option or bench stash with WR2 upside in favorable matchups, depending on your league’s size and available roster spots. Even if Jayden Reed outplays him for the #2 WR spot, he should still hold value as the main slot guy for the Pack.

Consensus: Definitely worth a bench spot depending on your league/roster size, also a good buy low candidate via trade or waiver wire with the upside for more.

Calvin Austin, Memphis - Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin, selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round, possesses impressive speed and versatility, making him a dangerous weapon on the field. His ability to play both as an outside receiver and in the slot adds value to his fantasy outlook. The Steelers' offense has historically produced fantasy-relevant wide receivers, and Austin's skill set fits well with their offensive scheme.The Steelers also currently seem to be high on him, as he is projected to make the 53-man roster this year.

Fantasy Outlook: He missed the entire season last year due to injury, so we really aren’t sure what he will be just yet. While the 4th round capital doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence in the long-term, In fantasy football, Austin's versatility and big-play potential make him an intriguing prospect. He could contribute as a downfield threat and a reliable target for the Steelers' quarterback, providing a boost in PPR formats. While he currently isn’t anywhere close to a WR#1 option, he's not bad as a potential WR3/4 or flex play with upside, as he’s currently projected to be the #3 slot guy for the Steelers behind Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. In dynasty leagues, Austin has the potential to develop into a consistent WR2 as he gains experience and rapport with the offense. 

Consensus: Potential bench stash depending on league size, worth a waiver-wire pickup in most leagues to see what happens.

Khalil Shakir, Boise State - Buffalo Bills

Khalil Shakir, drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round, is a dynamic playmaker with excellent hands and route-running skills. He has shown the ability to excel both as a receiver and as a return specialist and dominated in college. The Bills' high-powered passing offense, led by Josh Allen, offers an exciting opportunity for Shakir to showcase his talents, especially now that Isaiah McKenzie, Jameson Crowder, and Cole Beasley are no longer around.

Fantasy Outlook: In fantasy football, Shakir's versatility and playmaking ability make him a solid bench option for your roster with upside. As a receiver, he should be a valuable slot target for the Bills this year, and that is worth a bench stash in almost every fantasy league. Even though he was only targeted a total of 20 times last year, the Bills remain quite high on him since they chose to let the other 3 WR’s go.  In PPR formats, he might provide consistent value with his ability to pick up yards after the catch, while in redraft leagues, consider him a solid late-round flier with upside. In dynasty leagues, he's a prospect worth targeting as he projects to take over the McKenzie role for the Bills this year and could develop into a solid #2 should anything happen to Stefon Diggs or Gabe Davis.  Any WR in the high-octane Bills offense is one worth targeting for your dynasty team.

Consensus: Worth drafting in late rounds of just about every fantasy football draft with upside potential. Definitely worth a bench stash on your team if he somehow doesn’t get drafted. Also a good bench player to try to acquire via trade if the cost isn’t too high (as in, no higher than a 3rd round pick in most of those leagues) or a solid player to offer in a package deal for something better.

Overall, personally I like Doubs the best of this group, as he had the most playing time last year and stands out as a solid option due to his path to consistent playing time with the Packers. However, Khalil Shakir is right there with him and also holds a solid appeal due to his standing in the Bills offense (he might end up being better the Doubs over the long-term). Calvin Austin should warrant a bench spot in deeper leagues as well. Erik Ezukanma, while an intriguing prospect, is better suited to staying on the waiver wire and is currently by far the least interesting player of this group.

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.