Quiet rookie seasons do not always mean quiet NFL careers. We asked our staff what rookies they still believe in.
Question: What disappointing rookie do you still believe in?
WR Jordan Whittington, LA Rams
Rachel Tootsiepop: Over Weeks 2-5, Whittington became fantasy-relevant when Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were injured. In particular, in Weeks 4 and 5, Whittington averaged 14.05 PPR fantasy points and had a 95 percent snap count. Since the return of Nacua and Kupp, Whittington has been relegated to less than 20 percent snap share. With the Rams receiving room currently healthy, there isn't an opportunity for Whittington to be a difference-maker on this Sean McVay offense. Special teams have kept Whittington involved with over 80 kick-return yards each of the last two weeks. The talent is there. Whittington rises to the occasion and makes his contribution when called upon. He's a valuable depth piece on dynasty rosters.
WR Luke McCaffrey, Washington
Ryan Weisse: McCaffrey is tied to an exciting young quarterback in Jayden Daniels and a fantasy-friendly offense. While his selection in the third round was a surprise, it also cranked our expectations for him. Through 13 games, he's seventh on the team in targets with just 20 on the season. While those numbers are far from encouraging, they also deplete his price. He has third-round draft capital and should eventually take over as the number-two receiver in Washington. Most people spent a third-round pick on McCaffrey in dynasty drafts, too, and you can land him for a fourth now. I'll pay that small price to get a piece of Jayden Daniels.
WR Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay
Matthew Montgomery: McMillan had his work cut out for him entering the season to compete for targets in the Buccaneers' passing offense. With Chris Godwin's dynamic 1-2 punch and perennial 1000-yard receiver Mike Evans in front of him, we should have figured that his debut season would leave us with much to be desired. While he did have some opportunities due to injury, he didn’t give us much to talk about until this past week when he had the best game of his young career.
McMillan caught four of his seven targets for 59 yards and two touchdowns, giving us a potential look at the future of this passing offense. As we see the twilight of Evans's career and Godwin's age, we will see more and more McMillan becoming a focal point at the receiver position. Pairing him with Baker Mayfield, who has more than proven his worth as a starting quarterback in the league, we could have a fun and dynamic offense as the two build on the chemistry they showed this past week.
Andy Hicks: He cracked the 200 yards for the season last week and put together a two-touchdown performance. Drafted in the late third round, which is the playground for developmental receivers, he walks into a perfect situation. Evans will be 32 at the start of next season, and Godwin is coming off a knee reconstruction. The need for a talented receiver to develop underneath them is vital. Gaining the trust of Baker Mayfield helps, and although his numbers to date have been disappointing, his potential and opportunity are evident.