Factoid

August 15, 2022

Undrafted rookie wideouts

Can Lance McCutcheon emerge?

When watching preseason football, it's a delicate balancing act of what to pay attention to, and what to downplay. Frequently I need to decide if a big performance in a meaningless game should be mentioned, or dismissed. Which brings us to Lance McCutcheon.

The undrafted rookie wideout out of Montana State had himself a day for the Rams on Saturday, catching 5 passes for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns. It included a 60-yard score where he leapt up to grab it between two defenders (who then collided), and he loped the rest of the way into the end zone. Pretty cool, and it's the kind of performance that may earn him a roster spot, or at least get him in the discussion.

The problem is that the Rams take the idea of not playing starters in the preseason to an extreme. It's not surprising that Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson didn't play, and Van Jefferson is hurt. But other Rams wideouts not to play included Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek and Brandon Powell, in some order the projected 4, 5 and 6 wideouts on the team. Maybe McCutcheon pushes Powell off the roster, but Atwell and Skowronek are making the 53, and one of those guys will likely be the No. 3 early on. Best case scenario is McCutcheon sneaks onto the roster and is worth a pickup in dynasty leagues. But 2022? That would be very unusual.

Undrafted rookies making an impact at running back are a little more likely, and I'll take a look at that history in the next week or so. Undrafted rookies making an impact at wide receiver are really rare.

Table below shows every undrafted rookie wideout to finish in the top 120 (PPR) at the position since 2000. There aren't many, and ones that actually merit a roster spot in typical leagues -- say, finishing in the top 50 -- are even rarer. Doug Baldwin, Keelan Cole, Marlon Brown and Allen Hurns. That's the list.

TOP UNDRAFTED ROOKIE WIDEOUTS, 2000-PRESENT
Year	Player	G	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Rk
2011	Doug Baldwin, Sea.	16	85	51	788	15.5	4	42
2017	Keelan Cole, Jac.	16	83	42	748	17.8	3	48
2013	Marlon Brown, Balt.	14	82	49	524	10.7	7	48
2014	Allen Hurns, Jac.	16	97	51	677	13.3	6	49
2003	Dane Looker, St.L.	16	75	47	495	10.5	3	59
2015	Seth Roberts, Oak.	16	55	32	480	15.0	5	63
2012	Rod Streater, Oak.	16	74	39	584	15.0	3	64
2002	Marc Boerigter, K.C.	16	38	20	420	21.0	8	65
2019	Steven Sims, Was.	16	56	34	310	9.1	6	66
2016	Robby Anderson, NYJ	16	78	42	587	14.0	2	68
2014	Taylor Gabriel, Cle.	16	72	36	621	17.3	1	72
2019	Preston Williams, Mia.	8	60	32	428	13.4	3	77
2009	Danny Amendola, St.L.	14	63	43	326	7.6	1	82
2001	Drew Bennett, Ten.	14	46	24	329	13.7	1	82
2015	Brandon Coleman, N.O.	16	49	30	454	15.1	2	84
2014	Corey Brown, Car.	13	36	21	296	14.1	3	91
2019	Jakobi Meyers, N.E.	15	41	26	359	13.8	0	98
2015	Adam Humphries, T.B.	13	40	27	260	9.6	1	99
2004	Antonio Chatman, G.B.	16	45	22	246	11.2	1	99
2019	Greg Ward, Phil.	7	40	28	254	9.1	1	101
2002	Eric Parker, S.D.	9	30	17	268	15.8	1	103
2003	Mike Furrey, St.L.	13	33	20	189	9.5	0	104
2004	Chris Horn, K.C.	14	27	15	178	11.9	1	108
2016	Jordan Taylor, Den.	16	25	16	209	13.1	2	113
2014	Albert Wilson, K.C.	12	28	16	260	16.3	0	113
2011	Andrew Hawkins, Cin.	13	34	23	263	11.4	0	113
2016	Chester Rogers, Ind.	14	34	19	273	14.4	0	114
2016	Geronimo Allison, G.B.	10	22	12	202	16.8	2	116
2015	Nick Williams, Atl.	14	25	17	159	9.4	2	116
2015	Javontee Herndon, S.D.	8	33	24	195	8.1	0	117
2016	Jalin Marshall, NYJ	10	23	14	162	11.6	2	119

Some of those guys can overcome those modest beginnings and emerge as viable fantasy starters in future seasons. From the list above, Robby Anderson and Danny Amendola (former Ram!) stand out, and Jakobi Meyers has had his moments. So perhaps McCutcheon should be added in deep dynasty formats. As a senior, he caught 63 passes for 1,219 yards and 9 TDs, and some nice things have been said about him in camp. So maybe.

But would be a real Cinderella story. Which we all love, but be careful about dropping someone with better odds of emerging this season.

--Andy Richardson

Robby Anderson Lance McCutcheon

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