I like the look of Romeo Doubs. He’s a guy I expect I’ll be selecting in the later rounds of a lot of my drafts as a depth receiver. (I have drafted only one team so far, in fact, and Doubs is on it.)
He’s looking pretty secure as a starter. He started some games as a rookie and had some success. He was on the field for over half of the team’s games eight times, and he caught 31 passes for 305 yards and 3 TDs. If he’s a full-season starter and produces at that clip, we’d be looking at about 65 catches for 650 yards and 6 TDs.
The Packers, at least thus far, have resisted the urge to obtain a veteran receiver. They’ve got Christian Watson and Doubs, and not much else. (They drafted Jayden Reed in the second round, but it would be a big ask for him to move directly into the starting lineup.)
Matt LaFleur on Tuesday says he likes what he’s seen from Doubs at the team’s recent workouts.
“He’s done some unbelievable things throughout the course of these OTAs,” LaFleur said. “I think that Rome has done a nice job of really making that next step. Now, he’s got to go out and do it in games.”
If these recent practices are any indication, Jordan Love seems to have confidence throwing to Doubs. “The rapport that those two guys have shown throughout eight practices now has been pretty solid,” LaFleur said.
As a rookie Doubs was plagued by drops. He dropped 9 of the 51 catchable passes thrown in his direction, the worst drop rate in the league among players with at least 50 opportunities. But I’m not worried about that. Doubs didn’t have any drop issues in his final season at Nevada (catching 80 of 84 catchable balls) and I remember him making a remarkably difficult catch for a touchdown at Buffalo – I think his hands are just fine.
Doubs’ overall numbers last year were modest – 42 catches for 425 yards and 3 TDs. But I think a move up to relevancy could be in play. Other receivers have been able to make such a move. Below see the list of the 23 second-year receivers in the last 10 years who’ve finished outside the top 60 in overall production as rookies (using PPR scoring), then moved up into the top 40 in Year #2.
In the chart below, guys tagged with black dots were third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks. (Doubs was a fourth-round pick, so those guys came into the league as Doubs-type prospects.)
| RECEIVERS EMERGING IN SECOND SEASON (last 10 yrs) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rec | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk | Rookie |
| 2013 | Rod Streater, Oak. | 60 | 888 | 4 | 174.5 | 33 | 39-584-3 |
| 2013 | • Marvin Jones, Cin. | 51 | 712 | 10 | 188.7 | 29 | 18-201-1 |
| 2013 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 89 | 1421 | 7 | 285.6 | 8 | 24-367-3 |
| 2013 | Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 65 | 1041 | 5 | 199.1 | 27 | 45-562-2 |
| 2015 | Willie Snead, N.O. | 69 | 984 | 3 | 185.4 | 32 | 0-0-0 |
| 2015 | • Martavis Bryant, Pitt. | 50 | 765 | 7 | 172.2 | 39 | 26-549-8 |
| 2015 | • Donte Moncrief, Ind. | 64 | 733 | 6 | 173.3 | 37 | 32-444-3 |
| 2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 80 | 1400 | 14 | 304.0 | 6 | 48-548-2 |
| 2016 | Tyrell Williams, S.D. | 69 | 1059 | 7 | 216.9 | 19 | 2-90-1 |
| 2016 | Cameron Meredith, Chi. | 66 | 888 | 4 | 183.5 | 38 | 11-120-0 |
| 2017 | Robby Anderson, NYJ | 63 | 941 | 7 | 200.0 | 18 | 42-587-2 |
| 2018 | • Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 66 | 717 | 6 | 183.5 | 30 | 27-339-1 |
| 2018 | • Chris Godwin, T.B. | 59 | 842 | 7 | 187.2 | 25 | 34-525-1 |
| 2018 | • Kenny Golladay, Det. | 70 | 1063 | 5 | 207.1 | 22 | 28-477-3 |
| 2018 | Zay Jones, Buff. | 56 | 652 | 7 | 165.2 | 35 | 27-316-2 |
| 2018 | Mike Williams, LAC | 43 | 664 | 11 | 180.2 | 33 | 11-95-0 |
| 2018 | Corey Davis, Ten. | 65 | 891 | 4 | 183.6 | 29 | 34-375-0 |
| 2019 | • Michael Gallup, Dall. | 66 | 1107 | 6 | 212.7 | 24 | 33-507-2 |
| 2019 | DJ Chark, Jac. | 73 | 1008 | 8 | 225.8 | 18 | 14-174-0 |
| 2021 | • K.J. Osborn, Min. | 50 | 655 | 7 | 158.5 | 40 | 0-0-0 |
| 2021 | Van Jefferson, LAR | 50 | 802 | 6 | 168.2 | 36 | 19-220-1 |
| 2021 | Michael Pittman, Ind. | 88 | 1082 | 6 | 238.6 | 18 | 40-503-1 |
| 2022 | • Josh Palmer, LAC | 72 | 769 | 3 | 169.3 | 37 | 33-353-4 |
| 2023 | Romeo Doubs, G.B. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 42-425-3 |
The above chart, as a reminder, doesn’t show all second-year receivers who’ve finished with top-40 PPR numbers. It shows only the ones who didn’t rank in the top 60 as rookies. (Doubs was the 70th-best receiver last year).
I think he makes sense later on in drafts. In particular, I like him for those who spent an earlier pick on Watson (if for some reason Watson goes haywire or gets hurt, Doubs might then be this team’s best receiver). That’s how it played out for me in the auction in the magazine. I bought Watson for about $17 out of a $200 cap, then added Doubs as my eighth wide receiver for $4. (I didn’t not buy any $1 or $2 receivers, I’m carrying eightin this league where the three highest scorers count each week).
—Ian Allan