2022 NFL Rookie Wide Receiver Ranking Week 2: Garrett Wilson put on a show this week

2022 NFL Rookie Wide Receiver Ranking Week 2: Garrett Wilson put on a show this week

Jets wideout has big day in Cleveland, but who else took giant leap forward?

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New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson scored the game winning TD against the Cleveland Browns
Image: Getty Images

Last season we did our weekly rookie quarterback tracker, but with only one taken in the first round of 2022, we’ve moved onto another highly coveted position — wide receiver. For 2022 we’ll be keeping up with all six first-round wideouts and tracking their progress throughout the year. Some of our first-round rookies are already off to the races and contributing heavily to their teams.

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The one exception on the list for at least the first few weeks of the season will be Detroit Lions’ first-round pick, Jameson Williams from Alabama. Williams tore his ACL in last year’s National Championship game but is on track to make his debut for the Lions this season.

Let’s see how this year’s crop of rookies stacks up:

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2 / 8

Jameson Williams – Lions (torn ACL)

Jameson Williams – Lions (torn ACL)

Jameson Williams has yet to debut for the Detroit Lions
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Jameson Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL but is running again. Although he looks pretty good, Williams is ineligible to practice with the team until after Week 4.

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3 / 8

5. Treylon Burks – Titans

5. Treylon Burks – Titans

Treylon Burks was a lone bright spot for the Tennessee Titans blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills
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Monday night was disastrous for Burks and the Tennessee Titans. They scored one TD, and it came in the first quarter. Burks had a subpar game, catching just four passes for 47 yards. You can’t put too much of this on Burks, although he’s part of the team, but when the QB plays as horribly as Ryan Tannehill did against Buffalo, it’s easy to give receivers a pass. Burks tied for the team lead in receptions for Week 2 and led in receiving yards. If Tannehill continues to play like this, the Titans might as well throw 2022 draft pick, Malik Willis, out there full-time.

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4. Chris Olave – Saints

4. Chris Olave – Saints

Chris Olave
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This game was wild. Not because of the game’s action, but the extracurricular activities with fights, guys getting kicked out of the game and subsequently suspended. Where the regulated activity was concerned, Olave had a solid game leading all receivers with 80 yards.

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If Jameis Winston hadn’t been so busy playing catch with the Buccaneers’ defense late in this game, Olave might have done more damage. But in this offense, even with veteran wide receivers like Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, Olave should still get his fair share of targets — he had a team-leading 13 in this contest — each week.

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3. Jahan Dotson – Commanders

3. Jahan Dotson – Commanders

Washington Commanders WR Johan Dotson catches a TD pass against the Detroit Lions
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Dotson isn’t catching many balls yet, but he has made three trips to the end zone in his first two NFL games. Another four receptions, 59 yards, and a TD made Dotson the third-most prolific receiver for Washington in Week 2 — but the Commies lost the game. Although it came in a losing effort, Dotson seems to have a knack for catching TDs. Dotson also had a pretty 40-yard reception for a first down in pretty tight coverage.

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With Terry McLaurin and Chris Samuel on the field, Dotson’s number of targets — five in both Weeks 1 and 2 — should vary each week. But so far, even with limited opportunities, he’s giving his best Cris Carter impression. All he does is catch touchdowns!

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6 / 8

2. Drake London – Falcons

2. Drake London – Falcons

Atlanta Falcons WR Drake London
Image: Getty Images

London had a breakout game in a matchup the Falcons nearly came back to win. London ended this one with eight catches, 86 yards receiving, and his first career TD. If Atlanta can find their next franchise QB soon, the receiving tandem of London and Kyle Pitts should be devastating secondaries for years to come. Marcus Mariota is a stopgap and isn’t the answer under center for the Falcons.

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7 / 8

1. Garrett Wilson – Jets

1. Garrett Wilson – Jets

New York Jets WR Garrett Wilson scored the game-winning TD against the Cleveland Browns
Image: Getty Images

Wilson showed out in his second professional game in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns. Temp quarterback Joe Flacco provided plenty of opportunity for Wilson, targeting him 14 times in the game. Wilson went wild in Cleveland, catching eight balls for his first 100-yard receiving game and adding two TD receptions.

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It took a wild comeback for the Jets to get their first win of the year — N.Y. scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes — and Wilson was the catalyst, racking up more than 25 percent of the team’s total offense. If the connection between Wilson and Flacco continues to be productive, the Jets may want to think twice about sending Joe to the bench when Zach Wilson returns from injury.

Playing in front of a crowd that watched him at Ohio State had to make this moment that much sweeter.

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