Fantasy football managers adore rookies. Given the choice between being too early on a player or holding on too late, most will choose the former. The allure of upside, of being the first to identify a future star, acts like a tractor beam on draft day. Sometimes, it works out brilliantly. But for every rookie breakout, there are far more busts. Even for well-pedigreed players, stepping into the NFL and dominating is no easy feat.
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With that in mind, it's understandable that Ladd McConkey is the first Chargers receiver to be drafted on average. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound receiver was drafted early in the second round (34th overall) out of the University of Georgia. A three-year contributor, McConkey was a crucial part of the Bulldogs' back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. However, his statistical output didn't compare to many of the other rookie receivers drafted ahead of him. NFL draft scouts didn't hold his lesser statistical achievements against him for several reasons:
- Georgia's offensive system was balanced and conservative
- McConkey tested well in the pre-draft process
- McConkey's film showed a polished route runner with sure hands
Career College Receiving Stats, Top 10 NFL Rookie Receivers
| NFL Pick | Wide Receiver | NFL Team | College Team | Recs | Yds | Avg | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | Cardinals | Ohio State | 155 | 2,613.0 | 16.9 | 31 |
| 6 | Malik Nabers | Giants | Louisiana State | 189 | 3,003.0 | 15.9 | 21 |
| 9 | Rome Odunze | Bears | Washington | 214 | 3,272.0 | 15.3 | 24 |
| 23 | Brian Thomas Jr. | Jaguars | Louisiana State | 127 | 1,897.0 | 14.9 | 24 |
| 28 | Xavier Worthy | Chiefs | Texas | 197 | 2,755.0 | 14.0 | 26 |
| 31 | Ricky Pearsall | 49ers | Florida | 159 | 2,420.0 | 15.2 | 14 |
| 32 | Xavier Legette | Panthers | South Carolina | 113 | 1,678.0 | 14.8 | 12 |
| 33 | Keon Coleman | Bills | Florida State | 115 | 1,506.0 | 13.1 | 19 |
| 34 | Ladd McConkey | Chargers | Georgia | 119 | 1,687.0 | 14.2 | 14 |
| 37 | Ja'Lynn Polk | Patriots | Washington | 143 | 2,231.0 | 15.6 | 18 |
We must ask ourselves how likely Ladd McConkey is to return value for his draft cost.
With an ADP of WR43 currently, the cost isn't prohibitive. For context, here are the comparable year-end numbers for the last five seasons:
Fantasy WR43s (2019-2023)
| Year | Rank | Wide Receiver | Team | Recs | Yards | YPR | TDs | FPTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | WR43 | Chris Conley | JAX | 47 | 775 | 16.5 | 5 | 154.5 |
| 2020 | WR43 | Tim Patrick | DEN | 51 | 742 | 14.5 | 6 | 161.2 |
| 2021 | WR43 | Marquez Callaway | NO | 46 | 698 | 15.2 | 6 | 151.8 |
| 2022 | WR43 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | 64 | 829 | 13.0 | 2 | 158.9 |
| 2023 | WR43 | Josh Downs | IND | 68 | 771 | 11.3 | 2 | 157.1 |
| Average | 55 | 763 | 13.8 | 4 | 156.7 |
While those numbers don't feel aspirational, it's also fair to note that no one is drafting McConkey with those stats in mind. You're hoping to net a potential Top 25 fantasy asset for a discounted price, which brings us to his landing spot, the Los Angeles Chargers. While head coach Jim Harbaugh is the attention grabber, fantasy managers should focus on Harbaugh's offensive coordinator choice: Greg Roman.
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