We did the Mock Auction for the magazine last night. Always an exciting time for me. I’ve been studying all of these players for months and months, and this is my first chance to actually pick a team against other like-minded guys. It’s always fun for me to see how it unfolds, and to go back through and figure how what I should have done to make my team better.
I’m not going to share the entire results of the Auction. Andy’s putting together a spread for the magazine, interviewing each of the combatants. But I will share my No. 1 takeaway.
I thought the rookie receivers were overvalued.
Corey Coleman went for $10. (That’s out of a $200 cap.) Sterling Shepard went for $7. And Laquon Treadwell went for $6 (quarterback not included, some ankle re-assembly may be required).
These guys are all fine. I have no problem with them being on rosters. But to me, each was the kind of guy who should have gone for a buck or two. On my board, I had each at the $1 minimum.
I will grant that there have been some good rookie receivers recently – Cooper, Beckham, Evans. But I think it’s the exception more than the rule. And note that of the last six good rookie receivers, all but one were selected in the top 12. None of these receivers fit into that class.
I ran the overall numbers since 2000. There have been 66 wide receivers selected in the first round. Only 11 of those guys – 1 in 6 – were top-25 wide receivers in their first year.
On this chart, I'm using the fantasy scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards. Points also awarded for 2-point conversions and rushing production, but it's not showing. The top-25 receivers are in bold.
| FIRST-ROUND WIDE RECEIVERS SINCE 2000 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Pk | Player | No | Yards | TD | Points | Rank |
| 2000 | 4 | Peter Warrick, Cin. | 51 | 592 | 7 | 116.0 | 27 |
| 2000 | 8 | Plaxico Burress, Pitt. | 22 | 273 | 0 | 27.3 | 94 |
| 2000 | 10 | Travis Taylor, Balt. | 28 | 276 | 3 | 46.7 | 74 |
| 2000 | 21 | Sylvester Morris, K.C. | 48 | 678 | 3 | 85.8 | 51 |
| 2000 | 29 | R. Jay Soward, Jac. | 14 | 154 | 1 | 24.2 | 100 |
| 2001 | 8 | David Terrell, Chi. | 34 | 415 | 4 | 65.5 | 60 |
| 2001 | 9 | Koren Robinson, Sea. | 39 | 536 | 1 | 60.9 | 64 |
| 2001 | 15 | Rod Gardner, Wash. | 46 | 741 | 4 | 99.7 | 39 |
| 2001 | 16 | Santana Moss, NYJ | 2 | 40 | 0 | 3.4 | 148 |
| 2001 | 25 | Freddie Mitchell, Phil. | 21 | 283 | 1 | 33.9 | 89 |
| 2001 | 30 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 27 | 345 | 0 | 34.5 | 87 |
| 2002 | 13 | Donte Stallworth, N.O. | 42 | 594 | 8 | 107.6 | 40 |
| 2002 | 19 | Ashley Lelie, Den. | 35 | 525 | 2 | 68.5 | 67 |
| 2002 | 20 | Javon Walker, G.B. | 23 | 319 | 1 | 39.0 | 94 |
| 2003 | 2 | Charles Rogers, Det. | 22 | 243 | 3 | 44.0 | 89 |
| 2003 | 3 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 66 | 976 | 4 | 120.6 | 24 |
| 2003 | 17 | Bryant Johnson, Ariz. | 35 | 438 | 1 | 49.8 | 84 |
| 2004 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 58 | 780 | 8 | 127.4 | 30 |
| 2004 | 7 | Roy Williams, Det. | 54 | 817 | 8 | 129.8 | 29 |
| 2004 | 9 | Reggie Williams, Jac. | 27 | 268 | 1 | 36.8 | 98 |
| 2004 | 13 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 48 | 843 | 9 | 146.8 | 24 |
| 2004 | 15 | Michael Clayton, T.B. | 80 | 1193 | 7 | 164.3 | 14 |
| 2004 | 29 | Michael Jenkins, Atl. | 7 | 119 | 0 | 12.1 | 136 |
| 2004 | 31 | Rashaun Woods, S.F. | 7 | 160 | 1 | 22.0 | 112 |
| 2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 31 | 422 | 6 | 78.2 | 53 |
| 2005 | 7 | Troy Williamson, Minn. | 31 | 346 | 2 | 46.6 | 82 |
| 2005 | 10 | Mike Williams, Det. | 35 | 282 | 1 | 34.2 | 97 |
| 2005 | 21 | Matt Jones, Jac. | 55 | 492 | 2 | 62.5 | 68 |
| 2005 | 22 | Mark Clayton, Balt. | 38 | 482 | 3 | 66.9 | 64 |
| 2005 | 27 | Roddy White, Atl. | 41 | 543 | 1 | 60.3 | 70 |
| 2006 | 25 | Santonio Holmes, Pitt. | 49 | 824 | 3 | 101.7 | 38 |
| 2007 | 2 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 48 | 756 | 5 | 110.8 | 36 |
| 2007 | 9 | Ted Ginn Jr., Mia. | 34 | 420 | 3 | 60.3 | 73 |
| 2007 | 23 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 70 | 995 | 5 | 129.5 | 25 |
| 2007 | 30 | Craig Davis, S.D. | 20 | 188 | 1 | 25.7 | 109 |
| 2007 | 32 | Anthony Gonzalez, Ind. | 37 | 576 | 3 | 75.9 | 61 |
| 2008 | 27 | Robert Meachem, N.O. | 12 | 289 | 4 | 54.9 | 75 |
| 2009 | 7 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak. | 9 | 124 | 1 | 20.3 | 115 |
| 2009 | 10 | Michael Crabtree, S.F. | 48 | 625 | 2 | 74.5 | 65 |
| 2009 | 19 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 55 | 762 | 4 | 99.5 | 40 |
| 2009 | 22 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 60 | 790 | 8 | 140.5 | 20 |
| 2009 | 29 | Hakeem Nicks, NYG | 47 | 790 | 6 | 115.8 | 28 |
| 2009 | 30 | Kenny Britt, Tenn. | 42 | 701 | 3 | 88.1 | 50 |
| 2010 | 22 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 22 | 283 | 2 | 40.4 | 95 |
| 2010 | 24 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 45 | 561 | 8 | 104.1 | 42 |
| 2011 | 4 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 65 | 1057 | 7 | 153.0 | 14 |
| 2011 | 6 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 54 | 959 | 8 | 149.5 | 17 |
| 2012 | 5 | Justin Blackmon, Jac. | 64 | 865 | 5 | 120.8 | 29 |
| 2012 | 13 | Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 45 | 562 | 2 | 68.2 | 69 |
| 2012 | 20 | Kendall Wright, Tenn. | 64 | 626 | 4 | 87.0 | 56 |
| 2012 | 26 | Jon Baldwin, K.C. | 20 | 325 | 1 | 38.5 | 101 |
| 2013 | 8 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 40 | 418 | 6 | 92.9 | 50 |
| 2013 | 27 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 52 | 802 | 2 | 92.2 | 51 |
| 2013 | 29 | Cordarrelle Patterson, Minn. | 45 | 469 | 9 | 116.7 | 33 |
| 2013 | 30 | A.J. Jenkins, K.C. | 8 | 130 | 0 | 13.6 | 132 |
| 2014 | 4 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 65 | 982 | 6 | 135.0 | 26 |
| 2014 | 7 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 68 | 1051 | 12 | 177.1 | 11 |
| 2014 | 12 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 91 | 1305 | 12 | 206.0 | 6 |
| 2014 | 20 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 53 | 550 | 4 | 86.3 | 57 |
| 2014 | 28 | Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 73 | 1008 | 9 | 154.8 | 16 |
| 2015 | 4 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 72 | 1070 | 6 | 142.7 | 23 |
| 2015 | 7 | Kevin White, Chi. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | --- |
| 2015 | 14 | DeVante Parker, Mia. | 26 | 494 | 3 | 67.4 | 69 |
| 2015 | 20 | Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 23 | 283 | 1 | 34.3 | 101 |
| 2015 | 26 | Breshad Perriman, Balt. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | --- |
| 2015 | 29 | Phillip Dorsett, Ind. | 18 | 225 | 1 | 30.2 | 108 |
—Ian Allan