Van Jefferson

The 57th overall pick last year, Jefferson generated considerable preseason hype on which he did not remotely deliver. He finished with only 31 targets in 16 games and was buried in the offense behind wide receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds. Poor quarterback play from Jared Goff didn’t help, but there’s hope for 2021. Matthew Stafford should be a big upgrade for the Rams at quarterback, and Reynolds is now in Tennessee, putting Jefferson behind only Kupp and Woods. (The Rams signed DeSean Jackson, but he’s 
34 years old and has played eight games the last two years.) At 6-1, 200, Jefferson has average size, and though he did not run the 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Combine due to a broken foot, he was clocked as the fastest player during the Senior Bowl at 21.05 mph, likely putting him in the low 4.4s for the 40. Bottom line, Jefferson has upside in Year 2, competing for snaps with the 34-year-old Jackson and 165-pound rookie Tutu Atwell in what should be a good passing offense.

The 2020 second-round selection is a smooth route runner with soft hands and NFL size (6-1, 200). His collegiate numbers don't jump off the page, but last year's 13.4 yards per reception and six touchdowns over 12 games shouldn't be viewed outside the context of Florida's offense, either. The Gators ranked 97th in offensive plays per game and spread the ball around, with seven players catching at least 25 passes. The Rams also have an opening for him after trading Brandin Cooks to Houston. Jefferson's set to battle Josh Reynolds for playing time as the third receiver behind Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, and the rookie's fantasy value should rise for the 2021 campaign with Kupp and Reynolds both in the final year of their rookie contracts. The son of Shawn Jefferson, a 13-year pro and current receivers coach with the Jets, he has a murky 2020 outlook with so much offseason uncertainty. Jefferson also underwent surgery in March to repair a fracture in his right foot, so monitoring his status leading into the season will be important.