Five Underrated Second-Year WRs to Trade For

Did your 2023 fantasy season go differently than planned? Is your dynasty roster in need of a little shakeup? If so, you may need a young receiver with a bright future. It will take a lot to trade for players like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Drake London, or George Pickens, but several second-year pro wideouts still have very bright futures in this league. Below are five you should target in trades this offseason. 

Khalil Shakir – Buffalo Bills 

As the 2023 season went on, Khalil Shakir became one of Josh Allen’s primary receivers. Yes, Stefon Diggs is the WR1 for this team, but have you seen the production numbers between the two over the last eight games of the 2023 season? In Weeks 10-18, Diggs hauled in a disappointing (for him) 37 receptions for 349 yards and one touchdown. During that span, he served as the WR44 in PPR leagues. Meanwhile, Shakir hauled in 21 receptions for 387 yards and one touchdown in Weeks 10-18 and served as the WR51. On top of that, the presumed WR2 for the Bills this past season, Gabriel Davis, is slated to hit free agency. Many insiders believe he will be on his way out, so who fills in and steps up for this team? Could it be Shakir? 

After a disappointing rookie season, Shakir proved he could carve out a huge role in Buffalo’s passing game approach. During his second season, he didn’t produce consistent numbers, but he did top 100 receiving yards twice, 90 receiving yards three times, and 40 receiving yards in 6 of his last 10 games played. He was highly touted as a tremendous slot receiver out of Boise State, and he may be on his way to turning into this team’s next Cole Beasley. Maybe he won’t ever turn into a WR1 in this league, but in PPR formats, he should carry a ton of value heading into the 2024 season. 

Jahan Dotson – Washington Commanders

We aren’t all ready to give up on Jahan Dotson yet are we? The two-year pro receiver has hauled in a combined 84 receptions for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns in 29 career games. No, he isn’t on the same level as Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Drake London, or George Pickens, but his ceiling is very high and we may have only seen a glimpse of what he can do as a pro. Although he finished the 2023 season as the WR56 in PPR leagues and finished as the WR51 the year before (in 12 games mind you), look at the quarterbacks that are throwing him the ball—Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, Sam Howell, and Jacoby Brissett. 

With Washington drafting at second overall in this year’s NFL Draft, expect them to take a new signal-caller. Whether it’s Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, it surely should be a tremendous upgrade for Dotson. The former first-round pick from the 2021 draft is the surefire WR2 for this team behind Terry McLaurin. Although the Commanders will likely add more wide receiver depth this offseason, Dotson and McLaurin are the only two solidified pass-catchers on this team right now. Nobody is afraid of Dyami Brown, Logan Thomas, or Cole Turner. Also, the team brought a great offensive mind in Kliff Kingsbury to serve as the new Offensive Coordinator. With changes to the coaching staff and quarterback position, you shouldn’t be surprised if Dotson improves his numbers and productivity by a decent amount during the 2024 season. 

Jameson Williams – Detroit Lions

Many were ready to write Jameson Williams off as a “bust” a year and a half into his pro career, but he started to figure things out and made a lot of big plays as the 2023 season went on. In Weeks 8-17, Williams hauled in 20 of his 30 targets for 302 yards and one touchdown. He served as the WR61 in PPR leagues. He averaged 7.2 PPR points per game during that stretch and was a starting flex option in deep leagues during that same span. He also topped 40 receiving yards in 6 of his 12 games played this season. And yet, many are ready to move on from him. But in reality, the time to trade for him is now! His value has taken a huge hit in the wrong direction, but he’s improving as his career goes on. 

Josh Reynolds, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Brock Wright are all set to hit free agency. Outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs, there isn’t another viable pass-catcher on this team except for Williams. The former Alabama product is also the only “real” deep threat for this team. Be prepared for more utilization and production for the former 12th overall pick. Now that he has matured as a person and as a player, he should turn into a consistent fantasy WR. In deeper dynasty leagues, he’s an easy trade target with minimal value based on his talent. It shouldn’t be too hard to trade for him right now and his ceiling is very high! 

Christian Watson – Green Bay Packers

Speaking of someone who has a huge ceiling, Christian Watson may be the most underrated wide receiver in this section. He went on a tear for a big stretch during his rookie season and then he battled injuries on and off during his second year as a pro. Although he has only played in 23 career games, he’s put together great numbers, hauling in 69 receptions for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns. In PPR leagues, he has topped 10 PPR points 11 times and 20 PPR points six times! He’s a career 11.5 PPR points per game player, and he has finished as a WR13 or better seven different times. He has all the superstar traits you love to see as a fantasy manager. Now, we just need to see him stay healthy and consistent. 

Although there is a plethora of youth surrounding him on Green Bay’s roster, he easily has the highest ceiling of them all. Watson also has a surefire quarterback who can make plays every week in Jordan Love. With a savvy offensive play-caller in Matt LaFleur and a dynamic signal-caller in Love, Watson should elevate his game and turn into a reliable fantasy receiver for years to come. He may be a bit difficult to trade for right now, but he’s cheaper than he was going into last offseason, and he’s likely cheaper than he will be next offseason as well. Don’t be afraid to target him in trades now if you can. But if you want a safer option, you may want to take a look at the player below. 

Romeo Doubs – Green Bay Packers

Although Watson has a higher ceiling, trading for Romeo Doubs may be the safer trade target amongst the two. He showed flashes of WR1 potential, as he finished 2023 with five 50-plus yard performances and eight games with four receptions or more. Doubs finished as the WR36 in PPR formats overall. He also averaged 10.3 PPR points per game, which shows that he can be a viable flex option, especially in deeper leagues. He’s only 23 years old, and he may be the most consistent pass-catcher on the Packers right now. 

For the same reasons as Watson, Doubs is in a great situation. He’s led by an offensive guru of a coach in LeFleur, and his quarterback, Love, keeps getting better and better as time goes on. With 101 career receptions for 1,099 yards and 11 touchdowns under his belt in 30 career games, the two-year pro out of Nevada showcases a safe ceiling and a higher floor than Watson does. If you are skeptical when thinking about trading for Watson, Doubs may be a safer bet. He may be a little cheaper because of Watson’s versatility. The time to trade for one of these players is now. Doubs may be the one you want to lean on a little more. 

Honorable Mentions:

Rashid Shaheed (NO), Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG), Treylon Burks (TEN)

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