2022 Fantasy Upside
The 26-year-old Van Jefferson saw a big increase in production during his sophomore NFL season. He more than doubled his reception total (50) and quadrupled his receiving yardage (802 yards) while recording six touchdown catches. He had a stretch from Week 7 to 13 where he saw at least six targets per game. Jefferson is a big-play threat whenever he is on the field, ranking seventh among all wideouts with an average of 16 yards per reception.
2022 Fantasy Downside
Jefferson remains the clear WR3 with Allen Robinson joining the Rams this offseason. Even with Robert Woods missing eight games last season, Jefferson only managed a 14.8% target share, 64th among all wide receivers. With Cooper Kupp demanding a 30% target share and a healthy Cam Akers in the backfield, the opportunities for Jefferson remain very limited. Jefferson also is dealing with a knee issue, so fantasy managers may want to hold off investing in him until there's more information about his availability this season.
2022 Bottom Line
Jefferson is an explosive talent in a great offense, but his fantasy upside remains limited. His lack of weekly production even with an 80% snap share during the middle weeks of the season was concerning. Jefferson cannot be trusted on a weekly basis in redraft leagues, and is likely just a late-round best ball option.