Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Laviska Shenault is entering a critical third season in the NFL. After the Jaguars added competition, Shenault is looking for his own role. What is Shenault’s fantasy football outlook, and where does his current ADP sit heading into 2022 fantasy football drafts?
Laviska Shenault’s fantasy outlook for 2022
A franchise constantly turning over its coaching staff and front office is bound to lose track of once-promising talent along the way. The Jaguars invested a second-round pick into Shenault in the 2020 NFL Draft and immediately saw some of the skills that made him a unique prospect. He produced 58 receptions, 600 yards, and five touchdowns in 14 games.
The Jaguars fired Doug Marrone after a 1-15 season and brought in Urban Meyer. That was a disaster, and the problems cascaded throughout the roster. Shenault suffered despite playing with a much better passer in Trevor Lawrence. He finished with 63 receptions for 619 yards and zero scores.
Now with Doug Pederson in charge, the Jaguars aren’t married to any investments from prior years besides Lawrence and Christian Kirk. Unlike his predecessors, Pederson’s résumé doesn’t include maximizing the touches for a receiver like Shenault. Shenault’s selling point as a prospect was his ability to be like Deebo Samuel — a pass catcher and ball carrier.
With only 29 carries and four catches per game through 30 contests, Shenault looks more pigeonholed than ever. Maybe that’s best for someone who has struggled to stay healthy since his collegiate days at Colorado. But for Shenault’s fantasy managers, this role puts a ceiling on his potential output.
How the Jaguars’ depth chart impacts Laviska Shenault’s fantasy projection for the season
As if seeing the Jaguars pen Kirk to his massive $72 million deal wasn’t enough of a blow to Shenault, the team also signed Zay Jones to a $24 million contract. Jones is less dynamic and explosive than Shenault, but this regime opted to pay him. With Marvin Jones and Laquon Treadwell as traditional X receivers, Shenault is stuck behind the newcomers with fat contracts.
With his exact role in the air and no clear pathway to consistent playing time, Shenault is purely a waiver wire addition for most teams. Lawrence’s deep passing prowess and willingness to spread targets around the field are encouraging for every receiver on the roster. But breaking through thick competition will be tough since none of the receivers on the team are No. 1 material.
The best case for Shenault is he wins the Z receiver role ahead of Jones, and Jones rotates into the slot with Kirk. This regime may not be as willing to feature 2021 first-round running back Travis Etienne on sweeps and in the slot as Meyer wanted, which would at least keep the possibility open for Shenault.
Shenault’s ADP for 2022
It’s rare to see Shenault drafted, as his ADP sits at WR89 and No. 257 overall. He disappointed in his Week 2 performance as he fumbled a punt and was targeted only once. It’s possible he doesn’t even make the final roster in Jacksonville.
Until we see Shenault take a bigger step into the rotation, he’s an unrosterable talent. It’d be much smarter to take A.J. Green or even Zay Jones over Shenault since both have guaranteed roster spots for this season.
