Terry McLaurin finally has a reliable quarterback for the first time in his career. It’s only taken until his fourth year in the league. I’m sorry, but an injured Alex Smith, various backups, and Taylor Heinicke aren’t truly reliable quarterbacks. Carson Wentz is, despite what you see on Twitter. He finished as a high-end QB2 and has been a good QB for years. This should mean that we could see McLaurin explode this year, although the Commanders added talent like Jahan Dotson that will prevent it. It should mean that this should be McLaurin’s most consistent year and maybe a career year. The Commanders did just pay him $71 million for a 3-year extension. The pressure is on to perform even better.
2021 Season Recap
2021 was supposed to be the year that McLaurin finally got completely unleashed with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm of the Commanders. Then Fitz got hurt in Week 1. In came Taylor Heinicke, who took over for the rest of the season. Heinicke and the Commanders struggled, yet McLaurin still put up another 1,000-yard season. He got 130 targets, caught 77 for 1,053 yards, and secured five touchdowns. He added 12 rushing yards. It was a strong year for a talented WR stuck in a boring offense. He finished as WR25, just off the WR2 tier. It was a let-down, but not nearly as big as one as it could’ve been.
2022 Season Projections
McLaurin is in store for a great season with a strong-armed QB like Wentz. The Commanders have added weapons to their offense to help prevent the double coverages McLaurin saw so often. Washington will be forced to pass more often due to their schedule. Wentz loves his number one option in the offenses he runs. That’s another reason I expect McLaurin to have a strong season, albeit not a WR1 season. There will not be enough passing or explosive plays for McLaurin to have a shot at a WR1 season, but he definitely won’t have a WR3 season.
How often Riverboat Ron wants to rush McLaurin will affect his stats quite a bit. There seems to be a trend of wanting WRs to run a decent amount. Considering Curtis Samuel can’t stay healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see McLaurin wind up with ten or so rushes. Either way, I project him to have a career-high in yards and touchdowns. In PPR leagues, I project him to get 14.5 ppg. That’s a solid WR2 number for your dynasty team.
Buy/Sell Terry McLaurin
McLaurin’s price was raised a decent amount after the news of his extension. The uncertainty went away regarding his future. I would not say he is a suitable player for rebuilding teams. He’s entering his age-27 season, and there’s no clear outlook for Washington’s quarterback situation. Wentz could be the answer or be gone in a year. Combine that with McLaurin’s age being 29 in two years, and he doesn’t fit the rebuild model.
If I’m contending, I will gladly buy McLaurin for a late first and second. He will provide quality play at the wide receiver spot for at least the next two or three years. He is an ideal WR3 that puts up WR2 points. If you need a cheaper yet talented wide receiver, ask about McLaurin. Perhaps the owner is nervous about Wentz or Washington’s future. It never hurts to see what the price is. I know McLaurin will provide more value than an uncertain late-first brings.
Summary
McLaurin won’t be scary for dynasty owners this year. He’s going to put up another reliable yet unspectacular season. It’s good to have players you know will not lose you weeks. I see him getting his third straight 1,000+ yard season with a career-high in touchdowns. McLaurin is going to provide you with WR2 numbers. If Wentz and McLaurin develop magical chemistry, he might push into the WR1 tier, but keep your expectations realistic. Buy him if you can, and you’re contending. If you’re rebuilding, I’d be looking to sell now while the price is raised. An awful Week 1 or 2 could lower his cost if Wentz struggles.
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As always, May the Force be with You…
