Next in our 4-EYED Dynasty Target profile series, we’ll be looking at why Laviska Shenault Jr. is an asset worth pursuing this off-season
After a promising rookie campaign and the upcoming arrival of one of the most highly anticipated college quarterbacks we have seen, the future looks bright for Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. The second-year receiver is an obvious breakout candidate for the upcoming 2020 season and looks set to be a key piece of the Jaguars offensive unit going forward.
Shenault had a solid first year in the NFL despite inconsistent quarterback play, leading the Jaguars in receptions. In the end, he played in 14 games and was targeted 79 times, amassing a total of 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns from 58 receptions. He was also utilized in the backfield, adding a further 91 yards on the ground.
The former Colorado receiver also saw a clear uptick in production over the final few weeks of the year. Between weeks 14-17, Shenault’s involvement improved, averaging just over 50 receiving yards per game, reeling in 21 catches from 33 targets, and playing an average of 77% offensive snaps over the four weeks.
Role In Offensive Scheme
Shenault’s skill set and role in the offensive scheme provide an intriguing insight into his future fantasy production. Coming out of college, he was seen to be an explosive receiver with good versatility and playmaking ability. In his rookie season, Shenault’s utilization differed significantly from the rest of the wide receiver group. His average depth of target was considerably lower than that of his teammates at 6.2, versus 10.9 for Keelan Cole and 14.0 for DJ Chark.
One of Shenault’s fantasy profile’s most exciting aspects is his yards after the catch ability, which he has shown consistently, both in college and in the NFL. Last season Shenault racked up 298 yards after the catch, at an average of 5.1 additional yards per catch. This versatility and usage as a gadget, ‘swiss army knife’ type of asset should excite fantasy managers. Shenault forced a total of 22 missed tackles, according to PFF, more than any other rookie receiver last year. There has been a clear movement across the league to incorporate these types of players into gameplans, getting the ball into playmakers’ hands in increasingly creative ways.
New Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer’s success with gadget players in college provides an insight into the possible ceiling for Shenault. Percy Harvin, for example, amassed 2,926 yards from scrimmage and 27 touchdowns over his final two years at Florida. Meanwhile, Curtis Samuel had just over 1,600 total yards and 15 touchdowns in his final year at Ohio State in 2016. While this production is clearly unlikely to be replicated in the NFL, it should give hope that Shenault’s full array of talents will be used effectively by the incoming coaching staff.
Outlook
Gardner Minshew, Mike Glennon, Jake Luton. Shenault’s rookie numbers look even more impressive when considering that they were recorded while playing with a rather underwhelming set of quarterbacks, to say the least. Opportunities for Jacksonville’s skill position players were clearly limited in 2020, with the team recording the fifth-fewest total offensive yards in the league last year.
This should all change this coming year, however. With the Jaguars holding the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, barring a surprise, they will select their future franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence’s long-term potential should provide a boost to the whole offensive unit, and more consistent play from the quarterback will provide Shenault, and the rest of the wide receivers, with more regular production. Coming into his second year in the league, we would expect a natural increase in production, especially for a player with upside such as Shenault. Now with the imminent arrival of Lawrence, together with a new offensive scheme, we can expect an even greater increase in production.
Another important factor to consider here is the respective contract situations of Jacksonville’s main wide receivers. DJ Chark’s rookie contract is due to finish at the end of next season, at which point he would be an unrestricted free agent. While Chark has shown some promise, his long-term role is certainly unclear. There is no guarantee he will be there in 2022 at this stage. Shenault, on the other hand, is under contract for at least another three years until the 2023 season and so provides dynasty managers with slightly more security after this year.
Looking at the current valuation, Shenault is ranked as WR36 in FantasyData’s dynasty rankings, eight spaces behind his teammate Chark. Given the relative difference in price and his potential usage in this Urban Meyer scheme, Shenault appears to be an ideal dynasty target this off-season.
