Jahan Dotson 2023 Outlook
There are a lot of uncertainties in Washington after the hiring of new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and the probability that unproven Sam Howell be the starting quarterback. But it is a solid bet that Dotson will be progressing upward in his second NFL season. The Commanders were going nowhere fast with Carson Wentz (seven games) and Taylor Heinicke (nine) as starting quarterbacks. Howell started the final game and connected with Dotson three times for 72 yards. That contest was part of a solid conclusion to the season for Dotson, who had 21 receptions for 344 yards and three touchdowns over the final five games. He also had his first career 100-yard receiving outing during the span. Dotson's season was interrupted by a five-game absence due to a hamstring injury. That tentatively hurt his progress, and he had just two catches for 27 yards in a three-game span before the strong finish. But he certainly showed enough for Washington to know he can be counted on to improve and there definitely is excitement that he can break out in 2023.
Jahan Dotson 2022 Outlook
Dotson was selected by the Commanders with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, one of six receivers taken in the first round amid a scramble for picks at the position. Head coach Ron Rivera had no doubt about the 22-year-old's talent ahead of the draft, so much so that he felt an official pre-draft visit from Dotson wasn't necessary. "We just felt like this was a guy we didn't have any questions on," Rivera said, "so we didn't want to raise any flags as far as he was concerned, so we opted not to bring him in. ..." As ESPN's Mike Clay notes, the Penn State product is a small but athletic, versatile and reliable receiver with decent speed (4.43 40-yard dash). So they now have a fast, dynamic receiving crew with Dotson, Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown. There's also versatility with this group as each can line up anywhere. Dotson can play inside or outside and can make plays at any level, taking short passes for long gains and winning down the field with athletic grabs. He also can return punts if Washington wants to use him in this role. While Dotson could emerge as a starter at some point this season, fantasy managers should temper expectations in the short term.
