Minnesota Vikings: Expectations for rookie WR Laquon Treadwell
By Adam Carlson
What sort of statistical expectations should be placed on 2016 first round draft pick Laquon Treadwell by Minnesota Vikings fans for his rookie season?
The afterglow of the 2016 NFL Draft has worn off a bit and now fans are starting to wonder just what kind of impact these players can have for their teams. For the Minnesota Vikings, that focus is on rookie wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, who projects to be a day 1 starter for the team.
Related Story: Vikings sign 7 of their 8 2016 NFL Draft picks
It’s hard to predict what kind of production the pass catcher could have because of the offense that the Vikings use. Since the team doesn’t throw the ball around as much as other teams, his statistics could be significantly lower than other rookies at his position, yet have a bigger overall impact on his team.
Over on Bleacher Report, Ryan McCrystal did a projection for each of the rookies for a fantasy football article, and here is the kind of production he expects from Treadwell for the Minnesota Vikings:
More from The Viking Age
- 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022
"“While Treadwell probably won’t produce many big plays, he should see a high volume of targets and emerge as one of Bridgewater’s go-to targets in the red zone. Projected stat line: 72 rec, 725 yards, 7 TD.“"
Earlier, on the Purple People Podcast, I threw my expected stat line out for Laquon Treadwell as well, guessing that he would gain at least 700 and 6 touchdowns over the season if he stayed healthy. Keep in mind that I’m seeing this as a floor of expectations if the rookie wide receiver played 16 games this year, not a projected stat line.
Treadwell might not be the guy who reap the biggest benefits of his play. He should be a huge asset in the run game, as he’s one of the better run blockers at the wide receiver position and could help open things up for guys like Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph or others.
Next: Minnesota Vikings 2016 NFL Draft class
What kind of expectations do you have for Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Laquon Treadwell? How many receiving yards and touchdowns would it take for you to call his first season a success? Let us know in the comments below.