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Former quarterback turned wide receiver Luke McCaffrey had an impressive final two collegiate seasons at Rice University. His production was not necessarily off the charts, but his transition to a new position was notable.
The brother of Christian McCaffrey was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders, making him an intriguing option in upcoming rookie drafts.
In this article, we'll dive into McCaffrey's prospect profile and potential dynasty and 2024 fantasy football outlook. Let's get into it!
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Luke McCaffrey Prospect Profile
After two seasons in the Nebraska quarterback room, McCaffrey transferred to Rice and became a contributing pass-catcher during his second year on campus. He led the Owls in receptions (58) in 2022 but dwarfed that production in his 2023 senior year. Last season, the 23-year-old hauled in 71 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns. He registered a 30.9% target share (91st percentile) and a 39.5% college dominator rating (81st percentile).
Sure, he did little from a production standpoint in his first three college seasons, but going from a signal-caller to a pass-catcher and making a huge mark on the Rice offense is an impressive feat.
At the 2024 NFL Combine, he flashed the McCaffrey family speed and athleticism -- which was likely the final deciding factor in Washington selecting him on Day 2.
Luke McCaffrey was drafted in round 3 pick 100 in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.44 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 192 out of 3402 WR from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/obR3bTyAWf pic.twitter.com/jUW6a6FF2c
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 27, 2024
Luke McCaffrey Rookie Draft and Fantasy Outlook
With Washington set to turn the franchise over to rookie QB Jayden Daniels, the offense has a wide range of outcomes in 2024. Terry McLaurin is the clear No. 1 option in the Commanders' attack, but could McCaffrey challenge Jahan Dotson, Zach Ertz, or Ben Sinnott for the No. 2 role? It's possible, but far from a certainty.
It's tough to get overly optimistic about McCaffrey's rookie outlook based on those factors, but he figures to be a solid third-round dart throw in 2024 rookie drafts. Although he's unlikely to ever become a top-24 fantasy wide receiver, he could develop into a strong PPR WR3 or flex option over the next couple of seasons.
The ties to his brother make him a fun player to push the button on, but be careful not to get ahead of yourself. He's still largely new to playing the position at a high level, so even though he's already 23, there might be growing pains.
TJ McMahon connects with Luke McCaffrey and the Owls visit the endzone on the opening drive! @RiceFootball | #CUSAFB pic.twitter.com/SP2y0UWbxd
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 29, 2022
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