WR Malachi Corley Fantasy
The New York Jets chose to bolster their wide receiver corps by selecting Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley with the first pick of the third round (65th overall.) With only Garrett Wilson, 29-year-old (and oft-injured) Mike Williams, and Allen Lazard as wide receivers of note, the Jets were in the market for some depth at the position. Corley posted solid production on one of the most explosive offenses in the country at Western Kentucky with 29 touchdowns over the last three seasons. He has also proven he can handle a steady workload, receiving no fewer than 103 targets in any of his final three seasons. It remains to be seen how his game will translate to the NFL (more on that later) but there is little doubt that Corley is a talented athlete who could push for time right away, especially in three-WR sets, serving as New York’s slot receiver. Not everyone is a believer in Corley at the next level but sometimes those are the exact players you should be targeting late in drafts. Let’s take a look at what short-term and long-term value Corley could provide.
Fantasy Value
In season-long redraft leagues, I would not expect much out of Corley early in the season. However, there is a path for him to gain meaningful work as the Jets’ primary slot receiver and as an intermediate target for QB Aaron Rodgers. The Jets are looking for playmakers so if Corley proves he can produce on the field, they will keep him on the field. The issue with Corley is that in college he saw a lot of short passes and screens, but he proved adept at being a strong YAC player when given those opportunities. Corley caught 89 passes behind the line of scrimmage over his last two seasons and led the nation in yardage gained on screen passes in both years. However, against the faster, stronger, and better defenders he’ll face in the NFL it’s unclear whether or not he can find the same type of success. There is risk when it comes to Corley, and in redraft, he could go undrafted. But late in drafts is when you look for hidden gems. To that end, Corley is not a bad selection in one of the last two rounds. In that range, there is very little risk if someone fails and a huge reward if they succeed.
Dynasty Value
Corley is not considered one of the top prospects at the position and is not being drafted as such, even in dynasty rookie-only drafts. In some rankings, though, I have seen him sneak into the top 25. That would still make him an early third-round pick in 12-team formats. Rookies are always hit or miss, especially once you get beyond the first round, so taking a chance on a young, explosive wide receiver linked to a future Hall of Fame QB and with a clear path to playing time makes sense. I wouldn’t reach for him, even in dynasty leagues, but if he falls to you around the last couple of picks of the second round or early third round and you’re looking for a wide receiver, you could do a lot worse. The simple, and obvious, comparison here is Deebo Samuel since both players are explosive after the catch and have elite elusiveness and are extremely difficult to bring down. We have seen Samuel have success in the NFL. I’m not sure Corley is quite the athlete Samuel is, but if he can come close to that level of production, he will be an absolute steal. The more likely outcome is that he becomes a low-end WR2 or high-end flex with upside which makes him valuable when trying to build a roster with depth.
Conclusion
Early in his career, expect Corley to be more valuable to the Jets than to fantasy. He adds much-needed depth behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. But the Jets will take all the playmakers they can get after a 2023 season in which they went 7-10. That was without Rodgers for nearly the entire season, but it was painfully clear that the skill positions needed an upgrade. The hope is that Corley can provide that upgrade. He should be useful as a slot receiver who is athletic enough to create yardage once the ball is in his hands. I can envision a similar role to what Deebo Samuel has in San Francisco, but that pathway to production is so unorthodox for a wide receiver that there is a fair amount of risk in relying on it. If you want to take a chance on Corley in redraft for his upside I understand, just make sure you do so toward the end of the draft. In dynasty rookie drafts he is worth an early third round or even a late second round pick.
