2024 NFL Draft Rookie Profile: WR Troy Franklin (Fantasy Football)
Troy Franklin enters a wide receiver draft class with elite talent at the top. While the names of Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze garner the most attention, Franklin is an intriguing prospect in his own right. His combination of elite speed and acceleration puts him alongside the top wide receivers in the class, and his ability to create separation early in his routes makes him a dangerous weapon in the passing game. With a stellar production profile and expected day-two capital, Franklin projects to be one of the better picks in the early rounds of dynasty rookie drafts.
Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2024 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and the production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2024.
College Production Profile
Troy Franklin entered his collegiate career as a highly touted prospect, ranking third among wide receivers in his recruiting class per 247 sports. Despite receiving offers from some of the top programs at LSU, Alabama, and USC, Franklin would start his career at Oregon, playing mostly as a reserve in his first season. As you can see above, he only accounted for 9% of the team’s passing offense, barely exceeding 200 receiving yards as a true freshman. His breakout would occur shortly after in 2022, leading the Oregon Ducks’ offense in multiple receiving metrics. He would account for roughly 27% of the team’s receiving production (yards + touchdowns), averaging a solid 2.06 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt. On a per-route basis, Franklin finished his sophomore campaign with 2.34 Yards per Route Run and 22% Targets Per Route Run, according to PFF. It was a truly impressive breakout as Franklin placed himself in the conversation as a potential day-two pick entering the 2023 season.
Franklin would take an even bigger leap in his junior year, elevating his game to an elite level. He totaled nearly 1,400 receiving yards, finishing the season with a career-high 31% Weighted Dominator Rating. He would also average an elite 2.93 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt, which ranks in the 88th percentile among all junior seasons since 2010. Even more impressive, he led all wide receivers last season in EPA (Expected Points Added) per Route Run at 0.27 (per Tej Seth and Statsbomb), highlighting his explosiveness and efficiency in the Oregon offense. With consistent improvement throughout his career and an elite final campaign, Franklin cemented himself as one of the most accomplished wide receivers in the upcoming draft. As a result, dynasty managers should feel very confident in drafting him in rookie drafts this season, especially at his current ADP.
Measurables
Height
Weight
40-Yard Dash
Vertical
3-Cone
6’2”
184 lbs
4.41
39”
6.9
Franklin had an outstanding combine, excelling in most of the drills that he participated in. First off, while was listed at only 176 pounds, Franklin reportedly dealt with the flu leading up to the combine. As a result, he came in lighter than his listed weight of 187 pounds while playing for Oregon. On his pro day, he came in significantly heavier at 184 pounds. However, despite dealing with the flu, Franklin still impressed in a variety of drills at the combine. He displayed the speed that made him such an effective weapon over the last two seasons, ranking in the 90th percentile among wide receivers with his 40-yard dash. In addition, his explosiveness was on full display as he ranked in the 89th percentile with his vertical and 75th percentile in the broad jump. Combined with his longer frame, Franklin projects to be an immediate vertical threat in the NFL. So while draft capital and collegiate production continue to be the more predictive metrics for fantasy production, it was still encouraging to see Franklin stand out at the combine among a very athletic wide receiver class.
What’s on Tape
As part of my prospect evaluation, I watch anywhere between four to six games of film to gain a better understanding of each player’s strengths and weaknesses. Below are my observations on Troy Franklin’s film.
Games Viewed: 2023 vs. USC, 2023 vs. Colorado, 2023 vs. Stanford, 2023 vs. Washington, 2023 vs. Texas Tech
1. Impressive Linear Speed
Troy Franklin possesses outstanding speed and acceleration, which was one of the most impressive traits in his film. Especially in “after-the-catch” situations, Franklin displayed a consistent ability to accelerate into open space, breaking away from the defense using his elite speed. And at maximum speed, there were very few defensive backs or linebackers who were able to keep up. Because of his linear speed and vertical skill set, Franklin should have an immediate role in the NFL as a Z receiver, with the upside to develop into an X receiver as he continues to refine his game. We see his elite speed on full display in the play below against USC. On an in-breaking route, Franklin receives the ball in the middle of the field with two DBs ahead of him. Within a matter of seconds, he accelerates and erases any angle for the defenders to tackle him, leading to an 85-yard touchdown.
2. Ability to Separate Early in His Routes
While his speed is certainly an asset on vertical plays, Franklin also leveraged his burst and acceleration to create immediate pressure early in his routes. He can be very explosive at the line of scrimmage, using an array of hesitation and crossover moves to elude the defender for immediate separation. At times, Franklin would delay his release to keep the defensive back guessing, only to accelerate past him with one explosive move. Once he creates that immediate leverage, Franklin can use his top-end speed to stack the DB and create significant separation from the defense. Similarly, we see these traits on short and immediate routes as well. With his ability to decelerate and accelerate, Franklin has the skill set to create leverage as he breaks in and out of his routes.
3. Usage as a Slot and Outside Receiver
While he was lined up outside on most of his routes, Franklin displayed some versatility as he operated in the slot on about 20% of the plays. Especially matched up against slower safeties and linebackers in the middle of the field, Franklin’s speed was an effective weapon out of the slot. Simply put, if you can get the ball in his hands on short in-breaking routes, Franklin can use his athletic ability to evade defenders and generate some yards after the catch. He also displayed success against both man and zone, routinely finding the opening in the defense regardless of the coverage. With Franklin projected to be selected in the second round, there are plenty of teams that would benefit from his skill set, moving him around the formation as a versatile weapon on offense.
What’s Not on Tape
1. Consistent Success as a Blocker
This was by far Franklin’s most glaring weakness. Despite receiving plenty of reps as a blocker, he was surprisingly inconsistent, at times struggling against the physicality of certain corners. To his credit, Franklin often initiated contact early in the play but would then allow defenders to slip past him way too easily. Whether it was an inability to keep defenders in front of him or releasing the block a little too early, there were several instances where his lackluster blocking led to negative plays. While this may not necessarily prevent him from receiving playing time at the next level (especially if a team selects him with premium draft capital), it is an aspect of his game that leaves plenty of room for improvement. In the clip below, we see him blocking for his teammate on a wide receiver screen. While they did get the first down, there was still an opportunity to gain additional yards had he held his block a little longer.
2. Effective Use of Physicality
At 6’2” and only 184 pounds, Franklin has a very slim frame. As a result, he rarely used his physicality and length to his advantage. Especially in contested situations, Franklin struggled to separate at the catch point when defenders were draped all over him. In addition, while Franklin can be elusive in open space, he did not break tackles at a high rate. In other words, he relies much more on finesse and quickness than physicality to win on the field. Could this lead to initial struggles at the next level where cornerbacks are significantly more athletic and physical? Potentially. However, I do believe his elite quickness and ability to separate can partially make up for his lack of physicality.
Fantasy Outlook
In short, Troy Franklin checks many of the boxes we look for in a wide receiver prospect. He broke out in his second season, produced at an elite level in his final campaign, and will likely receive day-two capital in the upcoming NFL draft. In addition, early-declare wide receivers tend to have a higher hit rate in the NFL. For context, since 2010, day-two wide receivers break out at a 32% rate. If we isolate our sample size to early-declare prospects, hit rates improve by 14 percentage points to 46%. With Franklin also checking that box, he projects to be one of the better day-two wide receivers in this year’s dynasty drafts.
Keep in mind that most wide receiver breakouts do not occur until a player’s second season. So while I do not envision a top-24 fantasy campaign right out of the gate, I still expect Franklin to flash some upside even in his rookie year. Especially if he finds himself on a team with an established WR1, Franklin should have plenty of room to operate on the opposite side of the field, likely leading to some explosive games in his first season. As for his prospect grade, my rookie model currently has him graded as the WR5 in this class, ranking in the 85th percentile. For context, day-two wide receivers that fall in the 80th to 90th percentile range in my model have historically averaged a 61% breakout rate in the NFL. As a result, Franklin is one of my favorite projected day-two wide receivers in this class. And at his current ADP, I would much rather draft him over players like Ladd McConkey or AD Mitchell as Franklin’s profile projects to have a much higher floor and ceiling at the next level.