McLaurin finally got over the hump in 2024, after spending the first five years of his career as an overqualified WR3 for fantasy. All it took was better quarterback play, with an assist from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. McLaurin's 117 targets last year were actually his fewest since his 2019 rookie season, albeit with his 23.2 percent target share being a three-year high as the Commanders thrived behind a balanced offense. The outlier numbers were his 70.1 percent catch rate (a career high by 5.2 percentage points) and 13 touchdowns (his previous best was seven), with McLaurin riding the wave of Jayden Daniels' incredible rookie season. We'll always have to assume some regression from a player that scored 13 TDs on 82 catches, but it's also fair to say that McLaurin and Daniels are sufficiently talented to remain one of the most efficient QB-WR combos in the league. And while Deebo Samuel offers new competition for Daniels' attention, the former 49er mostly figures to take targets that went to Washington's rotating cast of Nos. 2 and 3 receivers last year. McLaurin will turn 30 in September, but he hasn't missed a game since 2020 and seems to have maintained the 4.35 speed from his standout combine showing back in 2019. If you're counting on him as a WR1 you'll likely be disappointed, as he's never reached 1,200 yards in a season. As a WR2, however, he should work out well, especially in non-PPR leagues where TDs hold more weight relative to volume. Just make sure to keep an eye on his contract situation, as McLaurin held out for the start of training camp in search of a new extension.
