They are two of the most exciting wide receivers in football, capable of taking any pass to the endzone and regurarly wowing the NFL with highlight plays. The Eagles DeSean Jackson has been in the league three seasons and from the moment he stepped on the field, he's been making a name for himself as the league's premier playmaker. He's got some serious competition, though, from the Steelers Mike Wallace, who has battled him play for play the past two seasons. In a Dynasty league, which electric WR would you like to roster, DeSean or Mike Wallace?



Mike Wallace has emerged in a very big way. 
Those that currently see his potential as merely a deep threat are missing the clear picture that Wallace is an extremely talented wideout with a versatile skill set.  It is true that Mike Wallace is an explosive deep threat receiver with elite speed.  What he has done in his first two seasons as a Pittsburgh Steeler however is display improved route running ability while also taking advantage of an extremely stable (and opportunistic) situation in Pittsburgh.  With a physical build suited to a greater variety of route patterns (compared to that of a prototypical deep threat receiver), Mike Wallace used his ridiculous speed to post nearly nearly elite numbers in a sophomore campaign, all while missing his stud QB for the early quarter of the 2011 season.  We have seen an improvement in his ball skills and ability to understand route concepts while he has essentially leapfrogged every other Steeler's receiver as Big Bens go-to pass catcher (if he is not already).  So where does he stand versus DeSean Jackson, as one of the most explosive players in the NFL, and which Dynasty wideout would you prefer to have on your squad for the next decade?  Lets take a look.  Their value is quite similar, but the edge must go to Mike Wallace. 

Mike Wallace is fast....very fast.  A ridiculous 20.3 yard per reception average over his two season career is impressive.  In his sophomore campaign he locked it down at 20.1 a pop and was the league leader in receptions of 20+ (26) and 40+ (10) yard receptions.  Ok, so we have established that catching the deep ball is not a problem for Wallace, and in fact his league leading numbers in these categories is enough to put to rest any flash in the pan discussion.  Mike Wallace is here stay.

Mike Wallace enjoys posting 100+ yard receiving games:  Based on his big play capability, it is only natural to expect him to surpass ballgames of over 100 receiving yards on a semi-regular basis.  What remains even more promising is the fact Wallace managed to top triple digits with (and without) Big Ben chucking him the rock. While his reception totals have not reached elite levels, the continued decline of Hines Ward, and rapid rise of Wallace as the Steelers go to playmaker should vault him into the 85+ reception range within the next two seasons.  DeSean Jackson is not catching 85+ balls folks.    

Mike Wallace is built more beastly than a traditional deep threat wideouts: At only 6-feet tall, he will never be the jump ball red zone threat in the mold of Andre Johnson or Calvin Johnson (although we do feel he will grow into a reliable red zone threat as his game continues to evolve).  While that will never put him into the truly elite class of the above referenced, his ability to take it to the house from 40 yards deep will always keep his fantasy numbers inflated.  What is most intriguing about Wallace's size/speed combo is his 200 lb playing weight.  This is a solid build for a player of his elite speed and evolving versatility - a unique combination for sure.  Heading into his third season, we expect to see his ability to understand route concepts improve, and most notably his ability to improvise route patterns as Big Ben scrambles to make a play out of nothing.  In such cases, often the fastest player on the field can tend to get wide open. 

It is time to stop comparing DeSean Jackson with Mike Wallace.  Wallace is a more complete player who's long term success will be predicated on a diverse skill set rather than purely straight line speed.  Mike Wallace is more similar to Greg Jennings and his career numbers should mirror that of Jennings.

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DeSean Jackson has just scratched the surface of his wide receiver potential.
Although to call him a receiver is taking away from his game...he is an explosive weapon. He is the fastest player in cleats and a threat to score every time the ball is in his hands. Jerry Rice called him one of the best route runners he had ever seen back in 2008 as he was mentoring Jackson in preparation for the NFL Draft.

At only 24 years old, Jackson has already matured as a player in his three NFL seasons but there is more to come. DeSean's average yards per catch has risen each year he's been in the league. After scoring just 4 total TD's as a rookie, he has put up 12 and 8 in the past two years. He is not a prototypical redzone threat because of his lack of height and bulk, but he can do damage on quick slants and let's face it, inside the 50 is his redzone. While the Eagles may be tempted to let him run deep post routes, but his fantasy upside would benefit big time if he got more involved in the short and intermediate passing game. Sure handed options LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin have excelled in this area, but DeSean could add a dangerous wrinkle to the Eagles gameplan (and add to his PPR league value). The evolution of Mike Vick as a pocket passer who still has one of the strongest arms in the NFL makes DeSean even more intriguing. He is one of the few players with enough arm strength to keep up with the speedy Jackson.

There is no denying that DeSean's slight build makes him an injury risk (including a concussion last season that may have had him gun shy to go over the middle) and the potential will always be there. Much like he can burn a defender in the open field though, DJax could make those concerns an afterthought for Dynasty owners because of what he brings to the table. The injury concerns create opportunity for you to possibly acquire him now for below what his true market value and ceiling would suggest in a Dynasty league. The buy-in on Mike Wallace, though, will likely cost you more because his arrow is pointing way up after his sophomore explosion.

His reputation as a playmaker precedes him, as offenses will gameplan to contain his explosiveness. It's that kind of attention and the production that follows it that makes him one of the game's best. He commands the attention of defenses and constantly draws double coverage. He strikes fear in the heart of NFL and fantasy opponents alike. Sure, there are going to be those games where he just can't get free for a long one and puts up a dud. As he develops more consistency in his game, though, that will also carry over to fantasy. At the moment, DeSean Jackson is "only" the NFL's most feared deep threat. As he continues to mature and refine his game, however, he has the upside to be a Top 3 fantasy receiver. While Mike Wallace is a more complete threat at the moment, his considerable ceiling is still no match for what DeSean could become at the position. DeSean has the ability to set the pace, Wallace will always be following it. It's that elite upside that has him taking this Dynasty showdown to the house.