WR Leonard Hankerson, Washington Redskins

HT: 6-1, WT: 209, Born: 5-7-1988, College: Miami (FL), Drafted: Round 3

2013 Projections

PPR Average draft position

Current as of May 21st. [Full PPR ADP list]

Overall: L Dunbar (288), R Jennings (289), Leonard Hankerson (290), D Walker (291),
Position: A Pettis (283-WR95), M Manningham (285-WR96), Leonard Hankerson (290 - WR97), K Martin (295-WR98),
Click here for a comparison of these players.

2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 2 - Hankerson did not contribute for the Redskins in Week 1, having a less-than-stellar training camp and subsequently falling down the depth chart. However, Hankerson proved in one play that his demotion may have been slightly premature. In the second quarter, Hankerson roasted Rams rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins on a double-move, slant-and-go route, hauling in a deep heave from quarterback Robert Griffin III for a touchdown and putting the Redskins up by fifteen points.

Week 3 - Hankerson received the start over the ailing Pierre Garcon, hauling in four receptions for fifty-six yards on seven targets. His day was not particularly efficient, but it is a good sign that quarterback Robert Griffin III trusts Hankerson as his deep threat. Late in the fourth quarter, Griffin heaved the ball deep to a double-covered Hankerson, hoping to repeat some of the previous week’s magic against the Rams, but circumstances prevented Hankerson from completing the play. If Garcon continues to sit, Hankerson should receive considerable playing time, as the Washington passing game continues to search for playmakers at the receiver position.


Week 4 - Hankerson dominated all Redskins receivers with eleven targets, but these opportunities did not translate into much production. The second-year man from the University of Miami – or THEE U if you prefer to speak in Sunday Night Footballese – came up with seven receptions for fifty-seven yards filling in as the Redskins’ top wide receiver. Griffin looked to Hankerson early and often against the Buccaneers, all over the field. Hankerson was again the target of a colossal deep heave from Griffin, but the pass was off the mark. Additionally, Hankerson was the intended receiver on a back-shoulder throw that Buccaneers cornerback E.J. Biggers nearly picked off. Hankerson is getting plenty of work, and will likely start alongside Pierre Garcon once Garcon is back to full speed. Once defenses focus on preventing the big play from Garcon, Hankerson will have his day in the sun. 


Week 6 - Hankerson is still developing his game and isn’t a big target for Griffin. Hankerson had a beautiful grab though in the second quarter, resulting in a 14 yard gain. On the play, Hankerson ran a route across the middle and made a leaping grab in front of Vikings cornerback Chris Cook. It’s grabs like that that make it feel like it’s only a matter of time before Hankerson starts to jump forward in his development, though it may take until next year for a switch from guys like Santana Moss to youngsters like Hankerson.

Week 7 - Leonard Hankerson looked very impressive on Sunday and made a lot of chunk yardage plays for his team. Hankerson got good separation on an out route early in the game, picked up a big gain and caught another pass on the sideline as he used his athletic ability to haul in the high ball while staying in bounds. Hankerson had a shot at a deep pass play but the ball was thrown in between double coverage and it would have been a very tough catch to make. Hankerson’s main weapon as a WR was using his big body on short routes. Hankerson frequently got inside of his DB using his larger physical frame and got enough separation for QB Griffin to throw the slant. Hankerson then used his size to pick up yards after contact and could take a hit before going down easy. Hankerson could easily develop into a big possession WR against man coverage that can run slants/seams and comeback routes but lacks the speed to become a well rounded #1 WR. Regardless, he could develop well with Griffin and become a very solid option on short/intermediate plays that take advantage of his size over the middle of the field.

Week 8 - Hankerson had a down game. It appeared as though the team lost trust in him after his drop of a sure touchdown pass in the first quarter. Had they lost trust in every receiver that dropped a pass, they wouldn’t have had any left to finish the game. Hankerson’s only catch came with under ten minutes left in a 27-12 game. Much like his colleagues in the receiving corps, Hankerson has to perform better with Pierre Garcon’s injury outlook looking worse with each update.

Week 9 - Second-year player Leonard Hankerson caught an accurately thrown pass from Robert Griffin III on a deep dig route for 25 yards for what was his most impressive catch of the day. Hankerson, despite a defender being draped on him, managed to hang on to the football. However, his impact was limited for the most part by the Panthers’ two-deep look on defense and the fact that the Redskins were forced to throw into tighter windows; Hankerson was asked to run downfield a lot more.

Week 11 - The second-year receiver caught two passes for thirty yards against the Eagles, including a twenty-one yard catch-and-run after Robert Griffin III pump-faked a fullback screen to Darrell Young. The eerie efficiency of Griffin – and Washington’s ability to run the ball – prevented Hankerson from accumulating more statistics.

Week 12 - Hankerson only registered one catch for twelve yards, but he did draw a pass interference flag in the Dallas end zone on cornerback Brandon Carr, which set up the Redskins on the Dallas one-yard line.

Week 13 - Hankerson caught one pass for fourteen yards on a quick pass from Robert Griffin III up the seam. The catch set up first-and-goal for the Redskins in Giant territory and an eventual Redskins touchdown.


Week 14 - Relatively quiet for the past several weeks, Hankerson finished with a solid stat line against the Ravens at home. Catching four passes on five targets for sixty-seven yards, the second-year receiver made one of the team’s most important plays of the 2012 season. With the Kirk Cousins-led Redskins facing second-and-twenty at the Baltimore twenty-six yard line – and with only forty-five second remaining on the clock – Hankerson caught a fifteen-yard pass from Cousins on a post-in route. This reception got Washington into the Baltimore red zone and set up a game-tying touchdown for the Redskins. Hankerson’s five targets were the second most amongst Redskins receivers, and his sixty-seven receiving yards also put him second on the team.


Week 15 - After Pierre Garcon, the Redskins’ receiver hierarchy is a bit nebulous week-to-week. Joshua Morgan typically draws the start opposite Garcon, but the receiver that produces for the Redskins on any given Sunday is a crapshoot. Hankerson was Week Fifteen’s lottery winner for Washington, catching two touchdowns passes for fifty-six yards on three targets. Hankerson’s first touchdown reception came on a deep post-out route that quarterback Kirk Cousins placed well into his hands, despite Hankerson being triple-covered. Untouched by the three Browns defenders around him, Hankerson wriggled his way into the end zone for a fifty-four yard touchdown grab that replay later upheld. Midway through the third quarter, with the Redskins facing third-and-two at the Browns’ two-yard-line, Hankerson ran toward the end zone, uncovered, and caught a pass off a play-action fake from Cousins for another Redskins touchdown. Granted, the volatile nature of the Redskins’ receiving corps – minus Garcon – makes them, including Hankerson, unpredictable for fantasy purposes, but they, including Hankerson, make for an exciting game. 


Week 17 - Hankerson caught one pass on a slant route for twelve yards. He had one target in the home tilt against the Cowboys.

Week 18 - Hankerson saw an increased snap count later in the game when Pierre Garcon briefly exited the field of play with a shoulder injury. Hankerson and backup quarterback Kirk Cousins connected twice in the fourth quarter for gains of twelve and fifteen yards, respectively, as the Redskins tried – in vain – to quickly move the ball down the field. Hankerson received five targets in the game against Seattle, and four came from Cousins, indicating that the rapport between Cousins and Hankerson might be stronger than that of Griffin and Hankerson.