After running through the quarterbacks, we move onto the pre-training camp rankings for wide receivers.
Wide receivers seem to be a volatile group this year. Our usual top options have more questions than we’d like, and while everyone was big on the second and third tier of receivers last year, the majority of them left us disappointed. In mock drafts this season I’m finding it much more difficult to find a receiver I’m comfortable spending high draft capital on in between the second and fourth rounds. That being said, it’s still early in the process, and there’ll still be plenty of upside players for us to select in that range.
Another interesting wrinkle to consider for the 2024 season for both receivers and running backs are the changes made to the kickoff rules. While the rules are mainly in place for player safety, in theory, we’ll be seeing more kick returns than we have in years past as the kicking teams try to avoid having the opposing offences start at their 30 yard line. Take a look at your league’s scoring settings – if you get bonuses for kick return yards then taking some extra time this offseason to read special teams reports might help you break a tie between two players you’re debating between if one of them is predicted to be their team’s primary returner.
As we did with the quarterback rankings, we’ll be adding in this year’s rookie class to this list, and an additional 24 players to the rankings for those in very deep or three wide receiver leagues. We‘ also will‘ll also have the way to early February ranking for each player to help see how much each team’s offseason affected the receivers outlooks for 2024.
Tier 1:
The top receivers from February’s rankings are joined in tier one by a new name, as three of the four are entering training camps with question marks either surrounding their status on the team or with their quarterbacks going forward. Despite some uncertainty, almost all five of these players will be drafted in the first six to seven selections in your upcoming draft. Walking away with any of these players should put a smile on your face as they’ll have the potential to finish as the WR1 this year.
- 1. Tyreek Hill – Miami Dolphins – WR3 in February
Tyreek Hill reaches the top of the preseason rankings. Not only is he one of the most explosive players in the league, but he also has less question marks surrounding him than the other three receivers who joined him in the top tier in February. Hill finished as the WR2 in 2023, and at one point was on pace to top 2,000 receiving yards. The Dolphins offence as a whole is largely unchanged, so as long as they can figure out how to keep churning out the yards when the weather gets cold, this might be the year that Hill reaches that illustrious yardage goal.
- 2. Ceedee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys – WR2 in February
Ceedee Lamb finished as the WR1 in 2023, and the team might actually be relying on him more in 2024. While Tony Pollard wasn’t as efficient as a lead back last year as we would’ve liked, he’s still markedly better than the combination of Rico Dowdle and the remnants of Zeke Elliot. The wide receiver room is extremely thin, with 30 year old Brandin Cooks set to line up opposite of Lamb for the majority of offensive snaps, while Jalen Tolbert works to find his footing in the NFL in his third season.
If it weren’t for the contract issues, Lamb would be slotted in as the WR1, but the threats of a holdout, even if only during training camp, is cause for concern. Season after season we see the effects of missing camp has on a player. They can do as many individual workouts as they want, but it’s just not the same as being on the field getting into football shape. Lamb is an elite talent, and I suspect he’ll still put up massive numbers in 2024, but the potential of a slow start drops him behind Hill for now.
- 3. Amon-Ra St. Brown – Detroit Lions – WR5 in February
The Sun God has been promoted to tier one following another outstanding season in 2023. He was generously rewarded by the Detroit Lions with a substantial four-year, $120 million deal this offseason. St. Brown has been the focal point of the team’s passing offence for the past few seasons. And while Sam LaPorta was incredible in his rookie year, St. Brown might be relied upon even more this season with the departure of WR Josh Reynolds.
Reynolds was clearly the team’s WR2 last year, lining up for over 70% of the team’s offensive snaps so this year the Lions will be relying on Kalif Raymond and Jameson Williams to pick up that burden. The Lions have yet to put any real trust in Raymond (under 30% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2023), and if Williams is finally able to take a major step in his NFL career, his deep threat ability should actually open things up more for St. Brown this coming season. Selecting Amon-Ra with one of the top picks in your league’s draft might not be as exciting as drafting any of the other four wide receivers in the top tier, but he’s the most reliable high end receiver entering training camp.
- 4. Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings – WR1 in February
It seems unjust to rank the best receiver in the league as the fourth-best fantasy receiver, but the departure of Kirk Cousins at quarterback could hinder Jefferson’s performance this year. We’ll have to wait and see who wins the starting quarterback job between Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy, but it’s hard to imagine either of them being able to get the most out of Jefferson in 2024.
Jefferson was the WR2 in weeks one through four with Cousins at QB before he suffered an injury in week five, causing him to miss seven weeks. When Jefferson returned, Cousins had torn his Achilles, and Jefferson ranked as the WR21 from weeks fourteen to seventeen. I also expect this offence to be much less explosive this season. While Jefferson will still get his targets and make the most of them, my lack of confidence in the quarterback has to have him bumped down the list.
- 5. Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Bengals – WR4 in February
Like Jefferson, Chase’s ranking is lower than I like, but I’m no longer confident that Joe Burrow will make it through an entire season. Burrow is still working his way back from a major wrist injury, and has yet to make it through an entire NFL training camp at any point in his career, which has resulted in slow starts to every season he’s been in the league.
Chase was good last season, even while playing with an injured Burrow and backup Jake Browning, but his finish as the WR11 is definitely a disappointment for those who drafted him in the first round. Even with Tee Higgins set to play on the franchise tag, Chase will still dominate the targets for the Bengals. If Burrow does manage to stay healthy, he’ll be a great pick in the middle of the first round, but there are too many concerns surrounding the Bengals star quarterback right now.
Tier 2:
A much smaller tier here, as these two players are still a touch below the upper echelon of wide receivers for fantasy, but are well ahead of the next tier of players.
- 6. A.J. Brown – Philadelphia Eagles – WR7 in February
A.J. Brown had an incredible stretch of games early last season when the Eagles’ offence was thriving. From weeks three to eight, Brown consistently racked up yards, with his lowest total being 130 yards, while also catching five touchdowns during that period.
However, the Eagles faced challenges later in the season, and Brown’s production dipped significantly. He managed just one game over 100 receiving yards from weeks nine to seventeen, adding only two more touchdowns to his total. Despite this late-season slump, Brown finished the 2023 season as the WR5.
With Kellen Moore implementing his new offensive scheme, there’s optimism that Brown and the entire Eagles offence can regain their status amongst the league’s best. Known for his ability to win 50-50 battles, Brown should bring more consistency to his game in 2024 as long as he continues to receive ample targets.
- 7. Puka Nacua – Los Angeles Rams – WR6 in February
We’re eagerly anticipating Puka Nacua’s sophomore campaign after he set the rookie receiving yards record in 2023. As a fifth-round pick, Nacua surprised many fantasy managers last year and emerged as the top waiver wire pickup. This year, he won’t be flying under the radar after finishing as the WR7 last season.
Despite surpassing 1,400 yards, Nacua only managed five touchdowns last year, leaving room for improvement to move up in the rankings However, there are other factors to consider. Matthew Stafford, while productive, faces durability concerns given his injury history. Additionally, Cooper Kupp, now further removed from his ankle injury, is poised to reclaim a larger role in the offence, potentially impacting Nacua’s overall production this season. That being said, the potential is there for Nacua to build upon his fantastic rookie season in 2024.
Tier 3:
Our first rookie gets into the rankings in tier three, joining some strong veterans who look to continue their consistent fantasy production.
- 8. Nico Collins – Houston Texans – WR8 in February
Nico Collins finally had the breakout season we’d hoped for in his third year in the league. Playing with a high-level quarterback made all the difference. This year, Collins will return as C.J. Stroud’s WR1 for the Texans. Despite the offseason acquisition of Stefon Diggs, who may draw some targets away from Collins, the Texans restructured Diggs’ contract to a one-year deal, indicating they still view Collins as their primary target. Diggs was simply too good a value to pass up as the team aims for a serious playoff run this winter. Collins however, remains the alpha in Houston’s offence.
- 9. Marvin Harrison Jr. – Arizona Cardinals – Rookie
Throughout the offseason, I often dismissed Marvin Harrison Jr.’s draft position in mock drafts. However, when I sat down to research my rankings, I found myself struggling not to agree with his current ADP. Harrison is an exceptional talent who will step into a prominent role as a rookie, supported by a capable quarterback.
He excels in every aspect of the game, and if he can quickly develop chemistry with Kyler Murray, Harrison has the potential to create electrifying plays downfield as Murray evades pressure. Fellow rookie Malik Nabers is being drafted as the WR24, which would make him the earliest any rookie wide receiver has been taken in fantasy drafts. Harrison, however, is being selected more than two rounds ahead of Nabers. Despite the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding the Cardinals’ roster, the upside of drafting Harrison Jr. at his current draft position is too enticing to ignore.
- 10. Garrett Wilson – New York Jets – WR13 in February
If Aaron Rodgers returns fully healthy and performs at a high level, Garrett Wilson has a strong chance to finish as a top five wide receiver this year. He stands head and shoulders above the other pass catchers on his team, making it likely he can replicate his impressive 163 targets from 2023.
Even if Rodgers faces health challenges, I believe backup Tyrod Taylor can assist Wilson in improving on his 57.9% catch rate, providing him with a higher percentage of catchable balls than Wilson dealt with last season. Wilson has shown he deserves consistent quarterback play to take the next step in his development and he’s likely to get that this season.
- 11. Brandon Aiyuk – San Francisco 49ers – WR10 in February
Despite consistently flirting with Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, Aiyuk is still on the 49ers and is still an excellent fantasy option. After working his way out of Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse, Aiyuk has become an integral part of this team’s offence, and I frankly expect them to reward him financially before the season starts.
The 49ers traditionally like to bargain until the very last minute, with Nick Bosa’s deal being the latest example. So while Aiyuk vents on social media about not yet receiving a contract extension, I’m sure it will get done in due time and he will be back to being the team’s leading receiver. Aiyuk is almost impossible to guard in man coverage so look for Shanahan to take advantage of that every chance he gets.
- 12. Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR12 in February
After writing off Mike Evans at the start of the 2023 season, I won’t be making the same mistake in 2024. Not only did he surpass 1,000 yards receiving for an NFL record tenth straight season, he had his third highest yards in a season and second most touchdowns at the age of 30. Evans re-signed with the Bucs and will likely end his career there with Baker Mayfield at quarterback. This is bound to end poorly, but after how dominant Evans looked last season, I don’t think it will be this year.
- 13. Deebo Samuel – San Francisco 49ers – WR9 in February
Every season, I anticipate Deebo Samuel might regress, but the 49ers consistently find ways to get him into the end zone. Samuel’s receiving stats in 2023 were solid but not exceptional: 871 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 receptions. However, he also contributed significantly with five rushing touchdowns and 214 yards on the ground, which propelled him to a WR8 finish. His versatility and rare talent set him apart, and despite yearly comparisons made by draft experts to incoming rookies, replicating Samuel’s complete skill set is unlikely.
While this could be the year Samuel slows down, seeing him at the top of my draft board makes me inclined to bet on him for another productive season.
Tier 4:
The fourth group has a wave of players who we expected to break out last year but mostly fell flat, along with a couple of veterans who are still making fantasy waves despite getting a little long in the tooth.
- 14. Jayden Reed – Green Bay Packers – WR17 in February
This is probably my boldest ranking. Reed’s ADP is currently WR34, so putting him ahead of 20 wide receivers is probably a little aggressive, but I truly think he will step up and become the WR1 on this explosive Packers offence.
Christian Watson cannot stay on the field, and while Doubs takes the most offensive snaps when healthy, his role doesn’t necessarily take Reed off the field. In 2023, Reed managed to catch eight touchdowns despite playing only about 60% of the team’s offensive snaps. With another training camp to refine his skills, I anticipate Matt LaFleur will devise more ways to involve Reed in the offence.
Reed also showcased his versatility by rushing for 119 yards on just 11 carries last season, making him capable of delivering big plays at any moment. While the Packers’ wide receiver group is stacked with talent, I’m betting on Reed to have a breakout year that fantasy owners will regret missing out on.
- 15. D.K. Metcalf – Seattle Seahawks – WR21 in February
In 2023, D.K. Metcalf had another typical season, nearly playing every game, amassing over 1,100 receiving yards with an impressive 16.9 yards per reception, and finishing as the WR12. I’m projecting him slightly lower initially due to the Seattle offence adjusting to new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
However, once they settle in, Metcalf has the potential for a strong finish to the season. Grubb’s offensive philosophy emphasizes speed, leading to increased snaps and a potent passing attack. If you can’t draft Metcalf at his current ADP and the offence starts slowly, he becomes a prime target for a high-priority trade. Once the Seahawks’ offence clicks under Grubb’s direction, Metcalf is poised to excel.
- 16. Amari Cooper – Cleveland Browns – WR23 in February
In 2023, when Dorian Thompson-Robinson wasn’t quarterback, Amari Cooper showcased his brilliance. His performance with Joe Flacco in the latter part of the season stands out (WR4 from weeks 12-16), but he also thrived with a healthy Deshaun Watson leading the offence.
The Browns have invested in Watson financially, but they’ve also secured Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley as backups in case Watson’s performance falters. If Winston takes the field, having Cooper on your roster could prove advantageous. Winston’s tendency to launch deep passes aligns well with Cooper’s skill set, potentially boosting his stats significantly. Cooper is currently a great value in redraft leagues.
- 17. D.J. Moore – Chicago Bears – WR11 in February
Over the years, I’ve tended to rank Moore too optimistically in the preseason, but it finally paid off in 2023 as he finished as the WR7. Looking ahead to 2024, however, I have to face reality. Moore will be catching passes from a rookie quarterback and is no longer the clearcut WR1 on the roster.
While I have high hopes for Caleb Williams, history shows it’s challenging for a rookie QB to elevate a wide receiver into the fantasy top ten, particularly when the offence is expected to spread the ball around more. The Bears have brought in Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, diluting Moore’s target share for this coming season. While Chicago’s games will be must-watch for football fans, predicting their top fantasy performer each week will likely be a headache for fantasy owners.
- 18. George Pickens – Pittsburgh Steelers – WR34 in February
The argument for Pickens having a breakout season is an easy one to make. He finished 2023 as the WR20 with Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky so even Russel Wilson or Justin Fields are a huge upgrade at quarterback. The Steelers also thankfully moved on from offensive coordinator Matt Canada, and while Arthur Smith was the most frustrating head coach in the league, he’s a strong coordinator.
Without any competition in the receiver room now that Diontae Johnson is gone, Pickens is the true number one option. If Wilson can go back to his peak days in Seattle where he relied heavily on the run game to set up play action deep shots, Pickens could have a big statistical season in 2024.
- 19. Davante Adams – Las Vegas Raiders – WR19 in February
The Raiders’ quarterback competition between Aiden O’Connell and Gardner Minshew may not make headlines, but whoever emerges as the starter will have a star receiver to target. At 31 years old, Davante Adams continues to perform at an elite level and remains the primary weapon in this offence.
While I anticipate Brock Bowers eventually assuming that role, I’m skeptical it will happen this season. Adams may have his off days, but he should provide enough consistency to warrant consideration as your WR2 in fantasy.
- 20. Drake London – Atlanta Falcons – WR28 in February
London is one of the biggest risers in ADP this season, thanks to the major upgrade at quarterback that the Atlanta Falcons are receiving. Desmond Ridder was absolutely terrible last year, so even a hampered Kirk Cousins is an upgrade.
New head coach Raheem Morris hired Zac Robinson, a Sean McVay disciple, to take over the offence, which made every fantasy owner breathe a sigh of relief now that the Arthur Smith reign has ended. London is a supremely talented receiver and will definitely be a relevant fantasy player this season, but I’m hesitant to be taking him at his current ADP as the WR14 without getting any sense of what this new offence will look like in 2024.
- 21. Chris Olave – New Orleans Saints – WR18 in February
Chris Olave is one of the most frustrating players in fantasy for me, and it’s not his fault at all. I believe he has immense talent and could easily be a WR1 in the right circumstances. However, he’s returning to the Saints under Dennis Allen’s leadership with Derek Carr at quarterback. I have doubts that the hiring of Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator will be sufficient to unlock Olave’s full potential.
Tier 5:
Tier 5 is where we get into the collection of high end receivers who are the WR2 on their own roster. It’s hard to predict their season, but they have the potential to explode if the WR1 suffers an injury.
- 22. Jaylen Waddle – Miami Dolphins – WR24 in February
Waddle had a fairly disappointing season in 2023 from a fantasy standpoint, finishing as the WR34. He was able to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year, but his season was hampered by his lack of touchdown production.
I think we can mostly chalk up Waddle’s down year to injuries – while he only missed three games all season, Waddle only lined up for over 75% of the team’s offensive snaps in three games all season. I would expect that with a little more health luck, Waddle will be a better return on investment this season as he regains a larger role in this explosive offence. He finished as the WR24 in average points per game, so he could cement himself as a high upside WR2 in drafts this season.
- 23. DeVonta Smith – Philadelphia Eagles – WR16 in February
DeVonta Smith is one of the best WR2’s in the league, and the Eagles were wise to lock him down to a contract extension before some of the other wide receivers began signing their deals and driving up the price.
Smith finished as the WR17 in 2023, and while I think he’ll be extremely valuable as a real life NFL player this year, I expect his fantasy production to drop slightly this season. Kellen Moore’s offence notoriously targets one X receiver (Ceedee Lamb in Dallas, Keenan Allen last year in LA), and I think that role will be taken by A.J. Brown this coming season.
- 24. Tee Higgins – Cincinnati Bengals – WR26 in February
Higgins career has been like Waddle’s 2023 season. He wasn’t missing an egregious amount of games, but always seems to be nursing some sort of injury limiting his production. Unfortunately in 2023, the nagging injuries seemed to be more serious as Higgins was only able to suit up for 12 games in a season to forget in Cincinnati. And when he did get into the lineup, he failed to make a true fantasy impact.
Higgins is back in Cincinnati on the franchise tag, but questions remain surrounding quarterback Joe Burrow’s health as he recovers from wrist surgery. Higgins has incredible upside if things break right for him (ie. Joe Burrow stays healthy and Ja’Marr Chase misses time), but he showed last season that his floor might be a little lower than we anticipated.
- 25. Zay Flowers – Baltimore Ravens – WR27 in February
Flowers’ rookie season was hot and cold. He had some poor games, but he also looked like a true weapon for the Ravens when Mark Andrews was out with injury. The Ravens didn’t bring in anyone to compete with Flowers for the starting role, instead opting to re-sign Rashod Bateman and let Odell Beckham Jr. leave in free agency. Flowers should have a strong role in the offence, but whether it will lead to fantasy success is still up for debate.
- 26. Tank Dell – Houston Texans – WR25 in February
Drafting a player returning from a broken leg can be daunting, especially considering Tony Pollard’s challenges with a similar injury last season for the Cowboys. Dell sustained his injury earlier in the season than Pollard did in 2022, giving hope that he’ll be back up to full speed sooner for this coming year
When he’s on the field, Dell proved that, despite his size, he can line up and produce week in, week out. Not only was he able to work out of the slot, but he was impressive at creating separation on the outside against starting caliber corners. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is absolutely infatuated with Dell as well, so while a slow start to the season is to be expected, once Dell is back to full speed I expect him to reclaim a major role in this explosive offence.
- 27. Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams – WR48 in February
As we approach the twilight of Kupp’s career, his impact remains substantial. After returning to the Rams lineup in week five of the 2023 season, Kupp played in 95% or more of the team’s offensive snaps in nine of the next twelve games. His rapport with Matthew Stafford is still evident, and the emergence of Puca Nacua ensures defences can’t solely focus on Kupp. While injury risk is a concern, if Kupp enters training camp healthy, he presents excellent value in fantasy drafts.
- 28. Michael Pittman Jr. – Indianapolis Colts – WR20 in February
The 2023 season got off to a great start for Pittman and rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson as he led Pittman to a WR7 finish in week one. Unfortunately Richardson suffered an injury in two of the three other games he played in, and Pittman was a non factor in the only other game Richardson completed. I respect Pittman’s game – he’s as reliable as they come, but his lack of touchdown production will consistently limit his fantasy upside.
- 29. Malik Nabers – New York Giants – Rookie
As much as I believe in Nabers’ talent, the Giants offence is going to be a train wreck this coming season. Head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will most certainly be scheming ways to get the ball into Nabers hands as much as possible, but until they get a legitimate starting quarterback and improvements on their offensive line, Nabers’ fantasy output will be severely limited in his rookie campaign.
- 30. Dontayvion Wicks – Green Bay Packers – WR37 in February
If it’s not already clear, I’m very optimistic about the Packers’ offence heading into the upcoming season. Dontayvion Wicks is poised for stardom, and I believe both he and Jayden Reed will thrive in Matt LaFleur’s system in 2024. In the final three games of the 2023 season that Wicks played, he amassed fourteen receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Whenever Wicks sees significant playing time, he consistently produces, and I anticipate he’ll earn even more opportunities this season.
Tier 6:
The majority of the pass catchers in tier six are veterans who are likely to lose touches this year due to being surrounded by more talent at the receiver position. I feel that everyone in this tier has a fairly safe fantasy floor, but the ceilings may be capped this coming season.
- 31. Christian Kirk – Jacksonville Jaguars – WR32 in February
Kirk looks ready to retake his role as the primary receiving option in Jacksonville after the Jaguars butchered the Calvin Ridley free agency. Jacksonville did manage to sign Gabe Davis and drafted Brian Thomas Jr, but both receivers are more known for their deep play ability whereas Kirk is a better route runner and can make use of the additional space that will be created in underneath routes. If Trevor Lawrence is ready to live up to the massive extension that he received this offseason, I would expect Kirk to be a big part of this passing offence, much like he was in 2022 when he finished as the WR14.
- 32. Keenan Allen – Chicago Bears – WR15 in February
Allen had done a fantastic job of shaking off the injury prone moniker between 2017 and 2021. But he’s only played in twenty-three games over the past two seasons combined as he hit his 30’s. For the first time in his eleven year career, Allen won’t be donning a Chargers uniform as he moves to Chicago to join what looks like a loaded offence.
Following training camps will be key in Chicago this year – rookie quarterbacks rarely are able to support one top wide receiver, but supporting two is almost unheard of, so figuring out quickly who Caleb Williams prefers between Allen and D.J. Moore is imperative if you want to draft a piece of this offence. Allen is a magnet when the ball is thrown his way, but it’s hard to see him holding onto the leading role in this offence for the entire season.
- 33. Stefon Diggs – Houston Texans – WR14 in February
Stefon Diggs had a strong start to the 2023 season, ranking as the WR4 from weeks one to ten. However, Buffalo’s decision to fire offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after a week 10 loss to the Broncos led to a downturn for Diggs, who finished as the WR55 from week eleven onwards as he seemed to be iced out of the team’s game plan.
During the offseason, Diggs was traded to Houston as Buffalo looks to revamp their offence. In Houston, Diggs won’t necessarily need to be the primary option after breakout seasons from Nico Collins and Tank Dell. However, playing alongside C.J. Stroud should lead to some spike week performances. Additionally, Diggs is now motivated by a contract year after mutually agreeing with the Texans to let his contract expire at the end of the season, making him a high-end receiver to watch.
- 34. Calvin Ridley – Tennessee Titans – WR30 in February
Ridley entered the 2023 season with significant hype as a receiver. But his performance in Jacksonville left much to be desired for fantasy owners. Despite some promising moments, he ultimately fell short of expectations.
Now, Ridley moves to the Tennessee Titans, where he faces new challenges. With the unproven Will Levis at quarterback and a crowded receiving corps including DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd, as well as competition from pass-catching backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, Ridley’s path to fantasy success appears uncertain.
In 2023, he narrowly missed out on better stats due to pass interference penalties (136 receiving yards lost) and near-misses in the red zone (six red zone receptions where Ridley was ruled out of bounds), and that was with a more accurate quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Given these changes, I anticipate Ridley may regress further from his WR24 finish last season.
- 35. Terry McLaurin – Washington Commanders – WR31 in February
McLaurin deserves to showcase his talents alongside a high-caliber quarterback. As a top-tier receiver, he’s spent his entire career in Washington, where Jayden Daniels may represent his best quarterback to date.
However, I remain skeptical about McLaurin reaching his full potential this season. Despite improvements in the Commanders’ offensive line, Daniels is likely to face pressure until they secure another starting tackle. This could lead to more scrambling and fewer opportunities for McLaurin. While McLaurin may deliver a consistent floor, he might lack the explosive weeks needed to elevate him into WR2 territory.
- 36. Ladd McConkey – Los Angeles Chargers – Rookie
McConkey should be the Chargers WR1 in short order. It might take a few weeks for him to get adjusted to the NFL, but he’s talented enough to easily surpass Justin Palmer and Quentin Johnston on the Chargers depth chart.
Despite head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman building this team to be a run heavy offence, they’re two extremely competitive football minds who will realize that Justin Herbert is an incredible quarterback and should have control of the ball as much as possible. McConkey was one of the best separators in man coverage in college, and he should quickly become Herbert’s best friend on offence. I predict McConkey will easily surpass over 100 targets this season which would be a huge steal in your drafts as he is currently going as the WR47.
- 37. Rome Odunze – Chicago Bears – Rookie
Despite how talented Odunze is, it’s hard to see how he earns targets in this offence in his rookie year. D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen are such valuable receivers that will help ease Caleb Williams into the league, leaving Odunze on the outside looking in more often than not. The Bears also have two red zone target hogs in tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, which mitigates the need to utilize Odunze and his elite ball skills in those areas. It’s probably wise to hold off on Odunze this season in redraft leagues, but target him heavily in 2025.
Tier 7:
Considering how deep we’re going into our rankings for this article, we are going to trim down the descriptions and just quickly hit on one or two notes for the remaining receivers who you should be considering drafting late in your drafts.
- 38. Diontae Johnson – Carolina Panthers – WR36 in February
While Johnson will indisputably be the WR1 in Carolina this season, it’s still Carolina and I don’t expect them to take a massive jump this coming season.
- 39. Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seattle Seahawks – WR33 in February
JSN should start to take away snaps from Tyler Lockett in his second year in the league, but he didn’t impress in his rookie season. We can chalk that up to starting off the season injured and just never getting up to speed, but he still has a lot to prove this season under a new offensive structure.
- 40. Marquise Brown – Kansas City Chiefs – WR52 in February
Brown is definitely an upgrade over the MVS experiment from 2023, but his top skill lately has been drawing pass interference penalties. He’ll have a few games that can win you fantasy weeks by himself, but will be an inconsistent option all season.
- 41. Rashee Rice – Kansas City Chiefs – WR22 in February
This ranking is completely based on the assumption that Rice will miss a significant amount of games this season due to suspension. Cameron Sutton just got suspended for eight games for a misdemeanor charge, while Rice is facing felony charges. Once he’s on the field, he’ll be a solid weapon that Mahomes will rely on, but until we have more clarity on his availability, he will stay very low on the rankings.
- 42. Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR41 in February
Godwin only lined up in the slot on 33% of the team’s offensive snaps last season after lining up there 66% of the time in 2022. Godwin and the Bucs seem to be in agreement that he does his best work in the slot and are reportedly planning on playing him there more this coming year. But without another outside receiver to play opposite of Mike Evans I’m curious how they’ll be able to make that work.
- 43. DeAndre Hopkins – Tennessee Titans- WR35 in February
Hopkins is another year older, has a questionable quarterback, and is playing in a crowded receiver room. Even if he emerges as the team’s WR1, I don’t think the volume will be there for any of the receivers to have a major impact in fantasy this coming season.
Tier 8:
A few more rookies come at us in tier 8, while we also try and figure out who will be the breadwinner in the Josh Allen led offence.
- 44. Jordan Addison – Minnesota Vikings – WR29 in February
Addison benefited greatly from an unexpectedly high amount of touchdown catches last season, particularly in the first half of the season where he snagged seven of his ten total tds. Without Cousins at quarterback, the passing offence will be taking a step back this season much to the detriment of Addison’s fantasy season.
- 45. Josh Downs – Indianapolis Colts – WR55 in February
Downs proved to be very useful in the Colts offence last season, but he struggled to find the end zone and his production dipped after suffering a knee injury midway through the year. He has potential, but a healthy Anthony Richardson will cut into the passing volume of this offence.
- 46. Jameson Williams – Detroit Lions – WR38 in February
The Lions are betting on a third year breakout for Williams, as he’s in line for a full time WR2 role. Head coach Dan Campbell hasn’t missed an opportunity to talk up Williams in OTA’s, but he’s yet to show he can be a consistent receiving threat thus far in his career.
- 47. Brian Thomas Jr. – Jacksonville Jaguars – Rookie
Thomas Jr. can become a field stretcher, but he needs a lot of work in his route running. His skill set also matches that of Jacksonville’s free agent signee Gabe Davis. Thomas has a hard job to supplant Davis for a full time role as Davis is a solid veteran and is a stout blocker, limiting Thomas’ opportunities to line up opposite of Christian Kirk on a regular basis.
- 48. Xavier Worthy – Kansas City Chiefs – Rookie
The fastest player in the combine paired up with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes could be fantasy gold, but I can’t see his year one being more boom than bust. Worthy is a new age DeSean Jackson, and could be one of those players who bring more fantasy value in leagues that track return yards, but Reid doesn’t typically ask a lot from his rookie receivers so it’s tough to argue that Worthy will be worth a roster spot in fantasy.
- 49. Curtis Samuel – Buffalo Bills – NR in February
- 50. Keon Coleman – Buffalo Bills – NR in February
We’ll combine Coleman and Samuel’s write up because they have extremely similar playing styles. I give the slight edge to Samuel, as he’s the established veteran and has familiarity with offensive coordinator Joe Brady so he’ll likely start the season with more of a role than Coleman. The Bills receivers will be moving dramatically in my rankings during training camp once we have a better view of who will be Josh Allen’s number one target.
Tier 9:
The final group of wide receivers who you can consider drafting as a WR3-4 fall into this group. There are some safer bets, but if you reach this point in the draft you should already have reliable options in place so swinging on some high upside players might be what you are looking for.
- 51. Joshua Palmer – Los Angeles Chargers – NR in February
If McConkey doesn’t come out and take over the starting role in LA, then Palmer becomes the WR1 for Justin Herbert, which is worth something for a few weeks to start the season.
- 52. Jahan Dotson – Washington Commanders – WR39 in February
I’m not yet ready to sell my Dotson stock, despite the fact that he ran the second most routes in the NFL last season and still finished as the WR55 in 2023. Without Samuel there stealing touches, there’s a chance that Dotson has a bounce back season if Daniels adjusts quickly to the NFL.
- 53. Courtland Sutton – Denver Broncos – WR40 in February
Sutton is the clear WR1 in Denver, but I just don’t believe they will be able to move the ball down the field. Sutton will be more valuable in PPR leagues, but he’s likely to just be catching a lot of dink and dunk passes as Bo Nix struggles in the NFL. Do not expect Sutton to be able to replicate his touchdown totals from 2023.
- 54. Jakobi Meyers – Las Vegas Raiders – WR42 in February
Meyers is an extremely reliable WR2 in Vegas, but the question marks at quarterback and the addition of Brock Bowers as an inside receiving weapon will limit Meyers ceiling.
- 55. Romeo Doubs – Green Bay Packers – WR43 in February
Doubs was the clear number one in Green Bay last season when he was healthy, but I’m just too high on the rest of the receiver group to think that he will maintain that role in 2024.
- 56. Brandin Cooks – Dallas Cowboys – NR in February
Cooks had a slow start to the 2023 campaign, but was the WR22 in the second half of the season. Once again he doesn’t have competition for the WR2 role as the Cowboys did nothing to improve that unit, so he should slot in opposite of Ceedee Lamb for a decent season.
- 57. Rashid Shaheed – New Orleans Saints – WR44 in February
Shaheed is a threat in the return game, and is a great deep threat on offence. Unfortunately Derek Carr just doesn’t look his way consistently enough for Shaheed to bring real fantasy value.
- 58. Gabe Davis – Jacksonville Jaguars – WR45 in February
Davis has to be the most unpredictable receiver in the league. He showcases big play ability, but he also went catchless in four of his last eight games in Buffalo last season.
- 59. Tyler Lockett – Seattle Seahawks – WR46 in February
Lockett clearly lost another step in 2023. Despite Ryan Grubb taking over and likely improving the offence, Lockett is probably going to begin to cede snaps to JSN on a more regular basis this coming season.
- 60. Khalil Shakir – Buffalo Bills – WR47 in February
Shakir is a good interior receiver, but he’s surrounded by better ones in Buffalo and the team looks to move to a more run heavy offensive approach.
- 61. Demario Douglas – New England Patriots – NR in February
- 62. Ja’Lynn Polk – New England Patriots – Rookie
Someone has to catch balls in New England. Douglas looks to be the favourite receiver coming out of camp, but rookie Polk has great contested catch ability and could end up as the lead receiver by the end of the season.
- 63. Adonai Mitchell – Indianapolis Colts – Rookie
Mitchell fell in the draft due to perceived off field issues, but he’s a high end receiving talent who’s extremely competitive that the Colts were lucky to draft. He’ll be behind Pittman and Downs on the depth chart, limiting his performance this season, but once he gains an understanding of the NFL he’s going to be a really good player.
- 64. Jermaine Burton – Cincinnati Bengals – Rookie
If the injury bug continues to live in Cincinnati, Burton is set to step in and be a contributor for the Bengals. Tyler Boyd is gone so Burton should earn the WR3 spot in training camp. He’ll be a must grab player if Higgins or Chase suffer injuries at any point in the season.
- 65. Javon Baker – New England Patriots – Rookie
While Douglas and Polk are reliable pass catchers, Baker is probably the best route runner and most explosive option in the Patriots wide receiver room. I don’t know if the offensive line or quarterback play will be good enough to allow Baker to be a consistent weapon, but I really like him as a player going forward.
- 66. Ricky Pearsall – San Francisco 49ers – Rookie
Pearsall is a Kyle Shanahan type player. He’s tough as nails, an excellent route runner and has great hands. While the trade rumours surrounding Samuel and Aiyuk have seemed to have quieted, Aiyuk is still flirting with the Commanders so if the 49ers get fed up with his social media antics and move out their star receiver, Pearsall will rocket up the rankings.
- 67. Christian Watson – Green Bay Packers – WR50 in February
Watson is the Packers most explosive weapon, but his constant hamstring injuries keep him off the field too often for me to believe he can be a fantasy option. He needs to prove that he can play 75% of his team’s games before I’m ready to buy back into him.
- 68. Roman Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers – Rookie
Pittsburgh has a history of hitting on late round receivers, and Wilson has a chance to be the latest one. He had a late breakout in college, which is concerning, and the Steelers offence is likely to be very run heavy, but Wilson should be their WR2 and is an explosive deep threat who will benefit from teams focusing on stopping George Pickens.
- 69. Michael Wilson – Arizona Cardinals – WR51 in February
Wilson would be much higher if he was able to stay on the field. But injuries hampered his 2023 season. He excelled in his last two contests (15.5 points per game) without Marquise Brown in the lineup, but with Marvin Harrison Jr. set to take over as WR1, Wilson will settle back into a complimentary role.
- 70. Tyler Boyd – Tennessee Titans – WR53 in February
Boyd is a nice depth piece for the Titans, but, much like his time in Cincinnati, he’s firmly set as the WR3. He averaged 6.4 fantasy points per game last season which is in line with what we should expect from him this season.
- 71. Jerry Jeudy – Cleveland Browns – WR54 in February
The Browns seem to believe in Jeudy, signing him to a three year, $52.5 million contract after trading for him this offseason. Jeudy struggles with drops, and doesn’t consistently find the end zone. With Amari Cooper taking the lion’s share of the touches, there won’t be much meat left on the bone for Jeudy.
- 72. Zay Jones – Arizona Cardinals – WR57 in February
Jones is a productive WR3 who can step in for Michael Wilson if he misses time again this season. However with Harrison and Trey McBride absorbing most of the touches, Jones’ impact will be extremely limited.
- 73. Elijah Moore – Cleveland Browns – WR58 in February
The Browns attempted a reclamation project last year with Moore. While he showed some flashes, he’s not nearly consistent enough and will likely cede snaps to Jeudy this season.
- 74. Quentin Johnston – Los Angeles Chargers – WR59 in February
Johnston had a poor rookie season as he struggled tracking and catching the ball throughout the year. In a more run-heavy offence, Johnston’s fantasy value has all but dissipated.
- 75. Marvin Mims Jr. – Denver Broncos – WR60 in February
Mims makes the list as a shout out to his ability in the return game. He’s also a true deep playmaker on offence, but Payton refused to utilize him in 2023, so it’s tough to bet that will change this coming season.
- 76. Adam Thielen – Carolina Panthers – WR61 in February
Thielen was a fantasy star at the start of the 2023 season before fading off in the latter half of the year. Diontae Johnson will take over as the WR1 there, and he does a lot of the things that Thielen does. This could be the season where we see a steep decline in snaps for the 33 year old.
- 77. Xavier Legette – Carolina Panthers – Rookie
Legette was a one year wonder in college, but his size and athleticism make him an ideal fit for an outside receiving role. I think he’ll get plenty of time on the field, but the production just won’t be there with this offence.
- 78. Rashod Bateman – Baltimore Ravens – NR in February
Surprisingly the Ravens re-signed Bateman, and continue to talk him up during the offseason as a valuable piece of the offence. Bateman has dealt with some major injuries in his career, and will be behind Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews in the pecking order for catches, so I’m not yet ready to believe the OTA coach speak for Bateman.
- 79. Demarcus Robinson – Los Angeles Rams – NR in February
Robinson was the WR31 for the last six weeks of the season in fantasy points per game as he carved out a role in the Rams offence. He’s still behind Puca Nacua and Cooper Kupp on the depth chart, but he could be a legit bye week fill in throughout the season.
- 80. Malachi Corley – New York Jets – Rookie
Corley is more of a weapon than he is a true receiver. If I believed that Nathaniel Hackett had the ability to scheme ways to get Corley the ball in space, he would be much higher in the rankings.
- 81. Kendrick Bourne – New England Patriots – NR in February
Bourne didn’t participate in OTA’s, leaving room for him to be overtaken on the Patriots depth chart. Bourne was the Patriots best receiver in 2023 until he suffered a torn ACL in week eight. But he’s almost 29 years old so his role on a rebuilding team is likely to be diminished.
- 82. Jalen McMillan – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Rookie
With the Bucs reportedly moving Godwin back to the slot on a regular basis, he’ll be lining up on the outside for a decent amount of snaps. When he does, McMillan looks ready to step into a slot role on this offence and is entrenched as the team’s WR3.
- 83. Luke McCaffrey – Washington Commanders – Rookie
One of the reasons Puka Nacua broke out last year was because he was welcomed to the breakfast table with Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, helping them build chemistry before the season even began. McCaffrey and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels have been the first ones in the building for every OTA session in Washington as they look to get their rookie seasons off to a good start. McCaffrey has to surpass some receivers on the depth chart, but he clearly understands what needs to be done to succeed at this level.
- 84. Jalin Hyatt – New York Giants – NR in February
- 85. Wan’Dale Robinson – New York Giants – WR56 in February
We finish with two receivers in New York. Hyatt is a speedy deep threat that can have the occasional boom game, while Robinson is a valuable PPR receiver who absorbs a lot of targets but doesn’t amass a lot of yards. At the end of drafts I prefer to take a flier on the higher ceiling, lower floor players, but if you’re not confident in your wide receiver room, Robinson has a higher floor that you can plug in on a more regular basis if necessary.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: Alexander Jonesi. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.