To start I wanted everyone to know I do not value wide receivers as the end all be all of fantasy football due to a few variables.
One, there will be a fantasy relevant receiver we didn’t expect to hit that will light up the NFL. It happens almost every year and you can just bet your sweet ass it’ll happen again this year. That’s when all the fantasy experts under the sun will start trying to show you receipts of them “calling” that sleeper, which 9/10 they made a baseless remark one time that has zero backlash if wrong.
Two, receivers past the top 15 are almost a dime a dozen. I know the top end +290 point receivers are more valuable than some running backs, but guys in the later rounds can be compared to a literal dart throw. I held on to A.J. Green the the entire year and still made the championship because damnit, that was one dart I threw really, really hard.
For any below mentioned ADP remarks, I used the ADP calculator you can find here.
Names I Love
Keenan Allen – LA Chargers – WR 22, ADP 5.4
Honestly, Allen’s ADP is a smack in the face to his talent even with the uncertainty at the quarterback position. Allen is a premiere talent with great route running and tremendous hands and if you bring up his “injury history” i say you don’t know what injuries are easily repeated and which aren’t. I don’t care who the quarterback is, I want a share of Allen this year.
T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts – WR 24, ADP 5.9
The addition of Rivers to this team is one of the best offseason moves easily as his team is primed for a good run. I love Jacoby B but sadly, they need a spaghetti western gun slinger with 57 kids to rake the reins. Hilton has his injury concerns, but is the best receiver on this team easily even with the addition of Pittman. 5th round for potentially Rivers top target? Yes please.
Cooper Kupp – LA Rams – WR 15, ADP 4.4
With the departure of Brandin Cooks the Rams lose an insane talent that just didn’t quite pan out the way they hoped. Cooks is an amazing talent, but injuries and time missed caught up to him in LA. Kupp had a great season last year and should look to take on an even larger work load this season as Goff’s security blanket and legit WR1.
Names I Hate
D.J. Moore – Carolina Panthers – WR 13, ADP 3.12
This one might burn me because I love D.J. Moore the receiver, but the hype in a brand new offense with a brand new and still technically unproven quarterback is just too much for me, especially at WR 13. I have Moore placed at WR 20 showing that I still do like him a lot, I just don’t love his fantasy value based off of his ADP. That being said, this is also the same situation where Godwin BURNT me last year so what do I know.
Robert Woods – LA Rams – WR 17, ADP 4.7
In the same article that I love Kupp, I just am not sold on Woods this season. Bobby Dubs was a big time receiver for the Rams two years ago after a stint in Buffalo, but I just don’t love his production heading into this season. Van Jefferson should fill in as the third receiver for the Rams and with Higbee and Everett at the TE spot, I’m intriguied to see exactly how Woods fits into the role this year. I think Woods has a decent season, I’m just not taking the guy in the fourth.
D.J. Chark – Jacksonville Jaguars – WR 20, ADP 5.2
Man. The Jaguars. I don’t know what to expect, which is why any of their receivers in the 5th is just too high. Chark had an insane season last year despite my love for Dede Westbrook, but the addition of Shenault Jr. has to take something away from Chark’s workload, right? It’s not that I am confident Chark won’t repeat, I just know that this team has no intention of winning and that scares me. Alas, someone will catch the ball in Jacksonville.
Names I’m Sorry About Saying Wouldn’t Be Elite Last Year That Might Again Be Elite This Year But I’m Still Not Sold On Too
Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Bucs – WR 6, ADP 2.9
Sleepers (based off ADP)
Christian Kirk – Arizona Cardinals – WR 46, ADP 10.8
It kind of blows my mind that Kirk is still this low, especially considering he spent his best college years at A&M in the slot and has now spent two years learning under one of the best wide receivers (who loves the slot) in Larry Fitzgerald. I know Hop excels in the slot, but he also…excels everywhere. Kirk can also run on the outside with the best of them and in the newly high octane Cardinals offense, I love Kirk this year. He won’t be a weekly start, but he should near consistantly edge towards double digit points.
Mike Williams – LA Chargers – WR 62, ADP 14.4
Again, I understand the Chargers have a a quarterback question waiting in the wings but Mike Williams is way too talentd and tall to be WR 62. I trust me some Tyrod Taylor enough to find a couple viable options in Fantasy this year and if I were you, take a dart throw at Williams. The Clemson Product is a big time playmaker when the balls in the air, and again…how is his ADP so low?
Brandon Aiyuk – San Fran 49ers – WR 52, ADP 12.7
If I were going to throw a rookie out there I have to go with Aiyuk for one simple reason…there’s a pretty easy path for him to get to WR1. I know Malek LOVES Deebo in the Niners offense, but Jeudy (Broncos) and Lamb (Cowboys) both have receivers that are proven in front of them on the depth chart. The Niners don’t throw the ball a whole lot, but Jimmy G has been largely disrespected for his totals last year and I feel a revenge year coming. Maybe don’t draft Aiyuk, but keep your eye on him.
| Rank | Player | Team |
| 1 | Michael Thomas | Saints |
| 2 | DeAndre Hopkins | Cardinals |
| 3 | Julio Jones | Falcons |
| 4 | Davante Adams | Packers |
| 5 | Tyreek Hill | Chiefs |
| 6 | Mike Evans | Buccaneers |
| 7 | Amari Cooper | Cowboys |
| 8 | Adam Thielen | Vikings |
| 9 | Chris Godwin | Buccaneers |
| 10 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | Steelers |
| 11 | Kenny Golladay | Lions |
| 12 | Keenan Allen | Chargers |
| 13 | Cooper Kupp | Rams |
| 14 | Courtland Sutton | Broncos |
| 15 | Tyler Lockett | Seahawks |
| 16 | T.Y. Hilton | Colts |
| 17 | Odell Beckham Jr. | Browns |
| 18 | Allen Robinson | Bears |
| 19 | A.J. Brown | Titans |
| 20 | D.J. Moore | Panthers |
| 21 | Stefon Diggs | Bills |
| 22 | Jarvis Landry | Browns |
| 23 | Terry McLaurin | Football |
| 24 | Julian Edelman | Patriots |
| 25 | Calvin Ridley | Falcons |
| 26 | D.K. Metcalf | Seahawks |
| 27 | Robert Woods | Rams |
| 28 | D.J. Chark | Jaguars |
| 29 | DeVante Parker | Dolphins |
| 30 | A.J. Green | Bengals |
| 31 | Marquise Brown | Ravens |
| 32 | Michael Gallup | Cowboys |
| 33 | Tyler Boyd | Bengals |
| 34 | Sterling Shepard | Giants |
| 35 | Marvin Jones Jr. | Lions |
| 36 | Jamison Crowders | Jets |
| 37 | Diontae Johnson | Steelers |
| 38 | Christian Kirk | Cardinals |
| 39 | Deebo Samuel | 49ers |
| 40 | Will Fuller V | Texans |
| 41 | Emmanuel Sanders | Saints |
| 42 | Brandin Cooks | Texans |
| 43 | Darius Slayton | Giants |
| 44 | Mike Williams | Chargers |
| 45 | Henry Ruggs III | Raiders |
| 46 | John Brown | Bills |
| 47 | Tyrell Williams | Raiders |
| 48 | N’Keal Harry | Patriots |
| 49 | Anthony Miller | Bears |
| 50 | Jerry Jeudy | Broncos |
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