Last week, I published my running back rankings, examining where I diverged from consensus opinions. Today, we'll do the same with wide receivers.
While the wisdom of the crowds is a valuable tool, examining one staffer's thought process can help you gain a deeper understanding of how we arrive at these assumptions. Next to each receiver's name, I'll share where my ranking compares to our ADP. Where there is a sizable gap, I will provide some additional thoughts and context.
Let's start with a guy who is in a tier of his own this year.
The Ja'Marr Chase Tier
Fresh off the Receiving Triple Crown, Chase is in a tier of his own. He's at the peak of his career. His team is forced to air it out often due to their sieve-like defense. He's got the speed to get behind defenses. He's a menace after the catch. He has steel-trap hands and a tenacity that allows him to wrestle jump balls from defenders. In my opinion, whether PPR or standard scoring, Chase should be the first overall pick.
- WR1 - Ja'Marr Chase
Elite WR1s
Over the last three years, Lamb and Jefferson are the other guys to snag the wide receiver fantasy scoring title besides Chase. Like Chase, they're also in the primes of their careers, making them plays you can easily invest an early-first-round pick in.
- WR2 - CeeDee Lamb (+1 compared to ADP) - We've seen Lamb finish as the overall WR1 with his quarterback.
- WR3 - Justin Jefferson (-1) - Jefferson is inarguably one of the league's best receivers, but a quarterback getting his first NFL start is a tiny blemish on a should-be-elite outlook.
Rock-Solid WR1s
Every player in this tier is worth first-round consideration. While it's hard to justify drafting any of these guys ahead of Chase, Lamb, or Jefferson, they all have overall WR1 in their high-end range of outcomes.
- WR4 - Malik Nabers (+1) - Nabers set the all-time rookie target share record last year and will play with a much-improved quarterback room in 2025.
- WR5 - Puka Nacua (-1) - Health concerns and the presence of Davante Adams are mild concerns, but Nacua should still be great, just as he was alongside Cooper Kupp.
- WR6 - Nico Collins (+1) - Collins has developed into one of the league's best receivers, and offseason investments in the offense should allow for more scoring opportunities.
- WR7 - Drake London (+1) - London's playstyle as a contested-catch specialist will pair very well with Michael Penix Jr., a quarterback who isn't afraid to let his receiver make a play on the ball.
- WR8 - Brian Thomas Jr. (+1) - A huge rookie season has expectations for Thomas high going into Year 2, and the ceiling could be even higher under new HC Liam Coen.
Low-End WR1s
These guys are coincidentally cut from a similar cloth as undersized and shifty guys who play bigger than their listed sizes. This tier is extremely flat. However, the volume each of these receivers should receive sets up a nice floor and ceiling combination.
- WR9 - Ladd McConkey (+2) - There wasn't a weakness in McConkey's game last year as he developed into a receiver who could win at every level of the field.
- WR10 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+5) - We saw a flash of the upside when DK Metcalf got injured last year, and now the path is cleared for a season-long breakout.
- WR11 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (-5) - St. Brown posted the lowest target share since his rookie season and buoyed his production with touchdowns, setting up for a concerning ceiling amidst the Jameson Williams breakout.
WR2s With Immense Upside
I'm comfortable taking all of these guys in Round 2, as the upside for every receiver in this tier is 20+ PPR points per game. Some question marks push outside of the draftable WR1 range, but the ceilings are undeniable.
- WR12 - A.J. Brown (-2) - A low-volume passing offense and stout defense put a cap on Brown's ceiling, despite being one of the league's best receivers.
- WR13 - Rashee Rice (+6) - Since the back half of his rookie season, Rice's role as Patrick Mahomes II' go-to receiver has been very lucrative in fantasy.
- WR14 - Garrett Wilson (-1)
- WR15 - Marvin Harrison Jr. (+3) - He played much better as a rookie than the surface-level stats imply, and should take a leap in Year 2.
Shaky WR2s
This is a pocket of the draft where receivers are very volatile, and the running backs are a bit easier to stomach. These guys all have decent upside. But the draft cost, coupled with the potential for a fallout, makes them less-than-ideal targets.
_png)