As we get closer to the start of training camps, NFL teams will continue their ongoing voluntary OTA sessions, capping their offseason programs with mandatory minicamps. While we watch for developments from the ongoing work, I'll be revisiting and resetting some important positional issues heading into the summer. Two weeks ago, it was Quarterback Battles, Real and Imagined; last week, it was Know Your Frienemy; Ambiguous Backfields.
This week, we'll be sorting out the wide receivers, from stem to stern -- starting with the . . .
The Top-Shelf Tier
Based on current Average Draft Position (ADP) data, three wide receivers are being drafted in the first half of Round 1.
- WR1 Ja'Marr Chase (pick 1.03)
- WR2 Puka Nacua (pick 1.04)
- WR3 Jaxon Smith-Njigba (pick 1.05)
There are solid arguments and narratives backing that order.
Bulletproof
Those are some great offenses, but the Bengals still take the top spot. Quarterback Joe Burrow has legitimate QB1 overall upside with the weapons he has, and the fact that their defense -- even with some effort put into improving it this offseason -- forces them to keep scoring.
The hope is that Cincinnati will be better this year, but by how much?
Burrow was asked at a press conference last Wednesday if there are any individual milestones he's targeting during the 2026 season. "I'm pretty close to the Bengals franchise touchdown record. I'm like 50 or something away, so that would be nice to break this year," Burrow said.
Burrow is actually 47 touchdown passes away from tying Andy Dalton's franchise record. But what's a touchdown or three between friends?
Fortunately, his top receivers are dominant. Ja'Marr Chase is the best in all of fantasy football, and Tee Higgins has WR1 upside with a WR2 floor.
The focus here is on Chase, who is the best bet to be the overall WR1 every year.
He's had two seasons with double-digit touchdowns, and he's coming off a 2025 season in which he led the league in pass routes and targets for the second season in a row. His 185 targets last year were good for a 30.2 percent target share, second most in the league among players with at least 10 games.
He had 175 targets the year before.
His 127 catches in 2024 and 125 last year make him only the third receiver in NFL history with 125-plus catches in multiple seasons.
As ESPN's Mike Clay notes, Chase has finished four of his five NFL campaigns no lower than fifth in fantasy points per game -- the exception was 11th in 2023. Of course, Burrow was limited to 10 games that season. He only played eight games last year.
But There was a Difference
Joe Flacco took over for Jake Browning as the Bengals backup quarterback. Flacco, a willing and able passer, is back this season.
Even with Burrow missing more than half the season, Chase finished the season as WR3 on a points per game (19.3) basis.
And that's the edge. While we'd love to see a full season of Burrow as the triggerman here, knowing Flacco is waiting in the wings makes it easier to grant Chase bulletproof status.