The biggest challenge for fantasy drafters with the wide receiver position is the sheer volume of players. Running backs are a challenge, and you're always looking for that backup that can ascend to a starting role. With the explosion of the passing game, it's not uncommon for teams to have three, and even sometimes four, fantasy-relevant players at the position.
For example, let's take a look at the Green Bay Packers. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are all in the top-58 at WR. What makes it even more challenging is that it wouldn't be a complete shock for any of the four to lead the team in receiving.
Christian Watson might have the highest ceiling, but he's also probably the most volatile. Wicks might be the best pure receiver on the team, but will he see enough opportunity. Reed can be explosive in space and sometimes receives touches in the running game as well, but will he play more in three receiver sets this year? Many thought Doubs might be the one squeezed out, but all reports seem to indicate he's had a stellar camp and has great rapport with Jordan Love.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Not every team is that difficult to figure out, thankfully. The Philadelphia Eagles boast a potent offense, but there's really only two WRs to concern yourself with so far: A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
But while there are a ton of wide receiver options to consider throughout the draft, there is a pretty clear top-6 of alphas:
- Ceedee Lamb
- Tyreek Hill
- Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Justin Jefferson
- Ja'Marr Chase
- A.J. Brown
With three elite RBs to consider in the first round (Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall), that still leaves three spots to be thrown a curve ball depending on what pick you have. But fear not, there's another significant crop of receivers who have the potential to join those top-6 this year in the alpha class - here are some of the top candidates:
- Garrett Wilson
- Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Puka Nacua
- Chris Olave
- Davante Adams
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | TE | DEF/ST | K
Fantasy football WR PPR rankings: Best wide receivers for 2024 drafts
We covered some of the top names in the first couple of rounds, but the real fun comes later in the draft when you're trying to identify those diamonds in the rough - the sleepers that can maximize your team's ceiling.
Sometimes you can draft a player as your WR3 and he takes a big leap and ends up being your WR1. Sometimes you can stash a rookie WR who starts off slow, but by the second half of the season, he's putting up WR2 numbers. The key later in drafts is to embrace volatility and target players with dynamic profiles who possess a high-ceiling. Yes, they may never start a game for you and end up on waivers. But they could also end up playing a crucial role for you in the fantasy playoffs.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
Notable changes in Wide Receiver rankings
Following cut-down day, there were very minimal changes to the top half of the wide receiver rankings. The most notable change was knocking Puka Nacua down four more spots as concerns linger over his injury in addition to all of the glowing reports on Cooper Kupp's form. We still have Nacua ahead of Kupp, but only DeVonta Smith separates them now.
With the departure of Tim Patrick in Denver, Josh Reynolds moved up a whopping 33 spots to WR66. Andrei Iosivas jumped up 28 spots after it became clear he'd play more of the slot role than Jermaine Burton to start the season. And Dyami Brown moved up 20 spots following the trade of Jahan Dotson to the Eagles.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
These wide receiver rankings are based on scoring systems that award four points per TDs thrown and six points per rushing TD and have been adjusted to reflect teams cutting down to 53 players.
RANK | TIER | PLAYER NAME | TEAM | BYE |
1 | 1 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 7 |
2 | 1 | Tyreek Hill | MIA | 6 |
3 | 1 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | 5 |
4 | 1 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | 6 |
5 | 1 | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | 12 |
6 | 1 | A.J. Brown | PHI | 5 |
7 | 2 | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | 12 |
8 | 2 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | 11 |
9 | 2 | Chris Olave | NO | 12 |
10 | 2 | Davante Adams | LV | 10 |
11 | 2 | Nico Collins | HOU | 14 |
12 | 2 | Drake London | ATL | 12 |
13 | 3 | Puka Nacua | LAR | 6 |
14 | 3 | DeVonta Smith | PHI | 5 |
15 | 3 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | 6 |
16 | 3 | Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF | 9 |
17 | 3 | Malik Nabers | NYG | 11 |
18 | 3 | DJ Moore | CHI | 7 |
19 | 3 | Mike Evans | TB | 11 |
20 | 3 | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | 6 |
21 | 4 | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | 14 |
22 | 4 | DK Metcalf | SEA | 10 |
23 | 4 | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | 9 |
24 | 4 | Terry McLaurin | WAS | 14 |
25 | 4 | Calvin Ridley | TEN | 5 |
26 | 4 | Amari Cooper | CLE | 10 |
27 | 4 | Tee Higgins | CIN | 12 |
28 | 4 | Stefon Diggs | HOU | 14 |
29 | 4 | Zay Flowers | BAL | 14 |
30 | 5 | Rashee Rice | KC | 6 |
31 | 5 | George Pickens | PIT | 9 |
32 | 5 | Chris Godwin | TB | 11 |
33 | 5 | Diontae Johnson | CAR | 11 |
34 | 5 | Tank Dell | HOU | 14 |
35 | 5 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | 10 |
36 | 5 | Christian Kirk | JAC | 12 |
37 | 5 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | 14 |
38 | 5 | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | 12 |
39 | 5 | Christian Watson | GB | 10 |
40 | 6 | Keenan Allen | CHI | 7 |
41 | 6 | Xavier Worthy | KC | 6 |
42 | 6 | Rome Odunze | CHI | 7 |
43 | 6 | Jayden Reed | GB | 10 |
44 | 6 | Rashid Shaheed | NO | 12 |
45 | 6 | Keon Coleman | BUF | 12 |
46 | 6 | Ladd McConkey | LAC | 5 |
47 | 6 | Curtis Samuel | BUF | 12 |
48 | 7 | Joshua Palmer | LAC | 5 |
49 | 7 | Jordan Addison | MIN | 6 |
50 | 7 | Romeo Doubs | GB | 10 |
51 | 7 | Hollywood Brown | KC | 6 |
52 | 7 | Jameson Williams | DET | 5 |
53 | 7 | DeAndre Hopkins | TEN | 5 |
54 | 7 | Jakobi Meyers | LV | 10 |
55 | 8 | Dontayvion Wicks | GB | 10 |
56 | 8 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | 10 |
57 | 8 | Ja'Lynn Polk | NE | 14 |
58 | 8 | Khalil Shakir | BUF | 12 |
59 | 8 | Jerry Jeudy | CLE | 10 |
60 | 8 | Mike Williams | NYJ | 12 |
61 | 8 | Adam Thielen | CAR | 11 |
62 | 8 | Josh Downs | IND | 14 |
63 | 9 | Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | 11 |
64 | 9 | Jalen McMillan | TB | 11 |
65 | 9 | Demarcus Robinson | LAR | 6 |
66 | 9 | Josh Reynolds | DEN | 14 |
67 | 9 | Tyler Boyd | TEN | 5 |
68 | 9 | Xavier Legette | CAR | 11 |
69 | 9 | Darnell Mooney | ATL | 12 |
70 | 9 | Andrei Iosivas | CIN | 12 |
71 | 9 | Jalen Tolbert | DAL | 7 |
72 | 9 | Jermaine Burton | CIN | 12 |
73 | 9 | Gabe Davis | JAC | 12 |
74 | 10 | DeMario Douglas | NE | 14 |
75 | 10 | Malachi Corley | NYJ | 12 |
76 | 10 | Greg Dortch | ARI | 11 |
77 | 10 | Rashod Bateman | BAL | 14 |
78 | 10 | Brandin Cooks | DAL | 7 |
79 | 10 | Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN | 14 |
80 | 10 | Tim Patrick | DET | 5 |
81 | 10 | Dyami Brown | WAS | 14 |
82 | 10 | Darius Slayton | NYG | 11 |
83 | 10 | Jahan Dotson | WAS | 14 |
84 | 10 | Roman Wilson | PIT | 9 |
85 | 10 | DJ Chark Jr. | LAC | 5 |
86 | 11 | K.J. Osborn | NE | 14 |
87 | 11 | Adonai Mitchell | IND | 14 |
88 | 11 | Michael Wilson | ARI | 11 |
89 | 11 | Ricky Pearsall | SF | 9 |
90 | 11 | Quentin Johnston | LAC | 5 |
91 | 11 | Jauan Jennings | SF | 9 |
92 | 11 | Tre Tucker | LV | 10 |
93 | 11 | Luke McCaffrey | WAS | 14 |
94 | 11 | Jalin Hyatt | NYG | 11 |
95 | 12 | Kendrick Bourne | NE | 14 |
96 | 12 | A.T. Perry | NO | 12 |
97 | 12 | Elijah Moore | CLE | 10 |
98 | 12 | Treylon Burks | TEN | 5 |
99 | 12 | Troy Franklin | DEN | 14 |
100 | 12 | Javon Baker | NE | 14 |