WR
is as deep as it’s been recently, but with the rest of the skill positions being
deeper than recent drafts with influxes of talent it seems like there has been
a bit of a devaluation this year. That doesn’t mean that the position isn’t
still important or a good place to find values and boost your chances of
winning.
Note:
ADP is draft positional overall, Pos. ADP is draft position with a position
group, and Diff. is the difference between my positional rank and the positional
ADP.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
1
|
Antonio Brown
|
1
|
PIT
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
|
2
|
Julio Jones
|
2
|
ATL
|
1
|
13
|
4
|
-2
|
|
3
|
DeAndre Hopkins
|
3
|
HOU
|
1
|
7
|
2
|
1
|
|
4
|
Odell Beckham Jr
|
4
|
NYG
|
1
|
12
|
3
|
1
|
|
5
|
A.J. Green
|
5
|
CIN
|
1
|
16
|
6
|
-1
|
|
6
|
Michael Thomas
|
6
|
NO
|
1
|
14
|
5
|
1
|
Yep.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
7
|
Keenan Allen
|
7
|
LAC
|
2
|
17
|
7
|
0
|
|
8
|
Davante Adams
|
8
|
GB
|
2
|
20
|
8
|
0
|
|
9
|
Doug Baldwin
|
9
|
SEA
|
2
|
29
|
11
|
-2
|
|
10
|
Allen Robinson
|
10
|
CHI
|
2
|
44
|
19
|
-9
|
|
11
|
Mike Evans
|
11
|
TB
|
2
|
21
|
9
|
2
|
More
yep and Allen Robinson. I like Robinson a lot more than everyone else. I think
he instantly becomes Trubisky’s favorite target and although they added some
other targets to the offense I expect Robinson to be a solid WR1 this season.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
12
|
Adam Thielen
|
12
|
MIN
|
3
|
31
|
13
|
-1
|
|
13
|
T.Y. Hilton
|
13
|
IND
|
3
|
30
|
12
|
1
|
|
14
|
Tyreek Hill
|
14
|
KC
|
3
|
27
|
10
|
4
|
|
15
|
Demaryius Thomas
|
15
|
DEN
|
3
|
43
|
18
|
-3
|
|
16
|
Larry Fitzgerald
|
16
|
ARI
|
3
|
41
|
17
|
-1
|
|
17
|
Josh Gordon
|
17
|
CLE
|
3
|
40
|
16
|
1
|
|
18
|
Stefon Diggs
|
18
|
MIN
|
3
|
38
|
15
|
3
|
Yep
times three. I’m a touch low on Hill, but even then I’m not all that far off.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
19
|
Marvin Jones
|
19
|
DET
|
4
|
55
|
23
|
-4
|
|
20
|
JuJu Smith-Schuster
|
20
|
PIT
|
4
|
47
|
22
|
-2
|
|
21
|
Alshon Jeffery
|
21
|
PHI
|
4
|
46
|
21
|
0
|
|
22
|
Corey Davis
|
22
|
TEN
|
4
|
77
|
31
|
-9
|
|
23
|
Jarvis Landry
|
23
|
CLE
|
4
|
58
|
24
|
-1
|
|
24
|
Amari Cooper
|
24
|
OAK
|
4
|
36
|
14
|
10
|
|
25
|
Sammy Watkins
|
25
|
KC
|
4
|
71
|
28
|
-3
|
|
26
|
Golden Tate
|
26
|
DET
|
4
|
59
|
25
|
1
|
|
27
|
Kenny Stills
|
27
|
MIA
|
4
|
120
|
47
|
-20
|
|
28
|
Josh Doctson
|
28
|
WAS
|
4
|
138
|
54
|
-26
|
|
29
|
Michael Crabtree
|
29
|
BAL
|
4
|
64
|
26
|
3
|
|
30
|
Marqise Lee
|
30
|
JAC
|
4
|
125
|
52
|
-22
|
|
31
|
Emmanuel Sanders
|
31
|
DEN
|
4
|
88
|
38
|
-7
|
Tier
4 is where I start to diverge a bit more significantly from ADP. Corey Davis
was a favorite of mine last year post-draft and although he was hampered by
injuries we saw the upside late in the year and the playoffs for Davis. I think
year 2 shows fully his ability and I’m high overall on the Titans offense.
Where I’m high on Davis I’m low on Cooper by just about the same amount. I’m low
on Oakland as a whole, but Cooper has been inconsistent in his time in the NFL and
although he’s talented I don’t think the TD issues, or the Carr issues, get
cleared up this season. Davante Parker has shown an inability to separate with
any consistency in the NFL and at some point we have to shift our expectation
of what Parker can be. Stills has been sneaky good since his move from NO to
MIA and is the most consistent deep threat on the Dolphins the last couple of
seasons. Same goes for Doctson, yes, the Redskins added Paul Richardson to the
receiving corps, but I think Richardson takes more away from the Crowder/TE
production than from Doctson’s. Before the ridiculous 2014 WR class it was well
held knowledge that it took receivers about three seasons to reach their potential
and adjust to the NFL game. I’m fully on board the Doctson break out train.
Marqise Lee isn’t a great wide receiver but he’s the number one option on the
Jaguars and that’s a useful asset to have on your fantasy football team.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
32
|
Devin Funchess
|
32
|
CAR
|
5
|
75
|
29
|
3
|
|
33
|
Marquise Goodwin
|
33
|
SF
|
5
|
86
|
36
|
-3
|
|
34
|
Julian Edelman
|
34
|
NE
|
5
|
70
|
27
|
7
|
|
35
|
Randall Cobb
|
35
|
GB
|
5
|
105
|
42
|
-7
|
|
36
|
Cooper Kupp
|
36
|
LAR
|
5
|
84
|
34
|
2
|
|
37
|
Will Fuller
|
37
|
HOU
|
5
|
87
|
37
|
0
|
|
38
|
Sterling Shephard
|
38
|
NYG
|
5
|
113
|
45
|
-7
|
|
39
|
Brandin Cooks
|
39
|
LAR
|
5
|
45
|
20
|
19
|
|
40
|
Chris Hogan
|
40
|
NE
|
5
|
85
|
35
|
5
|
|
41
|
Rishard Matthews
|
41
|
TEN
|
5
|
123
|
50
|
-9
|
|
42
|
Robby Anderson
|
42
|
NYJ
|
5
|
96
|
39
|
3
|
|
43
|
Kelvin Benjamin
|
43
|
BUF
|
5
|
106
|
43
|
0
|
|
44
|
Nelson Agholor
|
44
|
PHI
|
5
|
109
|
44
|
0
|
|
45
|
Martavis Bryant
|
45
|
OAK
|
5
|
127
|
53
|
-8
|
|
46
|
Devante Parker
|
46
|
MIA
|
5
|
100
|
40
|
6
|
Only
one real big difference in tier 5, Brandin Cooks. I think he finds himself in
the Sammy Watkins conundrum from a year ago. No, Cooks didn’t join the team shortly
before the season, but he takes over the WR1 role in the offense and the
attention of a division with a ridiculous amount of CB talent. Cooks is fast
and will have a role, but like Watkins it’s highly likely that he’ll be the decoy
that McVey uses to take attention away from the rest of the offensive game
plan. I don’t think he has as bad a year as Watkins last season, but I think
for the first time he’ll see the downside of three teams in three seasons.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
47
|
Terrance Williams
|
47
|
DAL
|
6
|
285
|
97
|
-50
|
|
48
|
Donte Moncrief
|
48
|
JAC
|
6
|
203
|
72
|
-24
|
|
49
|
Mohamed Sanu
|
49
|
ATL
|
6
|
177
|
64
|
-15
|
|
50
|
Geronimo Allison
|
50
|
GB
|
6
|
229
|
79
|
-29
|
|
51
|
Chris Godwin
|
51
|
TB
|
6
|
199
|
71
|
-20
|
|
52
|
Michael Gallup
|
52
|
DAL
|
6
|
152
|
58
|
-6
|
|
53
|
Robert Woods
|
53
|
LAR
|
6
|
76
|
30
|
23
|
|
54
|
DJ Moore
|
54
|
CAR
|
6
|
121
|
48
|
6
|
|
55
|
Quincy Enunwa
|
55
|
NYJ
|
6
|
222
|
77
|
-22
|
|
56
|
Tyler Lockett
|
56
|
SEA
|
6
|
169
|
63
|
-7
|
|
57
|
Kenny Golladay
|
57
|
DET
|
6
|
153
|
59
|
-2
|
|
58
|
Taywan Taylor
|
58
|
TEN
|
6
|
303
|
105
|
-47
|
|
59
|
Jamison Crowder
|
59
|
WAS
|
6
|
103
|
41
|
18
|
|
60
|
Tyrell Williams
|
60
|
LAC
|
6
|
188
|
68
|
-8
|
|
61
|
Ted Ginn Jr
|
61
|
NO
|
6
|
160
|
61
|
0
|
|
62
|
Pierre Garcon
|
62
|
SF
|
6
|
79
|
32
|
30
|
|
63
|
Jordy Nelson
|
63
|
OAK
|
6
|
83
|
33
|
30
|
Here
we go, bottom of the WR4s and we have 9 differences over 20, and 4 greater than
30 spots. We start with the biggest difference, Terrance Williams. Like it or
not he’s the #1 target on a team that lost its WR1 & TE1. I personally like
Gallup (WR 52), and this receiving corps is going to be just the worst to rank,
but as of now I couldn’t bring myself to rank the top outside receiver on a
team much lower. A similar argument leads to the Moncrief ranking. He’s the #2
in Jacksonville, and with my tepid excitement for Marqise Lee, means I have him
ranked considerably higher than the current consensus. Geronimo Allison is the
#3 in Green Bay, for now, the battle for GB WR3 is going to be fascinating. In much
the same way, the battle for who starts across from Mike Evans in Tampa is a transition
that will be intriguing. If Tampa starts to play their two TEs more often, that
WR2 is going to be much more valuable than the WR3 and thus the ranking of Godwin.
Godwin started to come on late in the year and has continued to shine early in
this pre-season. Woods’ drop is directly linked to two things: 1) That I think Cooks
will have a more productive, if lackluster, season than Watkins. 2) That Kupp
will continue to see a bunch of targets as a valuable safety valve in the slot
for Goff. WR battle of intrigue #3 will happen during Jets training camp. Robby
Anderson is the deep threat for the Jets and Enunwa is more of a possession receiver.
They have both functioned as the #1 receiver in the past and bring different
skill sets. I have Anderson 13 spots higher than Enunwa because he brings more
upside due to his ability to stretch the field, but it will be interesting to
see who wins the QB battle and who is developing report during Jets camp. Remember
how I said I’m high on the Titans offense this season, well I’m really high,
and Taywan Taylor is the true breakout player for Tennessee this year. Taylor
is the primary slot player in Tennessee with Davis and Matthews on the outside.
He was better than expectations as a rookie and if LeFleur has learned anything
from Shannahan and McVay it almost certainly starts with the impact a slot
receiver can have on a modern NFL offense. Lastly, are a pair of older vets who
are probably secondary options on their respective teams. Garcon has featured
heavily on Shanahan’s offenses in the past and that has lead many to presume
that he will resume that production this year. I’m skeptical but there’s a nice
logic to it. Nelson is on his first non-Packers team of his career and has been
garnering rave reviews from Derek Carr in minicamp. Nelson took a step back
last year with the Packers but the role vacated by Crabtree is open and Nelson will
surely give himself every opportunity to pick up that slack.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
64
|
Brandon Lafell
|
64
|
CIN
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-41
|
|
65
|
Willie Snead
|
65
|
BAL
|
7
|
283
|
96
|
-31
|
|
66
|
DeSean Jackson
|
66
|
TB
|
7
|
151
|
57
|
9
|
|
67
|
Paul Richardson
|
67
|
WAS
|
7
|
149
|
56
|
11
|
|
68
|
Mike Wallace
|
68
|
PHI
|
7
|
198
|
70
|
-2
|
|
69
|
Jordan Matthews
|
69
|
NE
|
7
|
207
|
73
|
-4
|
|
70
|
Ryan Grant
|
70
|
IND
|
7
|
256
|
86
|
-16
|
|
71
|
Trent Taylor
|
71
|
SF
|
7
|
290
|
101
|
-30
|
|
72
|
Calvin Ridley
|
72
|
ATL
|
7
|
124
|
51
|
21
|
|
73
|
Cole Beasley
|
73
|
DAL
|
7
|
234
|
81
|
-8
|
|
74
|
Christian Kirk
|
74
|
ARI
|
7
|
162
|
62
|
12
|
|
75
|
Travis Benjamin
|
75
|
LAC
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-30
|
|
76
|
John Ross
|
76
|
CIN
|
7
|
246
|
85
|
-9
|
|
77
|
Danny Amendola
|
77
|
MIA
|
7
|
179
|
65
|
12
|
|
78
|
Jermaine Kearse
|
78
|
NYJ
|
7
|
280
|
94
|
-16
|
|
79
|
Corey Coleman
|
79
|
CLE
|
7
|
214
|
76
|
3
|
|
80
|
Courtland Sutton
|
80
|
DEN
|
7
|
232
|
80
|
0
|
|
81
|
Taylor Gabriel
|
81
|
CHI
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-24
|
|
82
|
DJ Chark
|
82
|
JAC
|
7
|
242
|
84
|
-2
|
|
83
|
John Brown
|
83
|
BAL
|
7
|
259
|
87
|
-4
|
|
84
|
Austin Carr
|
84
|
NO
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-21
|
|
85
|
Allen Hurns
|
85
|
DAL
|
7
|
116
|
46
|
39
|
|
86
|
J.J. Nelson
|
86
|
ARI
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-19
|
|
87
|
Chris Conley
|
87
|
KC
|
7
|
303
|
105
|
-18
|
Tier
7 is a large tier (24 players) and features a plethora of different roles and
types of receivers. Lafell is the #2, for now, on the Bengals and although not
a good offense by any means. At this point he’s a WR6 on my board and won’t
cost you much to take a flier. Snead finds himself as the outside receiver across
from Crabtree in Baltimore and everything I just said about Lafell applies here
as well. Trent Taylor was over shadowed as a surprise breakout receiver by
Cooper Kupp in his own division. Taylor should continue to be the WR3 in what
is expected to be a good SF offense and the primary slot threat. Let’s compare
the tier below for a moment. ADP has Benjamin and Mike Williams switched from
me and I’m open to this flipping. Right now, I’ll stick with the solid vet but
Williams can stay healthy this off-season and progress I’ll quickly switch my
thoughts about the Chargers receiving corps. Moving to Chicago, Taylor Gabriel
has been a productive number three for years in Atlanta and should be a fun addition
for Chicago. He’ll fly under the radar, but he will help stretch a defense and
open up space for whomever wins the slot job or the TEs. Let’s quick hit the
last four. Carr was the camp breakout in NE last year but never really
materialized but lands in NO with his second straight HOF QB. Hurns had his
moments in Jacksonville but fell off the map after a breakout year. He has a
hill to climb in Dallas but could fly up my ranks if a starting slot or larger
role than currently expected becomes his. JJ Nelson might be just a guy again
in Arizona but he’s a known quantity in Arizona unlike most of his receiving
corps mates. Lastly, Conley has never reached the potential many of us expected
and with the addition of Watkins this may be the last year I put much into
expectations for him.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
88
|
Daurice Fountain
|
88
|
IND
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-17
|
|
89
|
DeAngelo Yancey
|
89
|
GB
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-16
|
|
90
|
KeKe Coutee
|
90
|
HOU
|
8
|
300
|
103
|
-13
|
|
91
|
Mike Williams
|
91
|
LAC
|
8
|
155
|
60
|
31
|
|
92
|
Brandon Marshall
|
92
|
SEA
|
8
|
208
|
74
|
18
|
|
93
|
Zay Jones
|
93
|
BUF
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-12
|
|
94
|
Darrius Heyward-Bey
|
94
|
PIT
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-11
|
|
95
|
Torrey Smith
|
95
|
CAR
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-10
|
|
96
|
Jeremy Kerley
|
96
|
BUF
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-9
|
|
97
|
Adam Humphries
|
97
|
TB
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-8
|
|
98
|
James Washington
|
98
|
PIT
|
8
|
237
|
82
|
16
|
|
99
|
Cameron Meredith
|
99
|
NO
|
8
|
141
|
55
|
44
|
|
100
|
T.J. Jones
|
100
|
DET
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-5
|
|
101
|
Laquon Treadwell
|
101
|
MIN
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
-4
|
|
102
|
Anthony Miller
|
102
|
CHI
|
8
|
187
|
67
|
35
|
|
103
|
Chad Williams
|
103
|
ARI
|
8
|
265
|
90
|
13
|
|
104
|
Dede Westbrook
|
104
|
JAC
|
8
|
180
|
66
|
38
|
|
105
|
Rashad Greene
|
105
|
JAC
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
0
|
|
106
|
Chris Moore
|
106
|
BAL
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
1
|
|
107
|
Deon Cain
|
107
|
IND
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
2
|
|
108
|
Dante Pettis
|
108
|
SF
|
8
|
212
|
75
|
33
|
|
109
|
J'Mon Moore
|
109
|
GB
|
8
|
293
|
102
|
7
|
|
110
|
Tyler Boyd
|
110
|
CIN
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
5
|
|
111
|
Tajae Sharpe
|
111
|
TEN
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
6
|
|
112
|
Josh Reynolds
|
112
|
LAR
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
7
|
|
113
|
Ryan Switzer
|
113
|
OAK
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
8
|
|
114
|
Jaron Brown
|
114
|
SEA
|
8
|
281
|
95
|
19
|
|
115
|
Bruce Ellington
|
115
|
HOU
|
8
|
303
|
105
|
10
|
|
116
|
Keelan Cole
|
116
|
JAC
|
8
|
191
|
69
|
47
|
|
117
|
Malcolm Mitchell
|
117
|
NE
|
8
|
286
|
98
|
19
|
|
118
|
DaeSean Hamilton
|
118
|
DEN
|
8
|
289
|
100
|
18
|
I
already addressed Williams when talking about Benjamin above. Unlike Williams,
I’ll take the younger player in New Orleans. Meredith was a surprise in Chicago
in 2016 but a season ending injury left as a FA this year and Chicago let him
leave for the Big Easy where he’s third or fourth on the depth chart right now.
I like Carr talent-wise more than Meredith but will watch how this sifts out
going forward. I’m lower on rookies in general heading into the season because
they don’t develop as fast as we would like. He’ll fight for the starting slot
spot in Chicago, but I don’t expect all that much from him. Apply that to Dante
Pettis as well. As we head to players in my bottom two tiers who have ADP data,
let’s take one last look at Jacksonville through the Westbrook and Cole ranks. This
is the reaction to the Moncrief rank. I think he’s the #2 pretty clearly right
now and although both Westbrook and Cole have had their flashes I’m not sure that
any more than two receivers see consistent enough targets and playing time to
prop up the depth they have that hasn’t really separated itself to this point.
|
Rank
|
Player
|
Pos
|
Team
|
Tier
|
ADP
|
Pos.
ADP
|
Diff
|
|
129
|
Terrelle Pryor
|
129
|
NYJ
|
9
|
223
|
78
|
51
|
|
166
|
Albert Wilson
|
166
|
MIA
|
10
|
239
|
83
|
83
|
|
136
|
Tre'Quan Smith
|
136
|
NO
|
9
|
261
|
88
|
48
|
|
119
|
Chester Rogers
|
119
|
IND
|
9
|
264
|
89
|
30
|
|
189
|
Antonio Callaway
|
189
|
CLE
|
10
|
273
|
91
|
98
|
|
138
|
Equanimeous St. Brown
|
138
|
GB
|
10
|
278
|
93
|
45
|
|
211
|
Amara Darboh
|
211
|
SEA
|
10
|
288
|
99
|
112
|
|
144
|
Kevin White
|
144
|
CHI
|
10
|
301
|
104
|
40
|
I’m
just not a Pryor believer and wasn’t last year. I think Enunwa and Anderson are
the only receivers I care about on the Jets and that Pryor hasn’t progressed as
well as was presumed when he left Cleveland. Albert Wilson is a #FantasyTwitter
darling but that Miami offenses most likely won’t produce enough to carry three
or four fantasy relevant receivers. I like Smith for the future but he’s going
to need a gap year before he makes an impact in the NFL. With Rogers, ask me
about the Colts offense later. For Callaway, see: Smith, Tre’Quan. I don’t get the
St. Brown love, he slid, was the third of a trio of late round Packer receiver
picks and refuses to play special teams which doesn’t bode well for a sixth
wide receiver trying to make the team. Darboh and White are draft favorites who
didn’t make the early impact expected of them. White can’t stay healthy,
hopefully he can in 2018. Too much was expected of Darboh last year, but the
addition of Marshall makes it seem like the Seahawks aren’t all that impressed
or confident in the depth currently on the roster.
There
are a handful of interesting receiving corps battles heading into camp that
will greatly alter tiers 4-8. That plus injuries and the ever-evolving
offensive landscapes makes archetypes that have been in play for many years in
fantasy less reliable than ever. This is personally my favorite position group
to ponder, discuss, and rank each season and this year will almost certainly be
no different.
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