Take a look at FantasySP’s fantasy football ADP data as the regular season approaches.
Now that we’ve analyzed the data on the average fantasy football draft position for quarterbacks and running backs, it’s time to do the same for the wide receiver position.
We won’t be able to cover nearly all of the relevant WR fantasy options for the season, but we will cover the receivers currently being selected in the first four rounds. We’ll cover tight ends in another story, so check back later for that.
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Talents of the first round
There are a lot of good/great fantasy receivers for the 2024 season. Right now, , , , , and are all drafted in the first round on average.
Lamb is coming off a career season and one wonders if there is room for improvement from his high numbers. The Cowboys offense is pretty much the same as last season, so Lamb should still be the best offensive playmaker pretty easily.
For me it’s really a coin toss whether I pick second to Lamb or Hill. Hill has excelled a little longer, so if I had to choose, I’d pick him second.
Hill has over 1,700 receiving yards in two consecutive seasons. He will lead the Dolphins’ pass catchers again this season, so I have no problem selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick.
Jefferson struggled with injuries last season, but the reason I don’t think much of him is because of his quarterbacks. is gone and and are in.
Jefferson is talented enough to put up big numbers with any quarterback, but I’d prefer to have multiple other receivers tackle him. I’d let someone else take the chance on Jefferson unless he goes 10th or higher.
Chase had a pretty strong season last year but had to sit out several games. Without Cincy, I think Chase will have his best year ever.
I’m all for taking Chase in the first round and definitely prefer him over Jefferson. I would consider Chase as the fourth pick after McCaffrey, Hill and Lamb.
St. Brown improves with each NFL season he goes through. Detroit has a ton of offensive weapons, but ARSB should still have the edge in pass-catching pretty easily.
St. Brown is another receiver I would take over Jefferson and I would consider using him as the fourth pick. He and Chase are very close in my opinion.
Brown reached 100 caught passes for the first time in his career in 2023. He has over 1,400 yards in two consecutive seasons and his number of caught touchdowns is expected to increase in a similar season.
I also like Brown more than Jefferson, but I like Chase and St. Brown better. Getting him at his ADP or one pick earlier seems like the right thing to do.
Options for the second round
Jr. and are all currently in the second round.
Nacua is currently battling a knee injury, which isn’t a great thing, but he’s expected to be ready for the regular season.
Nacua had an incredible rookie season and while his catches and yardage might drop, a small increase in his touchdown reception mark would make up for it. His injury should set him back a few picks, but I’m OK with taking him early in the second round.
Although Wilson is behind Nacua in ADP, I actually prefer Wilson. Last season, he rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored three touchdowns without a reliable quarterback. If Wilson stays healthy this season, he could end up as one of the best fantasy wideouts in the game.
I like Wilson better than Nacua, meaning I’d take Wilson early in the second round. I expect the Jets wide receiver to see his ADP climb to that level as the regular season approaches.
Harrison is one of the most hyped rookie receivers in a long time. He should be the top dog in Arizona right away, and if healthy, Harrison could be one of the best fantasy receivers right away.
It’s hard to trust rookies, but Harrison is pretty much the best rookie you can imagine. I’m more than comfortable getting him in the middle of the second round and think he has a chance to exceed those second-round expectations.
London is being touted a lot, but the numbers aren’t there yet. A better coach and quarterback could help London, but I’m not convinced he’ll be selected this early in the draft.
I’m actually a little confused as to why he’s going through several of the receivers we’re about to discuss. I’d consider London a round or so later, but wouldn’t want anything to do with him in round two.
Boys from the third round
, and all have third-round ADPs.
Adams had a poor season by his lofty standards, but should be a better QB situation this year. I expect some rebound, meaning he will likely outperform his current ADP (which is where I’d be happy to select him).
Olave has improved a bit from his first to his second NFL season. I’m not really excited about the Saints offense, but Olave should easily lead the team again. I’d probably prefer to have him in the second half of the round, but getting him in the first half isn’t an over-the-top move.
Collins is a tough one for me to rate this season. I love what he did in 2023, but it was his only season of great results in three tries, and now he has better wideouts around him. I still think Collins leads the team, but would rather get him several picks later than he currently does.
The situation surrounding Aiyuk’s transfer makes him difficult to evaluate. Right now he’s with the Niners, so we’ll discuss things that way. In his current situation, he’s probably actually a bit undervalued, and I’d expect a better season than he had in 2023. I’m OK with taking Aiyuk earlier in round three.
Samuel probably won’t reach the pass receiving total he had in 2021 (unless Aiyuk is traded), but his ability as a rusher still makes Samuel a good fantasy asset. He’s a valuable pick, even this early in a fantasy draft, and I’m all for drafting him late in the third round.
Fourth round recipients
, and are the last wideouts I want to discuss. They go in the fourth round and are currently ranked 16-20 in ADP.
Evans is one of the most consistent fantasy players. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first 10 NFL seasons and scored in double figures in three of the last four seasons. The offense is very similar in 2024, so I expect similar numbers to a year ago, maybe with one or two fewer touchdowns. Evans still feels like a steal at this point in the draft.
I’m a little higher on Waddle than most. He took a bit of a step back last season, but injuries played a role in that. He’ll play second fiddle to Hill, but that means plenty of opportunity for Waddle. He’s another good pick near his ADP, with a fairly safe floor and good upside.
Diggs will be joining the third team in his career. He’s been the guy you can count on for most seasons, but this year I can’t say that with any certainty. I’d rather have him several picks later than he is now.
Pittman continues to improve each season. His touchdown total is still low, which is why he gets picked so late in fantasy drafts. He should lead the Colts’ wideouts again this season, and if he stays healthy, this could be another season of improvement for Pittman. I like his bottom line on his ADP and think his potential makes him too good to pass up any longer.
Moore is in a similar situation to Diggs, but Moore is still on the same team. He also has a new quarterback, so it makes sense why he would be selected later in the draft. I think he will lead the Bears, but I would feel a little better if he was selected a few picks later than he is currently.
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