Michael Thomas was all-time great last season, but can he replicate the success with Drew Brees now another year older?
More than any position in fantasy football, wide receivers drive owners crazy.
For the most part, you can find stability, if not above-average production, from all non-receiver positions in fantasy football with relative ease. Wideouts, however, are the variables that can change everything.
If you have a receiver who blows up nearly every week, you probably are going to go far in your league. At the same time, consistently underwhelming production from receivers can derail your season, and finding replacements on the waiver wire becomes awfully difficult after a few weeks. Moreover, most fantasy owners typically are hesitant to trade their top receivers for anything.
As such, it’s important to ensure you make the right moves on draft day. Thankfully, we’re here to help guide you through what surely will be a stressful process.
Here are the top 30 receivers to target in your fantasy drafts:
1. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (Bye Week: 6)
Thomas was obnoxiously good last season, catching an NFL-record 149 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. A regression surely is an order, but not one so dramatic that he shouldn’t still be the top receiver taken in the draft. The biggest question mark surrounding the NFL’s best wideout is whether 41-year-old Drew Brees still has what it takes to help his receivers put up big numbers.
2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (Bye Week: 10)
As long as Hill is healthy, he’s among the safest bets in fantasy. Sure, he’ll have some duds, but Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target still should post plenty of week-altering performances. He carries a ton of upside every week.
3. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (Bye Week: 5)
Despite missing four games, Adams caught 83 balls for 997 yards and five touchdowns. If he and Aaron Rodgers stay healthy, they’ll combine to put up huge point totals.
4. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye Week: 13)
Sure, there’s a chance Godwin, who was sensational last season, doesn’t gel with Tom Brady, but we’re taking the chance. It might take a couple of weeks for everything sort out, but by the end of the season, we expect Godwin to be a monster.
5. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals (Bye Week: 8)
Will Hopkins be his normal self despite playing for a new team and quarterback? There’s a chance this experiment fails, but we’re buying in. Hopkins is too good, and Kyler Murray showed a ton of promise last season.
6. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (Bye Week: 10)
Yes, Jones now is 31 years old, but he still should be an absolute force for a few more seasons. Don’t hesitate to draft him in the top 10, but don’t reach too high.
7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye Week: 13)
We think Evans might take a bit longer than Godwin to get on the same page with Brady, given Evans is slightly more reliant on long balls, which aren’t Brady’s strong suit. Still, Evans is among the best wideouts in the game, and shouldn’t fall outside the top 10.
8. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (Bye Week: 9)
Some people are sleeping on Kupp, and we don’t know why. He was the NFL’s most productive wideout for a good chunk of last season and should put up huge numbers again this campaign. Draft him before Robert Woods.
9. Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions (Bye Week: 5)
Golladay racked up 1,190 yards with 11 touchdowns last season, despite Matthew Stafford missing half the campaign. If both stay healthy this time around, Golladay could be a top-five fantasy receiver.
10. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (Bye Week: 13)
Moore was excellent in the second half of last season, ultimately finishing with 87 catches for 1,175 yards. We expect him to gel with Teddy Bridgewater, but we understand if you’re more hesitant to buy in.
11. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (Bye Week: 10)
As Jones sees his role (relatively) reduced in Atlanta’s offense, Ridley should ascend. Plus, with Austin Hooper now in Cleveland, Ridley should see a spike in targets.
12. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks (Bye Week: 6)
Lockett is as reliable as any receiver in fantasy, though he is prone to an occasional dud. Russell Wilson’s favorite target should have another big season in Seattle.
13. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys (Bye Week: 10)
Cooper is your classic example of a receiver who’s better in fantasy than he is in real life. His penchant for dogging it during games ultimately does little to hurt his overall numbers. He has a low floor, but also has a ton of upside on a weekly basis.
14. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans (Bye Week: 7)
Last season wasn’t a fluke. Brown is the real deal, and should have huge season despite playing with Ryan Tannehill. Don’t hesitate to reach for Brown if he’s available.
15. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (Bye Week: 7)
He might never recapture the magic of two seasons ago, but Thielen remains among the most consistent, productive wideouts in football. He might not be a WR1, but he’s a great WR2.
16. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns (Bye Week: 9)
Don’t reach for Beckham, but if he slides on draft night, scoop him up. The potential for he and Baker Mayfield to rebound after last season is too high.
17. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks (Bye Week: 6)
We’re not sold Metcalf is as good as his numbers would indicate, but we love his role in Seattle’s offense, as well as Wilson’s trust in him. That said, Metcalf has a tone of talent, and could by season’s end prove to be a true elite receiver.
18. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears (Bye Week: 11)
Always underappreciated, Robinson enjoyed a great season in 2019 and should do even better with Nick Foles now under center in Chicago. Robinson is among the best WR2s on the board.
19. Juju Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye Week: 8)
Will Smith-Schuster return to form with Ben Roethlisberger back at quarterback? We think so, but you still should temper expectations.
20. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams (Bye Week: 9)
Woods was Los Angeles’ most productive receiver down the stretch last season, and should post great numbers again in 2020. That said, Jared Goff is Jared Goff, a quarterback who does not get the most out of the weapons around him.
21. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (Bye Week: 8)
We really want to put Sutton higher on this list, but we just need to see more from him and quarterback Drew Lock. However, the potential is there for Sutton to be among fantasy’s top receivers.
22. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (Bye Week: 10)
Allen is a beast, but Tyrod Taylor is at quarterback, which significantly caps Allen’s value. That said, don’t let one of football’s best wideouts slip too far in the draft.
23. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (Bye Week: 7)
We’re a bit iffy on Hilton’s prospects with Philip Rivers, considering Rivers’ arm looks shot and Hilton relies on deep balls. That said, Hilton still should be a strong WR2 this season.
24. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (Bye Week: 11)
Ultimately, this boils down to whether you believe in Josh Allen. If you think he stinks, then you should question Diggs’ potential this season. If you’re high on the Bills signal-caller, then you might expect big things from Diggs. We’re somewhere in the middle.
25. D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye Week: 7)
Chark enjoyed a breakout season in 2019, but you have to wonder what 2020 has in store for Gardner Minshew mania. This combination could do great things in 2020, but it also could totally flop.
26. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (Bye Week: 10)
Gallup showed a ton of promise last year and might prove to be a better fantasy option than Cooper by the end of the season. As such, he could be among the top sleepers in the draft.
27. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens (Bye Week: 8)
Yes, Baltimore’s offense is all about the run, but Brown still is Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, and an electric receiver to boot. Scoop him up if he’s available.
28. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (Bye Week: 9)
Someone in your draft probably will reach for Green, because someone always seems to. He’s not worthy of a high draft pick. However, if he’s available toward the end of your draft, take him and (justifiably) hope that he connects with Joe Burrow.
29. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins (Bye Week: 11)
Parker had some big games last season, including an outright domination of Stephon Gilmore to close the season. Obviously, the health and performance of Tua Tagovailoa is a huge factor for Parker’s fantasy outlook.
30. Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (Bye Week: 6)
Edelman’s age (34) is a concern, as is the fact he now is without Tom Brady. However, he still should be a focal point in New England’s offense, regardless of who is at quarterback.