The Top Ten Dynasty Fantasy Football Wide Receivers
For several years, it has been popular to build a dynasty roster around wide receivers. They produce more reliably year to year and are more durable than other positions.
Regardless of roster construction strategy, winning dynasty teams need productive receivers. If you want to win, you will need one or more of these ten players.
Note: This order is based on DLF WR rankings.
Michael Thomas, NO – ADP RANK WR1, OVERALL #4
The record-setting 26-year-old has produced as a WR1 in each of his four years. He is now DLF’s WR1 after an elite 2019 in which he had an NFL single-season record 149 receptions.
One can question if his production is tied to Drew Brees, but Thomas was fantasy’s overall WR2 with Teddy Bridgewater weeks two through seven. Perhaps Sean Payton is the more important influence. Or perhaps Thomas is a special player who is likely to produce in any circumstance.
DeAndre Hopkins, HOU – ADP RANK WR2, OVERALL #7
Hopkins finished as a WR1 in four of the past five seasons. He will be 28 years old in June but is one of the most reliable players in all of dynasty.
His December DLF ADP of 1.07 is just off its all-time high of 1.02 in January 2018. Age has slightly affected his value.
Hopkins has shown the ability to produce in a variety of situations. Add durability – he has missed two games in seven seasons. He is a reliable option in the first round of startups. Keep in mind his trade value will likely decline in the next two years.
Tyreek Hill, KCC – ADP RANK WR3, OVERALL #9
From April to July, the buy-low window on Hill was wide open due to legal uncertainties. His ADP bottomed at 69 in June but recovered once the games started. Hill’s current ADP of ninth overall is an all-time high (9.5; December 2018).
Hill will remain tied to elite quarterback play and offensive leadership through 2022. He is still just 25 years old and is established as one of the game’s most explosive players.
You’ll have to take him near the end of the first round in a startup. The DLF Trade Analyzer suggests it costs about three 2020 rookie first-round picks to acquire him by trade.
Davante Adams, GBP – ADP RANK WR4, OVERALL #9
Adams, who turned 27 years old in December, finished outside the top 12 receivers for the first time since 2015. He missed four games for the first time since his 2014 rookie season. However, on a per-game basis, his targets held steady (down just 0.6 per game), as did his yards, catch percentage and yards per target.
The combination of missed time and fewer touchdowns (five in 2019 after 35 combined the prior three years) led to Adams’ subpar season. He may be a sneaky buy target this off-season as owners emphasize youth and recall his “down” year.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT – ADP RANK WR6, OVERALL #13
This prospect-breakout-age phenom (his BA of 18.8 years is in the 94th percentile among NFL WRs) had the worst year of his young career in 2019. Injuries and erratic quarterback play caused career lows in all major categories. His targets per game reduced by half. His catch percentage, reflecting lower QB efficiency) dropped by more than 10%, as did his yards per target.
However, Smith-Schuster is still just 23 years old. His career profile is elite, and he plays for a franchise that, despite its current questions at quarterback, has a record of stability and productive offenses.
Amari Cooper, DAL – ADP RANK WR7, OVERALL #14
One of the more divisive WR1s, Cooper quieted many skeptics the last few seasons. Just a few years ago, the narrative was of drops and poor production. Yet Cooper profiled as a truly elite prospect, possessing draft capital and adjusted college production that started young.
Cooper is a five-year veteran at just 25 years old, with four WR2 seasons to his credit. The Dallas coaching staff is receiving a needed overhaul and Dak Prescott is trending up.
Absent an injury, we cannot expect another ADP dip to the 30s as we saw in late 2018. His ADP has since stabilized in the top ten, where it has been most of his career.
Mike Evans, TB – ADP RANK WR5, OVERALL #11
For the first time in his career, Evans may have a competent coaching staff in Tampa, though the status of always entertaining free agent Jameis Winston is unclear. Granted, folks are split as to whether Winston is good or bad for Evans.
Despite that uncertainty, Evans has produced with quarterbacks such as Josh McCown and Mike Glennon. He may be a less uncertain projection than the other WRs in this range. All have questions. Evans may be the most consistent producer of this group. At 26 years old, he should have several more good years ahead, and a few before he is viewed as a declining asset.
Chris Godwin, TB – ADP RANK WR9, OVERALL #15
The Tampa Bay offense supported two WR1s in 2019. Godwin is WR9 among the DLF crew. He somehow outperformed the sizable off-season hype. His ADP was 55 a year ago in January. It steadily climbed to 35 for week one. His 86-1,333-9 receiving line put him at WR2 overall behind Michael Thomas and his overall ADP is now at an all-time high of 15.
The dynasty community values youth, especially in the off-season. One tactic may be to leverage the three year age difference between Evans and Godwin, whether buying or selling.
Odell Beckham, CLE – ADP RANK WR6, OVERALL #12
From January 2015 to October 2018, Beckham’s overall ADP never slipped below 3.7, so its current 12.8 seems like a bargain. But 2016 was his last year producing as a WR1. He will play next year as a 28-year-old. His dynasty value has additional downside younger players join the top 24 and the next two rookie receiver classes appear special (more so the 2021 class).
DJ Moore, CAR – ADP RANK WR10, OVERALL #17
Speaking of youth, DJ Moore just turned in a WR1 season in 15 games at 22 years old with Kyle Allen at quarterback.
Carolina looks to be getting a coaching upgrade and will address the QB position this off-season. Regardless, Moore has already shown an ability to produce in subpar circumstances. I expect his rise to continue this summer as dynasty owners value youth – and see that Moore offers that plus production. Moore was a screaming buy after his rookie year and he backed it up. It may now take a second-round startup pick to get him, or acquire him by trade with two first-round rookie picks and a second-rounder, according to the DLF Trade Analyzer.
What do you think about DLF’s top ten WRs? Who is most likely to drop out and who is most likely to jump in? Let’s discuss in the comments. As always, find me on twitter at @threedownhack to talk about his piece or anything dynasty and devy related. Thanks for reading.
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