We are now less than two months away from regular season football. That means we are more than likely about a month away from your fantasy football drafts. It’s never too early to study and analyze who you will want to target for your team(s). In this article, we will break down five WRs you should avoid drafting this year in your redraft leagues. Make sure to stay up to date with our fantasy content here at our website by clicking the fantasy tab. Let’s get started.
Kadarius Toney – New York Giants
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2017 | Florida | 8 | 15 | 152 | 10.1 | 0 |
| 2018 | Florida | 12 | 25 | 260 | 10.4 | 1 |
| 2019 | Florida | 7 | 10 | 194 | 19.4 | 1 |
| 2020 | Florida | 11 | 70 | 984 | 14.1 | 10 |
After missing out on Devonta Smith in this year’s NFL Draft, the Giants shockingly selected Toney with the 20th overall pick. Many graded the Florida product as a second-round talent, but nonetheless, he will join a crowded receiving room in New York. Going into the offseason, the Giants were looking to surround Daniel Jones with a plethora of talent. They did so by not only drafting Toney, but by also bringing in Kenny Golladay and Kyle Rudolph. Golladay will likely serve as the team’s top receiving option, and Toney will have to battle Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton for targets at the WR position. Kyle Rudolph will demand some attention as well, and Evan Engram is also a very talented pass-catcher in this offense. To make matters even worse for Toney’s fantasy stock, the Giants will have a healthy Saquon Barkley back this season. The talented back is one of the best pass-catchers at his position, and in his 31 games played, he averages just under five receptions per game throughout his career. It’s going to be tough for Toney to shine in fantasy this season, and he may not even be worth it as a late-draft flyer pick.
Toney’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 28 receptions, 342 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing: 5 carries, 26 yards
Fantasy Points: 76.8 PPR Points
Rondale Moore – Arizona Cardinals
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2018 | Purdue | 13 | 114 | 1,258 | 11.0 | 12 |
| 2019 | Purdue | 4 | 29 | 387 | 13.3 | 2 |
| 2020 | Purdue | 3 | 35 | 270 | 7.7 | 0 |
In Dynasty leagues, Moore is a surefire player you would want to draft. But for this season alone, he will more than likely have a tough time producing consistent numbers. He was drafted in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, and we haven’t seen him produce at a high level since his freshman season (two years ago). The rookie is obviously a great talent, but he’s raw, and he may need time to develop. Arizona is probably fine with that because they have three receivers that will likely produce more than him this season. Obviously, DeAndre Hopkins is this team’s top receiving option. Christina Kirk finished as the team’s second leading receiver last year, and he will likely battle A.J. Green for that role again. It’s hard to imagine the rookie producing more than either of those three this season. You also have to keep in mind that the Cardinals still love the skill set of Andy Isabella, a receiver that plays similarly to Moore. Both Chase Edmonds and James Conner are great at catching the ball out of the backfield as well. Although there is a lot of optimism for Moore this season, you could convince yourself that he could finish as the team’s seventh leading receiver. That may be a stretch, but you have to consider that when drafting for your fantasy team(s).
Moore’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 33 receptions, 408 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing: 1 carry, 5 yards, 1 fumble
Fantasy Points: 85.3 PPR Points
Henry Ruggs III – Las Vegas Raiders
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2020 | LV | 13 | 26 | 452 | 17.4 | 2 |
Drafted as the first WR in last year’s NFL Draft, Ruggs III had a lot of hype surrounding him going into his rookie season. If you look above at his stats, you can see that he disappointed in a HUGE way. He served as the WR94, and he finished as the team’s fourth leading receiver behind Darren Waller, Nelson Agholor, and Hunter Renfrow. Now that Agholor is out of town, many believe Ruggs III will take a huge leap this season. Not so fast. Although his numbers should improve, you have to keep in mind that the Raiders brought in veteran John Brown to replace Agholor. Not only will Brown and Waller likely produce more than the second-year-pro, players like Renfrow, Bryan Edwards, Zay Jones, and Willie Snead IV will cut into his opportunities as well. Las Vegas also brought in Kenyan Drake to serve as their team’s gadget back. Combine him with Josh Jacobs, and now you have two RBs that can catch out of the backfield at a high rate. There are simply too many receiving options on this team, and Ruggs III hasn’t shown any signs why he could be one of the team’s top targets.
Ruggs’ 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 44 receptions, 638 yards, 4 touchdowns
Rushing: 4 carries, 41 yards, 2 fumbles
Fantasy Points: 133.9 PPR Points
Emmanuel Sanders – Buffalo Bills
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2010 | PIT | 13 | 28 | 376 | 13.4 | 2 |
| 2011 | PIT | 11 | 22 | 288 | 13.1 | 2 |
| 2012 | PIT | 16 | 44 | 626 | 14.2 | 1 |
| 2013 | PIT | 16 | 67 | 740 | 11.0 | 6 |
| 2014 | DEN | 16 | 101 | 1,404 | 13.9 | 9 |
| 2015 | DEN | 15 | 76 | 1,135 | 14.9 | 6 |
| 2016 | DEN | 16 | 79 | 1,032 | 13.1 | 5 |
| 2017 | DEN | 12 | 47 | 555 | 11.8 | 2 |
| 2018 | DEN | 12 | 71 | 868 | 12.2 | 4 |
| 2019 | DEN/SF | 17 | 66 | 869 | 13.2 | 5 |
| 2020 | NO | 14 | 61 | 726 | 11.9 | 5 |
Now with his fourth team in three seasons, Sanders will look to contribute in a loaded WR room in Buffalo. The veteran isn’t on this list because of his skill set; he’s listed on here because the Bills have way too many receiving options surrounding him. Since 2016, Sanders has yet to top either 75 receptions, 900 yards, or five receiving touchdowns in a single season. He finished as the WR41 in 2020, and he will likely serve as the Bills’ third or fourth leading receiver. Stefon Diggs is clearly the team’s top target, and Cole Beasley finished as an All-Pro receiver last year as well. Sanders will more than likely challenge both Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie for targets on a weekly basis. Davis finished as the WR56 last season, whereas McKenzie finished as the WR76. You also have to keep in mind the other skill players on this team. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss will receive a ton of attention, and Dawson Knox is a valuable TE for the Bills as well. With the combination of the plethora of weapons surrounding him, his age (34), and his recent signs of regression, Sanders will have a tough time being fantasy relevant this season on a consistent basis.
Sanders’ 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 54 receptions, 639 yards, 4 touchdowns
Rushing: 1 carry, 6 yards
Fantasy Points: 142.5 PPR Points
D.J. Chark Jr. – Jacksonville Jaguars
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2018 | JAX | 11 | 14 | 174 | 12.4 | 0 |
| 2019 | JAX | 15 | 73 | 1,008 | 13.8 | 8 |
| 2020 | JAX | 13 | 53 | 706 | 13.3 | 5 |
Two seasons ago, Chark Jr. looked like an up-and-coming young talent in this league. He took the NFL by storm by producing his first and only 1,000-yard campaign of his career in 2019. Many were expecting big things last season, but he regressed in every statistical category. If you really analyze his career, you shouldn’t be surprised by his decline. During his impressive 2019 season, he finished as the WR17 in PPR leagues. He finished with two 30-point plus finishes (Weeks 5 and 11) and nine total double-digit performances. Here’s where things get ugly. Through Week 11, he was the WR5, but during Weeks 12-17, he served as the WR58. He carried the momentum into last season by finishing as the WR49. To make matters worse, his teammate, Leviska Shenault Jr., produced more fantasy points than him during his rookie season last year (WR46). Jacksonville also brought in Marvin Jones Jr., someone who plays similarly to Chark Jr. but with a lot more experience. Expect Jacksonville to throw the ball a ton now that Trevor Lawrence is under center, but expect Chark Jr. to serve as this team’s WR3. He will more than likely serve as a streamer, or spot starter, this season, but he isn’t worth drafting unless you use a late-draft flyer on him.
Chark Jr.’s 2021 Prediction
Receiving: 62 receptions, 849 yards, 5 touchdowns
Fantasy Points: 176.9 PPR Points
Did you enjoy this article and want more fantasy content? Make sure to check out my recent posts, and stay tuned for other positional rankings in the future. You can also follow me on Twitter @dirrim23, where I love talking about all things fantasy football!
