Top 25 WRs to Draft in Fantasy

Here we go! Teams are now in training camp, and we are just weeks away from your fantasy drafts. Below are the top-25 WRs to draft right now. Obviously, things will change, and our rankings will change ahead of time as well. For now, take a look at the list below, and make sure to stay up to date with our fantasy content here at our website by clicking the fantasy tab. 

Notable Mentions: Michael Thomas (Saints), Curtis Samuel (Football Team), Tee Higgins (Bengals), Chase Claypool (Steelers), Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns)

25) Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Bengals

The last time we watched Chase and Burrow play together, the rookie phenom hauled in 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins are still on the team, and they will easily take away some of Chase’s opportunities. But he is too skilled, and his strong connection with Burrow should solidify him as the team’s WR1 at some point. Once the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft gets used to the NFL level, he will be an exciting and great fantasy weapon for your team(s) this season. 

Chase’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 74 receptions, 977 yards, 7 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 8 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 213.5 PPR Points

24) Kenny Golladay – New York Giants

Some may be a little skeptical about Golladay this year because of his injury-riddled season in 2020. Don’t be. Players get hurt, and last year was his first season battling injuries in his four-year career. Just two seasons ago, he served as the WR9 in PPR leagues. What’s crazy is that he did it on 65 receptions. The season prior, he hauled in his career high, 70 receptions, and finished as the WR21. In an offense where he’s clearly the top receiving option, expect Golladay to finish inside the top-25 once again. His QB is Daniel Jones though, and that might limit his potential ceiling.  

Golladay’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 68 receptions, 1,061 yards, 7 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 216.1 PPR Points

23) Diontae Johnson – Pittsburgh Steelers

Overshadowed by his teammates Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster, Johnson has quietly turned into a very solid fantasy WR. He finished as the overall WR21 last season, but he put together monstrous performances throughout the year. Not only did he produce 10 double-digit performances, Johnson also topped 20 PPR points six times (almost seven as he finished with 19.9 in Week 15). Unfortunately for his fantasy stock, Smith-Schuster will be back for another season in Pittsburgh. Nonetheless, he outproduced him in both targets and receiving yards in 2020. Expect more of the same this season as Johnson should lead this team in receiving going forward. 

Johnson’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 87 receptions, 993 yards, 5 touchdowns

Rushing: 4 carries, 26 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 217.9 PPR Points

22) Brandon Aiyuk – San Francisco 49ers

There was a ton of hype surrounding the young receiver last season. Rightfully so, Aiyuk produced great numbers without playing a full season. His 16-game pace would have landed him with 80 receptions for 997 yards and about seven touchdowns. His WR35 finish doesn’t paint the full picture of how easy he made things look at the pro level. It’s also hard to put things in perspective because he didn’t miss a big chunk all at the same time in his rookie season. He missed Weeks 1, 9 ,12, and 17. His best stretch came in Weeks 13-15 where he served as the WR5. Although he can be a little inconsistent, he showed that he’s ultimately the top WR threat on his team over Deebo Samuel. In San Francisco’s offense, that will turn into a good amount of fantasy points for your team(s). 

Aiyuk’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 78 receptions, 991 yards, 6 touchdowns

Rushing: 12 carries, 74 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 219.5 PPR Points

21) Amari Cooper – Dallas Cowboys

Cooper is lower on this list because he is currently on the training camp PUP list. He’s simply not fully recovered from an injury he sustained late last season. Dallas expects him to be fine before the regular season starts, but in the meantime, CeeDee Lamb is getting a ton of reps as the team’s top WR right now. Lamb is easily the more talented receiver of the two, but Cooper is SOLID, and he has that relationship and chemistry with Dak Prescott. He’s also a very consistent player who has topped 1,000 receiving yards five out of the six seasons he has been in the league. Sure, Lamb could take over as the team’s WR1, but Cooper would be one of the best WR2s in the league. In a dominant passing offense, the seventh-year pro should have no problems topping 1,000 receiving yards once again as long as he stays healthy. 

Cooper’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 82 receptions, 1,041 yards, 7 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 9 yards

Fantasy Points: 229 PPR Points

20) Adam Thielen – Minnesota Vikings

Now on the wrong side of 30, Thielen will look to carry his momentum from last season into 2021. He finished with a career high in touchdown receptions (14), and he finished as the WR10 in PPR leagues. Definitely expect his touchdowns to go down, but on a team with only two proven pass-catchers, he will still carve out a huge role in Minnesota’s offense. He sits at No. 20 due to the fact that this team will rely on the run more often this season, and Justin Jefferson will look to improve off his outstanding rookie season. 

Thielen’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 79 receptions, 995 yards, 9 touchdowns

Rushing: 3 carries, 13 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 232.8 PPR Points

19) D.J. Moore – Carolina Panthers

Moore will be going into his fourth year with his third different starting QB entering the season. He has proven that he can produce no matter who is throwing him the ball. He finished as the WR25 last year, but Curtis Samuel surprisingly played a huge role in Carolina’s offense last season. With Christian McCaffrey coming back, defenses will be keen on him, and it will open up more passing opportunities for this team and ultimately for Moore as well. 

Moore’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 84 receptions, 1,210 yards, 5 touchdowns

Rushing: 3 carries, 19 yards

Fantasy Points: 236.9 PPR Points

18) Robert Woods – Los Angeles Rams

It happens every offseason. We, as fantasy analysts, expect Woods to take a step back and become irrelevant in fantasy at some point. DO NOT rely on that this season. He’s coming off of three straight top-15 finishes, and he will play with a much better QB this season (Matthew Stafford). It’s also important to note that Gerald Everett is no longer on the team, and Cam Akers is out for the entire year with an achilles injury. Expect HC Sean McVay to rely on the passing game a ton this season, and Woods should benefit from this tremendously. 

Wood’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 96 receptions, 1,096 yards, 4 touchdowns

Rushing: 15 carries, 88 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 237.4 PPR Points

17) Tyler Lockett – Seattle Seahawks

Like Woods, Lockett has finished inside the top-15 in back-to-back seasons, and he finished as the WR16 in 2018. His numbers are very similar to his, but Lockett has an even better QB throwing him passes (Russell Wilson). He finished last season with a career high in receptions (100), and he put together a WR8 finish and three performances of over 30 PPR points (even had 53 in Week 7). As long as Wilson is his starting QB, you can expect the six-year pro to finish inside the top-20. 

Lockett’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 90 receptions, 999 yards, 8 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 7 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 237.6 PPR Points

16) Julio Jones – Tennessee Titans

Here’s an insane stat for you. Jones is averaging about 6.3 receptions, 95.5 receiving yards, 15.2 yards per reception, and 0.44 receiving touchdowns PER GAME throughout his CAREER! He has battled through injuries the past couple of seasons, and that’s one of the reasons why he isn’t higher on this list. Another reason is because he is teammates with A.J. Brown, a young and up-and-coming WR who has higher fantasy upside than him. Nonetheless, Jones is consistently a top-tier fantasy WR. Draft him, and don’t hesitate on your decision. 

Jones’ 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 79 receptions, 1,185 yards, 7 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 239.5 PPR Points

15) Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams

Kupp may be one of the most dangerous weapons in the league when he’s in open space. He broke 12 tackles last season and posted a 5.7 YAC (yards after catch) average. He’s also coming off of two straight 90-plus reception seasons while respectively finishing as the WR4 and the WR26 the past two years. With an improved QB, expect similar numbers to his 2019 efforts. If you can find Kupp available in the fourth round of your drafts, jump all over that opportunity, and draft him. 

Kupp’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 94 receptions, 1,194 yards, 5 touchdowns

Rushing: 4 carries, 22 yards

Fantasy Points: 245.6 PPR Points

14) Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I was a Mike Evans manager last season. Believe me; it was rough at times. He put together seven games with three or fewer receptions. BUT he hauled five touchdown receptions in those seven games. He’s simply dominant in the red zone. You may be thinking, “well, what about Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown playing on the same field as him?” Don’t worry. In games where Godwin and Brown played, Evans averaged 17.4 PPR points per game. Also, as long as Brady is the QB throwing him passes, you shouldn’t hesitate on drafting Evans. It also helps that he hasn’t finished a season without topping 1,000 yards yet in his seven-year career. 

Evans’ 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 77 receptions, 1,147 yards, 9 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 245.7 PPR Points

13) Terry McLaurin – Washington Football Team

“Scary” Terry McLaurin will put together a great fantasy season this year as long as he stays healthy. He played with three different QBs last season (four if you count the playoffs), and he still managed to finish as the WR20. You may have your doubts about Ryan Fitzpatrick as his starting QB this year, but you have to remember that Fitzpatrick is a “gun-slinger.” He’s going to pass the ball a ton and rely on his weapons a little too much at times. This will surely benefit McLaurin in a big way. If Curtis Samuel weren’t on this team, he could have been thought of as an easy WR1 in fantasy. 

McLaurin’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 91 receptions, 1,219 yards, 6 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 11 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 249 PPR Points

12) Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Godwin played in just 12 games last season, and in those 12 games, he looked like Mike Evans’ tag-team partner in Tampa Bay’s offense. At a 16-game pace, Godwin would have hypothetically finished with just over 86 receptions, 1,120 receiving yards, and about nine receiving touchdowns. Nonetheless, he still managed to finish as the WR31. In Weeks 11-17, he served as the WR15, which was the healthiest stretch of his 2020 season. Based on the chemistry we witnessed between Brady and Godwin at the end of last season, it’s safe to predict that the fifth-year pro wide-out has WR1 upside. 

Godwin’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 86 receptions, 1,187 yards, 8 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 252.7 PPR Points

11) CeeDee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys

Lamb’s fantasy stock continues to grow as the season looms. His teammate, Amari Cooper, is on the training camp PUP list, but Dak Prescott now has a shoulder injury that may carry into the season. Nonetheless, Lamb should still put together WR1 numbers because of his skill set and elite talent at his position. Last season, he caught more passes from Andy Dalton than he did from Prescott. He still managed to finish as the WR28. He also finished with double-digit fantasy points in 11 of the 16 games he played in. History has also shown that a good amount of first-round WRs take a big leap in year two of playing in the league. 

Lamb’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 87 receptions, 1,235 yards, 7 touchdowns

Rushing: 8 carries, 56 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 263.1 PPR Points

10) Allen Robinson – Chicago Bears 

I think we can all come to the conclusion that Robinson is one of the best WRs who has never played with a good QB. He may have a shot this season if rookie Justin Fields takes over as the team’s starter at some point. It doesn’t matter though. Robinson has topped 1,000 receiving yards two seasons in a row, and he finished with a career high in receptions last season (102). He’s also finished inside the top-10 two seasons in a row. He’s a safe pick if you’re looking for a late-second/early-third-round WR for your fantasy team(s). 

Robinson’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 101 receptions, 1,273 yards, 6 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 264.3 PPR Points

9) A.J. Brown – Tennessee Titans

As mentioned above, Brown welcomes in a new teammate, Julio Jones. The two could turn out to be the best WR tandem in the league this season. Before the Jones trade, Brown’s stock was at an all-time high, as he appeared to be a possible top-5 fantasy WR this season. He sits at No. 9 simply because of his new teammate in town. Nonetheless, Brown has higher upside and an already proven connection with Ryan Tannehill. He’s also coming off a WR12 finish where he played in 14 of the 16 games last season. 

Brown’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 87 receptions, 1,322 yards, 9 touchdowns

Rushing: 1 carry, 7 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 272.9 PPR Points

8) Keenan Allen – Los Angeles Chargers

One of the most underrated WRs in the league is playing in the same offense as one of the best, young, QBs in the league, Justin Herbert. Although he missed two regular season games last season, he still managed to break the 100-reception mark for the second season in a row. Last year, he finished as the WR13, and in the three years prior, he finished inside the top-10 consecutively. Expect a similar outcome this season as he now has one full season playing alongside his young QB. It also helps that he’s clearly the team’s top pass-catcher…BY A MILE!

Allen’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 109 receptions, 1,243 yards, 8 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 14 yards, 1 fumble

Fantasy Points: 281.7 PPR Points

7) D.K. Metcalf – Seattle Seahawks 

Metcalf made the Year 2 jump last season by increasing his receptions by 25, his receiving yards by 403, and his receiving touchdowns by three from his rookie season. He finished as the WR7, but he was on pace to finish higher than that before the end of “let Russ cook.” Between Weeks 1 and 12, he served as the WR3. This is an indication of what his ceiling could be. The only reason why he isn’t in the top-5 of these rankings is because he plays on the same team as Tyler Lockett. 

Metcalf’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 88 receptions, 1,373 yards, 10 touchdowns

Rushing: 1 carry, 3 yards, 2 fumbles

Fantasy Points: 283.6 PPR Points

6) Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings

There’s all this chatter about WRs taking the big leap in their second season, but Jefferson decided to take the leap after his second week in the league. He broke the rookie season record for receiving yards in a debut year (1,400), and he finished as the WR6 on the season. If you take away his first two games (five receptions for 70 yards combined), he was simply dominant. Between Weeks 3 and 17, he served as the WR4 with six different weeks of posting more than 20 PPR points. It was a season to remember, and he should undoubtedly continue where he left off. 

Jefferson’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 96 receptions, 1,397 yards, 8 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 283.7 PPR Points

5) Calvin Ridley – Atlanta Falcons

Ridley played alongside Julio Jones last season, and he still managed to finish as the WR5. Sure, he may see more double-teams this season, but he saw a ton last season because Jones missed seven games. In those seven games, Ridley averaged 22.1 PPR points per game. He’s going to see an increase in targets with Jones gone as well, and the depth behind him at the WR position is thin. Expect a huge season once again, and expect a top-5 finish from the fourth-year pro. 

Ridley’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 102 receptions, 1,499 yards, 8 touchdowns

Rushing: 5 carries, 29 yards

Fantasy Points: 302.8 PPR Points

4) DeAndre Hopkins – Arizona Cardinals 

There was the thought that Hopkins going to Arizona last season could lead to a decrease in production. WRONG! Nuke tied a career high in receptions (115), and he finished as a top-5 receiver for the fourth season in a row (WR4 last season). Arizona signed A.J. Green this offseason to compliment Hopkins and Christian Kirk at the WR position. They also drafted Rondale Moore, but these additions should only help Hopkins in the receiving game. If Green plays anything like he did from three seasons ago, defenses won’t be able to double-cover Hopkins, and that could lead to disaster. Expect a great season once again, and at this point, it would come as a HUGE surprise if he didn’t land inside the top-5 for the fifth straight year. 

Hopkins’ 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 119 receptions, 1,444 yards, 7 touchdowns

Rushing: 1 carry, 4 yards, 2 fumbles

Fantasy Points: 303.8 PPR Points

3) Stefon Diggs – Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen’s MVP candidate season came out of nowhere last year. Because he took such a big leap forward, Stefon Diggs became the beneficiary to his success. Diggs finished as the WR3 last season, and that’s exactly where he projects to be this season. He posted a career high in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in his first year in Buffalo. He also finished first in the league in all three categories as well. Don’t be surprised if he finishes as the WR1, but for now, we have him ranked third in our rankings. 

Diggs’ 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 114 receptions, 1,528 yards, 11 touchdowns

Rushing: 2 carries, 15 yards, 3 fumbles

Fantasy Points: 331.3 PPR Points

2) Tyreek Hill – Kansas City Chiefs

Hill and the player listed ahead of him on this list are pretty much interchangeable. Their ADPs (average draft position) sit 10th and 12th thus far (Hill at 10th). Now with the news of Adams’ QB, Aaron Rodgers, coming back this season, Hill slips a little lower than him in our rankings. Nonetheless, you can’t go wrong with selecting one over the other. Last season, the speedster finished second in the league in receiving touchdowns (15), and he averaged 21.9 PPR points per game. With one of the most talented QBs throwing him passes (Patrick Mahomes), Hill almost automatically finishes as a WR1 each and every week. 

Hill’s 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 101 receptions, 1,505 yards, 12 touchdowns 

Rushing: 13 carries, 87 yards, 1 touchdown

Fantasy Points: 338.2 PPR Points

1) Davante Adams – Green Bay Packers

Last week, Adams would not had been the top ranked WR on this list. As mentioned above, Rodgers is back for at least one more season in Green Bay, and Adams should continue his dominance once again this season. Think about his 2020 season for a second. He finished as the WR1, led the league in receiving touchdowns (18), and posted a career high in receptions (115) in 14 GAMES! At that production rate, his 16 game pace would have resulted in him hauling in about 131 receptions for 1,570 yards and just under 21 receiving touchdowns. There’s no way he won’t be one of the top fantasy receivers once again this season as long as he stays healthy. 

Adams’ 2021 Prediction

Receiving: 121 receptions, 1,476 yards, 14 touchdowns

Fantasy Points: 352.6 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!