RADIO
Mo Aneizi walks through all 32 teams in the NFL and predicts which pass-catcher will be their WR1 in the 2024 fantasy football season. Read the WR outlooks here.
Fantasy football draft season is almost here! With plenty of offseason moves to give teams some new looks in 2024, fantasy managers must keep tabs on how some depth charts will deviate from years past and which players we can expect to produce as a result.
Today, we will walk through ALL 32 teams and project which wide receiver has the best chance of leading the way for their respective squad this upcoming season.
Who is the current WR1 on each NFL team? Let's dive in!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings (redraft)
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
- 2025 NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr.
While rookies tend to struggle out of the gate, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s resume and talent might make him the exception to the rule.
Arizona’s WRs struggled for most of the 2023 season with QB Kyler Murray’s extended absence, with no wideout going for more than 600 yards receiving.
After back-to-back seasons with 1,200+ plus yards and 14+ touchdowns at Ohio State, he provides a much-needed spark to this offense and can very much make a case to become the next great WR in the NFL.
With Arizona investing such high draft capital in Harrison, it’s clear that he’s in the team's immediate plans to provide help for Murray and help compete for a postseason berth.
Combining that with his generational talent, it’s likely that he’ll hit the ground running in his rookie campaign and quickly become Murray’s top guy in 2024.
Atlanta Falcons - Drake London
London has yet to fully break out, failing to surpass 1,000 yards and catch over four receiving touchdowns in each of his first two seasons, respectively. He now gets paired up with QB Kirk Cousins, who has been a revelation for star WRs, helping WR Justin Jefferson go for 1,400+ yards in their first three seasons together.
Drake London is gonna go nuclear with an accurate quarterback this season. pic.twitter.com/meYWfgNvyW
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) June 4, 2024
While London doesn’t have all the same traits as Jefferson, he’s far and away the most talented WR the Falcons currently have and is now being paired with a QB who can finally find him the ball and hopefully a coaching staff that recognizes his talent to go along with it.
Cousins and London make for a great tandem, and we will likely see a career year out of London in this new-look Falcons offense.
Baltimore Ravens - Zay Flowers
After a long history of whiffing on WR draft picks, the Ravens may have found their guy in WR Zay Flowers.
Flowers reeled in 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns last season, with his high-end speed quickly making him a favored target for QB Lamar Jackson. His creativity and ability to find open space paired extremely well with Jackson’s ability to scramble and make plays off-script.
I am going to be ahead of consensus on Zay Flowers if he maintains his current ADP.
It is hard to imagine Baltimore not expanding his role in year two- regardless of target competition.
Flowers is a weapon and a target earner. pic.twitter.com/ajvvsomaAC
— TheOGfantasyfootball (@TheOGfantasy) July 9, 2024
Baltimore will likely continue to mix in a heavy dosage of the run game, with free-agent acquisition Derrick Henry leading the charge. Not to forget that Jackson’s favorite target in the receiving game hasn’t been a receiver at all, but three-time Pro Bowl TE Mark Andrews.
While Baltimore’s offense is extremely multi-faceted, it’s a safe bet that Flowers will lead the way for this receiving corps again in 2024.
Buffalo Bills - Keon Coleman
After losing both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason, the Bills reloaded in this year’s draft, taking Florida State WR Keon Coleman with the first pick of the second round.
Known for his excellent size and strong hands, Coleman’s skill set pairs up extremely well with his new QB Josh Allen’s arm strength and ability to make throws off-platform.
Keon Coleman Year 1 with #Buffalo should be fun 😈 pic.twitter.com/ob15zMbPJv
— 🦬Buffalo Bern🦬 (@buffmafia_716) July 10, 2024
Buffalo’s other projected starting WRs are Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel, neither of whom have ever had a season with 875+ receiving yards in their career.
While filling the void of losing Diggs and Davis might take another offseason or two, Coleman is set up for success to become WR1 in Buffalo this season.
Carolina Panthers - Diontae Johnson
The Carolina Panthers added WR Diontae Johnson to provide QB Bryce Young with some additional support after the team’s abysmal 2023 campaign.
Johnson showed flashes of elite WR play in Pittsburgh but started to fade near the end of his tenure, with his best season coming in 2021 when he reeled in 1,161 yards on 107 receptions and eight touchdowns.
A fresh start in Carolina can help him get back on track, and his route running and strong hands will be a much-needed boost to this Panthers offense that finished dead last in passing in 2023.
Diontae Johnson is literally Adam Thielen with juice
He should have a big bounce back year with Canales as HC and Bryce Young under centerpic.twitter.com/ax5xTV4Ibg
— Snoog’s Dynasty Society (@FFSnoog) June 17, 2024
He’ll compete with WR Adam Thielen for the top spot, but with Thielen now being the oldest WR in the league, Johnson is the safer bet to become the main guy for Young this season.
Chicago Bears - DJ Moore
With a roster that looks almost completely different after the draft, the Chicago Bears are ready to begin the Caleb Williams era.
Chicago wasted no time assuring that Williams had the support he needed in terms of weapons, acquiring Washington WR Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick and trading for veteran WR Keenan Allen from the Chargers.
With that said, it was DJ Moore who provided a huge spark for Chicago last season, reeling in 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with it.
DJ Moore was incredible last year
only player with more 25+ yard catches was Tyreek
21 - Tyreek
16 - DJ Moore, Brandon Aiyuk
15 - Justin Jefferson, A.J. BrownMoore had career highs in catches, yards & TDs despite playing in the lackluster CHI offensepic.twitter.com/66fKpBfmgy
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 15, 2024
While there is a change at QB, Moore has the familiarity with the coaching staff and system and came into his own in 2023. Fantasy managers can expect him to have that repeated success again this season.
Cincinnati Bengals - Ja'Marr Chase
The connection and chemistry between QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja'Marr Chase is quickly becoming the gold standard of QB/WR relationships in the NFL.
Coming off his third consecutive 1,000+ yard season in 2023 when he reeled in 100 receptions for 1,216 yards, Chase has seen early production at a rate we aren’t accustomed to seeing in the league.
JAMARR CHASE IS RIDICULOUS! pic.twitter.com/eEVmipQ9QQ
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 30, 2023
With WR Tee Higgins officially in the fold for Cincinnati after signing off on his franchise tag, this stacked Bengals offense can count on the continuity it has had in previous seasons.
With all that in mind, it looks like it’s all systems go for Chase in 2024. Fantasy managers can expect him to cruise into another productive season as he looks to find a big payday like his LSU teammate Justin Jefferson has.
Cleveland Browns - Amari Cooper
After a roller coaster of a season, the Browns look to go back to normal with starting QB Deshaun Watson returning from a shoulder injury that ended his season in Week 10 of 2023.
Coming off of an impressive 1,250-yard campaign, Cooper is showing he can still get it done regardless of his QB situation and has quietly remained one of the elite WRs in the league.
Amari Cooper is coming off a career high 1250 yards last year.
Hesitation on contract length would make sense if Cooper showed signs of slowing down.
Instead, Amari has sped up.
Sign him. 📝 pic.twitter.com/BnQOca85nC
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) July 3, 2024
The Browns did acquire WR Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos this offseason, who may rival Cooper for the lead spot, but Cooper’s track record of consistency and production makes it hard to pick against him in a spot like this.
Dallas Cowboys - CeeDee Lamb
Although there are some looming contract complications as Lamb enters the last year of his rookie deal, all signs point to him being available this season for Dallas.
Lamb had his best season yet in 2023 and quietly finished just 50 yards behind Tyreek Hill for the league leader in receiving yards, reeling in 1,749 on 135 total receptions.
There is no other receiver in the NFL making this catch. Not one. CeeDee Lamb is in a league of his own.#Cowboys pic.twitter.com/gLBCicn2Js
— Ernie The Cowboys Fan (@es3_09) July 11, 2024
Coming off a season where he was the most-targeted receiver in all of football, the former Sooner is a comfortable pick to lead the Cowboys once again in 2024.
Denver Broncos - Courtland Sutton
The Russell Wilson era in Denver was underwhelming and short-lived, and now the Broncos are looking at either rookie Bo Nix or former second overall pick Zach Wilson to lead the franchise moving forward.
Regardless of who the starting QB will be, it’s a safe guess that Sutton will likely be the favored target for either option. Sutton led all pass-catchers for Denver last season, reeling in 90 catches for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has shown the ability to produce in less-than-ideal circumstances at QB.
Courtland Sutton is the WR46 in ESPN leagues.
Sutton is projected for 115+ targets.
Make it make sense. pic.twitter.com/ATPkRycpzu
— Moody (@EricNMoody) July 9, 2024
The Broncos also traded away WR Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, the only other option at the position who rivaled Sutton in total productivity. While they did look to reload with the additions of Josh Reynolds in free agency and Troy Franklin in the draft, it looks like Sutton will once again lead the way in 2024.
Detroit Lions - Amon-Ra St. Brown
Coming off their most successful season in over 50 years, the Lions clicked on almost all cylinders in 2023, with a main driving force being WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.
St. Brown reeled in 119 catches for 1,515 and 10 touchdowns, which ranked him in the top five of each category amongst receivers last season.
Amon Ra St. Brown last season:
16 Games
119 Receptions
1,515 Yards
10 TD’s
668 YAC
1st-team All Pro
Pro BowlerPredict St. Brown’s 2024 stat line below ⬇️ #OnePride
— Crunch Time Sports (@officialctpod) May 7, 2024
The Lions had the luxury of retaining OC Ben Johnson, who passed on several head-coaching considerations to help this Detroit squad fully break through and contend for a Super Bowl next season.
With QB Jared Goff playing some of the best ball of his career, it’s fair to expect St. Brown to continue solidifying himself as one of the best receivers in football again in 2024.
Green Bay Packers - Jayden Reed
The future is looking bright for Green Bay, with its first season of the Jordan Love era landing it a spot in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs in a game it would just narrowly lose to the eventual NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
Alongside Love’s success, the Packers gained a ton of production from their young receiving corps, with the likes of Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Christian Watson leading the way.
Reed led all three in his rookie campaign, reeling in 64 catches for 793 yards and eight total touchdowns. Doubs and Watson closely followed, but Reed’s speed and YAC ability ultimately put him over the top.
From Weeks 10-18, Jayden Reed averaged 14.81 fantasy PPG (.5 PPR) & finished as a WR1 (top-12) in 50% of these games.
He also had 8 or more targets in 4 of the last 6 games to close out the season.
Don't Reed too deep into it... Jayden is GB's WR1.✍️
— Joe Beldner (@JoeBeldner) July 9, 2024
While it’s arguably Watson who is pound for pound the most talented receiver in the group, his struggles with injuries in his first few seasons make it difficult to designate him the choice as WR1 for Green Bay in 2024.
Houston Texans - Nico Collins
Speaking of exciting young teams, no team fits that bill better than the C.J. Stroud-led Houston Texans. After an impressive 10-7 regular season and an AFC South title, the Texans showed they’re far ahead of schedule on a rebuild that many expected to take years.
The WR room is even more loaded now than before, adding veteran WR Stefon Diggs to the mix. A receiving corps consisting of Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell makes for arguably one of the best in the league at the position.
Pushing my chips all the way in on Nico Collins in 2024
- one of the most efficient seasons in NFL history in 2024
- tied to a (potentially) generational QB
- still extremely young, could continue to be on a rapid upward trajectory talent-wise https://t.co/lCc27ZYaSn
— Sam Sherman (@Sherman_FFB) July 10, 2024
Dell was a favored target for Stroud early in the season, racking up 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Then it was Collins who fully broke out, finishing the season just shy of 1,300 yards on 80 catches.
While it looks like Dell will be ready to go come the start of next season, the tail end of last season showed that Stroud is extremely comfortable targeting Collins, and fantasy managers can expect that to continue into next season. That being said, when a position group has this much talent, it’s hard to expect that any one player will be head and shoulders above the rest in production.
Indianapolis Colts - Michael Pittman Jr.
A huge beneficiary of the hiring of HC Shane Steichen last offseason, Pittman Jr. saw a career year in 2023, reeling in 109 passes for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns.
Pittman Jr. saw proportionate levels of success despite the changing of the guard at the QB position when then-rookie Anthony Richardson went down with a shoulder injury and was replaced by veteran QB Gardner Minshew II.
The Colts look to return to Richardson as their starter in 2024, and fantasy managers can expect Pittman to produce accordingly. The Colts added some firepower to their WR room in the draft, picking up Texas WR Adonai Mitchell in the second round, but it still looks to be Pittman’s No. 1 spot to lose.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Christian Kirk
The Jaguars underperformed quite a bit in 2023, finishing 9-8 and missing the postseason for the second time in QB Trevor Lawrence’s three seasons in Duval.
They lost their leading receiver from last season, Calvin Ridley, to the Tennessee Titans. He accounted for 1,016 yards on 76 catches and eight touchdowns for the Jags last season.
Despite Ridley leading the stat sheet, Kirk has been a trusted target for Lawrence throughout their time together. Kirk racked up 787 yards on 57 catches in just 12 games, as he missed extended time due to a groin injury.
Kirk looks to be fully healthy and is a safe bet to lead the way again with Ridley’s departure. Although the Jags did gain some additional firepower in WR Gabe Davis and rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr., Davis’s track record of inconsistency and Thomas's ramp-up period in his rookie year make Kirk the best option moving forward for Lawrence and the Jags.
Kansas City Chiefs - Marquise Brown
Despite becoming the eventual Super Bowl champions in 2023, the Chiefs went through last season with gaping holes at wide receiver. They look to right that wrong by bringing in WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown from the Arizona Cardinals.
Brown’s numbers from his tenure in Arizona don’t pop off the page, as he failed to surpass 70 catches and 750 yards in either of his two seasons in Glendale. He did miss three or more games in both seasons and was also in a less-than-ideal QB situation as Kyler Murray missed time with a torn ACL.
Hollywood Brown
•Rice suspension looming
•He now plays with Patrick Mahomes
•Clear path to become Chiefs WR1
•Was a fantasy WR1 with a healthy Kylerpic.twitter.com/DZLRX7raTm— Nick Guglielmo (@NextLvl_Fantasy) July 8, 2024
He now gets to catch passes from the best QB in football and joins a team that was desperate for some additional help at the position. While the Chiefs did see an eventual breakout from WR Rashee Rice, he will likely be facing a lengthy suspension in the 2024 season, which solidifies the path for Brown to lead the way.
Miami Dolphins - Tyreek Hill
The 2023 receiving yard leader, Tyreek Hill, will look for repeat success with the Dolphins in 2024. HC Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme, paired with QB Tua Tagovailoa's accuracy and quick release, has fully unlocked Hill’s capabilities, a scary sight for the rest of the league.
Racking up almost 1,800 yards last year, Hill posted an astonishing 112.4 yards per game average with 29 “big” yardage plays (receptions of 20+ yards).
76 seconds of Tyreek Hill running right past dudes pic.twitter.com/ikRmgMl9hm
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) June 23, 2024
There are plenty of mouths to feed down in Miami Gardens, though, with third-year WR Jaylen Waddle coming off a 1,014 receiving yard season and the free-agent signing of veteran WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Defenses struggled mightily to contain the speed of both Waddle and Hill, so depending on defensive game planning, we could see a world where Waddle sees a higher volume as teams try to limit Hill. But all in all, Hill will likely lead the way again for the Fins in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings - Justin Jefferson
Now the highest-paid WR ever, Jefferson gears up for a new era in Minnesota where either rookie J.J. McCarthy or former third overall pick Sam Darnold will lead the charge.
Despite playing just 10 games last season and losing starting QB Kirk Cousins to injury, Jefferson still managed a 1,000+ receiving yard season, a feat he’s accomplished all four years he’s been in the NFL.
Only 2 players have hit 5,000+ receiving yards before turning 25 years old.
• Justin Jefferson
• Randy MossThat’s it pic.twitter.com/2sS2tX6jPb
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) June 30, 2024
It will be interesting to see how Jefferson’s high-level production that we’ve become accustomed to may fluctuate in Cousins’ absence, but there is little doubt that the $140 million man will lead the way for Minnesota again this season.
New Orleans Saints - Chris Olave
After an underwhelming 2023 campaign, the Saints are running it back with QB Derek Carr and hoping for more success in 2024.
One bright spot on the offensive side of the ball is third-year WR Chris Olave, who racked up 1,123 yards on 87 receptions and five touchdowns last season. Despite his elite production last season, plenty of stats were left on the table, as he ranked third in total unrealized air yards in all of football.
Chris Olave just did THAT.pic.twitter.com/OEQxquJmma
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 7, 2024
Olave was the 12th-most-targeted receiver in 2023, becoming a favored target for Carr with his quick feet and body control. Although the Saints saw a career year out of WR Rashid Shaheed in 2023, expect Olave to continue his ascension as an elite receiver and run it back for New Orleans again in 2024.
New England Patriots - Demario Douglas
The Patriots are set to begin the post-Belichick era, hiring HC Jerod Mayo as his successor and acquiring UNC QB Drake Maye in this year’s draft to become the team’s next franchise QB.
One area of improvement is New England’s passing offense, a bottom-5 unit in all of football last year with no pass-catcher surpassing 600 yards on the season.
It was Douglas who surprisingly took the WR1 role, racking up 561 total yards on 49 catches in 14 games played. The former sixth-round draft pick quickly took the team’s starting slot receiver role with his route-running ability and high-end speed.
Drake Maye on DeMario Douglas:
“Pop reminds me a lot of a guy I played with in college, Josh Downs. They do a lot of the same things: can’t guard them in a phone booth, they’re twitchy.” pic.twitter.com/3373AezdiW
— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) June 5, 2024
Douglas will compete closely with rookie WR Ja'Lynn Polk, as the Pats picked him up in this year’s draft, and the two can help New England get back on track.
New York Giants - Malik Nabers
Another product of this loaded WR class, Nabers finds himself in a bottom-2 passing offense from the 2023 season in the New York Giants.
Nabers provides a ton of talent to this lacking WR room, coming off a season in Death Valley where he grabbed 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns from Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels.
Nabers is a do-it-all receiving prospect, bringing speed, route running, strong hands, and solid vertical skills to this offense.
Every Malik Nabers TD from 2023: pic.twitter.com/r79WBTTU9A
— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) July 1, 2024
While he is the most talented receiver in the room, the Giants still have receivers like Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and Allen Robinson II who can all bring some production to the table.
It will be interesting to see how the rotation of all these players shakes out, but it’ll likely be Nabers who leads the way and lives up to the reputation that LSU receivers have earned in the NFL.
New York Jets - Garrett Wilson
Football fans everywhere were robbed of watching the Aaron Rodgers/Garrett Wilson connection in the 2023 season, but Rodgers looks to be all ready to roll for 2024.
Wilson has strung together back-to-back seasons with 1,000+ yards in his rookie and sophomore campaigns, despite having some of the worst QB play in the league during that span.
Aaron Rodgers ➡️ Garrett Wilson pic.twitter.com/0BzCrlpxuR
— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) May 20, 2024
The Jets did bring in WR Mike Williams in free agency, a veteran who can help stretch opposing defenses with his big-play ability, but it will likely be Wilson who serves as the go-to possession receiver throughout the season.
He’s already shown flashes of greatness in his young career, but it looks like the best is yet to come for Wilson and the Jets.
Tennessee Titans - DeAndre Hopkins
The Titans brought some established names into their offense this offseason, acquiring RB Tony Pollard from the Cowboys and WR Calvin Ridley from the Jaguars.
It looks like Tennessee is confident in the abilities of second-year QB Will Levis, who took the reins as the team’s starter in Week 7 of last season. In his first start, Levis connected with Hopkins on four catches for 128 yards and three (!) touchdowns.
VINTAGE DEANDRE HOPKINS
THREE TDS TODAY
pic.twitter.com/9Fz7Qk9tQ1— PFF (@PFF) October 29, 2023
The tandem finished out the season connecting for 615 total yards on 39 passes and six touchdowns.
One could also make the case for Ridley to potentially become the No. 1 option in Nashville, but with their preexisting chemistry, it appears as if it is still Hopkins who will lay claim to that spot.
Philadelphia Eagles - A.J. Brown
No team burned out harder in the second half of the season than the Eagles did in 2023, losing five out of their last six regular-season games and exiting the playoffs in the Wild Card when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Despite an almost inexplicable falloff, the Eagles continued to rely on WR A.J. Brown to produce, something he’s done at a high level since he was traded to Philly on draft night in 2022.
Brown has now had back-to-back seasons with 1,400+ yards and finished in the top 10 in yards, receptions, targets, and target share in the 2023 campaign.
After the tier of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Ceedee Lamb…
AJ Brown is easily the best WR value that can give you WR1 overall production and give you massive spike weeks 🎯pic.twitter.com/1QumD2DdbY
— Snoog’s Dynasty Society (@FFSnoog) May 28, 2024
Despite Philly being a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of passing volume, Brown has still managed to carve out production at an elite level.
QB Jalen Hurts has plenty of other weapons at his disposal with the likes of WR DeVonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert, and now RB Saquon Barkley, but it’ll be the former Ole Miss Rebel who claims the lead spot again in 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers - George Pickens
A new era begins in Pittsburgh after acquiring QB Russell Wilson in a trade and shipping out former first-round QB Kenny Pickett.
The Steelers' passing offense has struggled as of late, finishing eighth last season in total passing yards. Despite the lack of success through the air, WR George Pickens has produced at an elite level.
Pickens finished with 1,140 yards on 63 catches and five touchdowns last season and earned himself the top spot in yards per reception with 18.1.
Still wondering how George Pickens makes these catches look normal 😮 pic.twitter.com/Th2HwwKQUX
— NFL (@NFL) June 4, 2024
Now with Wilson in and their second leading receiver from last season in Diontae Johnson out, Pickens is set up for another big season for the black and yellow.
Wilson has helped elevate plenty of receivers in his 13 seasons and most recently found success with another athletic, big-body receiver in DK Metcalf.
If Wilson can return to the form we saw in Seattle, the tandem of him and Pickens can sneakily be one of the better duos in the league.
Las Vegas Raiders - Davante Adams
The Raiders caught a bit of a second wind in the tail half of the 2023 season, finishing 5-4 in their last nine games after interim HC Antonio Pierce became the full-time head man.
One area of stability was Adams, who finished the season with 1,144 yards on 103 receptions and eight total touchdowns for the black and silver.
Adams saw some of the highest volumes in all of football last season, finishing third in snap share, second in target share and targets, and first in route participation with a whopping 100% participation rate.
No ankles are safe when guarding @tae15adams one-on-one 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/CzmbDBaRHi
— NFL (@NFL) May 24, 2024
With the addition of free-agent QB Gardner Minshew II, the QB position in Vegas remains unclear, but recent reports tilt the scales in favor of QB Aidan O'Connell getting another crack at QB1 in 2024.
Regardless of the quarterback situation, Adams is ready to put his name back in the mix as the best receiver in all of football and will surely lead the stat sheet for Vegas in 2024.
Los Angeles Rams - Puka Nacua
Rams WR Puka Nacua had arguably one of the greatest rookie receiver seasons of all time in 2023, racking up the most receptions in a rookie season with 105, the most yards by a rookie with 1,486, and the most receptions by a rookie in a game with 15.
The fifth-round draft pick was paired up alongside former triple-crown winner Cooper Kupp and filled the role as the No. 1 option almost seamlessly when Kupp missed the early portion of the regular season due to injury.
As long as Puka Nacua is tied to Stafford in a McVay system, fantasy points are going to pour in.
The quickness, IQ, strength, and route running is going to make him versatile with use of motion.
On pace to crush rookie record, easy top 10 Dynasty WR…pic.twitter.com/vPocWSlNXE
— Snoog’s Dynasty Society (@FFSnoog) December 26, 2023
With Kupp now having back-to-back seasons of playing 12 or fewer games, fantasy managers can expect Nacua’s availability to keep him on top of the Rams’ stats sheet this upcoming season.
Los Angeles Chargers - Quentin Johnston
The Chargers cleaned house after a disappointing 5-12 showing last season and eventually won the Jim Harbaugh sweepstakes as the 2023 national championship-winning head coach took up the vacancy in L.A.
The WR room also underwent a bit of an overhaul, trading away Keenan Allen to Chicago and letting Mike Williams walk to the Jets in free agency. They did look to recoup their losses, grabbing former Georgia WR Ladd McConkey in the second round of this year’s draft.
The name to keep an eye on will be second-year receiver Quentin Johnston, who struggled a bit in his rookie campaign, reeling in just 431 yards on 38 receptions and two touchdowns despite playing the second-most snaps of the entire WR room.
Quentin Johnston
•1st round pick talent
•Weak WR competition
•Justin Herbert is his QB
•He averaged 19.0 yards per catch in college
•Chargers need play makers & he will get plenty of opportunities pic.twitter.com/LDper7KoRA— Nick Guglielmo (@NextLvl_Fantasy) July 3, 2024
Regardless of an underwhelming rookie season, Johnston remains a talented prospect, with his speed, length, and separation abilities all showing themselves throughout last season.
With his preexisting chemistry with QB Justin Herbert, his first-season woes behind him, and a big need at the position for L.A., the stars are aligned for Johnston to take center stage for the Bolts this upcoming season.
Seattle Seahawks - DK Metcalf
Metcalf was the only receiver who surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in 2023 for Seattle, finishing the season with 1,114 yards on 66 receptions and eight touchdowns.
Surprisingly enough, Metcalf was the second-most-targeted receiver for the Seahawks, with his 119 targets falling just short of WR Tyler Lockett’s 122 targets that netted him 894 receiving yards this past season.
DK Metcalf is currently being drafted as the WR24.
His last 4 seasons:
🔵 WR16
🟢 WR18
🔵 WR11
🟢 WR6MAKE IT MAKE SENSE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/737NEV5yXa
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 10, 2024
Despite a rather even split of targets, Metcalf's size and vertical make him a more viable option in all areas of the field, specifically 50/50 balls as opposed to his counterparts in Lockett and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who don’t have the advantage of Metcalf’s size and physicality.
The Seahawks WR room in 2024 is quietly one of the better units in the league, so it will be interesting to see how production is split up, but Metcalf would be the safe bet to lead the way.
San Francisco 49ers - Brandon Aiyuk
While there are tons of offseason rumors about where Aiyuk will play in 2024, for now, he’s still a 49er. If that’s the case, he will be their lead man this season.
Aiyuk crushed his 2023 season, raking in a career-best 1,342 receiving yards on 75 catches and seven touchdowns.
The 49ers offense remains loaded on offensive talent, and QB Brock Purdy’s execution of HC Kyle Shanahan’s offense gets all parties involved, making way for many of the big names like Aiyuk, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Christian McCaffrey to produce at elite levels.
Brandon Aiyuk cooked Trevon Diggs 😳pic.twitter.com/8WjK5YeH1O
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) January 16, 2022
With Samuel remaining involved in the running game to a degree, Aiyuk remains the top option at WR and will look to find repeat success atop the Niners' passing game in 2024.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mike Evans
No team has quietly outperformed expectations like the Bucs, who turned to former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield and watched him lead them all the way to the Divisional Round of last season’s playoffs.
One mainstay in Tampa has been the dominance of Evans, who finished with 1,255 yards on 79 receptions and 13 touchdowns in 2023. This marks his second-highest career receiving total and the 10th season in a row he’s eclipsed 1,000 yards.
Most rec TD over last 10 seasons
1st-tm All Pros
Davante Adams 95 3
Mike Evans 94 0
Tyreek Hill 76 5
DeAndre Hopkins 76 3
Travis Kelce 74 4 pic.twitter.com/98EWR27Jd3— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) July 5, 2024
Tampa did suffer some brain drain in losing OC Dave Canales to the Carolina Panthers, meaning regression is a possible outcome for the Bucs in 2024.
But as we’ve seen for the last decade, Evans is the guy down in Tampa no matter what.
Washington Commanders - Terry McLaurin
The Commanders look to start a new chapter after acquiring Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. While Washington fans are wondering if he’s its next franchise QB, fantasy managers are wondering if Terry McLaurin finally has a QB who can fully unlock his skill set.
McLaurin has spent his five-year career with some less-than-ideal quarterback scenarios, yet the former Buckeye has still managed to put together four consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons for Washington.
Most recently, he finished with 1,002 yards on 79 receptions and four touchdowns last season. He was another usage monster, logging a 100% route participation rate and running the second-most routes in all of football with 639.
Fantasy BREAKOUTS for 2024: Terry McLaurin
🗣️: @daverichard pic.twitter.com/MxSHI4QF0V
— Fantasy Football Today (@FFToday) July 11, 2024
With a brand-new coaching staff and QB, fantasy managers might see McLaurin finally take that next step that fans know he is capable of. Expect him to become the No. 1 guy for Daniels and Co. in 2024.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis
