Wide receiver is loaded with high-end options, but there’s plenty to argue about once you get past the top couple of names. Ja’Marr Chase holds down the WR1 spot, with Puka Nacua right behind him, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Amon-Ra St. Brown both crack the top four ahead of Justin Jefferson.
That’s where things start to get interesting. Is Drake London really a top-five fantasy receiver? How far should Jefferson fall? And can George Pickens build on his breakout enough to justify WR11? You can see where every wide receiver stacks up against the rest of the player pool in PFN’s overall PPR rankings, then test out different draft-day approaches with the PFN fantasy mock draft simulator.
Note: These rankings are a combination of both our fantasy experts, Kyle Soppe and Jason Katz.
Preseason Fantasy WR Rankings
1) Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
2) Puka Nacua | LAR
3) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
4) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
5) Justin Jefferson | MIN
6) CeeDee Lamb | DAL
7) Drake London | ATL
8) Nico Collins | HOU
9) A.J. Brown | NE
10) Malik Nabers | NYG
11) George Pickens | DAL
12) Rashee Rice | KC
13) Chris Olave | NO
14) Zay Flowers | BAL
15) Tee Higgins | CIN
16) Jaylen Waddle | DEN
17) DeVonta Smith | PHI
18) Ladd McConkey | LAC
19) Emeka Egbuka | TB
20) Terry McLaurin | WAS
21) Tetairoa McMillan | CAR
22) Garrett Wilson | NYJ
23) Luther Burden III | CHI
24) Parker Washington | JAX
25) Christian Watson | GB
26) Jameson Williams | DET
27) Rome Odunze | CHI
28) Carnell Tate | TEN
29) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
30) DJ Moore | BUF
31) Davante Adams | LAR
32) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX
33) DK Metcalf | PIT
34) Stefon Diggs | WAS
35) Quentin Johnston | LAC
36) Mike Evans | SF
37) Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT
38) Josh Downs | IND
39) Jakobi Meyers | JAX
40) Jayden Reed | GB
41) Michael Wilson | ARI
42) Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN
43) Courtland Sutton | DEN
44) Chris Godwin Jr. | TB
45) Makai Lemon | PHI
46) Khalil Shakir | BUF
47) Jordan Addison | MIN
48) Rashid Shaheed | SEA
49) De’Zhaun Stribling | SF
50) Romeo Doubs | NE
51) Alec Pierce | IND
52) Xavier Worthy | KC
53) KC Concepcion | CLE
54) Jordyn Tyson | NO
55) Matthew Golden | GB
56) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF
57) Jalen Coker | CAR
58) Travis Hunter | JAX
59) Jalen McMillan | TB
60) Jerry Jeudy | CLE
61) Tre Tucker | LV
62) Ryan Flournoy | DAL
63) Jauan Jennings | MIN
64) Jalen Nailor | LV
65) Tre’ Harris | LAC
66) Keenan Allen | IND
67) Denzel Boston | CLE
68) Adonai Mitchell | NYJ
69) Tank Dell | HOU
70) Omar Cooper Jr. | NYJ
71) Jaylin Noel | HOU
72) Pat Bryant | DEN
73) Dontayvion Wicks | PHI
74) Kayshon Boutte | HOU
75) Troy Franklin | DEN
Should I Draft Drake London in Fantasy Football?
I’m on board. This is pretty clearly one of the most talented players at the position that can win at all three levels. Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts give this offense the type of firepower it takes to have this team in scoring position enough to fuel touchdown equity, and we have a four-year sample of London not struggling to earn volume (497 targets in 62 career games).
In theory, the QB plan can’t get worse than it has been for the Falcons and their WR1 was able to overcome that to finish as a top-5 PPR receiver in one-third of his games. That’s a monster number and one that has a chance at repeating should they find a way to scheme around Tua Tagovailoa’s strengths.
His quick strike pass style could further elevate this already strong profile as London’s YAC average has increased in each of the past two seasons. His aDOT has fallen in the 11-12-yard range for all four seasons of his career, so I think it’s safe to assume that there will be some vertical designs directed his way to fuel the upside.
There’s no denying that WRs in this range have better QB play at their disposal, but the combination of skill set and role is tough to overlook when you’re on the clock in the middle of the second round.
In practice, I don’t have a ton of London, but that’s more a result of roster construction. If I select a Tier 1 receiver in the first round, I’m typically prioritizing a running back in the middle of Round 2 (Chase Brown or Kenneth Walker for example). I haven’t loved the end result of WR-WR builds, and that’s why my London exposure is low to date, not because of a lack of faith in the type of numbers he can produce.
Should I Draft Emeka Egbuka in Fantasy Football?
Through five weeks last season, Egbuka looked like a league winner. He was averaging over 20 fantasy points per game and giving anyone who drafted him an enormous edge every single week.
Then everything fell apart. It was a confluence of factors rather than one clean explanation. His play slipped. He tweaked a hamstring and played through it, which noticeably hampered him the rest of the way. From Week 6 onward, Egbuka averaged just 10.4 PPG and was essentially unstartable.
So who is the real Egbuka? This season will answer that question, and we are not going to know the answer in advance. That uncertainty is the entire story with him.
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The good news is that his situation improved in a big way. Mike Evans is gone, which vacates an enormous pile of targets, and Egbuka is the clear favorite to lead this team in looks. Chris Godwin will be plenty involved, but he is 30 years old with a lengthy injury history. That is not the kind of target competition that keeps me up at night.
The quarterback context matters too. Baker Mayfield was not healthy last season after sustaining a left shoulder injury, and it clearly affected him. He sailed a lot of easy throws well above his receivers’ heads. A healthier Mayfield should lift the entire Tampa Bay offense, and Egbuka is positioned to be the biggest beneficiary.
Then there is the macro data, which I tend to trust. Egbuka cleared 900 receiving yards as a rookie, and receivers who hit that mark historically carry a very strong success rate. That bucket is one of the more reliable predictive signals we have at the position, and it argues strongly that the hot start was closer to the truth than the cold finish.
There is one immediate wrinkle worth flagging. Egbuka is dealing with a toe sprain, and I think there is a decent chance it lingers into the regular season and costs him the first week or two. That is not enough to push him down my board, but it is a real consideration for anyone drafting soon.
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Egbuka is my WR20 against a WR17 ADP, which is a modest disagreement rather than a fade. His price is fair, and he is a player I am perfectly fine taking at cost.
The reason I rarely end up with him is simpler than any of the above. There are multiple receivers going after Egbuka that I have ranked ahead of him, so the board almost always points me elsewhere.
