Admin August 16, 2024
Fantasy Football Insights: Top Picks & Injury Concerns 2024
These players could make or break your 2024 fantasy football season.
SportsGrid
Wide receiver has become one of the most important positions in fantasy football.
In full-PPR (point per reception) leagues, five of the top 15 fantasy football players in 2023 were wide receivers, per FantasyPros. That number shrinks in half-PPR and standard leagues, but still: More wide receivers are outscoring running backs as the NFL mostly moves away from full-time running backs.
No. 1 wide receivers are especially seeing more attention in offenses league-wide than any time in the last five years. In 2023, 10 wide receivers had at least 150 targets. In 2019, only five met that mark. Eleven receivers had at least 100 receptions in 2023 — the most out of the last five seasons — compared to just four in 2019.
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Unlike at running back, there’s more than one player in the top tier of wide receivers in fantasy football. There’s a strong consensus of the top eight players at the position, with another pair who stand out and make the top 10. Here’s how the top players rank as of Aug. 16:
2024 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings
1. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
- 2023 stats: 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, 12 touchdowns | 14 rushes, 113 yards, two touchdowns
Lamb led the league in receptions and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2023. Even with a contract dispute, Lamb should be one of the most prolific receivers in the league once again in 2024. He’s by far the top player in the Cowboys’ passing game.
2. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
- 2023 stats: 119 receptions, 1,799 yards, 13 touchdowns | six rushes, 15 yards
Hill missed a game in 2023 but still was a first-team All-Pro after leading the league in receiving yards and touchdowns for the first time in his career. This is his age-30 season, but even if Hill loses a step, he’s still one of the fastest players in the league.
3. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
- 2023 stats: 100 receptions, 1,216 yards, seven touchdowns
Chase set a career-high in receptions last season but saw his lowest touchdown total. That’s good news for half- or full-PPR leagues. Cincinnati invested in the offensive line in the offseason and Joe Burrow is healthy once again. He will be the top wideout in a strong passing attack in 2024.
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4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
- 2023 stats: 119 receptions, 1,515 yards, 10 touchdowns | four rushes, 24 yards
St. Brown was a first-team All-Pro player in 2023 after posting career-highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson stayed put in Detroit this offseason and another year of development for tight end Sam LaPorta could force opposing defenses to focus less on St. Brown in 2024.
5. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
- 2023 stats: 68 receptions, 1,074 yards, five touchdowns
Jefferson played a career-low 10 games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury but still cleared 1,000 yards with a mix of Kirk Cousins, Jaren Hall, Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. He has a new quarterback in Sam Darnold this season but should still be a top receiver in 2024.
6. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
- 2023 stats: 106 receptions, 1,456 yards, seven touchdowns
Brown set a career-high in receptions in 2023, but his production trailed off down the stretch. After Week 12, he had just one 100-yard game and zero touchdowns. Philadelphia has a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, who had an even target share in Dallas in 2021 between Lamb, Dalton Schultz, and Amari Cooper. Something similar may be in store in Philadelphia with Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert.
7. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
- 2023 stats: 95 receptions, 1,042 yards, three touchdowns
Wilson saw an increase in receptions in his second season last year. A full year of Aaron Rodgers at quarterback is what should make the big difference in 2024. If Rodgers is healthy, Wilson should produce at a much higher level than either of his first two seasons.
8. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
- 2023 stats: 105 receptions, 1,486 yards, six touchdowns | 12 rushes, 89 yards
Nacua was a breakout star in fantasy football last season. With Cooper Kupp back and healthy in training camp, that could open up more opportunity for Nacua in the passing game. After losing defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to Atlanta and future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald to retirement, the Rams will likely be in plenty of shootouts this season, boosting his outlook even more.
9. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
- 2023 stats (college): 67 receptions, 1,211 yards, 14 touchdowns | two rushes, 26 yards, one touchdown
Harrison Jr. is one of the top rookie receiver prospects in the last decade. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray enters the season healthy for the first time since 2022. He hasn’t a receiver as good as Harrison Jr. since 2020, when DeAndre Hopkins had 115 catches, 1,407 yards and six touchdowns. Harrison Jr. should shine in Arizona in Year 1.
10. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
- 2023 stats: 69 receptions, 905 yards, two touchdowns
Atlanta has a new quarterback in Cousins and a new offensive play caller in Zac Robinson, who was the quarterbacks coach with the Rams for the last two seasons. Both should be a boon for London in 2024. The new system should showcase London in Kupp/Nacua-like role and that’ll lead to career-highs in production.
Top FA safety finally signs: Falcons sign Justin Simmons in latest big-name addition
2024 Fantasy Football WR rankings
| Name | ESPN | CBS Sports | Yahoo! | NFL.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CeeDee Lamb, DAL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tyreek Hill, MIA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Ja’Marr Chase, CIN | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Justin Jefferson, MIN | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| A.J. Brown, PHI | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Drake London, ATL | 14 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Davante Adams, LVR | 10 | 17 | 10 | 12 |
| Chris Olave, NO | 9 | 11 | 12 | 19 |
| Mike Evans, TB | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 |
| Nico Collins, HOU | 16 | 16 | 17 | 13 |
| Brandon Aiyuk, SF | 18 | 19 | 14 | 11 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 23 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
| Deebo Samuel Sr., SF | 19 | 15 | 15 | 22 |
| Michael Pittman Jr., IND | 12 | 22 | 21 | 17 |
| DK Metcalf, SEA | 15 | 18 | 20 | 21 |
| Jaylen Waddle, MIA | 21 | 12 | 19 | 24 |
| DeVonta Smith, PHI | 17 | 24 | 22 | 20 |
| DJ Moore, CHI | 22 | 23 | 18 | 25 |
| George Pickens, PIT | 28 | 20 | 26 | 18 |
| Malik Nabers, NYG | 24 | 26 | 23 | 23 |
| Amari Cooper, CLE | 31 | 25 | 24 | 16 |
| Stefon Diggs, HOU | 20 | 29 | 25 | 27 |
| Tee Higgins, CIN | 27 | 21 | 30 | 28 |
| Tank Dell, HOU | 30 | 28 | 28 | 30 |
| Calvin Ridley, TEN | 26 | 30 | 35 | 26 |
| Zay Flowers, BAL | 25 | 34 | 27 | 36 |
