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After ranking my top 24 dynasty quarterbacks, it’s time to break down my top 36 dynasty wide receivers with tiers. Now that we’re starting to get a better understanding of these 2024 prospects, I’ll be adding them into this set of rankings and tiers so you can see how they stack up with the veterans. That said, below, I’ll be ranking the top 36 dynasty wide receivers and putting them into tiers with what we know right now.
Tier 1
1. Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson is the holy grail of wide receivers and for good reason. Not only is Jefferson the best receiver in real life, but he’s averaging 19.6 PPG over four seasons and he's only 24 years old. In 2023, the Vikings brought in extra target competition, Jefferson only played in 10 games, and he still scored 20.2 PPG. The only question surrounding Jefferson is his long-term quarterback play, but I believe he can finish as the WR1 in any season regardless of where he ends up.
2. CeeDee Lamb
After watching CeeDee Lamb finish as the WR1 in 2023, I’m sold on him as my dynasty WR2. What’s most encouraging is that Lamb has improved every season and just took a massive leap from 17.7 to 23.7 PPG. My only concern with Lamb is that I don’t believe Dak Prescott can repeat his 2023 performance, and he’s 30 years old. That said, watching Lamb draw 181 targets makes me incredibly confident that he can repeat as the WR1 in any given season.
3. Ja’Marr Chase
Ja’Marr Chase was previously viewed in the same conversation as Justin Jefferson, but after an injury in 2022 and a “down year” in 2023, it’s fair to rank him at WR3. On top of this, despite catching 100 passes in 2023, Chase has yet to top his receiving yards and touchdown marks from his rookie season. In 2023, however, Joe Burrow was injured, which hurt Chase a ton, and he still averaged 16.4 PPG, showing an extremely high floor. The talent is clearly there, and being attached to Burrow gives Chase a ton of long-term quarterback security.
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown
Many people want to put the new shiny toy, Marvin Harrison Jr, above Amon-Ra St. Brown, but I’m not there yet. Similar to Lamb, St. Brown has improved every year of his NFL career and just went from 16.7 to 20.7 PPG in his age-24 season. Even though Jared Goff isn’t an elite quarterback, he’s provided more than enough volume, targeting St. Brown 164 times. The one question about St. Brown was if he could handle target competition, but when Sam Laporta broke out as a top receiving option, St. Brown only got better.
5. Marvin Harrison Jr
The term “generational” gets thrown around quite loosely in the dynasty community, but I truly believe it applies to Marvin Harrison Jr. During Harrison Jr’s 2023 season, he posted an 89.9 PFF grade, 26.7% target share, and a 20% touchdown rate. Looking at Underdog 2024 ADP, Harrison is being drafted 19th overall (WR11) as a rookie even without a landing spot. Even if you think that Harrison Jr is being overrated, the fact is that if he goes out and dominates early on, he has the ability to rise up and become the dynasty WR1.
Tier 2
6. Puka Nacua
Puka Nacua just broke almost every rookie record imaginable, and he’s well deserving of this WR6 spot. With Cooper Kupp sidelined to start the year, Nacua took over as the Rams WR1 and never looked back, recording a 105-1,486-6 season with 160 targets. The only concern with Nacua is his draft capital, which also raises the question of how much Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are propping Nacua up. Even though I don’t believe Nacua is the most talented receiver in this tier, it’s hard to argue with his production as a rookie, and his situation is great for the next few free years.
7. Garrett Wilson
Garrett Wilson is one of the most talented receivers in football, but unfortunately, he’s been stuck in quarterback purgatory. Despite drawing 168 targets and catching 95 passes for 1,042 yards, Wilson only had three touchdowns, leading him to a 12.7 PPG season. I believe Wilson can become an elite wide receiver in 2024 with Aaron Rodgers, but let’s keep in mind Rodgers likely has one to two more seasons left. Once Rodgers is gone, I’m scared that poor quarterback play will cause Wilson to underperform, even if he’s uber-talented.
8. Malik Nabers
If Marvin Harrison Jr wasn’t in this draft class, Malik Nabers would be getting talked about even more than he is already. Looking at 2024 Underdog ADP for Nabers, he’s being drafted 35th overall (WR23) which is ridiculous for a rookie. Considering Nabers is a likely top-five draft pick, he recorded the number one wide receiver PFF grade in 2023 (93.1), and posted a 26% team target share playing next to Brian Thomas Jr, the hype is warranted. As long as Nabers doesn’t go to the Giants, I believe he can dominate the moment he steps on an NFL field.
9. Chris Olave
I view Chris Olave in a similar light to Garrett Wilson, and Olave has actually been more productive fantasy-wise in his first two seasons. That said, Olave is stuck with Derek Carr as his quarterback for the next few years, which is a massive blow. The talent is there, as we’ve seen Olave draw 119 and 138 targets in his first two seasons, on top of posting an absurd yards-per-route run mark as a rookie. The only rookies with a 2.25 or higher yards per route run mark are Odell Beckham Jr, Tyreek Hill, A. J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Christian Watson, Puka Nacua, Rashee Rice, Tank Dell, and Olave.
10. A.J. Brown
Compared to the receivers ranked ahead of him. A.J. Brown is the oldest (26), which is why he’s here at 10. During Brown’s time with the Eagles, he’s averaging 17.65 PPG, and I expect a similar level of production for the next few years. Brown isn’t a cornerstone asset anymore because of his age, but he has a good mix of production and youth, making him an excellent receiver for any dynasty team.
11. Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill is the oldest player in this tier at 29 years old, but due to his insane level of production, you have to put him here. If you’re a contending team, I wouldn’t fault anyone for wanting Hill over these other receivers, considering he’s scored 20.4 and 23.5 PPG during his time with the Dolphins. Hill has said he will retire in two more years, but who knows if he’ll feel the same way when the time comes. Even if Hill does retire in two years, I’ll gladly take a top-five player (Underdog ADP: 3.5) for the next few seasons.
Tier 3
12. Brandon Aiyuk
Brandon Aiyuk has been touted as one of the best route runners in the NFL, and in 2023, that translated directly to fantasy points. Despite only receiving 105 targets, Aiyuk had 15.6 PPG off insane efficiency stats. In 2023, Aiyuk was third in yards per route run (3.18), second in yards per target (12.8), and second in yards per team pass attempt. I am a little concerned about Aiyuk, though, because as great as the 49ers offense is, I believe Aiyuk would thrive elsewhere with an increase in targets. Aiyuk is reportedly unhappy with the 49ers, and he becomes a free agent in 2025, so there’s a chance he could see a change of scenery sooner rather than later.
13. D.J. Moore
At 13, I was stuck between D.J. Moore and Jaylen Waddle, but when researching the two, I was surprised to learn Moore (26) is only one more year than Waddle. Considering Moore had 16.9 PPG last season with a bad passing quarterback (Justin Fields: 2,562 passing yards) and the Bears finished 28th in passing attempts (30.2), things can only get better from here. Caleb Williams is almost a lock to go to the Bears, and he’ll be an immediate upgrade from Fields, at least from a passing volume standpoint. Even if the Bears draft another wide receiver, Moore will still likely be the WR1, unlike Waddle.
14. Jaylen Waddle
I love Jaylen Waddle, but I can’t move him any higher than 14 at the moment because it will take him at least two more years to skyrocket in value. With Hill on the Dolphins, I can still see Waddle putting up a 15-16 PPG season like he did in 2022 (15.2 PPG), but it’s unlikely that he’ll ever cross the 120-target mark. Since Waddle isn’t drawing a crazy number of targets, he needs to be insanely efficient. I’m not too concerned about Waddle’s drop in efficiency from 2023 because he seemed banged up for most of the season and never really got back to 100%. At 25 years old, Waddle is a premier talent who has the upside to break fantasy football if his situation changes.
15. Nico Collins
After flying under the radar for most of his professional football career, Nico Collins broke out in 2023, averaging 17.4 PPG. Standing at 6’4” 215 lbs, Collins is the X receiver on this Texans offense which is the role you want when CJ Stroud is throwing you the ball. My main concern with Collins is whether he can be consistent with Tank Dell in the lineup and how much of his breakout is because of Stroud. Collins is a free agent in 2024, and if he’s not connected to Stroud for the long run, that will hurt his value.
16. DeVonta Smith
Rounding out tier three, we have DeVonta Smith, who is very similar to Waddle. Smith is a fantastic talent, but he’s playing behind AJ Brown, who is only 26 years old, and the Eagles had the 11th least pass attempts (33.2) in the NFL last year. With Smith, you’re hoping he can return to his 2022 form, where he drew 136 targets. I still believe that Jalen Hurts is a good passer, and I’m betting on the Eagles offense to have a bounce back, which will benefit Smith. As long as Brown is with the Eagles, Smith is a receiver who will finish between 14 and 17 PPG on a yearly basis.
Tier 4
17. Michael Pittman Jr
Michael Pittman Jr is a player that I feel is being undervalued by the dynasty community because he didn’t break out in 2022 like everyone expected him to. I love Gardner Minshew as much as the next guy, but watching Pittman put up a 15.6 PPG season on a 109-1,152-4 stat line with mediocre quarterback play at best was impressive. Pittman is set to enter free agency, and based on how much money he should make, I’m fine, no matter where he ends up. If Pittman signs back with the Colts, Anthony Richardson will give him a ton of upside, but if he signs elsewhere, he’ll be paid a lot of money and should draw a ton of targets because of that.
18. Rome Odunze
Not only is Rome Odunze extremely talented, but standing at 6’ 3” 200 lbs, he has the archetype to become a WR1 on whatever team drafts him. Odunze had a 92-1,1640-13 season in 2023, and he was playing alongside two other NFL draft prospects, Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan. Right now, Odunze is a projected top-10 draft pick, and the only place he wouldn’t be a WR1 is if he goes to the Bears, which, unfortunately, is a real possibility. That said, even if Odunze lands with the Bears, he’ll be on a good offense, and I can see him having a Tee Higgins plus-type career.
19. Rashee Rice
Coming out of SMU, I was never a big fan of Rashee Rice, but he’s proved me wrong by posting a great year one season. With Rice, he’s attached to Patrick Mahomes, which is amazing for his long-term value, but it also makes me wonder if Rice is the long-term WR1. The Chiefs wide receiving core was terrible this year and I only see things getting better in the future. Even if that’s the case, Rice should improve on his already great 13.3 PPG season in year two.
20. Drake London
Drake London is one of the most difficult players to rank on this list because he’s a good player in a horrible situation. London still has a ton of room to grow, as even though he’s played two seasons in the NFL, he’s only 22 years old. After having some of the worst quarterback play in the league over the past few seasons, London has averaged 10.7 PPG, even with 113.5 targets a year. If the Falcons get a significant quarterback upgrade, London should explode, and there’s no way things can get worse than Desmond Ridder.
21. Tee Higgins
After peaking at 15.6 PPG in 2021, Tee Higgins has seen a decline in production every year since. In 2022, even though Higgins only had 13.6 PPG, if you remove the games where he played fewer than 50% of the snaps, he was the WR12 on a PPG basis. That wasn’t the case in 2023, but as we talked about with Chase, not only was Burrow injured, but Higgins only played in 12 games, averaging 11.5 PPG. Right now, it looks like Higgins will stay with the Bengals on a franchise tag, but at only 25, there’s a chance Higgins will become a WR1 elsewhere. That said, even though the Bengals passing offense helps Higgins out from an efficiency perspective, he’ll likely be a 14-17 PPG receiver as long as Chase is still there.
22. Jordan Addison
Starting with Jordan Addison, we have a few players that look like career number two options, even if they’re great talents. Addison was a highly touted prospect coming out of USC and posted a fantastic 13 PPG season in his rookie year. That said, Jefferson missed seven games last season, which allowed Addison to take over as the WR1. TJ Hockenson is also a great receiving option, but he’s expected to miss some time in 2024, which should give Addison some more targets to start the year.
23. Tank Dell
Despite measuring in at 5’10” 165 lbs, as a rookie Tank Dell was one of the most productive receivers at his size of all time. Dell is also linked to Stroud and finished the year averaging 15 PPG on a 47-709-7 season. Unfortunately, Dell suffered a broken left fibula, which caused him to miss six games. Normally, it’s not a big deal, but with how small Dell is, I am a little concerned that he’ll struggle to stay on the field.
24. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Before you scream at me for having Jaxon Smith-Njigba too high, I was extremely excited about him coming out, and I’m confident that he has the talent to become a great player. I understand if you want to put Zay Flowers ahead of him, but even KTC has Smith-Njigba two receiver spots ahead of him. Although Smith-Njigba had a disappointing rookie season, he flashed at the end of the year and had a few really good games. At the end of the day, I’m still confident that Smith-Njigba is the same player who outproduced Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson at a younger age during his time at Ohio State.
25. Zay Flowers
Rounding out tier four, we have Zay Flowers, and if you want to push him higher than this, I understand. Flowers was great as a rookie, scoring 12.9 PPG on 108 targets, catching 77 passes for 856 yards and five touchdowns. Flowers is a talented player, but let’s also keep in mind that Mark Andrews only played in 10 games, and in 2024, he’ll be the number-one option. Even though I love Lamar Jackson as a quarterback, it is worrisome that the Ravens had the second least pass attempts in the NFL (29.1), which really hurts Flowers’s upside.
Tier 5
26. DK Metcalf
Dropping down to tier five, we have DK Metcalf, one of the best receivers in the NFL. Even though Metcalf is an athletic freak, at 26 years old, Metcalf has only scored more than 15 PPG once. Ever since posting a monster 17 PPG in his 2020 season, Metcalf has scored 14.4, 13.3, and 14.1 PPG. Metcalf has drawn over 115 targets every year since 2020, including a 141 target season in 2022, but he’s much better in real life than in fantasy football. I’m a little worried about Metcalf because Jaxon Smith-Njigba is looking to take a big jump in year two, and we don’t know what the Seahawks long-term quarterback plan is.
27. Jayden Reed
Jayden Reed could fly up draft boards come 2024, but there’s also a chance his usage will stay the same, hurting his value. Reed had a 13.6 PPG rookie season and looked like the number-one option for rising star Jordan Love. The issue with Reed is that he had a 56.8% snap share and finished 16th overall in slot snaps, which shows his inability to play an outside role. That’s not to say Reed can’t improve and take a big step forward next year, but for someone who’s only 5’11” 187 lbs, this is a little concerning.
28. Brian Thomas Jr
Brian Thomas Jr is the opposite archetype of Reed, standing at 6’ 5” and 198 lbs. Thomas is projected to go in the late first round, which could cause him to rise even higher than this if he goes to an elite offense like the Bills or the Chiefs. Right now, however, from a talent perspective, Thomas is my WR4 in this 2024 rookie class due to his high expected draft capital and ability to play next to elite talent. In 2023, Thomas put up a 68-1,117-17 season while playing next to Malik Nabers, which gives me confidence that he can translate to the next level.
29. Troy Franklin
Right after Thomas, I have my WR5 in this 2024 rookie class, Troy Franklin. Franklin projects out to be a deep threat at the NFL level, which is a little concerning, but it’s nice to see him draw a 20.6 target share as a sophomore. Right now, Franklin is projected to be an early second-round pick, but a lot can change between now and the NFL Draft. Although Franklin’s counting stats improved in 2023, he dropped to a 16.2% team target share, which is disappointing. Don’t get me wrong; that’s still good, but I would have liked it to be higher due to Franklin’s lack of competition and great quarterback play.
30. George Pickens
Personally, I’m not a big George Pickens fan due to his inability to separate, but having him at the end of this tier makes sense based on the community value. Even though I’m not a fan, Pickens is only 22 years old and just posted a solid 12.3 PPG season with Kenny Pickett as his quarterback. There’s been talk of Justin Fields going to the Steelers, which wouldn’t be great for Pickens, but at the same time, it’s hard to get worse than last season. If the Steelers can turn things around, I see Pickens becoming a player who scores around 13-14 PPG every season.
Tier 6
31. Deebo Samuel
In tier six, I have a list of contending assets plus a wild card at 36. It’s hard to believe, but Deebo Samuel is already 28 years old, meaning we could see him start to decline in the next few years. The age worries me with Samuel because he also picked up 225 rushing yards and five touchdowns, but I don’t see him repeating this performance as he gets older. Coming off a 16.2 PPG season, Samuel is great for a contending roster, but he’s not being valued as highly by the market anymore due to his age.
32. Stefon Diggs
Despite scoring 16.1 PPG, Stefon Diggs had a brutal end to the 2023 season, averaging 9.69 PPG in his last eight games. Even at 30 years old, I don’t believe Diggs is cooked, and it’s worth noting that the Bills fired Ken Dorsey during the season. Diggs is still tied to Josh Allen, which gives Diggs a ton of upside every year he’s in the league. During the 2024 off-season, I expect Joe Brady to spend a lot of time finding ways to make Diggs the focal point of this Bills offense for 2024.
33. Davante Adams
At 31 years old, Davante Adams looks like he’s starting to decline, posting his worst fantasy season since 2017. No one here is complaining about 15.6 PPG, but due to his age, Adams will lose value every season. I’m more concerned about Adams than Diggs because there’s a shot the Raiders will roll into 2024 with 5th-round pick Aidan O'Connell, who is a less-than-stellar quarterback. Adams is being drafted as the WR15 on Underdog for 2024, but it’s clear he doesn’t have the same league-winning upside because of his age and situation.
34. Mike Evans
At WR34, we have a 30-year-old Mike Evans who is coming off a great 16.6 PPG season. Evans can’t increase in value anymore, but I feel confident having him as a WR2 with upside for 2024, and his Underdog value is currently WR21. If the Buccaneers extend Baker Mayfield, that would be a big boost for Evans, considering Mayfield loves to throw the deep ball. There’s also a shot Evans goes to a contending team where he can put up another big season in 2024.
35. Cooper Kupp
The last veteran wide receiver on this list is the former Triple Crown winner, Cooper Kupp. In 2022, Kupp posted a 22.4 PPG season, but just a year later, at age 30, he dropped down to 13.7 PPG. Kupp missed the start of the season, which allowed rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua to take over as the Rams WR1, and he never gave that title back. Even so, Kupp has Matthew Stafford for 2023 and is currently being drafted with an ADP of WR26 for 2024. I’m fine taking a swing on Kupp if I’m a contender with the hope he can give me 15 plus PPG next season.
36. Christian Watson
I’m not going to blame you if you want someone else here, but with my last spot, I’m taking my guy Christian Watson. Measuring in at 6’4” 208 lbs, the former 34th overall pick looked electric as a rookie but has dealt with injuries ever since then. The talent is there with Watson, and last season he scored 20 points in weeks 12 and 13 before going down once again. If Watson can stay healthy, he will be a special wide receiver, and at this price point, I’m willing to take a shot on him.
