Fantasy Football: Top 100 Dynasty WRs

We may be living through a golden era at the wide receiver position in fantasy football. Who are the top players you need to own in order to win a championship?

Matt De Lima | May 27, 2020

The dynasty format elevates fantasy football by making the game more closely resemble the real world. There’s no reset button every season. Your decisions have lasting consequences and benefits that ripple out for years into the future.

Other Dynasty Rankings: QB | RB | DL | LB | DB

1. Michael Thomas - Saints - Age: 27

Your first instinct in dynasty leagues is to find the guys who will be the best in the league over the next five years. Ideally if you started a league now, you’d want to find the next Michael Thomas who was only 21 or 22 years old. However, can you really pass on Thomas to draft the mere possibility of finding the next Thomas? Of course not. That’s the distillation of dynasty football.

2. Tyreek Hill - Chiefs - Age: 26

2019 was a bit forgettable for Hill, but at his best he is unstoppable. Even on an average day, he’s unstoppable-adjacent. I anticipate last season was the valley of Patrick Mahomes’ production and a rising tide at QB lifts all boats.

3. Chris Godwin - Buccaneers - Age: 24

I do think there is some slight risk here. Everyone is assuming Tom Brady’s going to step right in and it’s smooth sailing. My only concern is he started out hot and played better when Mike Evans was out of the lineup. I need to see him dominate regardless.

4. DeAndre Hopkins - Cardinals - Age: 27

Basically a lock for 100 or more receptions. Given the Cards’ commitment to the pass, I think Hopkins will see close to 190, maybe even 200 targets. The reason I wouldn’t rank him higher is I don’t believe his game translates well into his 30s.

5. D.J. Moore - Panthers - Age: 23

Everything looks very promising. There’s no way he only scores four TDs in 2020 like he did in 2019. I’m expecting an increase in targets that will come with a more efficient Panthers’ offense.

6. Davante Adams - Packers - Age: 27

I doubt anybody is lower on Adams than me. I feel Aaron Rodgers has a year or two left in Green Bay. Adams, as highly as we think of him, has only one season with more than 83 receptions and only one 1,000-yard receiving season. He made up for that by scoring 10 or more TDs for three straight years (2016 to 2018). He probably would have had a career year in 2019 had he stayed healthy, but he didn’t. Nothing feels right in Wisconsin and I’m sticking to my gut on it.

7. Mike Evans - Buccaneers - Age: 26

Throw it up and Evans will come down with it. The guy makes it look easy. My worry long-term is he is a huge guy and huge guys tend to break down quickly (unless they are workout freaks like Larry Fitzgerald). In the end, his scoring is very hot and cold and Godwin outhustles him.

8. Amari Cooper - Cowboys - Age: 25

About as steady as they come at the position. Excluding his one down (and last) season in Oakland in 2017, in his other four seasons he’s had somewhere between 72 and 82 catches, 1,004 to 1,150 yards and five to eight touchdowns. What’s crazy is in his two years with Dallas, he only had 108 and 119 targets, respectively. If he ever gets that number up to say, 150 targets, he’ll push for WR1 overall.

9. Kenny Golladay - Lions - Age: 26

We knew he was very good, it just took him until his third season to come into his own (and score 11 touchdowns). His catch rate last season (56%, 65 catches on 116 targets) needs a lot of work. Yet, this just shows there is still room for growth.

10. DK Metcalf - Seahawks - Age: 22

It was a hit-or-miss rookie season for Metcalf and yet he still managed a very productive season (58-900-7). The Seahawks offense was all over the place and will benefit from a more dependable ground game to keep those first downs coming. I really like that he showed up big against the Eagles in the wild-card round.

11. Calvin Ridley - Falcons - Age: 25

Despite missing three games in 2019, we would saw an improved, more involved and higher-scoring Ridley in his sophomore season. Julio Jones remains the WR1, but Ridley is not far behind.

12. Odell Beckham Jr. - Browns - Age: 27

Beckham has had three elite seasons (2015, 2016 and 2018). You’ll notice only one of those years is within his last three seasons. He was so good as a rookie and followed it up well that we’re all chasing the Ghost of Beckham Past. I’m not off him, per se, I imagine that others are just higher enough than me where they draft him before me.

13. A.J. Brown - Titans - Age: 22

OK, maybe this is a bit reactionary. Brown “only” had 52 receptions and was “maybe” too touchdown-dependent (8) in his rookie year. But this is a team that threw the ball, what, 15 times a game? The volume isn’t there but it takes a very good player to make the most of so few opportunities.

14. Stefon Diggs - Bills - Age: 26

If there was one piece missing from Buffalo’s offense, it was an elite WR. Diggs will get his chance to prove his worth in this offense.

15. JuJu Smith-Schuster - Steelers - Age: 23

Pittsburgh appears to have let one too many superstars leave their offense. Somewhere in some distant parallel universe, Big Ben is healthy and he’s got Le’Veon Bell, James Conner, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Smith-Schuster all on the same roster. Expectations were outsized last season and we’ve come full circle to the point where Smith-Schuster is now a bit underrated.

16. Courtland Sutton - Broncos - Age: 24

I’m torn at who will emerge between Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. I think you have to give Sutton the early edge in the short-term and to his credit, his 72-1,112-6 stat line from 2019 is impressive when you think of how stunted the offense’s performance turned out.

17. CeeDee Lamb - Cowboys - Age: 21

Lamb is another receiver who is so good that he could eventually challenge Cooper for the WR1 spot on the depth chart. The tricky part is figuring out if that is a year from now or three years from now. I think you’ll have to be patient with Lamb since the Cowboys have multiple elite weapons.

18. Keenan Allen - Chargers - Age: 28

Rocksteady consistency over his last three seasons. It seems as though we’re finally past those rocky early years where he was always hurt. *knock on wood*

19. Cooper Kupp - Rams - Age: 26

Anybody who’s owned him knows that Kupp is Jared Goff’s go-to guy. I doubt he scores 10 touchdowns again anytime soon like he did in 2019, but his 94 receptions and 1,162 yards are just too juicy. Especially on just 134 targets.

20. Jerry Jeudy - Broncos - Age: 21

It’s really hard for me to imagine Drew Lock hitting the ground running and becoming a dependable starter. I’m getting some serious Jay Cutler vibes. Granted Cutler had some good years, but counting on Denver’s so-so air attack makes me want to wait a year to see what happens in this offense.

21. Julio Jones - Falcons - Age: 31

I love Jones as much as the next guy but I wouldn’t be too worried about his age. He led the league last year in yards per touch (13.8) and he’s a lock for 150 targets every year.

22. Deebo Samuel - 49ers - Age: 24

San Francisco had to get very creative to get the ball to Samuel, but I think we’ll see a return to normalcy in the future. Look for a jump in targets and receiving production.

23. D.J. Chark - Jaguars - Age: 23

Chark happily assumed the WR1 role in the Jags’ depth chart. Now he just needs Jacksonville to be more consistent offensively. Chark scored eight TDs in the first 10 games, then finished poorly over his last five games, averaging 4.4 receptions and 42.4 yards per game.

24. Allen Robinson - Bears - Age: 26

Robinson has made his living being the best WR on some really bad teams. That trend continues. Just call him Mr. Garbage Time.

25. Justin Jefferson - Vikings - Age: 20

In Year 2, Jefferson will challenge Adam Thielen for WR1 status. In Year 1, I’m expecting very little as the Vikings continue to lean hard and heavy on Dalvin Cook.

26. Tyler Lockett - Seahawks - Age: 27

Lockett has really ascended in his last two years. Unfortunately, he now must line up alongside the monstrously athletic Metcalf. I’m anticipating a more “move-the-chains” style from Lockett. I think he’s also overdue for a regression in touchdowns (18 in last two seasons).

27. Marquise Brown - Ravens - Age: 22

Brown looks like the best receiver in Baltimore, but the consistency is not there at all. He shot out of cannon in Week 1 (4-147-2) and who knew that’d end up being nearly a quarter of his fantasy scoring that year. Lamar Jackson needs an improved Brown so they can both take their careers in the right direction.

28. Jalen Reagor - Eagles - Age: 21

If you’re waiting around for Alshon Jeffery to get it together, you can have him. Reagor should be productive from Day 1 and take the reins in a rudderless receiver group.

29. Christian Kirk - Cardinals - Age: 23

The Cardinals are going to be pass-happy and I’m not convinced Larry Fitzgerald is the true WR2. He held off the group of rookie wideouts last year and he should flourish in his third year.

30. Terry McLaurin - Washington - Age: 24

I really want to like McLaurin. The problem is that you have to also like Dwayne Haskins. And I want to like Haskins too, but the problem is that you have to also like Washington and their decision-makers at the top. And that would just be ridiculous.

31. Tyler Boyd - Bengals - Age: 25

32. Henry Ruggs - Raiders - Age: 21

33. Robert Woods - Rams - Age: 28

34. N'Keal Harry - Patriots - Age: 22

35. Jarvis Landry - Browns - Age: 27

36. Michael Gallup - Cowboys - Age: 24

37. DeVante Parker - Dolphins - Age: 27

38. Preston Williams - Dolphins - Age: 23

39. Michael Pittman - Colts - Age: 22

40. TY Hilton - Colts - Age: 30

41. Tee Higgins - Bengals - Age: 21

42. Brandin Cooks - Texans - Age: 26

43. Adam Thielen - Vikings - Age: 29

44. Mecole Hardman - Chiefs - Age: 22

45. Denzel Mims - Jets - Age: 22

46. Brandon Aiyuk - 49ers - Age: 22

47. Laviska Shenault - Jaguars - Age: 21

48. Darius Slayton - Giants - Age: 23

49. Curtis Samuel - Panthers - Age: 23

50. Mike Williams - Chargers - Age: 25

51. AJ Green - Bengals - Age: 31

52. Sammy Watkins - Chiefs - Age: 26

53. Will Fuller - Texans - Age: 26

54. KJ Hamler - Broncos - Age: 20

55. Sterling Shepard - Giants - Age: 27

56. Parris Campbell - Colts - Age: 22

57. Diontae Johnson - Steelers - Age: 23

58. James Washington - Steelers - Age: 24

59. Corey Davis - Titans - Age: 25

60. Bryan Edwards - Raiders - Age: 21

61. Breshad Perriman - Jets - Age: 26

62. Anthony Miller - Bears - Age: 25

63. John Brown - Bills - Age: 30

64. Dede Westbrook - Jaguars - Age: 26

65. Devin Duvernay - Ravens - Age: 22

66. JJ Arcega-Whiteside - Eagles - Age: 23

67. Chase Claypool - Steelers - Age: 21

68. Jamison Crowder - Jets - Age: 26

69. Robby Anderson - Panthers - Age: 27

70. Tyrell Williams - Raiders - Age: 28

71. Andy Isabella - Cardinals - Age: 23

72. Alshon Jeffery - Eagles - Age: 30

73. Emmanuel Sanders - Saints - Age: 33

74. Marvin Jones - Lions - Age: 30

75. Julian Edelman - Patriots - Age: 34

76. Auden Tate - Bengals - Age: 23

77. Kenny Stills - Texans - Age: 28

78. Van Jefferson - Rams - Age: 23

79. Tyler Johnson - Buccaneers - Age: 21

80. John Ross - Bengals - Age: 24

81. Josh Reynolds - Rams - Age: 25

82. Miles Boykin - Ravens - Age: 23

83. Allen Lazard - Packers - Age: 24

84. Antonio Gandy-Golden - Washington - Age: 22

85. Tre'Quan Smith - Saints - Age: 24

86. Hunter Renfrow - Raiders - Age: 24

87. Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Packers - Age: 25

88. Hakeem Butler - Cardinals - Age: 24

89. Quintez Cephus - Lions - Age: 22

90. Gabriel Davis - Bills - Age: 21

91. Demarcus Robinson - Chiefs - Age: 25

92. Kelvin Harmon - Washington - Age: 23

93. Keke Coutee - Texans - Age: 23

94. Steven Sims - Washington - Age: 23

95. Tajae Sharpe - Vikings - Age: 25

96. Jalen Hurd - 49ers - Age: 24

97. DeSean Jackson - Eagles - Age: 33

98. Golden Tate - Giants - Age: 31

99. Larry Fitzgerald - Cardinals - Age: 36

100. Antonio Brown - Free Agent - Age: 31

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Published May 27, 2020

MATT DE LIMA