In the next installment of this series, I’ll take my best shot at predicting the top-12 fantasy wide receivers for the 2021 season, complete with explanations for all my picks. Unlike tight end, wide receiver is a deep position full of talented players, so ranking the WR1 tier is a bit intimidating. Hey, that’s a good problem to have, though! On to the rankings!
ADP – Average Draft Position
Just Missed the Cut
Mike Evans (TB)
Evans is never a sexy pick at receiver, but he’s gone for 1,000 yards in each of his seven NFL seasons. He’s gone for double-digit scores in three of those, including a career-high 13 in 2021. He’s finished as a WR1 in four of his last five campaigns, but his career-low 109 targets with Tom Brady under center are concerning. Even so, he should continue to be a red-zone threat, but I’m tempering expectations to a high-end WR2 rather than a sure-fire WR1.
D.J. Moore (CAR)
I’m quite bullish on Sam Darnold succeeding in Carolina, and if he enjoys a breakout campaign, DJM could be the prime beneficiary. Darnold’s receiving corps will be much improved, and he’ll get the luxury of dumping passes to CMC. Moore has put together two solid seasons to open his career, but this one could be the best yet if Darnold is the real deal in his new locale. Moore has gone for 2,368 receiving yards on 153 receptions over the last two seasons, and the thing that’s held him back from finishing as a WR1 rather than a WR2 is touchdowns. In that two-year span, Moore caught just eight touchdowns. If that number can improve while his receiving totals at least remain steady, he could easily finish as a WR1.
Terry McLaurin (WAS)
McLaurin went 87/1,118/4 last season with poor quarterback play. Ryan Fitzpatrick can potentially support a top-tier fantasy receiver, but did Washington really bring him in to play gunslinger like he did in Tampa Bay or Miami? Ron Rivera’s team was perfectly fine to rely on elite defense and a solid running game in 2020, and there’s no reason to change that blueprint in 2021, especially with expected improvements from both the defense and Antonio Gibson. Washington also brought in Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries, and Dyami Brown. There are more mouths to feed, and on a run-heavy team, I can’t imagine McLaurin reaches 90 receptions or 1,200 yards.
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
