We need to look at the wide receiver landscape for the 2023 season. Some players are changing to better and worse situations, others are primed for a breakout year, and as you move along in the draft, you want to find the right guys to help you to a championship.
We know Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, A.J. Brown, and Stefon Diggs are no-brainers, but let’s look at other must-have wide receivers for the 2023 season.
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2023 Must-Have Wide Receivers
All ADP and rankings are for PPR format.
Garrett Wilson (NYJ): ADP 21 | WR 10
The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year received a monumental upgrade at quarterback, going from a combination of Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco to Aaron Rodgers.
Wilson was heavily targeted in this offense by grabbing 28.4% of the target share, with the next being at 15%. He also made big plays by finishing 19th in yards after the catch. The Jets had the 6th-most passing attempts last season, and with Rodgers behind center, you should expect that to remain the same.
Jaylen Waddle (MIA): ADP 24 | WR 11
Imagine having two of the most athletic wide receivers in the league, the Dolphins know. Alongside Tyreek Hill, Waddle is one of the most explosive and efficient route runners the game has.
Although he had 31 fewer catches last season than in 2021, he finished with 341 more receiving yards and an eye-popping 18.9 yards per catch. This all came with Tua Tagaviola missing time with concussion issues, but Waddle still had five top-ten finishes last season.
DeVonta Smith (PHI): ADP 27 | WR 12
The connection between Jalen Hurts and Brown was a league winner last season, but Smith was not far behind. He only had nine fewer targets, four fewer PPR fantasy points per game, and still finished inside the top ten.
He can go deep and separate from his defender, and his 485 yards after the catch was seventh, and with the fourth-best catchable target rate, he and this Eagles offense will remain efficient.
Chris Olave (NO): ADP 30 | WR 14
Olave shined in his rookie campaign with over 1,000 receiving yards, and that was with Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston as his quarterbacks.
This year, he gets the slinger Derek Carr, who finished fourth in air yards per completion last season. Olave proved he’s a great route runner finishing top 12 in route win rate and can go vertical with a top-15 finish in air yards and yards per pass. Olave is poised for a top-10 finish with the more dependable quarterback.
Calvin Ridley (JAC): ADP 51 | WR 21
Ridley hasn’t seen the field since October 2021 due to stepping away for personal reasons and a one-year suspension for sports gambling. He had started to become fantasy relevant the year before, finishing 2020 as the WR5 and has 26 touchdowns in his first three seasons. He’s an above-average route runner, leading 2020 in deep targets.
Deebo Samuel (SF): ADP 36 | WR 16
We did not see the usual big-play ability of Deebo last season as he dealt with injuries. In 2021, where he finished as the WR2, he had eight top-ten PPR finishes, in 2022, he only had two. He did show some flashes, including being 13th in fantasy points per route run.
The way Kyle Shanahan runs his offense and Samuel’s ability from the line scrimmage, they will cater to that no matter who is behind center.
Amari Cooper (CLE); ADP 39 | WR 17
Cooper was written into fantasy irrelevance with Deshaun Watson being suspended for the first 11 games last season, but he proved everyone wrong.
Last season he had a career-best nine touchdowns and his second-best finish of 1,160 receiving yards. He was a playmaker with Jacoby Brissett and Watson as his quarterback, with multiple top-ten finishes with each. A whole camp to work with Watson will benefit Cooper greatly.
Drake London (ATL): ADP 61 | WR 28
London’s rookie season did not light the world on fire, but now with a whole training camp to work with Desmond Ridder, they can build a better connection.
London had better results with Ridder as his quarterback. With Ridder, London had two of his best receiving yard performances, no less than eight targets, and his second-best weekly fantasy finish. He grossed the third-highest team target share in the league, and that’s the volume you want on your roster.
DJ Moore (CHI): ADP 52 | WR 22
Moore has lived in quarterback mediocrity since losing Cam Newton. Last year with a mixture of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and P.J. Walker, he was 90th in catchable target rate and 92nd in target quality rate, according to PlayerProfiler.
There’s real potential with Moore having Justin Fields, and this gives him the best receiver he’s had in his career.
Jordan Addison (MIN): ADP 93 | WR 40
You might be worried that he’s on the other side of the league’s best receiver, but that helps. Justin Jefferson pulling the best cornerbacks and double coverage should give Addison some favorable matchups where his talent can shine.
With the Vikings having the third-highest passing play percentage in 2022, there will be plenty of opportunities. Over the last two years, you’ve seen Addison elevate Kenny Pickett into a first-round pick and Caleb Williams to a Heisman Trophy, so he has something special.
Brandin Cooks (DAL): ADP 98 | WR 43
Cooks has a history of success with six 1,000-receiving yard seasons, finishing in the top 20 in each. Although the overall stats don’t reflect it, there was no regression in his abilities last season, as he finished 13th in target separation vs. man, according to PlayerProfiler.
CeeDee Lamb will be the primary target for Dak Prescott, but Cooks will still have his fair share of opportunities. If he’s not the primary concern for opposing defenses, this means potential mismatches.
Adam Thielen (CAR): ADP 132 | WR 53
Thielen had a prosperous career in Minnesota, with three seasons of top-ten finishes. Even when Justin Jefferson dethroned him as the top WR for Kirk Cousins, Thielen was a touchdown machine with 30 in the last three seasons.
He will be the most dependable option for Bryce Young and has the better track record of all the new pieces in Carolina. DJ Chark will have some explosive games, and Hayden Hurst has shown talent. yet Thielen is very reliable, with just a 1.3% drop rate since 2018.
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