Everyone has heard of the Zero-RB draft strategy. However, the Zero-WR strategy rarely gets mentioned. Yet, it’s one of my favorite draft strategies because of the depth at the wide receiver position.
How does the Zero-WR draft strategy work? Like a Zero-RB strategy, you don’t avoid that position the entire draft. Instead, you focus on other positions early in the draft before targeting wide receivers starting in the fifth or sixth round.
Ideally, you load up at the running back position in the early rounds, grabbing two superstar-caliber guys. Fantasy players also want to draft an elite quarterback and tight end before picking their first wide receiver with this draft strategy. The point of this strategy is to sacrifice at the wide receivers position, so you have a star-studded lineup everywhere else.
Below are 10 wide receivers I am targeting this year when using a Zero-WR draft strategy. Ideally, I want to leave my draft with at least five of these players on my team.
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
2023 Zero-WR Wide Receiver Draft Targets
Round 5 & 6 Targets
DJ Moore (CHI): ADP 56.3 | WR22
Mostly everyone is excited about Moore in Chicago this season. Yet, his ADP is barely inside the first five rounds. The veteran has spent his career playing with sub-par quarterbacks with the Carolina Panthers. Yet, the former Maryland star has been a consistent WR2 for fantasy players since his rookie season. Moore totaled at least 1,150 receiving yards or seven touchdowns in four consecutive years. Meanwhile, the star wide receiver has built a strong connection with Justin Fields this offseason. Last year the fantasy community saw A.J. Brown have a career season with Jalen Hurts. Don’t be surprised if that happens for Moore in 2023.
Jerry Jeudy (DEN): ADP 58.7 | WR23
Last year Denver’s offense had high expectations after the team traded for Russell Wilson. While the veteran quarterback struggled, Jeudy had the best year of his career. The former Alabama star was the WR21, averaging 11.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, setting career highs in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points scored. More importantly, he was excellent to end the season. Jeudy was the WR2 over the final five weeks, averaging 8.2 targets and 16.8 fantasy points per game. After struggling with injuries and poor quarterback play early in his career, the former Alabama star is primed for a breakout season.
Drake London (ATL): ADP 62.3 | WR24
Many thought London would be the top-scoring rookie wide receiver. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. However, the former USC star finished fifth in target share (29.4 percent), 11th in yards per route run (2.4), and 18th in red zone targets (15) among wide receivers last season. Fortunately, the second-year receiver will no longer be held back by Marcus Mariota. Last year London finished 27th in target quality rating and 31st in catchable target rate among wide receivers. More importantly, the Falcons didn’t do much to improve their receiving corps in the offseason, giving the former USC star an easy pathway to a significant target share.
More Players to Target & Avoid
- Pat Fitzmaurice: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Andrew Erickson: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Derek Brown: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Fantasy Football Sleepers for Every Team (Premium)
- How to Identify Fantasy Football Busts (Premium)
- Erickson’s Guide to Drafting Players on Good Offenses
- Fantasy Football Draft Values for Every Round
- Predicting First-Round Bust Candidates
- DBro’s Wide Receiver Lottery Tickets
- Erickson’s Running Back Lottery Tickets
- Hoppen’s 4 Players Who Could Become First-Round Picks Next Year
- Players to Target in Each Round (v2 | v3)
- Players to Avoid in Each Round
- Late-Round Draft Targets
- Late-Round QB Targets in Superflex Leagues | More QB Sleepers
- Late-Round RB Targets | More RB Sleepers | July RB Targets
- Late-Round WR Targets
- Late-Round TE Targets
- Deep Dart Throw Draft Targets
- WRs to Target in the RB Dead Zone (v2)| RBs to Avoid in the RB Dead Zone | RBs to Target in RB Dead Zone
- Identifying the Next WR1s | Identifying the Next RB1s
- 2022 Duds That Will Become 2023 Studs
- 4 Kickers To Target at the End of Drafts
- Making the Case for RB1
- Post-Hype Sleepers
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.