The third year for a professional football player was viewed as a potential breakout season for quite some time. Still, over the last decade, we’ve seen offensive playmakers come into the league and make an impact from day one much more often, and there might not be a position where that rings truer than the wide receiver position.
As we approach the 2023 fantasy football season kickoff, the group of wide receivers from the 2021 NFL Draft class has a little bit of everything: a few established stars, some players we hope can finally break out, and some dart throws for depth.
Today, we’re ranking the top 10 wide receivers entering their third season in the NFL.
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
Third-Year WR Rankings (2023 Fantasy Football)
Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN)
Ja’Marr Chase has cemented himself as one of the best wide receivers in the entire league after just two seasons in the NFL. He’s attached to one of the best young quarterbacks in the sport, Joe Burrow, and has proven to be an elite, game-breaking talent at the wide receiver position.
He eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in just 12 games in 2022 and should easily finish as a top-five wide receiver as long as he’s healthy. He’s a near-consensus top-two option at wide receiver alongside Justin Jefferson, and there is every reason to treat him as such. He’s worth the early first-round draft capital it takes to acquire him.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
After Chase is where this list likely starts to vary for people, but coming in at number two for me is Jaylen Waddle. Waddle’s top-end speed and acceleration are genuinely elite and make him a threat to score anytime.
We’ve seen him win in various ways in his career. As a rookie in 2021, it was on the back of a ton of targets (140 targets) with a lower average depth of target (7.1). In 2022, the target share decreased thanks to the addition of Tyreek Hill, but the field opened up tremendously in Mike McDaniel’s offense. The targets fell to 117, but the average target depth jumped up to 11.8 and led to a massive yards per reception of 18.1.
In redraft point-per-reception (PPR) formats, his average draft position (ADP) is 24, and he’s well worth a pick toward the back of Round 2. He’s a wide receiver well worth building a redraft or dynasty team around.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)
Amon-Ra St. Brown locked in the fact that he is an absolute target hog in an efficient Lions’ passing attack in 2022. He had 146 targets a year ago, and D’Andre Swift was second on the team with 70.
In 2023, Jahmyr Gibbs figures to be involved in the passing attack along with fellow draftee Sam LaPorta and second-year wide receiver Jameson Williams when he returns from his six-game suspension. Still, this passing attack will once again be funneled through St. Brown.
His ADP in PPR redraft leagues is 19, so he’s going ahead of Jaylen Waddle on average. If you prefer counting on the volume of St. Brown compared to what Waddle will receive, you won’t get an argument from me. The two players are incredibly close value-wise, and you should be very confident locking in St. Brown as your WR1.
DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)
Drafting DeVonta Smith in early round three of redraft leagues (ADP 25.0) is one of my favorite paths. He just finished as a WR1 in 2022 despite sharing the field with AJ Brown, but he’s discounted even a few spots more than Jaylen Waddle, who finds himself in a similar situation.
His targets increased from 2021 to 2022, even following the addition of Brown, and there’s no reason to think that should drastically change or decrease in 2023.
He has excellent odds of finishing as a WR1 again despite having a high-end WR2 price tag. He is a great option, especially if you opt to double dip at the wide receiver position on the turn of rounds two and three following taking a running back in round one.
Elijah Moore (WR – CLE)
Once we get outside the top-four options from the 2021 class of wide receivers, more uncertainty creeps in. We enter a new tier of players that haven’t had as much production as those ahead of them, but there’s still reason for optimism around Browns’ wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Elijah Moore and the New York Jets looked to be on the outs for quite some time before the Jets eventually traded him to the Browns. Still, Moore can play with the most settled quarterback situation he’s ever experienced in his young career.
Moore is currently being drafted as the WR51 with an ADP of 145.00 in PPR redraft formats and is an excellent end-of-roster hold for those prices. The upside outweighs the cost of drafting him in redraft. In dynasty formats, he’s going in round seven, which carries a little more risk, but there is reason to believe this is his best season yet.
Nico Collins (WR – HOU)
The Houston Texans quarterback situation could have been better for the last few seasons, but the addition of CJ Stroud should eventually help settle things.
Nico Collins has had over 400 receiving yards in his first two seasons, and he possesses the size profile that the rest of his peers on the wide receiver depth chart lack in Houston.
Coming off the board as the WR60 in both redraft and dynasty, Collins’ upside is still well worth the gamble on a team with an unsettled depth chart at the position.
Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL)
Rashod Bateman started 2022 with 226 receiving yards and two touchdowns before dealing with injuries for most of the season. He’s got plenty of talent and looked to be developing chemistry with Lamar Jackson. The problem is he’s now part of a crowded depth chart that features Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers.
Like Elijah Moore, he’s coming off the board in round 12 of PPR redraft formats and round seven of dynasty formats. In dynasty, I’d avoid him at those costs, but there’s an argument to be made for taking him at that point in redraft formats.
Terrace Marshall (WR – CAR)
The Panthers made a premium investment this offseason by drafting Jonathan Mingo in Round 2 of the NFL Draft to pair with Bryce Young under center. However, Terrace Marshall still hangs around on a depth chart that no longer features DJ Moore.
Marshall is going undrafted in redraft leagues more often than not and is best left on waiver wires early in the season, but keep an eye on him just in case he pops in the first week or two.
Rondale Moore (WR – ARI)
The Cardinals look to be in store for a rough season and are seemingly close to flipping the switch towards tanking after trading Isaiah Simmons and Josh Jones leading up to the start of the regular season. Still, someone will need to catch passes in Arizona.
Targets figure to be funneled mostly through Marquise Brown, but Rondale Moore is a name worth monitoring. He has a ton of explosive ability but hasn’t been able to put it all together through two seasons.
Josh Palmer (WR – LAC)
Josh Palmer had over 100 targets a season ago and over 700 receiving yards to go with it. The problem lies with how much opportunity he will likely see in 2023.
Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler are all returning and figure to play prominent roles in the receiving game, and the Chargers also added Quentin Johnston in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. Palmer is currently undrafted in most redraft formats but could still have some spike weeks early in the season. Keep him on your watch list to see how snap and target opportunities shake out for the Chargers wide receivers, specifically between him and Johnston.
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