Writing a do-not-draft list for wide receivers is a tricky exercise. As the NFL continues to evolve into a passing league, the position is deep with pass catchers who could serve as valid starting options in any given week. Fantasy football is already a somewhat random game, and the wide receiver position is becoming increasingly susceptible to random breakout performances.
But like every other position, there are a handful of players I’ve identified as guys I’m staying away from in my drafts this summer. Here’s my list of receivers to avoid in your drafts this summer.
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Do Not Draft List: Wide Receivers
Mike Evans (WR – TB)
Mike Evans is a Hall of Famer. Let me just make that clear. He was one of my favorite discount players to draft last season and paid off handsomely, finishing as the WR4.
But now is the time to jump off the Evans bandwagon. He’s ranked as the WR14 by our Expert Consensus Rankings and is being drafted inside the top 30 on our ADP Consensus. A year ago, Evans was going just inside the top 80 players. Aside from a new offensive coordinator, Evans’ situation is relatively the same. I can justify taking Evans if he was going a couple of rounds later, but this price is too high, especially when you consider potential regression.
Evans caught a whopping 13 touchdowns on just 79 receptions a year ago. While I understand touchdown scoring is definitely his thing, he’s due for some regression in that department. For comparison’s sake, his running mate Chris Godwin caught just two touchdowns on 83 receptions and could play more exclusively out of the slot in 2024.
Evans is simply being drafted at his absolute peak and those are the types of players I tend to steer clear of in my drafts. I’d much rather take Godwin 30 picks later.
Calvin Ridley (WR – TEN)
After a long-awaited return, Ridley was… an enigma. He caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns on the year, finishing as the WR17. He had some elite weeks, but anyone who rostered Ridley knows the week-to-week ride was littered with duds. The Jaguars didn’t invest a ton to get Ridley, but it was revealing to see the Jaguars let him go after acquiring him from Atlanta, then patiently waiting for his suspension to end.
Now, Ridley heads to Tennessee where the offensive situation is more unpredictable. I don’t love Ridley’s arrival in Tennessee as much as others. He must now compete with DeAndre Hopkins for targets. I’m not sold on Will Levis as a quarterback capable of supporting one top-24 wide receiver, let alone two. We also don’t know what to expect from first-year head coach Brian Callahan, who arrives from Cincinnati.
I don’t even think Ridley being ranked ECR WR34 is that egregious. I think it bakes in the risk associated with him while leaving him room for upside. There are other guys I’d rather take my chances on in that range, such as Godwin, Hopkins, Christian Watson and Diontae Johnson.
Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
Addison was going to make my list even before he was arrested on suspicion of DUI; his second driving-related arrest in the NFL. The league could definitely hand down some discipline that makes Addison even more unattractive in fantasy leagues.
On the field, I liked what I saw from Addison. He stepped up during the absence of Justin Jefferson and finished the year with 70 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. Addison’s touchdowns could regress, especially with Jefferson healthy for the full season. While the likely absence of T.J. Hockenson for at least a portion of the season could boost Addison’s perceived opportunities, I have major concerns about the person throwing him the ball.
I’m skeptical that either rookie J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold can support two viable fantasy threats. Addison also caught just 32 passes for 574 yards and six touchdowns in the 10 games in which both he and Jefferson played. With potentially less volume. less trustworthy play under center and a potential suspension, Addison’s a guy I’m avoiding even at his reasonable price point.
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