It’s important to know who to target in fantasy football drafts, but it’s also pivotal to know which players to avoid. Here are a few wide receivers you should avoid in fantasy football drafts.
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Wide Receivers to Avoid
If you look at the average draft position (ADP) data here at FantasyPros, you’ll find that the wide receiver position in fantasy football is chock full of talent. Even when you get into the WR4 range, there are still plenty of players I’d want on my team.
That said, there are some value traps that you could fall into. Below, you’ll find three wide receivers you should consider avoiding when your fantasy drafts arrive.
Let’s dive in.
DJ Moore (WR – CHI)
In PPR leagues, DJ Moore is going as the WR22, firmly in WR2 territory.
The problem with taking Moore is that there are many variables to consider now that the Chicago Bears offense looks quite loaded ahead of the 2024 season.
In 2023, Moore had 96 receptions, 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He was the WR6.
His WR22 ADP is far lower than that, and rightfully so.
The Bears added Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they also brought in weapons like fellow wide receivers Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze (another 2024 NFL draft pick). The backfield also features pass-catching running back D’Andre Swift, and there were other minor moves like adding tight end Gerald Everett.
There are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense, and Moore is the top Bears receiver ADP-wise. Meanwhile, Allen is the WR33, and Odunze is the WR40.
I’m not going out of my way to get Moore with so many question marks in this offense when I can take someone like Stefon Diggs, Michael Pittman Jr., Zay Flowers or even George Pickens.
Rashee Rice (WR – KC)
Going as the WR37, Rashee Rice is going much later in drafts than you’d expect based on his rookie season production (100 targets, 79 receptions, 938 yards, seven touchdowns), but we all know why as he’s likely headed for a suspension of some kind following some off-the-field incidents this offseason.
If that is the case, it could be difficult for him to get back into a groove, as fellow wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown, running back Isiah Pacheco, and tight end Travis Kelce will be playing and getting valuable reps in with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
My worry about Rice is that instead of a potential value you can snag later he has a real chance of being left behind in an offense that now has two more legitimate threats with Brown and Worthy.
Worthy is going as WR41 and Brown is the WR32. Take a chance with them and stay out of the Rice value chase.
Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR)
Playing in 12 games last season, 31-year-old Cooper Kupp started the season on injured reserve.
After returning, he finished with 92 targets, 59 receptions, 737 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 13.7 points per game in PPR leagues (WR24) and, from Week 5 on, was the WR27. He had some splashy performances, including back-to-back 118+ yards performances in Weeks 5 and 6, followed by 111+ yards and a touchdown in Weeks 14 and 15, but other than that, there were a lot of poor performances.
From Weeks 7 to 13, he totaled 18 receptions for 166 yards and one touchdown. That’s a per-game average of three receptions, 27.6 yards and 0.16 touchdowns.
Fellow wide receiver and sensational rookie Puka Nacua is entering his second season and will only be that much more involved.
Kupp is moving to a complementary role. I’ll look for someone else at the WR18 spot. There’s a lot of “boom” game potential, but there’s too much inconsistency for me to get on board with.
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