With each passing fantasy football season, we see more and more wide receivers creep into the first rounds of drafts. More than ever, there are a wide variety of WRs that provide week-winning upside in any given matchup. The likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill are all capable of producing 100-yard, multiple-touchdown performances in the blink of an eye.

Given the upside provided by the top-tier WRs, it’s key to surround them with stable contributors. The WRs selected in the later rounds are meant to provide reliable week-to-week production. Fantasy managers must effectively identify WRs who are poised to play prominent roles in their respective offenses in the subsequent rounds of drafts.

The following list contains high-floor wide receivers that will provide steady production in 2024 fantasy football. While they may lack the true difference-making upside, they’ll consistently deliver a baseline level of fantasy points.

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High-Floor Wide Receivers

Diontae Johnson (CAR)

Throughout his five-year career, Diontae Johnson has proven to be one of the league’s most consistent separators at the WR position. It’s no coincidence that prior to his injury-riddled 2023 season, he earned a minimum of 139 targets in three consecutive seasons. His capacity to demand targets at a high rate has always provided a safe floor from a fantasy football perspective.

In Carolina, Johnson will be operating as the unquestioned WR1 in this offense. His competition for targets mainly consists of veteran Adam Thielen and rookie Xavier Legette. While Thielen enjoyed somewhat of a resurgent 2023 season, he began to show signs of age and attrition in the latter half. He managed to eclipse 43 receiving yards just twice in the final seven games of the season. On the other hand, Legette is likely to assume a secondary role at the start of his career. As he grows accustomed to the NFL game, he will not pose a severe threat to Diontae Johnson’s volume. Expect Johnson to earn an elite target share once again in 2024.

At 28 years old, Johnson remains at the peak of his powers. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) efficiency metrics, the 2023 season was his best. His 79.1 receiving grade and 1.97 yards per route run were both career highs. Johnson will look to build upon his career year in a more prominent role in Carolina.

The main concern for Johnson’s fantasy outlook is the porous offense he finds himself in. It averaged a mere 13.9 points per game and earned the 3rd-lowest PFF offensive grade in 2023. That being said, newly-appointed head coach Dave Canales will do wonders for this struggling unit. Canales played an integral role in the career resurgences of both Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. After a disastrous rookie season, Bryce Young will benefit from Canales’ teachings. If Young can deliver on the promise that made him the first overall selection, this offense will make great strides in 2024. As the primary target, Diontae Johnson will be the main benefactor.

Jakobi Meyers (LV)

Like Diontae Johnson, Jakobi Meyers is an elite separator whose earned a plethora of targets throughout his career. In Las Vegas, Meyers has had to cede touches to perennial superstar WR Davante Adams. Nevertheless, he remains a key component of this offense that severely lacks playmakers. He’ll continue to be a volume-based, high-floor option for fantasy managers.

Meyers has produced a minimum of 67 receptions and 800 receiving yards in three consecutive years. He offers steady production that can be integral as injuries and bye weeks start to pile up. What’s more, Meyers’ production may be trending upwards in 2024. Gardner Minshew‘s arrival as the Raiders’ starting QB is a massive upgrade over last season’s signal callers. In 2023, Minshew supported a breakout season for Michael Pittman Jr., who accumulated 109 receptions and 1,152 receiving yards. Seeing as Pittman and Meyers occupy similar portions of the field, expect Meyers to be targeted often.

Meyers’ 2023 efficiency metrics would suggest that he’ll relish the opportunity. Per PFF, he set career highs in both yards after contact and missed tackles forced. His receiving grade of 71.8 was also a respectable tally.

Last season, the Raiders’ passing attack ran through two players: Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. Meyers earned 106 targets as this teams’ WR2, while none of the other pass-catchers were targeted more than 37 times. The arrival of highly-touted TE prospect Brock Bowers may be seen as a hindrance to Meyers’ volume. However, tight ends historically face steep learning curves in the NFL. It’s highly unlikely that a rookie TE takes away a considerable portion of Meyers’ looks.

Joshua Palmer (LAC)

The departure of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett vacates an astounding 309 targets in the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense. Who will inherit this absurd volume? While rookie Ladd McConkey and veteran DJ Chark Jr. are intriguing options, both are yet to establish a rapport with QB Justin Herbert. The same cannot be said for Joshua Palmer. The latter averaged 7.3 targets and 69.0 receiving yards in games both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were sidelined in 2023.

Palmer enjoyed the best football of his career in 2023. He set career highs in receiving grade, yards per route run, and yards after catch per reception (PFF). He emerged as a key contributor amid the Chargers’ injury woes last season.

Much has been said about the run-heavy offensive approach that Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman are expected to implement in 2024. It remains true that in neutral game scripts, the Chargers figure to run the ball at an above-average rate. That being said, this defensive unit is sub-par. It conceded the ninth most points in the NFL in 2023, and the departure of defensive stalwart Eric Kendricks will leave a massive void in the linebacker room. Simply put, the Chargers will find themselves in pass-friendly game scripts more often that some might expect. In an attempt to keep pace with opposing offenses, Herbert will look downfield to Palmer early and often.

Josh Downs (IND)

Josh Downs quietly enjoyed a productive rookie season, amassing 68 receptions and 771 receiving yards as the Colts’ WR2. Although a training camp ankle injury temporarily dampened speculation about his sophomore breakout, Downs fortunately avoided a major setback. The former UNC Tar Heel is currently on track to return early in the regular season.

There’s no doubt that Michael Pittman Jr. is Anthony Richardson‘s primary option. That being said, Downs has the stranglehold on the secondary targets in this offense. In games Richardson started in 2023, Downs earned an average of 5.25 targets and 49.5 receiving yards. This would put him on a 17-game pace for a very respectable 89.25 receptions and 841.5 receiving yards. Assuming both players improve with a year of NFL experience under their belt, these numbers are due to increase.

The efficiency metrics would suggest that a breakout season is imminent for Downs. Per PFF, he averaged 5.5 yards after catch per reception and 1.60 yards per route run during his rookie season. For some context, both tallies surpassed those of Garrett Wilson‘s 2023 season.

Currently being drafted as the WR66, Downs offers steady and reliable production that is hard to come by in the later rounds of drafts. Once he returns to full health, he’ll resume his role as the Colts’ WR2 and see plenty of targets from the slot.

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