The football season has finally reached the preseason, which, as fans, is a blessing. However, you must be cautious because the fantasy football player takes and analysis will skew to the recently seen footage during preseason games. You must make sure you create sound research to help guide you through the 2024 fantasy football season.
Today, we will help build your research for the wide receivers you must fade this season. Fading the correct wide receiver this year will help you gain an advantage against your league, as fantasy football has leaned heavily into Zero RB territory.
If you correctly identify the landmines throughout fantasy football drafts, you can elevate your chances of winning your league. Remember, you can’t win your fantasy football league on draft day, but you can lose your league by not correctly identifying and maneuvering past the pitfall players along the way. Here are overvalued wide receivers to avoid in fantasy football drafts.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Overvalued Wide Receivers to Avoid
Davante Adams (WR – LV)
A significant role in fantasy football is to draft great players from great offenses. Davante Adams is a great player, but sadly, he wastes away in a terrible offense. Pick your poison for the killing issue for Adams’ fantasy production: Either the quarterback play is sub-par due to Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell posting below-average stats or an extremely run-heavy offense takes his opportunities away.
At his average draft position (ADP) of 17th overall, there is a plethora of options later in the draft that can help elevate your fantasy football team in 2024.
Sadly, Adams is more of a floor play than an upside play, and we need to fade anyone who can not elevate our roster.
Mike Evans (WR – TB)
Mike Evans had an excellent 2023. He rose above his ADP and performed at the highest level to help elevate fantasy football teams. Evans was the WR4 overall last season. Because of that, he is being drafted at the ADP of 34th overall.
Evans can bring you 30 points or zero points in a week. We also have Baker Mayfield throwing to Evans. Although he had a great season last year, history has shown Mayfield is often a lousy bet. There is a minuscule possibility Evans can surpass/match 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns again in 2024.
We also have Chris Godwin heading back into the slot position where he dominated a few seasons back. All the cards are showing for the Buccaneers and those cards are showing us not to draft Evans at his ADP in 2024.
DJ Moore (WR – CHI)
DJ Moore was hyper-targeted last season. He finished as the WR6 in fantasy points per game (PPG) with 14 PPG. Moore also dominated in air yards share (43%) and had a top-10 target share in the league with 29%. The issue is that his quarterback has changed from Justin Fields to Caleb Williams.
Rookie quarterbacks struggle to provide wide receivers with upside and WR1 potential. This year, the Chicago Bears added Rome Odunze in the draft and traded for Keenan Allen. Although helpful for Williams, these additions will lower the dominance of the Bears’ offense, which Moore had seen before. We should expect lower stats and recognize Moore leans more into a floor play than the upside play we love to chase.
Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)
Malik Nabers is exceptionally talented. My suggestion of fading Nabers isn’t about questioning his talent. Instead, it’s questioning his quarterback, Daniel Jones, and his talent level. It’s hard to trust Jones to give him the accuracy on his targets to help navigate Nabers to a production level that pays off an ADP of 52nd overall.
Here are some wide receivers drafted at a later ADP who have a safer floor and still provide upside: Amari Cooper, Tee Higgins, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, Tank Dell and Christian Kirk.
Ask yourself a question and be honest: Are you more excited about Nabers because he is the new “hot” name or do you genuinely believe Jones can support a wide receiver who is drafted inside the top 60?
Rashee Rice (WR – KC)
Rashee Rice is a good player on a great offense. The issue is the looming suspension. We have no idea how many games Rice could/will miss this season. His ADP sits at 86th overall, and the risk outweighs the reward. Add in the fact Kansas City has added Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy to an offense that already features Travis Kelce and we can see regression from this second-year wide receiver.
The Kansas City Chiefs offense has a bell-cow running back and multiple receivers to choose from on each offensive snap. We have seen Patrick Mahomes distribute over the year better than most wide receivers. It will be hard to target when Rice pays off his ADP for our fantasy football team.
Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
The offense has a downgrade in quarterback this season and even with T.J. Hockenson starting the year slowly with injury, fading this wide receiver would be wise for your fantasy team. Jordan Addison has a chance to face suspension this year, which could come during a crucial period in the fantasy football season. If I’m drafting a wide receiver at 96th overall I want someone who will be on a top offense in the league and not miss games this.
Mike Williams (WR – NYJ)
His ADP is 153rd overall, which means Mike Williams is a late-round dart throw for a fantasy team. However, he shouldn’t be on your fantasy team. When have we ever played fantasy football and said, “I want to draft the aging, coming-off-injury wide receiver changing teams this season?”
The New York Jets offense will lean into Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson before any other player. At best, Williams is the third offensive weapon in this offense.
Remember to read all the fantastic work here at FantasyPros and fade these wide receivers to help elevate your fantasy team and win a championship in 2024. If you need more help with your fantasy team, don’t hesitate to contact me on X at @jpep20. Good luck during your drafts this offseason.
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