When I think about the wide receiver position in fantasy football, the top six – in no particular order – pop immediately to mind: Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs and Cooper Kupp. We have everything we could possibly want in this group: Speed, great hands, precise routes and spectacular production.
But who is next in line? Let’s dive in and take a look at the next-best options after the ‘obvious’ guys at WR.
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Positives: CeeDee came into the NFL a few years back with a good pedigree, and he hasn’t disappointed, showing marked improvement on a yearly basis. We like predictable situations in fantasy football – and we know CeeDee is Dak Prescott’s ‘guy,’ so to speak — so that’s an immediate plus with Lamb. He’s the type of young man who consistently works hard on his game, so we like his chances of continuing to improve and evolve over time. He’s a very safe play in an offense that does well for itself during the regular season.
Negatives: Is there any possibility that the veteran Brandin Cooks will cut into Lamb’s production? Cooks comes in as a ‘name’ player and big acquisition, so I’m sure Mike McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer are going to want to get him involved early and often. Plus, for once, I’m expecting a sneaky-good season from Michael Gallup at the WR position.
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Positives: I love great players in high-powered offenses, so “AJB” is a no-brainer in a general sense. Brown has long-established chemistry with his buddy Jalen Hurts, so we naturally expect that to continue this season. Philly’s offensive balance is good for AJB – DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert take some defensive looks and double-teams away – because he never has to feel like he is carrying the offense on his shoulders. Nick Sirianni’s offensive creativity bodes well for Brown, as well.
Negatives: Was he just too good to be true last season? It all seemed so easy for AJB, coming over from Tennessee and settling in early and often. He was immensely productive from the get-go, with absolutely no signs of slowing down. I dunno; it’s just a gut feeling… do NFL players have it this easy all the time, or do bad things happen by default in this violent game?
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Positives: A great kid, a great example-setter and works his butt off every single day. He’s a gym rat with a tremendous work ethic who always plays like he has something to prove. “ARSB” is one of the feel-good stories of the NFL — a talented, young wide receiver who was bypassed by a number of teams that should have been itching to draft him. Now, ARSB makes everybody else pay. He has beautiful chemistry with Jared Goff and Detroit’s talented OC, Ben Johnson.
Negatives: Because he’s always playing so hard on full-blast, it feels like ‘little’ injuries come around relatively often. Can he stay completely healthy? Can he give us the fantasy consistency we are yearning for? I think he can, but we must also consider both sides of the coin.
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Positives: As a rookie, he was already one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, despite incoming passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Chris Streveler. Yeah… YIKES. But Garrett is so technically-sound he can make anyone look good back there. Wilson, all things considered, strikes me as a true superstar at the WR position.
Negatives: Will his chemistry with Aaron Rodgers take time? I doubt it – based on their offseason camaraderie — but anything can happen when the bright lights come on. Most of all, Garrett and the Jets just need to keep Rodgers out there and healthy.
Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith deserve a look here, as well!
I’ll see ya right back here next week.
John Frascella is a published sports author who has been covering the NFL for 19 years. Follow him on Twitter @LegendSports7 for all things fantasy football, basketball, and baseball throughout the year.
