ADF Early Fantasy Football Rankings – WR Top 30

It’s never too early to project where the top fantasy performers should reside for upcoming fantasy football drafts. ADF is providing our insight to where current players should be ranked as of today for re-draft leagues. This listing will of course be modified as the offseason continues to move forward.

Projections are based upon 2018 PPR formats. 

TOP 30 Fantasy Wide Receivers:

DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 20.8 | Rank 1

Continuing to prove he is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, DeAndre Hopkins once again finds his way atop the early rankings for wide receivers.

Truly, when evaluating last year’s top five point getters in fantasy football at the position, you can’t go wrong with others as points speak for themselves. However, seeing the upside of Hopkins leaves up to believe he is nothing more than a sure thing in terms of fantasy production. Securing a whopping 333.5 total points in PPR formats, there is nothing to suggest he won’t at least flirt with those numbers once again in 2019.   

As the Texans continue to move forward in adding more dynamic pieces to the puzzle, Hopkins should only enjoy lesser double teams to his side leaving the door open for more productivity. If there was a slam dunk for statistical achievement, Hopkins is the guy.

Davante Adams | GB | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 22.0 | Rank 2

Mr. Touchdown should be the nickname for the Packers Davante Adams, as he simply is the most dominating force in the league at finding the endzone.

When the Packers chose to cut bait with Jordy Nelson, the vow of confidence provided to Adams in becoming the team’s number one receiver was cast. Adams proved he could become that trusted target for Aaron Rodgers while putting up career high numbers in the process. Seeing a healthy 169 total targets last season, Adams put the league on notice that he truly was a force on the field.

Looking ahead to the 2019 season, there are arguments to suggest he could jump Hopkins for the number one spot, but at this point, you can’t go wrong with either or. 

Julio Jones | ATL | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 20.4 | Rank 3

Perhaps there is no wide receiver in the NFL that we have a greater affinity for than the Falcons Julio Jones. He has proven over the years that he is the epitome of greatness able to strap the team on his back and take over games.

Last season we witnessed a resurgence of sorts in Jones’ overall game to obtain statistical levels we all expect. When all was said and done, Jones fell just 0.4 points per game shy of marks set by DeAndre Hopkins.

What has us even more intrigued entering the 2019 campaign for the Falcons, is newly hired offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Since the departure of Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta has struggled to regain that offensive prowess which got them to the Super Bowl, but in our eyes, this has the makings of becoming a top flight offense.

Jones should have little trouble recreating the success he enjoyed a season prior.       

Odell Beckham Jr | CLE | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 19.2 | Rank 4

This early rank might be a little high, but given the hype and weapons now employed on this Browns club, Odell Beckham has a glorious opportunity to continue down the path of greatness.

The only reason we suggest OBJ might be a little high is that we can make arguments for both Michael Thomas and Tyreek Hill (pending suspension) to leap frog the one handed master. Nevertheless, Beckham sits in the fourth position as of today now teamed up with the electric talents of Baker Mayfield.

When reviewing what could become a league elitist offensive unit, we do wonder if Mayfield will be able to support all the mouths with one football. Spreading the wealth could become problematic if the Browns do start dropping contests to their opponents. With that said, in how this team is constructed and us fully expecting the next level of progression from Mayfield, OBJ should rack up the numbers.   

Michael Thomas | NO | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 19.7 | Rank 5

When we discuss the Saints fabulous wide receiver Michael Thomas, nothing negative can be spoken on a man that simply has glue for hands.

Over the course of his first three NFL seasons, Thomas has caught literally more passes then anyone in NFL history over that span. Seeing Thomas set new career highs in both receptions (125) and yardage (1405) does leave some speculation that a slight let down could transpire. However, given that the Saints are a club still built to excel in 2019, Thomas should again challenge for the league lead in many categories. 

Tyreek Hill | KC | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 20.5 | Rank 6

Though we are still early in the offseason process, and the greatest issue for the Chiefs Tyreek Hill remains with his off filed indiscretions.

Evaluating simply for what we know today, Hill could jump both Michael Thomas and Odell Beckham in holding up to the fourth ranking, but we chose to hold with a cautious outlook at this point. With no new developments in his case, we only wait in fear that the gauntlet will come crashing down.

When speaking of what Hill was able to achieve last season, we have nothing but gleaming reviews with the potential of more to come. With Hill catching passes from the uber-talented Patrick Mahomes, there is no question they can continue to be that league leading offensive force. But until we absolutely know the future, Hill anywhere on this board is a massive risk.

Strictly based on talent, Hill is a top three producer, based on his possible suspension, Hill could become an afterthought.      

Antonio Brown | OAK | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 21.6 | Rank 7

Another player in which we feel the need to cast shade on, is the great Antonio Brown. Finding tribulation in the final season with the Steelers, Brown orchestrated a situation that forced the hand of Steeler management to trade him to Oakland.

While the skillset hasn’t changed for Brown, the surroundings obviously have. Derek Carr is by no means Ben Roethlisberger at this point of his career, but does have potential to set new career highs with Brown being his go-to receiver.

Placing Brown with the seventh ranking does appear to be a little disrespectful, but we are forced due in part to many unknowns in this Raiders offense. In Pittsburgh over the last four seasons, Brown saw a healthy 678 targets come his way to equate to a whopping 169.5 per year. To suggest that will become the normality in Oakland might be a little ambitious, which promotes our fear for lesser numbers on the docket.

Brown should still possess solid statistical achievements this season, but the ceiling is now in question.      

Juju Smith Schuster | PIT | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 18.6 | Rank 8

We’ve already seen great hype thrown toward the Steelers new number one receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, and we still have great reservations. While we aren’t suggesting Smith-Schuster isn’t a sound talent that shouldn’t flourish in the league, it’s our contention to witness more on the field without Antonio Brown pulling coverage from his side.

Simply put from a target share perspective, Smith-Schuster will receive all he can handle in that respect, gaining perhaps an additional 20-30 more passes to add to a splendid 166 from last season. Based on that fact, Smith-Schuster does belong in the eighth ranking but no higher at this point.

Many believe that Roethlisberger is the true catalyst in creating greatness upon his receivers, and it could very well transpire again here without Brown. With that said, seeing Juju locked up on number one defensive backs for majority of the season should tell the tale.      

Mike Evans | TB | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 17.8 | Rank 9

Though we can surely make arguments to have the Buccaneers Mike Evans sit a little higher on this listing, at this point in time, we feel rank nine is appropriate.

While we have nothing but gleaming respect for the overall game of Evans, the quarterback situation remains the issue in our minds. Jameis Winston has shown to be a consistent erratic passer which unfortunately drops the overall value of Evans. However, Evans displays fantastic upside bailing out his quarterback on more than one occasion.

Since entering the league, Evans hasn’t seen a campaign less than 1000 yards receiving, which is most impressive. The outlook does appear to be on the rise for the Bucs with new head coach Bruce Arians leading the way, but seeing it transform on the field will be necessary. Before the year opens, Evans could jump a few places up on this list.  

AJ Green | CIN | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 16.6 | Rank 10

While we’ve seen many remove the Bengals AJ Green from the top 10 altogether, we aren’t prepared to agree with those evaluations.

The one concern for Green moving forward is health related, as over the past three campaigns, Green has missed 13 contests in that time. With reports that he has been progressing well in his recovery this offseason, we have little doubt that AJ Green will return to what he has been in the past.

The new offensive system which Cincinnati will employ under offensive upstart coach Zac Taylor, we could finally witness an embarrassment of riches come to the Who-Dey Nation. Some have argued that Green is in the beginning phases of relinquishing his ability, but we simply don’t view it that way.

The prospects still remain high for Green to get back on track on a team that will see great turnover in all aspects of their game.

Adam Thielen | MIN | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 19.2 | Rank 11

With the top 10 out of the way, we found ourselves torn in ranking the second level of receivers in the NFL.

While Adam Thielen shouldn’t be viewed as a tier two receiver, his placement on this list would indicate that type of review. The Vikings truly expelled the most of the undrafted free agent over the past two seasons to place the league on notice that he is in fact a star. Seeing his target share increase to levels above 140 plus each of the last two years, Thielen has made the most of every opportunity.

Even as we’ve placed Thielen with the 11^th ranking, we can envision an increase into the top 10 given the fact that Gary Kubiak now resides on the team as an offensive specialist coach. Placing him at rank seven isn’t out of the question.  

Keenan Allen | LAC | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 17.3 | Rank 12

As the Chargers continue to forge ahead in hopes to reach the Super Bowl with their aging quarterback Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen will be a steady reliable target and fantasy producer until Rivers calls it a career.

Allen saw a slight drop off in production last season as Los Angeles returned to a more balanced approach filled with great levels of running plays. Adding to that, teammate Mike Williams took the next step in his development to show he was worth pulling some of the target share to his direction.

While we still would like to see more touchdowns thrown to Allen’s path, being a sound PPR producer with high-end yardage upside will be the staple in his game. 

Stefon Diggs | MIN | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 17.8 | Rank 13

When speaking of Adam Thielen with so much praise, we can’t forget about the other half of this dynamic-duo in Stefon Diggs.

Though potential was always high on Diggs, fruition on his abilities came through when Kirk Cousins joined the team. Cousins was the perfect addition to support these talented pass catchers which saw Diggs fetch career highs every receiving category. While Diggs hasn’t had an issue in finding the endzone in the past, playing with Cousins lifted his target share to help attain those milestones. 

As the Vikings continue to expand and improve the offensive playbook, Diggs will again be a vocal point in the pass game racking up great numbers in the process. If you miss out on Thielen, Diggs is a worthy consolation prize.

TY Hilton | IND | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 17.1 | Rank 14

The excitement for us when speaking of the Colts TY Hilton rests with the potential of adding assistance to the wide receiver room. The Colts proved they could use multi tight end sets to perfection which lifted the overall output of Hilton.

Moving forward, the addition of former Panther Devin Funchess has us extremely intrigued to the potential that could be had with Andrew Luck throwing the ball. Having a viable secondary receiver to remove double teams while building off of what Eric Ebron was able to accomplish, should only give Hilton a much greater outlook.

TY Hilton could inevitably become one of the draft biggest steals given where his ADP (average draft position) will rest. Having no choice but to rank him here at 14, the value is much greater with very sound potential.      

Amari Cooper | DAL | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 14.4 | Rank 15

When the Cowboys traded for Amari Cooper ahead of last season’s trade deadline, we truly didn’t know what to expect. Since Cooper entered the league, his perception has taken quite a few shots to believe he wasn’t the true difference maker he appeared early on.

Looking as though a change of scenery was clearly needed, Cooper looked electric in his first few contests with Dallas showing he was in fact stuck in a rut with the Raiders. Moving forward with the prospects of what he can obtain this year, we’re truly smitten with the possibilities.

Even as we have some level of reservations on Dak Prescott, having a big-3 will go a long way in how this team succeeds. With Prescott, Elliott and now Cooper to round out the power, surely sky is the limit to what they can generate. There is no question in our eyes that Cooper will displace his ordinary 14.4 points per game and get back to levels of respectability.  

Robert Woods | LAR | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 16.6 | Rank 16

As the Super Bowl contenders proved they could elevate their game to yet another level under Coach Sean McVay, Robert Woods also found new heights to his game building off of a late season push from 2017.

The Rams are a compelling group that house a number of sound playmakers but appropriately spread the ball around with great selflessness. Jared Goff was able to find Woods, Cooks, and Kupp to support all three receivers to nearly hitting 1000 yards for all. While Cooks has the ability of explosive deep ball touchdowns, Woods makes his living in the slot picking apart the opposition in the short game.

When looking for a pass catcher to garner a healthy 12-16 points per game, Robert Woods is your guy.   

Brandin Cooks | LAR | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 16.2 | Rank 17

Though we placed Robert Woods above his teammate Barndin Cooks, realistically, both have become interchangeable essentially creating the same productivity on a weekly basis.

Where Cooks excels over Woods is with deep big play ability, but is limited in the overall point per reception landscape. With how the Rams are constructed offensively, literally you can’t go wrong with either or. Placing Cooks with the 17^th rank seems to be reasonable but could argue higher consideration.

With a healthy 16 points per contest given last season, we could see a slight uptick in production, but are comfortable suggesting he will obtain similar statistics in 2019.

Julian Edelman | NE | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 17.3 | Rank 18

With the New England Patriots going through something of a transition offensively, Julian Edelman appears to be the only viable threat in this pass game to date.

With that said, Bill Belichick has done a good job once again to place depth around the receiver and tight end positions in hopes to save money while increasing talent on the roster. Recent news has former Broncos star Demaryius Thomas latching on to the club to provide another weapon for Tom Brady. While this move could bear fruit during the season, we find it to look more decoy specific to open up Edelman over the middle.

With the short pass game employed from the Patriots, Edelman should again feast in PPR formats especially without Rob Gronkowski (retirement) pulling his target share from their scheme.    

Allen Robinson | CHI | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 11.8 | Rank 19

From this point on the listing, some of these receivers can become interchangeable given the amount of talent and potential productivity that could transpire.

Witnessing the Bears take a giant leap in their overall development as an offense under Coach Matt Nagy, Mitchell Trubisky should be able to continue that growth. With continued improvement on the horizon, Allen Robinson in our eyes gets a greater evaluation and will become a sleeper candidate of sorts come fantasy draft season.

While his overall points and points per contest didn’t set the world ablaze, year two in this Chicago offense should look more dynamic. Robinson will have his coming out party with the Bears in 2019.    

Alshon Jeffery | PHI | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 14.3 | Rank 20

Placing the Eagles Alshon Jeffery at rank 20 has come with a little controversy in our minds. While we believe in the skillset he possesses, its contingent on factors that are out of his control.

The health of their quarterback Carson Wentz plays a massive role in how successful the receiving core can become. We are absolutely enthralled with the prospects of this Eagles team to compete with the best in the business with new acquisitions they’ve obtained. Adding DeSean Jackson and Jordan Howard to the fold will only lift the output of Jeffery to levels of gigantic value. Seeing 14.3 points per game last season could realistically become his floor in 2019, provided Wentz can remain on the field.

Value is extremely high for Jeffery for where he can be selected in drafts.   

Cooper Kupp | LAR | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 16.9 | Rank 21

The Rams Cooper Kupp should sit higher on our early ranks but has lost some traction simply due to his in season knee injury. While rumors have stated that his recovery is on point, the fear that he won’t get back on the field to full health until midseason is very real.

Looking at his productively in this Rams offense, there is no question that Kupp is a star pupil that has already made a name for himself with Coach McVay. For where Kupp can be selected, the value is off the charts but does come with some level of risk at this point.   

Kenny Golladay | DET | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 13.8 | Rank 22

Baby-Tron has been the nickname given to the Lions Kenny Golladay, but we aren’t ready to anoint him the next coming just yet.

Having high expectations when entering the league while receiving strong endorsements from former NFL stars, Golladay found his place gaining valuable statistics in 2018. Golladay at times seemed to disappear against top end coverage which leaves us wanting more from a player with his aptitude. As the Lions continue to move forward in hopes to be more productive, Golladay should have a very large role.

Typically for wide receivers in the NFL, year three is when we see the natural translation of skill come about, so we should see if Kenny Golladay can truly fit the bill.

Chris Godwin | TB | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 11.6 | Rank 23

Extended amounts of hype are being placed on the Buccaneers Chris Godwin this offseason, now that a new coaching staff is set to revamp this offensive scheme. Adding to that, not having DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries on the roster also improves to the increase of expectations.

Chris Godwin did enjoy a very productive season in 2018 where frequent endzone trips became a staple in his game. Seeing a healthy 95 targets on a squad that employed a number of talented pass catchers, Godwin has the potential to see a sharp increase being second in charge to Mike Evans.

10 points per game could become the floor for Godwin this season provided Jameis Winston can finally find triumph in his overall game.    

Jarvis Landry | CLE | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 13.6 | Rank 24

Though we aren’t fully comfortable in keeping the Browns Jarvis Landry on the backend of this listing, as of today, we are forced until we see it emerge on the field.

Landry historically has been an extremely capable player that has racked up receptions in bunches. Last season, Landry witnessed his lowest levels of production in terms of passes caught since coming into the league five years ago. Our greatest fear for this Browns unit will come from Baker Mayfield, and if he  can truly support all the talents currently employed on this roster. With Odell Beckham now a key cog for this pass attack, could we envision 130 targets to both? That is the question.   

The upside here rests with both players not seeing double coverage based on the skill they possess. We would be surprised to see defensive game plans able to corral both Beckham and Landry leaving the door wide open for great statistical achievements. Landry could possess very great value but there is a slight risk here.    

Calvin Ridley | ATL | 2018 Fantasy PPG:  | Rank 25

When the 2018 NFL draft approached, we felt like we were the only ones giving great support to the Flacons Calvin Ridley.

Many questioned his overall skillset believing he wouldn’t be able to amass top end statistical achievements. Early on in the process, Ridley turned heads playing with super talent Julio Jones which left ample levels of room all over the field. As Ridley became more of a house hold name looking quite capable, a weekly flex starter is what emerged.   

Heading into the 2019 season, we are over the moon with the prospects that Ridley can expand on his endeavors in this offense which is now run under coach Dirk Koetter. With Julio Jones manning the other side of the field, single coverage will again be outcome. Extremely high value for Ridley this season.

Tyler Lockett | SEA | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 13.9 | Rank 26

With Doug Baldwin taking a step back last season due to injuries, the same is set to take place as he again found his way to more surgical procedures.

In Baldwin’s absence, the Seahawks utilized the speed and skill of Lockett and should again look to him to continue his development. Though the Hawks are a team that should again be a top running club in the NFL, Lockett will have some standalone appeal, especially in matchup play.

Having witnessed Lockett improve his catch percentages to a whopping 81.4% this past season, it proves he can be reliable when given the opportunity.      

Robby Anderson | NYJ | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 11.2 | Rank 27

A major dark horse for fantasy receivers in our eyes is the Jets Robby Anderson. Sitting at the 27^th rank on our list does leave a lot for debate. While the Jets haven’t endorsed the notion that Anderson is their true number one threat, the have rather compiled a group of receivers to build in the aggregate.

With Jamison Crowder recently signed via free agency, and Quincey Enunwa still poised to have a big role, the overall outlook on Anderson is somewhat murky. While he does have a good level of talent and has proven to be a good fantasy earner, the Jets offense will have to prove they can take the next step before we lift Anderson higher.    

Mike Williams | LAC | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 11.3 | Rank 28

The Chargers saw enough last season from Mike Williams to allow Tyrell Williams to hit the open market, leaving him as the perfect complement to Keenan Allen.

While we still have some level of intrigue on Williams’ overall game, it’s clear he was the go-to redzone target for Phillip Rivers. For value based return on investment, Mike Williams could become a slam dunk for fantasy production in 2019. We are cautiously optimistic, but are holding out hope he could turn into a star.   

Tyler Boyd | CIN | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 15.8 | Rank 29

The coming out party for Tyler Boyd happened last season in the absence of AJ Green. Boyd handled himself extremely well verse top opposition gaining his first 1000 yard campaign in the process.

Instantly from this placement, we understand that some may believe we have undervalued him greatly, but with the return of AJ Green from injury, Boyd will see a sharp decline in what he’s able to generate. While we do have a good level of optimism for a solid season forthcoming under Coach Zac Taylor, we must throw shade on Boyd believing nearly 16 points per game won’t be sustainable.

Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | 2018 Fantasy PPG: 16.5 | Rank 30

Rounding out the list of top 30 early fantasy receivers, we have no choice but to keep preaching the Broncos Emmanuel Sanders.

We took a lot of flak last season for campaigning Sanders to remain fantasy viable, and he returned our endorsement with great favor. A season filled with success also fell in failure when Sanders ruptured his achilles to ultimately being lost for the season. While that injury at his age is a definite concern, having Joe Flacco now the quarterback for Denver keeps us looking in his direction.

With that said, Flacco isn’t the most credible of quarterbacks entering the 2019 season, but should be viewed as a sound upgrade to Case Keenum. If Sanders returns healthy form his injury, there is no question he should again produce 14-17 points per contest in 2019. Very good value for Sanders, as he again will be a giant sleeper candidate.