Ranking players gets harder in dynasty leagues, with more variables to consider. In general, you’re looking not just at the current season, but considering how productive the player will be in upcoming seasons – and how long each player can be expected to remain a difference maker at his position.
At wide receiver, Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams would be my first choices if looking at just the 2021 season, but there are a host of other receivers who are also good and a lot younger. Justin Jefferson, DK Metcalf, DJ Moore (pictured) and CeeDee Lamb get in the conversation, I think.
At 28, Adams is the oldest of these receivers, and there’s the added dynamic of trying to cobble together a stab at what he might be in the future. Aaron Rodgers probably won’t be back in Green Bay, so very unlikely that tandem stays together. And Adams is in the final year of his contract – he might not be back with the Packers either.
Hill is 27, which is hardly ancient, but his game is built around insane speed. Is he going to remain a transcendent player into this 30s? Maybe (I think Hill is the conversation to be the first wide receiver chosen in a dynasty draft) but I’m ranking him below a couple of receives who are 4-5 years younger.
In this exercise, I might be overrating the younger players. With the way teams and offenses change, guys who seem like top-5 receivers today can turn into top-30 receivers in a hurry. With Jefferson, for example, it might not be long before Minnesota has a new offense and a new quarterback. With Metcalf, perhaps he’s catching passes from a new quarterback next year (considering the rumors that Russell Wilson wants out of Seattle). And DJ Moore might not look nearly as good next year in Carolina after offensive coordinator Joe Brady leaves to take a head coaching job.
But this is my stab at it. It’s not scientifically put together. I’ve got a list of all the receivers, and I just spent about an hour going over it, moving guys up or down based on what feels right.
Rankings assume a 12-team dynasty league using PPR scoring. When we get 60-70 receivers in, I think it’s in play to start thinking about players who aren’t really factors right now (DJ Chark, Josh Palmer) but who might be good in future seasons. Rookies are tagged by black dots.
I turn the focus to dynasty leagues each Saturday, rotating between the four major positions. To access previous rankings, use the “past issues” navigation tools on this page.
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Next week: Quarterbacks
DYNASTY LEAGUE WIDE RECEIVERS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Tm | Player | Age |
1. | MIN | Justin Jefferson | 22 |
2. | SEA | DK Metcalf | 23 |
3. | KC | Tyreek Hill | 27 |
4. | CAR | DJ Moore | 24 |
5. | GB | Davante Adams | 28 |
6. | DAL | CeeDee Lamb | 22 |
7. | BUF | Stefon Diggs | 27 |
8. | WAS | Terry McLaurin | 25 |
9. | LAR | Cooper Kupp | 28 |
10. | TEN | A.J. Brown | 24 |
11. | LAC | Mike Williams | 27 |
12. | ARI | DeAndre Hopkins | 29 |
13. | DAL | Amari Cooper | 27 |
14. | SEA | Tyler Lockett | 29 |
15. | TB | Chris Godwin | 25 |
16. | ATL | Calvin Ridley | 26 |
17. | TB | Mike Evans | 28 |
18. | SF | Deebo Samuel | 25 |
19. | CIN | • JaMarr Chase | 21 |
20. | LAC | Keenan Allen | 29 |
21. | BAL | Marquise Brown | 24 |
22. | PIT | Diontae Johnson | 25 |
23. | CIN | Tee Higgins | 22 |
24. | PIT | Chase Claypool | 23 |
25. | PHI | • DeVonta Smith | 22 |
26. | DEN | Jerry Jeudy | 22 |
27. | NYJ | Corey Davis | 26 |
28. | LAR | Robert Woods | 29 |
29. | NO | Michael Thomas | 28 |
30. | CIN | Tyler Boyd | 26 |
31. | CHI | Allen Robinson | 28 |
32. | IND | Michael Pittman | 24 |
33. | HOU | Brandin Cooks | 28 |
34. | JAC | Laviska Shenault | 23 |
35. | CLE | Odell Beckham | 28 |
36. | MIA | • Jaylen Waddle | 22 |
37. | CAR | • Terrace Marshall | 21 |
38. | DEN | Courtland Sutton | 26 |
39. | MIN | Adam Thielen | 31 |
40. | ARI | • Rondale Moore | 21 |
41. | CHI | Darnell Mooney | 23 |
42. | DAL | Michael Gallup | 25 |
43. | NYG | Kenny Golladay | 27 |
44. | CAR | Robby Anderson | 28 |
45. | NE | Jakobi Meyers | 24 |
46. | BUF | Gabriel Davis | 22 |
47. | PIT | JuJu Smith-Schuster | 24 |
48. | LV | Henry Ruggs | 22 |
49. | TB | Antonio Brown | 33 |
50. | NYG | Sterling Shepard | 27 |
51. | CLE | Jarvis Landry | 28 |
52. | NYJ | • Elijah Moore | 21 |
53. | JAC | Marvin Jones | 31 |
54. | BUF | Cole Beasley | 32 |
55. | TEN | Julio Jones | 32 |
56. | BUF | Emmanuel Sanders | 34 |
57. | NYG | • Kadarius Toney | 22 |
58. | MIA | DeVante Parker | 28 |
59. | BAL | • Rashod Bateman | 21 |
60. | LV | Hunter Renfrow | 25 |
61. | SF | Brandon Aiyuk | 23 |
62. | ARI | Christian Kirk | 24 |
63. | LAR | Van Jefferson | 25 |
64. | PHI | Jalen Reagor | 22 |
65. | ARI | A.J. Green | 33 |
66. | IND | Zach Pascal | 26 |
67. | KC | Mecole Hardman | 23 |
68. | NO | Marquez Callaway | 23 |
69. | WAS | Curtis Samuel | 25 |
70. | JAC | DJ Chark | 25 |
71. | LAC | • Josh Palmer | 22 |
72. | HOU | • Nico Collins | 22 |
73. | GB | • Amari Rodgers | 22 |
74. | GB | Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 27 |
75. | LV | Bryan Edwards | 22 |
76. | WAS | • Dyami Brown | 21 |
77. | SEA | • Dee Eskridge | 24 |
78. | BAL | Sammy Watkins | 28 |
79. | GB | Allen Lazard | 25 |
80. | CLE | Donovan Peoples-Jones | 22 |
81. | NE | Nelson Agholor | 28 |
82. | IND | Parris Campbell | 24 |
83. | CLE | • Anthony Schwartz | 21 |
84. | IND | T.Y. Hilton | 31 |
85. | DEN | Tim Patrick | 27 |
86. | ATL | Russell Gage | 25 |
87. | NE | Kendrick Bourne | 26 |
88. | NYJ | Jamison Crowder | 28 |
89. | MIA | Will Fuller | 27 |
90. | DET | Tyrell Williams | 29 |
91. | KC | Byron Pringle | 27 |
92. | TB | Tyler Johnson | 23 |
93. | MIN | K.J. Osborn | 24 |
94. | LAR | DeSean Jackson | 34 |
95. | LAC | Jalen Guyton | 24 |
96. | PHI | Quez Watkins | 23 |
97. | DET | Quintez Cephus | 23 |
98. | SEA | Freddie Swain | 23 |
99. | GB | Randall Cobb | 31 |
100. | CLE | Rashard Higgins | 27 |
—Ian Allan