Some teams have multiple fantasy football stars on the roster, while some have very few. Here, we look at wide receivers who are their team’s top fantasy asset entering the 2024 season. For a closer look at the top fantasy player for each NFL team, check out this link.
Which WRs Are the Top Fantasy Player on Their Team?
Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
That’s right. The most valuable fantasy asset on the Cardinals is a rookie. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the highest-drafted rookie wide receiver in the history of fantasy football. It’s possible we’ll never see a rookie receiver go this early again.
Harrison is a generational talent and the best WR prospect since Calvin Johnson. He’s the surest of sure things.
With that said, his early-second-round ADP is quite expensive. Harrison is still a rookie after all and is being drafted closer to his ceiling than his floor. I’m certain he’ll pan out, but it’s possible he underwhelms relative to his cost in 2024 fantasy drafts.
Chicago Bears: WR DJ Moore
For much of the past decade, the Bears have been a fantasy wasteland. There would be a couple of guys on the fantasy radar, even the occasional early-round pick. However, never has there been the embarrassment of riches that there are heading into the 2024 season.
It wouldn’t be a shock if Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, or even Caleb Williams wound up being Chicago’s top fantasy player. Right now, though, the title belongs to DJ Moore.
Last year’s overall WR9 is coming off the best season of his career. Moore averaged 16.9 fantasy ppg with Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent as his quarterbacks on an offense that was run first.
Although there’s the obvious massive increase in target competition, the QB upgrade and the shift in offensive philosophy should offset it. Moore is very much deserving of being the first Bears player selected in fantasy drafts.
Cincinnati Bengals: WR Ja’Marr Chase
There’s no doubt who the top dog on the Bengals will be this season. Ja’Marr Chase has been a WR1 in fantasy from the moment he entered the league.
Last year was a down year for Chase, yet he still averaged 16.4. fantasy points per game. With a healthy Joe Burrow, we can expect Chase to once again push 20 ppg as an elite WR1.
Cleveland Browns: WR Amari Cooper
With Nick Chubb sidelined to start the season, the Browns’ best fantasy player has to be Amari Cooper. Despite being 30 years old, Cooper has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s been as reliable as fantasy assets can get for nearly a decade.
Cooper has averaged between 13.3 and 15.4 fantasy points per game in all but one season in his career. Cleveland’s roster doesn’t have another receiver who is even remotely a threat to Cooper’s target share. If anything, we should expect it to increase from just 23.6% last season.
Cooper is one of the most undervalued players at his fifth-round ADP.
Dallas Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb’s upward trajectory likely reached its apex last season. His fantasy points per game have improved every year of his career, and in 2023, Lamb finished as the overall WR1, averaging 23.7 ppg.
Even if Lamb never reaches that mark again, he’s more than proven himself as one of the best wide receivers in football. Additionally, it’s quite literally impossible for a receiver to find himself in a better situation.
Lamb is the Cowboys’ clear WR1 and is tethered to a top-10 QB in Dak Prescott. The Cowboys have one of the best offenses in the NFL every season, and Lamb has absolutely no competition for targets. He’s very much deserving of being the top WR off the board in 2024 fantasy drafts.
Denver Broncos: WR Courtland Sutton
The Broncos can be best described as a fantasy wasteland. There’s just not much here. In standard-sized fantasy leagues, we may very well see only two players from Denver get drafted.
If you want to argue Javonte Williams is more valuable, that’s perfectly fine. I went with Courtland Sutton because his status as the unquestioned WR1 is secure. With Williams, there have been reports he might not even make the team.
Despite me not believing that for a second, the fact that it’s brought up at all, combined with the team liking Jaleel McLaughlin and drafting Audrice Estimé, makes me reluctant to label Williams the top option.
Sutton was largely dependent on touchdowns last season, scoring 10 of them on just 59 receptions. He’s unlikely to reach that number with a rookie quarterback. But even so, there aren’t any exciting options on the Broncos. Sutton is the best of a weak group.
Detroit Lions: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Here’s a team with no shortage of elite fantasy options. Jahmyr Gibbs is the consensus overall RB4, and Sam LaPorta is the overall TE1. In most instances, either one would be the top fantasy option on his respective team.
With that said, it’s clearly Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions’ WR1 has improved every year of his career, culminating in an average of 20.7 fantasy points per game last season and finishing as the WR4 overall.
St. Brown is a consensus top-five pick amongst wide receivers this season and well deserving of being drafted in the top half of Round 1.
Houston Texans: WR Nico Collins
Keeping the run, the Texans also have no shortage of offensive weapons. In fact, it’s fair to say any one of their top five guys is capable of being the most valuable fantasy asset on this team.
Nico Collins is the favorite, though. He’s the incumbent WR1, coming off a breakout season that saw him average 17.4 fantasy points per game.
By all accounts, it was completely legit. Collins is that good.
The concern for 2024 is he has to share targets with Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs. It’s possible they all cannibalize each other, allowing Joe Mixon or C.J. Stroud to end up being the Texans’ top fantasy player. Heading into the season, though, Collins is the No. 1 guy.
Las Vegas Raiders: WR Davante Adams
It speaks volumes about how great Davante Adams is that 15.6 fantasy points per game is viewed as a disappointment. But to be fair, he hadn’t averaged below 17.6 since 2017.
After losing Josh Jacobs, the Raiders no longer have anyone who could be considered a top fantasy option other than Adams. He’s head and shoulders above the rest of the team in terms of fantasy value.
Whether Adams can rebound will largely depend on the quality of his quarterbacks. Regardless, he’ll be the first Raiders player drafted by a wide margin.
Los Angeles Chargers: WR Ladd McConkey
In just one offseason, the Chargers went from a team with four players taken in the early rounds of fantasy drafts to a team with zero. Jim Harbaugh’s arrival has fantasy managers fading Justin Herbert, expecting a run-heavy scheme.
With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams gone, the Chargers lack a clear WR1. It may very well end up being Joshua Palmer as the highest-scoring fantasy receiver on this team, but the highest-drafted player on LA is rookie WR Ladd McConkey.
Even though the Chargers project to be run heavy, they don’t have a clear RB1 after letting Austin Ekeler walk. Gus Edwards is the favorite, but he doesn’t exactly have a high ceiling. McConkey is an unknown and fantasy managers should embrace the wide range of outcomes for the rookie.
Los Angeles Rams: WR Puka Nacua
This one is really close between Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams, two players who came out of nowhere last season to be league winners. Fantasy managers seem more apt to buy Nacua’s surprise breakout than Williams’ breakout.
Given the history of running backs who weren’t great prospects that go from waiver wire pickup to top of the position, I trust Nacua more to be the top fantasy option here.
He’s coming off one of the greatest rookie WR seasons of all time. He commanded a 28.7% target share and averaged 17.6 fantasy points per game. The best part is he’s only getting better.
Miami Dolphins: WR Tyreek Hill
When a guy is in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts, he’s certainly the top fantasy asset on his team.
The Dolphins have no shortage of weapons. De’Von Achane goes about a round after Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle comes off the board shortly after Achane. All three have immense talent and upside — Hill is just on another level.
He may be 30 years old, but Hill has shown no signs of decline. His 23.5 fantasy points per game last season was the highest mark of his career (remember, this guy used to play with Mahomes). Hill is the elitest of WR1s until further notice.
Minnesota Vikings: WR Justin Jefferson
Last year’s consensus WR1 overall disappointed fantasy managers. However, it had nothing to do with Justin Jefferson’s talent. He strained his hamstring in Week 5, sidelining him until Week 14.
When on the field, Jefferson was his typical elite self. He averaged 20.2 fantasy ppg and reached 1,000 receiving yards in just 10 games.
This season, Jefferson’s draft stock is slightly down due to Kirk Cousins’ departure. While Jefferson obviously won’t be as good with lesser QB play, he’s too talented to fail. It’s hard to envision any scenario outside of injury where he’s not the Vikings’ top fantasy asset this season.
New Orleans Saints: WR Chris Olave
Last season, Chris Olave was drafted ahead of Alvin Kamara. Yet, Kamara was the better fantasy option.
This year, it’s happening again. Will the result be the same? I’m banking on no.
Olave is only 24 years old. His advanced metrics indicate an elite receiver is lurking; he just needs the requisite QB play and offensive play-calling to bring it out.
There were several would-be long touchdowns last season where Derek Carr just missed Olave deep. There was also very bland play-calling. Klint Kubiak’s arrival as offensive coordinator has me believing in Olave once again. I expect him to finish as the Saints’ No. 1 fantasy asset.
New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers
It seems as though the Giants can only have one really good fantasy player at a time. First, it was Odell Beckham Jr. Then it was Saquon Barkley. Now, enter Malik Nabers.
If not for Harrison’s existence in this draft class, Nabers might be considered a generational prospect as well. He’s that good.
While it’s very possible Nabers underwhelms this year due to questionable quarterback play, no one else on the Giants’ roster has a chance at being their best fantasy asset. Eventually, Nabers’ talent will shine through — it could happen as soon as this year.
Philadelphia Eagles: WR A.J. Brown
The Eagles are easily the toughest to hammer down a top fantasy option. It could be Barkley or Jalen Hurts, but I went with A.J. Brown.
Although Barkley and Brown go near each other in fantasy drafts, Brown typically goes first — and for good reason.
We really haven’t seen an elite season from Barkley since his rookie year. While his offensive situation is much better in Philly, he’s going to lose touchdowns to the Tush Push.
Meanwhile, Brown stands to benefit from new OC Kellen Moore utilizing more creative play-calling, as well as allowing the veteran WR to operate more from the slot.
Brown averaged 17.0 fantasy points per game last season, but he really tailed off over the second half. I’m banking on him maintaining higher-end production for the entirety of the season and putting together another mid-WR1 performance.
Seattle Seahawks: WR DK Metcalf
This was close between DK Metcalf and Kenneth Walker III. Ultimately, I lean Metcalf because he’s displayed a ceiling that Walker has not.
Walker is now sharing a backfield with Zach Charbonnet. It’s entirely possible the new coaching staff is willing to give Charbonnet more work or even flip the timeshare.
Metcalf may have Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett to compete with, but he’s the clear alpha. Under new OC Ryan Grubb, expect Geno Smith to push the ball downfield more, which is where Metcalf shines.
I’m expecting a career year for Metcalf this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Mike Evans
There’s an argument to be made for Mike Evans as the most consistent wide receiver in fantasy football history. The man is a machine. With 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and at least 13 games played every year, there’s no reason to ever doubt him.
Last year, Evans was one of the best values in fantasy, averaging 16.6 fantasy points per game. Now, the price tag is raised to the second round.
Evans is not going to be a league winner at that price, but he can still be a rock-solid WR1 in your fantasy lineups. The only threat to him as the top Buccaneers player would be Rachaad White. But if White couldn’t top Evans last season, it’s hard to imagine how he could do it this year.
Tennessee Titans: WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Titans have four players with the potential to be the top fantasy option on this team. All of Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, the aforementioned Ridley, and DeAndre Hopkins typically go between Rounds 6-9. Fantasy managers want to take shots at them but aren’t really sure who will emerge.
I am planting my flag on old man Hopkins. Despite being 32 years old — an age where we often precipitously decline from once great talents — I think Hopkins is in store for a renaissance season. It may be his last hurrah before he falls off at age 33, but he has the skill set to really morph his game, similar to how Larry Fitzgerald did in his mid-30s.
Of course, this hinges on Hopkins’ ability to return successfully from his knee sprain. Nevertheless, the Titans’ offensive philosophy is set to shift this year, as they will no longer be a Derrick Henry-oriented running machine. With a pass-heavy approach, Hopkins and Ridley will have their opportunities. I simply believe Hopkins is the superior player.