2021 Dynasty WR Rankings | 1-5
Getting a top-five WR on your dynasty team could set you up for years of sustained success. If you are lucky enough to have an early draft pick, who should you target?
WR5) Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Last season, Davante Adams was our WR1, and he remained so until as recently as the 2021 NFL Draft. This offseason, Green Bay has turned into the spin-off of Days of Our Lives. We have to figure it into our 2021 dynasty rankings, and Adams is no exception.
If there was a guarantee that Aaron Rodgers would be back in Green Bay for 2021 and beyond, you could make an argument for Adams to remain the WR1.
After all, in 2020, Adams recorded a league-high 18 touchdowns and 1,374 yards on 149 targets for 358.4 PPR points as the top-scoring receiver. Of WRs who saw at least 75 targets, Adams was second with 2.42 PPR per target. He also led the NFL in targets per game at 10.64. Furthermore, he was third in reception percentage at 77.18% and No. 1 in red-zone targets (28) despite playing in just 14 games.
However, like all other Packers’ players, his dynasty value is directly tied to the right arm of Rodgers. Adams still remains in our top five of WR dynasty rankings for 2021 — but barely. Drop in either Jordan Love or Blake Bortles, and Adams slides to the WR7-WR10 range, if not further.
Hopefully, we will get to the season finale of this show soon. Let’s just hope it is not as disappointing as the ending of Game of Thrones.
WR4) Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
As a rookie, Justin Jefferson established himself as a top deep threat in the NFL. The former LSU standout finished the 2020 season with 1,400 receiving yards — a total that set rookie records in both the Super Bowl era and Vikings’ franchise history.
Jefferson surpassed both Anquan Boldin (1,377 yards) and Hall of Famer Randy Moss’ Vikings’ records (1,313 yards) with a 133-yard performance in Week 17. He also tied Odell Beckham Jr.’s Super Bowl-era record of seven games with 100+ receiving yards by a rookie. Jefferson would have been the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year if not for Justin Herbert and the award historically leaning to QBs.
Jefferson ended the season as the WR6 in PPR formats with 274.2 points and averaged 17.1 ppg. Of the top 30 receivers last season, he was first in yards per target (11.2) and fifth in points per target (2.16).
Overall, Jefferson is remarkable and very much deserving of the WR4 spot in our 2021 dynasty rankings.
WR3) Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
From this point on, every WR on this list can make a claim for the top spot in 2021 dynasty rankings. They all have the ceiling to be the best in the game.
While there may be concerns with other receivers on our top 10 dynasty rankings for 2021, there are zero concerns with Tyreek Hill on the Chiefs’ offense. Hill remains the focal point for the Patrick Mahomes-led passing attack, and thus, makes him one of the best receivers for dynasty managers.
Hill was the WR2 in PPR formats last year with 328.9 points in 15 games played. He turned 135 targets into 87 receptions for 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns. More importantly, Hill was one of the most consistent receivers in 2020.
Hill led all receivers with a 73.33% start percentage (WR24 or better performances). Since 2017, he has averaged 76 receptions on 116 targets for 1,199 yards and 10 touchdowns. That is good enough for 18.5 ppg and a staggeringly consistent 2.04 pts/opp.
This is the second time within the last three seasons in which Hill scored 328 fantasy points. So long as he is in Kansas City, he will have Mahomes under center. That is a type of consistency and upside that cannot be ignored. Thus, he should remain in our top three of 2021 dynasty WR rankings for a considerable time.
WR2) A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
If you are interested in having A.J. Brown on your dynasty rosters, you need to make that happen before the 2021 season kicks off. He’s likely to become untouchable after this season. And that’s even with Jones now on the roster.
Some players just have an innate ability to rack up touchdowns. With regression the narrative of his second year, Brown proved his rookie campaign was no fluke. Battling through a pair of injuries, Brown recorded 70 receptions on 106 targets for 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns.
While he was the WR12 in total points, Brown was sixth in points per game (17.7) amongst the top 30 receivers. He was third in points per target (2.3) and second in points per reception (3.48). The only thing that limited his production was his target total. Yet, that won’t be an issue in 2021.
Between the losses of Corey Davis, Jonnu Smith, and Adam Humphries, the Titans are losing 47.9% of their targets, 48.3% of their red-zone targets, and 56.6% of their air yards. Yes, Jones and even Josh Reynolds will receive a hefty dose of these vacated targets. However, Brown will receive his fair share of them as well, and there’s no reason to believe he can’t reach 125 targets for the season.
Brown could very well end up as the WR1 on the season when it’s all said and done.
WR1) DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
Brown and DK Metcalf, former college teammates, could end up going back and forth as the top WR in dynasty rankings throughout the 2021 season. As of now, however, Metcalf holds that spot, despite the ongoing Russell Wilson drama.
As the WR7 in 2020, Metcalf caught 83 of his 129 targets for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. He opened the season with five straight games of 90 or more yards and 9 touchdowns through Week 12.
Unfortunately, Metcalf disappointed towards the end of the season as he scored just 57.4 PPR points over the final five games — WR38 during this stretch. A stark contrast to the WR3 ranking he held coming into the critical end-of-season stretch for fantasy managers.
Nevertheless, we know Metcalf can be the best in the NFL. He has the size and skills to do that, and we have seen glimpses of it in the past two seasons. To do that and maintain his position at No. 1, he needs to beat every CB that lines up against him consistently.
After all, the best are open, even when they are covered. Metcalf was shut down far too often in 2020, but we anticipate he will continue to improve against the NFL’s best. That is why he is our WR1 in our 2021 WR dynasty rankings.
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