Justin Jefferson tries to put the Vikings’ quarterbacks woes behind him, CeeDee Lamb resumes his targets battle with George Pickens, and Luther Burden III looks to confirm his breakout potential for the Bears.
Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Updated 9/13 at 11:45 AM ET. Moved an apparently highly questionable Malik Nabers down.
Week 1 Receivers
| 1 | Ja’Marr Chase | CIN | vs. TB |
| 2 | Puka Nacua | LAR | vs. SF |
| 3 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | vs. NE |
| 4 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | vs. NO |
| 5 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | vs. GB |
| 6 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | at NYG |
| 7 | A.J. Brown | NE | at SEA |
| 8 | Nico Collins | HOU | vs. BUF |
| 9 | Chris Olave | NO | at DET |
| 10 | George Pickens | DAL | at NYG |
| 11 | DeVonta Smith | PHI | vs. WAS |
| 12 | Zay Flowers | BAL | at IND |
| 13 | Tetairoa McMillan | CAR | vs. CHI |
| 14 | Tee Higgins | CIN | vs. TB |
| 15 | Drake London | ATL | at PIT |
| 16 | Jaylen Waddle | DEN | at KC |
| 17 | Ladd McConkey | LAC | vs. ARI |
| 18 | Emeka Egbuka | TB | at CIN |
| 19 | Rashee Rice | KC | vs. DEN |
| 20 | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | at TEN |
| 21 | Jameson Williams | DET | vs. NO |
| 22 | DJ Moore | BUF | at HOU |
| 23 | Christian Watson | GB | at MIN |
| 24 | Luther Burden III | CHI | at CAR |
| 25 | Malik Nabers | NYG | vs. DAL |
| 26 | Mike Evans | SF | at LAR |
| 27 | Davante Adams | LAR | vs. SF |
| 28 | Parker Washington | JAC | vs. CLE |
| 29 | Terry McLaurin | WAS | at PHI |
| 30 | Rome Odunze | CHI | at CAR |
| 31 | Jordan Addison | MIN | vs. GB |
| 32 | DK Metcalf | PIT | vs. ATL |
| 33 | Quentin Johnston | LAC | vs. ARI |
| 34 | Carnell Tate | TEN | vs. NYJ |
| 35 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | at LAC |
| 36 | Jayden Reed | GB | at MIN |
| 37 | Michael Wilson | ARI | at LAC |
| 38 | Chris Godwin | TB | at CIN |
| 39 | Alec Pierce | IND | vs. BAL |
| 40 | Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN | vs. NYJ |
| 41 | Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT | vs. ATL |
| 42 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | at KC |
| 43 | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | vs. CLE |
| 44 | Stefon Diggs | WAS | at PHI |
| 45 | Josh Downs | IND | vs. BAL |
| 46 | Jakobi Meyers | JAC | vs. CLE |
| 47 | Romeo Doubs | NE | at SEA |
| 48 | Xavier Worthy | KC | vs. DEN |
| 49 | KC Concepcion | CLE | at JAC |
| 50 | Khalil Shakir | BUF | at HOU |
| 51 | Makai Lemon | PHI | vs. WAS |
| 52 | Matthew Golden | GB | at MIN |
| 53 | Deebo Samuel | SF | at LAR |
| 54 | De’Zhaun Stribling | SF | at LAR |
| 55 | Rashid Shaheed | SEA | vs. NE |
| 56 | Adonai Mitchell | NYJ | at TEN |
| 57 | Jalen Coker | CAR | vs. CHI |
| 58 | Kayshon Boutte | HOU | vs. BUF |
| 59 | Pat Bryant | DEN | at KC |
| 60 | Devaughn Vele | NO | at DET |
| 61 | Keenan Allen | IND | vs. BAL |
| 62 | Malik Washington | MIA | at LV |
| 63 | Tre’ Harris | LAC | vs. ARI |
| 64 | Jalen Nailor | LV | vs. MIA |
| 65 | Denzel Boston | CLE | at JAC |
| 66 | Ryan Flournoy | DAL | at NYG |
| 67 | Cooper Kupp | SEA | vs. NE |
| 68 | Jauan Jennings | MIN | vs. GB |
| 69 | Tre Tucker | LV | vs. MIA |
| 70 | Calvin Ridley | TEN | vs. NYJ |
| 71 | Dontayvion Wicks | PHI | vs. WAS |
| 72 | Jerry Jeudy | CLE | at JAC |
| 73 | Ja’Kobi Lane | BAL | at IND |
| 74 | Ted Hurst | TB | at CIN |
| 75 | Jaylin Noel | HOU | vs. BUF |
| 76 | Zachariah Branch | ATL | at PIT |
| 77 | Omar Cooper Jr. | NYJ | at TEN |
| 78 | Germie Bernard | PIT | vs. ATLWR Notes: Justin Jefferson has had two “lost” seasons in the past three years. One was an injury-shortened campaign where he reached 1,000 yards in 10 games. The other was last season, where he reached 1,000 yards with Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy “under center.” Needless to say, Jefferson seems like a player where even modestly improved quarterback play should immediately return him to elite fantasy status. Kyler Murray projects as just the modest upgrade Jefferson is looking for. … George Pickens played CeeDee Lamb to a 2025 draw. Is it possible Pickens is just better than Lamb? Anything is possible. Is it more likely a finally-healthy Lamb quickly reverts top-five overall receiver status? If track records mean anything, then yes. This is a fascinating situation to follow, but I am starting off with the assumption 27-year-old Lamb is still the guy in Big D. … Chris Olave’s offseason question marks disappeared after he proved his health and first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson failed to prove his. Maybe Olave won’t be an every-week WR1, but on Ford Field’s fast track for a 49.5-totaled contest is not “every week.” |
Drake London is an alpha whenever circumstance allows. Is “Tua Tagovailoa, starting quarterback” one such circumstance? We can’t overlook the fact that Tua supported legendary seasons from Tyreek Hill and usable ones from Jaylen Waddle. We also can’t ignore that he seems to have dramatically fallen off from a “prime” that stretched the meaning of the word. London could be more frustrating WR2 than locked-in WR1 until Michael Penix Jr.’s healthy return. … Tetairoa McMillan was drafted as a player who has already reached his ceiling under Bryce Young. It was a sensible precaution, but anyone who does that as a rookie is going to have another level in their easily-attainable range of outcomes. … It was not a smooth ride to Week 1 for Emeka Egbuka, though I’m going to keep repeating the same mantras. With regards to his up-and-down rookie season, I’m going to overweight a first-round rookie looking special in the first half of the year. As for his toe injury, Egbuka himself said weeks ago it was not a serious matter. It was coach Todd Bowles who muddied the waters. I’m expecting the real deal in a plus role for a potentially high-scoring opener.
As I said with several of my other summer fades, it’s not looking like a great week to be out on Ladd McConkey. New OC Mike McDaniel gets to unveil his fully operational battle station vs. what just might be the league’s worst defense. … Whatever this “new look” Chiefs offense has in store, I find it difficult to believe it won’t include a bushel of spam Week 1 targets for Rashee Rice. As things grow and take shape, maybe Rice is no longer the fantasy player he once was. I doubt that comes in to play here. … Malik Nabers (knee) has made it to Week 1. Who’s joining him? This Giants skill corps has scarily little depth. It could produce either gangbusters early target totals or overwhelming responsibility for a player who is playing but perhaps “not all the way back.” Nabers is an upside WR2 with more downside than we are accustomed to. … The bad news is Luther Burden has already had a 2026 injury scare. The good news is, he quickly put it behind him, and has been labeled 100 percent for the opener. Here goes nothin’.
DJ Moore is one of those players where things can just never be normal. He was the only boat to miss new coach Ben Johnson’s rising tide in Chicago last season. Concerning, but his status as the No. 1 weapon for Josh Allen cannot be ignored in the WR2 ranks. I continue to maintain the belief — or maybe it’s hope — Moore’s freelance route-running style is a better fit for Allen than taskmaster Johnson. … You may ask how I could be out on “LBIII” but in on Christian Watson and … I have no good rebuttal. Watson’s ADP was certainly cheaper. After years of fighting receiver city hall, Packers coach Matt LaFleur seems to finally “get it,” condensing his target tree and featuring Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden in defined, high-volume roles. I’m always skeptical an old dog can learn new tricks, but LaFleur’s new receiver religion coupled with Josh Jacobs’ suspension leaves each of the Pack’s wideouts as massive ADP overachievers waiting to happen. … Fantasy football is a game of regret. Often, it is in hindsight. My Parker Washington regret is in the foreground. I didn’t take enough of him. He just seems to be The Guy for Trevor Lawrence, who has never wanted to be a down-field pyrotechnics passer. I fear my lack of Washington shares will be an ongoing headache.
Davante Adams needs to maintain his goal-line role for an offense that has two of the league’s better short-yardage backs in Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. He’s also fighting with someone for targets who just might be the best receiver in the league, Puka Nacua. The Rams have a million tight ends they can go to in the red zone. This is the long way of saying I’m not holding my breath for another double-digit Adams touchdown total. … For my money, Jordan Addison was the most slept-on receiver of the summer. He’s a big play waiting to happen. … Alec Pierce is going to be out there for the opener. When a player is out there, you have to believe they will be their best self until proven otherwise. Pierce’s best self is a big-play reliant, potential matchup-flipping WR3. … My early-summer Wan’Dale Robinson enthusiasm quickly faded. I need to see proof Cam Ward can actually succeed in the short areas where Robinson thrives. … I loved Romeo Doubs early in the summer then never really drafted him. His handsome free agent payday was a data point ignored by pretty much everyone.
