2023 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 12 Wide Receivers
It’s summertime, which means the 2023 fantasy football season is just around the corner. We all know it’s never too early to prepare. The quarterback and tight end positions lack controversy. Patrick Mahomes is the unanimous QB1, while Travis Kelce is the unquestioned TE1. Meanwhile, the running back and wide receiver positions are up for debate. You can stay up-to-date on all of our 2023 fantasy football rankings all offseason long here.
Keep in mind, things will change over the next two months. However, let’s look at my current top 12 wide receivers for the 2023 season.
1) Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings
There have been three wide receivers to finish top six the past three consecutive years – Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Jefferson. Last year the former LSU star was the WR1, averaging 17.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Jefferson led the NFL in receptions (128), targets (184), and receiving yards (1,809). Meanwhile, some will worry that the superstar will see a decrease in targets because of T.J. Hockenson. However, the former LSU star averaged 1.2 more targets per game in the 10 contests with Hockenson on the team last year.
2) Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams
Some believe Kupp is doomed to fall off a cliff this year. However, there are no signs of that happening. The superstar was the WR1 on a points-per-game basis last year, averaging 18.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. More importantly, he has been arguably the most consistent wide receiver over the past two years. The veteran scored 12.7 or more fantasy points in all but one game over the past two seasons, removing the matchup last year when he suffered the ankle injury. The Rams have a limited receiving core, meaning Kupp could easily end this year as the overall WR1.
3) Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Bengals
Chase had an excellent rookie season. The former LSU star was the WR5, averaging 15.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, he missed five games last year because of a hip injury. Yet, Chase set career highs in receptions and targets in 2022. The former LSU star was the WR12 last season despite missing nearly a third of the year. More importantly, Chase was the WR5 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 16.6 fantasy points per contest. Unless something happens to Joe Burrow, the third-year receiver will be a top-three wide receiver this season. In most of the fantasy football rankings you’ll see this year, Chase will be the WR2 behind Jefferson. Personally, I’m taking him third behind Kupp this year.
4) Amon-Ra St. Brown – Detroit Lions
Yes, I am much higher on St. Brown than most fantasy experts. However, he ended his rookie season on fire, averaging 20.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over the last six weeks. Still, the fantasy community had him as a WR3 in their 2022 preseason rankings. Yet, the former USC star was the WR8 last season, averaging 13.4 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, St. Brown finished sixth in the NFL with 106 receptions. While the Lions used two prime draft picks on rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, the third-year receiver has arguably the safest floor in fantasy football.
5) Tyreek Hill – Miami Dolphins
While the veteran wide receiver got himself in some hot water this offseason, Hill should be ready to go in Week 1. Some were worried the superstar would struggle without Patrick Mahomes last year. However, the veteran was the WR2, averaging 16.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, the second-highest average of his career. Yet, Hill had only seven receiving touchdowns last season after averaging 10.8 scores per season over the previous four years with the Kansas City Chiefs. Therefore, fantasy players shouldn’t be surprised if he returns to his double-digit touchdown numbers in 2023.
6) CeeDee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys
After spending the first two years of his career as the No. 2 guy in Dallas, Lamb broke out in his first season as the team’s top wide receiver. He ended last year as the WR6, averaging 14.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, the superstar scored nine receiving touchdowns, nearly doubling his career total entering the year. More importantly, Brandin Cooks’ arrival won’t hurt Lamb’s fantasy value, as the Cowboys lost 196 targets from last season’s team. The former Oklahoma star has the upside to be the top fantasy wide receiver this season.
7) Davante Adams – Las Vegas Raiders
While there was concern with Adams last year, the superstar wide receiver remained an elite fantasy player. Despite going from Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr, the veteran was the WR3, averaging 16.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns. Adams has scored at least 10 receiving touchdowns in six of the past seven seasons. While some are worried Jimmy Garoppolo will hurt the veteran’s fantasy production, Adams averaged 113 receiving yards and 20.3 fantasy points per game in the two games without Carr last year.
8) A.J. Brown – Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia has one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL. Last year Brown had a career year in his first season with the Eagles. He was the WR5, averaging 15 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Brown beat his previous career high in targets by 27.4%. Furthermore, the former Ole Miss star had a career-high 1,496 receiving yards and a 12.9 aDOT, the second-highest of his career last season. The veteran also caught 81.8% of his contested catches on passes 20 or more yards downfield. Brown will have another WR1 season in 2023 unless the veteran suffers a significant injury.
9) Stefon Diggs – Buffalo Bills
The veteran receiver had another productive season in 2022. Diggs was the WR4, averaging 16.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, the second-highest average of his career. More importantly, he had a career-high 1,429 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last year. Furthermore, the former Maryland star averaged 2.49 yards per route run, the third-high average of his career. While the Bills drafted Dalton Kincaid, that won’t stop Diggs from having his fourth consecutive season with at least a 26% target share.
10) Garrett Wilson – New York Jets
Unfortunately, the former Ohio State star caught passes from four awful quarterbacks last year. Yet, Wilson overcame the poor quarterback play, ending his rookie season as the WR19, averaging 10.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he had 1,103 receiving yards as a rookie, the 15th-most in the NFL. However, the most important news is that the Jets finally moved on from Zach Wilson this offseason, trading for Aaron Rodgers. While the future Hall of Famer is a bit weird off the field, Rodgers should turn Wilson into a fantasy star.
11) Jaylen Waddle – Miami Dolphins
Many were worried Waddle would regress last year after the Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill. The former Alabama star was the WR16 as a rookie, averaging 12.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, he was the WR7, averaging 13 fantasy points per game last season. Furthermore, Waddle saw 1.9 fewer targets per game last year than as a rookie. Yet, he averaged 16.4 more receiving yards per game. While Hill is clearly the No. 1 wide receiver in Miami, that shouldn’t stop Waddle from having his second consecutive top-12 finish in 2023.
If you need even more of a reason to buy in on Waddle…In a recent article, one of our writers made a case for Waddle potentially finishing as the WR1 overall. You can read more on that here.
12) Chris Olave – New Orleans Saints
Last year Olave was the WR25, averaging 10.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The former Ohio State star joined Garrett Wilson as the only two rookie wide receivers with over 1,000 receiving yards. Yet, he was productive despite catching passes from Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. Thankfully, the Saints signed Derek Carr this offseason. While the veteran isn’t an elite quarterback, the former Raider is a significant upgrade. More importantly, the team has a lack of reliable pass catchers. Therefore, no one can threaten Olave’s projected target share.
Updated: July 11th, 2023
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