5 Must-Have Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football in 2023

With wide receiver being the deepest position for fantasy football, it can be daunting to look at the list of pass catchers when it’s your turn in your fantasy football drafts. Sure, you can score a couple of the top guys early on, but that’s not going to cut it. Players sometimes get hurt (Cooper Kupp), underperform (Deebo Samuel), or just plain wash-out (Julio Jones). So, we need to find players that we can lean on when bad things happen.

The NFL is a pass-forward league in its current state. As a result, quarterbacks and wide receivers are the big money makers, and that translates to fantasy football production. However, if you’re nabbing those high-opportunity running backs and a quarterback or tight end in those early fantasy draft rounds, this is a list you’ll want to bookmark.

You won’t see the top guys at the position on this list as you’ll undoubtedly want them on your team. We’re looking for stalwart saviors that will make excellent choices as your second or third wide receiver. Right now, all of these players will have an ADP outside the top 36 players drafted. 

Let’s get right into it with 5 Must-Have Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football in 2023.

Average Draft Position (ADP) values taken from Fantrax. Updated 8/10/23.

Calvin Ridley – Jacksonville Jaguars

ADP: 43 – WR19

The last time we saw Calvin Ridley on the field was the early part of 2021 where he averaged 10.4 targets with the Falcons before he stepped away from football for a time. In the season prior to that, Ridley was on a tear with 90 receptions, 1374 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns in 15 games. After serving a one-year suspension in 2022 for gambling on NFL games, he found himself a new home just to the south with the Jaguars.

Coming into the 2023 season and his rebirth as an NFL elite, Ridley has all the hype in the world. He is meshing very well with Trevor Lawrence through training camp and the early preseason. His ceiling is something close to his 2020 campaign when he racked up more yardage than any other wide receiver with less than 115 catches that wasn’t named Justin Jefferson. Not to mention, he only had 90 catches!

Furthermore, with Jacksonville trending to a more pass-forward approach this year, there’s going to be a lot of opportunity for all of their pass catchers. Ridley has shown that he can be a dominant performer and I see him coming back to his former glory with his new squad. His fourth-round ADP makes him a huge steal in fantasy drafts as he could become a viable WR1 for your fantasy team.

Christian Kirk – Jacksonville Jaguars

ADP: 60 – WR26

Another Jacksonville receiver already? Well, yeah! This team is bringing it in 2023 via the passing game. Christian Kirk has a year under his belt with this offense and he’s not looking to slow down. Last season, Kirk had a breakout season with career-high numbers in targets (133), receptions (84), receiving yards (1,108), and touchdowns (8) to name a few. Over his final six games of 2022, Kirk averaged 13.68 yards per catch as Lawrence’s top target.

Ridley comes into the mix and could easily demand more targets than his counterpart. Even so, the amount of passing that will be produced by Lawrence will be enough to sustain some great fantasy production for both receivers. Kirk himself has even stated that “The right guys in the locker room…hold each other to our standard,” signaling the competition and drive they all have to succeed at a high level.

There is a world in which both Ridley and Kirk will exceed 90 catches a piece and help the Jaguars control the AFC South division from Week 1. With a promising and standout quarterback at the helm, we could be living in that world. This could be the best pair of wide receivers in the NFL, making Kirk another high-value draft pick in the fifth round of fantasy drafts for this season.

Marquise Brown – Arizona Cardinals

ADP: 77 – WR34

As the stand-alone stalwart in the Cardinals’ receiving corps, Marquise Brown is an absolute must-have in fantasy football this coming season. Without DeAndre Hopkins for the first six weeks of 2022, Brown was on pace for 181 targets, 121 catches, and 1,374 receiving yards. That yardage number is very achievable for him in 2023 and 100+ catches is not impossible.

Furthermore, the departure of Hopkins leaves a large target void and the Cardinals didn’t bring in many new options. Michael Wilson has potential talent that needs time to adapt and Zach Pascal is a veteran presence for the team but it’s unlikely that those two soak up the 96 targets vacated by the new Tennessee receiver. In the seven full games with Kyler Murray, Brown’s ADOT (average depth of target) was a respectable 11.3 yards which should lend itself to more big plays and first downs. 

Even with the uncertainty of Murray’s return date, whoever lines up under center will be leaning on the stud pass catcher early and often. For a team that is projected to have some rough weeks, the passing game will become a feature of the offense. If another Arizona receiver makes some noise, we could see the opportunities open up even more for Brown as he has the ability to produce his second 1,000-yard season. Needless to say, that’s a lot of upside for a seventh-round draft pick.

Jahan Dotson – Washington Commanders

ADP: 89 – WR 38

One of the sophomore receivers who is primed for a true breakout season in 2023 is Jahan Dotson. In 2022, he caught 35 of 61 targets averaging 14.9 yards per reception. Sam Howell, entering his second NFL campaign, is the front-runner to start the season at quarterback and he wants to show he can be their guy. Opposing teams will have to respect both Dotson and Terry McLaurin as a pair of confident pass catchers, either who can take advantage of the other being double-teamed.

Furthermore, the NFC East division is arguably the strongest set of squads in the league containing three teams that made the playoffs last season. With Washington as the favorite to pull up the rear again, we’ll likely see a good deal of passing work to spread around to the various offensive weapons. Howell has some scrambling ability which can give him added time to connect with any of his pass catchers. Dotson made it easy for his quarterbacks, who supported a passer rating of 96.9 when throwing to him. Additionally, on average, he was 11 yards downfield when the ball came to him.

Overall, it’s almost shameful that Dotson is not being selected until the eighth round of fantasy football drafts. There’s almost nothing to keep him from doubling his 2022 production in a full 2023 season, making him a 70+ reception 1000+ yard receiver that can seal up your wide receiver room. Finally, this is a potential league-winning player for your fantasy football leagues this year. 

Brandin Cooks – Dallas Cowboys

ADP: 92 – WR 40

The 2022 season marked the second time in the last eight seasons that Brandin Cooks did not achieve 1,000 receiving yards. Additionally, he saw his second-fewest yards per catch in that span in his NFL career. We can all agree that the biggest problem was the quarterbacking in Houston. Now in Dallas, Cooks gets to connect with a better signal caller in a more potent offense.

Furthermore, pairing up with the elite CeeDee Lamb will allow Cooks to find better separation. Ultimately, giving Dak Prescott a viable second option in the passing game. He is already collaborating well with his quarterback in training camp and he’s still got the speed to create explosive plays. With a more proficient offense, he’ll come back to averaging more than eight yards per target. That was something he did every year until his final two seasons with Houston.

Even with reports of a heavier running style, the Cowboys have an excellent addition should they need more offense through the air. For the bulk of his career, Cooks has been a reliable and profitable option in fantasy and in the NFL. His late eighth-round ADP could be a gold mine for your fantasy squad. All things considered, a potential gold mine that I personally have been exploiting for weeks.

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