WR Rankings

On a per-target basis, Jefferson's second NFL season (9.7 YPT) wasn't quite as dominant as his first (11.2). But that's nitpicking; the bigger picture shows he added 42 targets from the previous year and was still one of the most efficient wideouts in the league. Only 11 produced more yards per target, and that includes four who saw 70 or fewer passes. Jefferson finished fourth among WRs in targets and catches, second in receiving yards and tied for sixth in touchdowns. The 23-year-old often makes it look easy, seemingly playing both bigger and faster than his on-paper metrics suggest (6-1, 195, 4.43 40, 37.5-inch vertical). From a fantasy standpoint, there's just as much to like, with Jefferson playing in an above-average offense that has enough weapons to keep defenses honest but nobody to challenge him as the go-to guy. Jefferson surpassed Adam Thielen for that honor mid-2020, and while the 31-year-old Thielen scored 10 touchdowns last year, he saw 2.5 fewer targets per game than his young running mate (9.8 to 7.3). If anything, the split could go even more in Jefferson's direction this year, though there is another variable with new head coach Kevin O'Connell arriving from the Rams. Other than that, stability is the story, with QB Kirk Cousins and RB Dalvin Cook joining Jefferson, Thielen and TE Irv Smith to form one of the league's more well-rounded groups of skill-position players.

Chase enjoyed one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history last year, instantly proving worthy of the No. 5 pick. Reports from training camp about repeated drops became a distant memory before long ... even though he ultimately committed a league-high 11. The Bengals aren't complaining, in light of the damage Chase did on his 81 catches, finishing second in YPT and YPR and third in YAC (651). He used 4.34 speed to beat defenders over the top — catching 15 of 34 deep targets for 576 yards and eight TDs — but he wasn't overly reliant on go routes, also posting efficient stats on shorter throws (he caught 48 of 62 targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, and 18 of 27 in the 10-to-19-yard range). If you're looking for negatives, Chase has serious competition for targets, namely from fellow wideout Tee Higgins, who technically got more looks per game than the rookie last year (7.8 to 7.5). But that also means defenses have two perimeter threats to worry about, making it all the harder to defend a monster like Chase. If anything, the offense might even take another step forward after Joe Burrow's 2021 breakout, with the team adding three O-line starters in free agency (C/G Ted Karras, G Alex Cappa, RT La'el Collins). That doesn't mean Chase will avoid regression on some of his loftier averages (e.g. 11.4 YPT, 8.0 YAC), but it does put him in great position to remain among the league's most efficient wideouts per target, with potential to add volume as well.

Unwilling to meet Hill's price in extension talks, the Chiefs pivoted to a blockbuster deal that netted five draft picks. At age 28, entering his seventh season, Hill will get his first NFL experience outside Andy Reid's system, working with new Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who previously helped San Francisco's Deebo Samuel become a dual-threat superstar. Hill doesn't figure to have that kind of impact in the running game, but he'll surely get some carries in addition to running a diverse route tree. He's best known for big plays, and still has a claim on being the league’s fastest man, but Hill actually did a lot of his damage on short throws last season with opponents playing more conservative coverages. He finished with career highs for catches and targets, easily, while his yards per catch and yards per target were his fewest since his rookie year (also by a wide margin). Hill's average target depth, 10.4 yards, was still reasonable by the standards of most wideouts, but it was a noteworthy drop after back-to-back seasons at 12.9. Perhaps that's a sign of how he'll be used in Miami, but it's also possible Hill focuses more on deep routes, as the Dolphins have solid alternatives in Jaylen Waddle (another one of the NFL's fastest players), Cedrick Wilson and TE Mike Gesicki. They also signed LT Terron Armstead to anchor a previously suspect O-line in front of third-year QB Tua Tagovailoa, whose development will be crucial to Hill's value.

Kupp became the second receiver in NFL history to catch 145 passes in a season, the second to reach 1,900 yards, the fourth in the last 55 years to win the triple crown and the eighth to win Super Bowl MVP. He did all that in one season, breaking out at 28 after being a fourth- or fifth- round pick in fantasy leagues. The question now is whether he can live up to the new price in Round 1. The argument against him, apart from regression to the mean, centers around Kupp's pre-2021 profile (that of a good player, not a dominant one). While concerns about his 4.62 40 or small-school college career are distant memories, Kupp's mediocre 2020 stat line isn't. A QB upgrade from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford was a big part of the story, but Kupp himself took a huge step forward. His catch rate (75.9 percent) was a career high, and 10.2 YPT was his most for a full season by a full yard. To post those efficiency numbers while being targeted on 31.3 percent of routes (third highest among WRs) is impressive, to say the least. Also impressive? Leading the league in YAC (894) whilst ranking second in completed air yards (1,051). Or, leading the league in yards from out routes (296) and also placing second on crossing routes (346) and third on posts (258). Kupp has coach/QB stability, playing in a Sean McVay offense that annually ranks top 10 (and usually top 5) in neutral-situation pace and pass rate. If nothing else, Kupp is set up nicely for the second-best season of his career.

It's hard to beat playing with Aaron Rodgers, the four-time MVP. By any other standard, Adams has a pretty good setup in Las Vegas, where he'll join former college teammate Derek Carr and new coach Josh McDaniels. The off-field chemistry with Carr won't necessarily produce the kind of remarkable on-field chemistry Adams had with Rodgers, but there is already some familiarity, and Carr's last two seasons were arguably his two best. You could say the same for Adams, a rare late bloomer in an era where most big-time wideouts break out in Year 1 or 2. For Adams, a 2014 second-round pick with 4.56 speed, it took until his third campaign, which yielded 997 yards and 12 TDs. He averaged 97 catches for 1,199 yards and 11.5 TDs the last six years, highlighted by 18 TDs in 2020 and 1,553 yards in 2021. Rodgers was a big part of that, but he's played with a lot of receivers over the years and only Jordy Nelson ever had comparable numbers. The move to Vegas means a QB downgrade, and it also means Adams will face more competition for targets, joining a team that already has Hunter Renfrow and TE Darren Waller. Neither runs many routes on the perimeter, though, and McDaniels has a history of favoring the passing game over the run. It's a pretty good deal for Adams, who also has a big contract to show for it.