Wide receiver non-PPR rankings for Week 1 fantasy football

Thursday injury update

Chris Godwin, Buccaneers — Godwin was taken off the injury report and is a go for tonight’s opener.

Curtis Samuel, WFT — Samuel didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday and appears to be a long shot to play Week 1 with a groin injury.

A.J. Brown, Titans — Brown didn’t practice on Wednesday, but he’s been getting plenty of rest for his knees the last couple years and it appears he’ll miss a lot of practices this season. At this point there is no worry he’ll miss Week 1.

Preston Williams, Dolphins — Williams was limited on Wednesday as they bring him back slowly from foot surgery. Will Fuller will miss this game due to a suspension, so DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle appear to be the healthiest of the group going against the Patriots.

There are a ton of great wide receivers playing in the league and starting Week 1 most are healthy! That means we should see some big games out of this diverse and talented set of 2021 NFL receivers.

Compelling WR matchups

The opening kickoff on Thursday night between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have the most receiver talent on the field at one time for Week 1. We’ve already seen that Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown are truly great receivers. But there is is young gun in their midst as CeeDee Lamb looks to break out with the help of Dak Prescott, who he didn’t have for most of last season. This game has the second highest over/under of the week and I expect there to be some fireworks.

When the Cardinals and Titans face each other on Sunday there will be a whole lot of receptions and yards on the field as Deandre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Julio Jones and A.J. Brown face off in Tennessee. Green has hit a wall, but there may still be some receptions left in reserve, but Jones, Hopkins and Brown are all playing at elite levels when healthy. It will be fun watching this group.

The Vikings have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and they’ll face the Bengals, who have one of the best young receiving groups in the league. Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase have the ability to take the NFL by storm while Jefferson went ballistic last season and Thielen caught all the touchdowns. Can Jefferson repeat? Will Chase overcome his preseason drops to put up the numbers we know he can? Will Higgins step up even higher with a full year of Joe Burrow? This should be a great game for receiver action.