The NFL season doesn’t officially start until September 7, but it’s prime fantasy draft season time in the weeks leading up to Week 1 kickoff. If you haven’t already, it’s time to dive into draft picks and position showdowns from a fantasy perspective, so let’s take a closer look at two top picks in WRs Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Jefferson is at the top of the ADP list, with the consensus putting him as the No. 1 fantasy draft pick to target overall. He finished first in fantasy points scored in 2022, putting up 368.6 fantasy points in PPR leagues throughout the entire season. He caught 128-of-184 throughout the regular season totaling 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns on the campaign as he averaged 21.7 PPR fantasy points per game. Jefferson is set for a career year as he’s expected to continue to be the best receiver in the NFL and will be a beast on any fantasy manager’s team.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase is expected to give Jefferson a run for his money in fantasy this year, as he missed four games last season with a hip injury and still managed to rack up 1,046 yards from 87-of-134 and nine touchdowns. Chase will easily be a top-three fantasy draft pick this year and should contest Jefferson for the title of best fantasy receiver in the NFL as long as he can stay healthy. The third-year receiver will certainly benefit from Joe Burrow, who threw for a career-high 35 touchdowns and will look to break his personal best again this year.
Chase was sixth in target share with 29.3% last season and ended up as the WR4 in fantasy points per game (20.2 in PPR leagues) even though he only played 12 games. Expect him to challenge as an elite WR1 in the NFL this season.
Fantasy football verdict
Either one’s a good option, but Justin Jefferson is the pick. He’ll likely go first overall in the majority of fantasy drafts, and it’s with good reason as he’s set for a banner year in 2023.