Fantasy football is fast approaching and you’re probably prepping for your season-long draft. When it comes to season-long and value, it’s all about maximizing ceiling. When drafting wide receivers, you’re going to want to target players who are going to get plenty of looks with upside. Here we’ll go over some of the top values based on where they’re being drafted, or ADP (average draft position).
Fantasy Football 2023: Top POS ADP Values
Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
ADP: 43rd overall, WR19
Where you should draft them: Top-15 WRs
Ridley has had a long layover after sitting out most of 2021 and 2022. He was traded to a Jacksonville squad that appears to be entering a prime on offense. QB Trevor Lawrence should take the next step into being an elite QB after throwing for over 4,000 yards and 25 TDs last season. Ridley will have to compete with Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram for targets.
If Ridley can come back in top form, there’s no reason he can’t be the No. 1 WR on what should be a top-10 offense in the NFL. Back in 2020 with the Falcons, Ridley finished with over 1,300 receiving yards and 9 TDs, which was good for 5th at his position in fantasy. That’s the type of ceiling for Ridley. There’s some risk with the off-field stuff but that’s it really.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
ADP: 52nd overall, WR21
Where you should draft them: Top-15 WRs
McLaurin is another wideout in the range of Ridley who has a ton of upside. It’s a bit perplexing McLaurin is going this late among WRs. DeAndre Hopkins, Deebo Samuel, Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are a few wideouts going just ahead of McLaurin, who has been one of the most consistent at the position the past three seasons. That fact alone should give us hope. Sure, Sam Howell is an unproven QB but he’s got a pretty solid supporting cast and the Commanders brought in Eric Bieniemy as OC. If Bieniemy can work some magic, Howell could make a jump and that should be all McLaurin needs to make a similar jump.
Here’s a list of QBs who have thrown the ball to McLaurin over the past three seasons:
Taylor Heinicke
Carson Wentz
Howell
Kyle Allen
Garrett Gilbert
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Alex Smith
Dwayne Haskins
Despite mediocre QB play for four seasons, McLaurin has still be fantasy relevant each year. Now, Howell has potential but it may not come right away. Even so, he may be the most talented QB in that group. Even if he’s middle-of-the-pack, McLaurin should clear 1,000 receiving yards and would just need a boost in TDs to get into the top-10 among WRs in fantasy.
George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers
ADP: 85th overall, WR35
Where you should draft them: Top-30 WRs
Pickens is the definition of a lottery ticket. He could end up being super boom-bust but some of the plays he’s making during camp have turned heads. He finished with over 800 receiving yards and four TDs last season, starting just 12 games. Pickens had a great rookie season and there’s a lot that would suggest he can take a big step in Year 2. The Steelers started Kenny Pickett most of last season as a rookie. That experience was important and if Pickett can take a step forward, so should Pickens. He feels like a very safe bet to outperform his ADP. Pickens could be WR 1 for Pittsburgh and overtake Diontae Johnson pretty easily. If that’s the case, there’s no reason why Pickens can’t finish among the top-20 WRs in fantasy.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
ADP: 118th overall, WR50
Where should you draft them: Inside the top-100
Yes, Williams is suspended for the first six games of the 2023 season. This late in your draft, that shouldn’t matter as much. Just make sure you have a few insurance policies at wide receiver. Once Williams is back, there’s a very good chance he’ll outperform this ADP on a week-to-week basis.
The Lions were one of the more efficient passing offenses last season. WR Amon Ra St. Brown should see most of the targets. Last season, the group of Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds, DJ Chark and D’Andre Swift accounted for 245 targets. Swift, Chark and Hockenson are gone. Raymond and Reynolds should be behind Williams upon return. The only other competition for targets is from 33-year-old Marvin Jones Jr.
You may have to endure six weeks but as long as you aren’t 0-6 by then, Williams should come back and be the WR2 in a pass-happy offense.
