There’s no two ways about it — wide receiver is the most important position in fantasy football, especially in PPR leagues.
Having a stable of young stud wide receivers is the most sure-fire strategy when it comes to winning your league.
Thankfully, this year’s wide receiver class is deep.
Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to draft the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, there will still be value at the wide receiver position as late as the fourth and fifth rounds.
With such a weak running back class, this is the year to load up on wide receivers.
Here are my Top 20 dynasty fantasy football wide receivers in the 2024 draft class:
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Age: 21 (22 in August)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Top-2 pick
Analysis: There’s nothing new to be said about ‘MHJ’ that hasn’t already been said. He is one of the best WR prospects we have ever seen and he will be a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
He made Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks List’ at No. 2. Feldman wrote, “At 6-4, 208, the son of a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver is remarkably gifted. He has everything. He’s very strong — he bench presses 380 pounds and did 20 reps of 225 on the bench and squatted 500. He’s very explosive, having broad-jumped 10 feet 8, and he’s really sudden, having clocked a 3.94 in the shuttle and improved on his max velocity from last year, up to 23.5 MPH.”
Beyond that, there is seemingly no weakness in his game. The guy is unbelievable.
The Bottom Line: Do not overthink this. And do not let the fact that he didn’t do anything at the combine sway you in any way. If you’re fortunate enough to be in the position to draft Marvin Harrison Jr., DO IT.
2. Malik Nabers, LSU
Age: 20 (21 in July)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Top-5 pick
Analysis: Malik Nabers would be WR1 in almost any other draft, but it just so happens that he’s in the same class as Marvin Harrison Jr. Nabers also made Bruce Feldman’s 2023 ‘Freaks List’, at No. 33, for his remarkable track speed paired with impressive strength and explosiveness for his frame. The only weakness in his game, and it’s minor, is his somewhat limited route tree, but that’s certainly something that can be coached up.
The Bottom Line: Malik Nabers will be a Week 1 starter on your dynasty team, and, at just 20 years of age, he figures to be a fantasy staple for a very long time.
3. Rome Odunze, Washington
Age: 21 (22 in June)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Top-8 pick
Analysis: Rome Odunze is an absolute stud. Just like Harrison Jr. and Nabers, he also made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, at No. 58. Odunze would easily have been WR1 in most draft classes and is considered WR 2B, with Nabers slotted as WR 2A. Much like Nabers, Odunze only has one real flaw to his game, though the weakness in Odunze’s game is getting off of press coverage. That said, even that flaw doesn’t look too severe on tape.
The Bottom Line: Even though Marvin Harrison Jr. is WR1 there is not much of a drop-off from him to Rome Odunze. These three guys could easily be the first three selections in dynasty drafts, especially if the league only allows you to play one QB.
4. Brian Thomas Jr., Louisiana State
Age: 21 (22 in October)
Dynasty Draft Projection: 1st round
Analysis: Brian Thomas Jr. is in a very similar position to where Justin Jefferson was in 2020 — Overshadowed by an allegedly even more elite receiver at LSU, and not getting the recognition he deserves.
That’s not to say that Thomas Jr. is going to be the next J-Jetta, but their trajectories are eerily similar. In fact, if ‘BTJ’ didn’t have Nabers opposite him, there’s a chance he would be considered a top-three wide receiver in this class. Much like the three men listed above him, Thomas Jr. doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses to his game, although his releases could stand to be a bit more crisp considering his elite athleticism.
The Bottom Line: If you miss out on one of the big three wide receivers, Brian Thomas Jr. is an incredible consolation prize. He has the capability of being a team’s No. 1 pass catcher, and it could happen sooner rather than later.
5. Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Age: 21 (22 in October)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Late 1st/Early 2nd
Analysis: Adonai Mitchell is another freak athlete. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Mitchell put up staggering numbers at the combine, with a 4.34 40-yard dash (94th percentile), 39.5 inch vertical (91st percentile), and 136 inch broad jump (100th percentile). Mitchell also has sure hands, as he dropped just one pass in 2023 and boasted a 36.4% contested catch rate. While Mitchell is a tier below the top-four fantasy football pass catchers, the drop-off is miniscule. He is a fluid, sudden athlete with quick, smooth releases. The biggest aspects of his game that could use some improvement are his willingness to attack the ball and his YAC capability.
The Bottom Line: Landing spot will be interesting for Mitchell as he figures to go somewhere at the end of the first round in the NFL Draft, which means he’ll likely be drafted by a good team. He’s not a plug-and-play starter from day one, but he has tremendous upside and will likely be a team’s WR1 a couple of years down the road.
6. Troy Franklin, Oregon
Age: 21 (22 in February)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Late 1st/Early 2nd
Analysis: Troy Franklin got better every single season, capping off a wonderful college career with 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023. A slender athlete, at 6-foot-2 and 176 pounds, Franklin is as fast and quick as you would hope for someone with his frame. He ran a 4.41 40-yard dash (81st percentile) at the combine and paired that with a 39 inch vertical (88th percentile). He’s arguably the best vertical threat in this year’s draft class as he’s able to take the top off the defense at any given time. Franklin’s hands are surprisingly small though (8 ¾ inches) and that contributed to nine drops in 2023 (according to PFF).
The Bottom Line: Troy Franklin is a very solid wide receiver with a knack for creating separation. His slender build may be troubling, but with the emergence of lighter pass catchers like Jordan Addison and Tank Dell, it shouldn’t raise too many concerns. If a receiver knows how to release off the line, and Troy Franklin does, size isn’t a big issue.
7. Xavier Legette, South Carolina
Age: 23 (24 in January)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Early-Mid 2nd round
Analysis: Xavier Legette is built like a linebacker and boasts elite speed, especially for a man his size. At the combine, Legette ran a 4.39 40-yard dash (86th percentile) and registered a 40 inch vertical (93rd percentile), which is tremendous considering the fact that he is listed at 6-foot-1, 221 pounds. He is a strong wide receiver, who can bully smaller defensive backs, but he also has the speed to outrun most of those same defensive backs. That said, Legette is not a polished route runner and could stand to improve his ability to read a defense and learn when and where to sit down in zone coverage.
The Bottom Line: Xavier Legette was more of a gadget player in 2022 before he exploded in 2023 to the tune of 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 17.7 YPC and the passer rating when he was targeted was a staggering 127.1. He may have been a one-hit-wonder in college, but his ceiling on your fantasy football team is incredibly high.
8. Keon Coleman, Florida State
Age: 20 (21 in May)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Early-Mid 2nd round
Analysis: Keon Coleman has the ideal build for an NFL wide receiver. He transferred from Michigan State to Florida State after his sophomore season, where he solidified himself as a top-10 pass catcher in this year’s class. Coleman is a human highlight reel, able to contort his body like an acrobat in mid-air to make jaw-dropping catches. While he excels at contested catches, oftentimes he’s only required to make the catches in traffic due to a lack of separation.
The Bottom Line: With Coleman, you’re betting on his elite athleticism and ball skills. If he can learn to run crisper routes and not rely so much on his ability to make catches in traffic, he can develop into a team’s No. 1 wide receiver. Coleman is a low-floor, high-ceiling prospect.
9. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
Age: 22 (23 in March)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Mid-Late 2nd round
Analysis: I love Malachi Corley to the point where it is becoming an obsession. Dubbed the “YAC King,” Corley averaged 8.6 YAC and forced 15 missed tackles (according to PFF) in 2023. He made Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks List’ at No. 81. Feldman wrote, “Corley, who arrived at WKU in the summer of COVID-19 at 193 pounds, is up to 220 on his 5-11 frame, looking more like a running back than your typical receiver. He’s hit 23 MPH on the GPS and clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash. His 4.08 shuttle time and 355-pound bench also are excellent.”
He also amassed 330 screen yards in 2023 (per PFF), ranking first in all of college football. That means the offense simply got the ball in his hands and let him go to work.
The Bottom Line: It is incredibly difficult for me to say anything negative about Malachi Corley, but the fact of the matter is that he’s raw as a wide receiver, which could hurt his stock for fantasy football. However, if he lands with the right team that uses him as a Deebo-Samuel-type weapon, he can far exceed his ranking on this list.
10. Xavier Worthy, Texas
Age: 20 (21 on April 27)
Dynasty Draft Projection: Mid-Late 2nd round
Analysis: Xavier Worthy put on a show at the combine, setting the record in the 40-yard dash and finishing in the 96th percentile for wide receivers in his 10-yard split, the vertical and the broad jump. Despite the fact that he’s 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Worthy is a natural playmaker and an absolute terror with the ball in his hands. Not only can he take the top off of a defense vertically, but he can just as easily take a slant to the house. The big area of concern is obviously his size, and even though Worthy plays bigger than his frame, it’ll be easy for NFL defensive backs to knock him off of his route.
The Bottom Line: The obvious comparison here is a more explosive Tank Dell. Even though Dell was a monster early on in his rookie season, it was ultimately cut short by injury. The same concerns arise with Xavier Worthy. His durability and ability to stay on the field will make or break his NFL career.
11. Ladd McConkey, Georgia
12. Ricky Pearsall, Florida
13. Tez Walker, North Carolina
14. Roman Wilson, Michigan
15. Brenden Rice, Southern California
16. Javon Baker, Central Florida
17. Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington
18. Jermaine Burton, Alabama
19. Johnny Wilson, Florida State
20. Malik Washington, Virginia
