Top 20 Wide Receiver Rankings For The 2020 Fantasy Football Season
Here is my quick and early ranking of this season’s top 20 fantasy football wide receivers. Am I missing anyone who should have made the cut?
1. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
No-brainer pick here. Thomas last blew his competition away with his 149 receptions and 1,725 yards. He also scored nine times. These numbers may settle slightly, but there is little reason to doubt Thomas cannot finish No. 1 in fantasy points a second year in a row.
2. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Targeted an average of 11 times per game over his last two years, Adams produced 88 yards per clash and scored 18 total times. Look for the Packers to keep leaning on Adams who remains in a class of his own when it comes to his fellow receivers.
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
Hopkins takes his elite skills to Arizona when he should consistently produce WR1 fantasy points. He recently endorsed himself as the “best” wideout in the league. Therefore, he will be highly motivated to top the 78 yards he averaged per game in Houston in 2019.
4. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Until Jones starts declining, I’m still buying. While he did have a drop in catches and yards from 2018-19, Jones still averaged 10 targets and 93 yards per game last year. Because Jones is 31, his draft value will slip. Let him fall to you and enjoy the riches.
5. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Godwin was quite the goldmine in 2019 after he recorded a career-high 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns. He ranked second in fantasy points as a result. Let’s set him loose with Tom Brady, who I don’t see tarnishing Godwin’s 2020 outlook.
6. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
If Hill stays healthy, he stands to improve his ranking. For now, and because he does lose targets to Travis Kelce, he falls from my top-five. Though, in any given game Hill could easily rack up 150 yards and double scores. Draft him with confidence.
7. Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions
Golladay should continue to thrive with Matthew Stafford back under center. Though, I downgrade Golladay some from his third-place finish in 2019. The healthy return of Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson competing for targets and touches will take from Golladay.
8. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Kupp finished fourth in fantasy points last year and he should be plenty busy with the departures of Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley. The Rams sometimes struggle to keep ahead which will force Jared Goff to throw to Kupp more often than not.
9. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
Even with questions at quarterback, Robinson will garner a ton of volume. He last averaged six catches per game which amounted to 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns. View him as a lower-tier WR1 heading into 2020.
10. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans’ outlook for 2020 is downgraded due to the emergence of the aforementioned Chris Godwin. Plus, the team did Evans no fantasy favors when it added Rob Gronkowski (Brady’s favorite) to the mix to vulture those red zone targets.
11. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
Thielen needs to get back on course this season. After a studly 1,373-yard, nine-touchdown 2018, Thielen laid a fantasy egg in 2019. He no longer has Stefon Diggs to compete with, so there is little excuse for Thielen to disappoint this year.
12. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
I would have Cooper in my top-10 if he didn’t share the field with Michael Gallop and rookie star receiver, CeeDee Lamb. With that said, Cooper might fall a little short of his seventh-place finish in 2019 that consisted of 1,189 yards and eight scores.
13. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
Those who spent too high on Smith-Schuster in 2019 got the short stick. Lack of a reliable quarterback and an injury held Smith-Schuster to a mere 552 yards and three touchdowns. Smith-Schuster hopefully bounces back with the return of Ben Roethlisberger.
14. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Forget about Hilton’s dismal 2019 season when he averaged only 50 yards per game. Instead, the presence of the pass-heavy Philip Rivers as his quarterback should do wonders for Hilton. If so, he will be a cheap lower-round draft steal who holds WR1 potential.
15. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Lockett just produced his best fantasy season in 2019 when he recorded 82 catches for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns. Even with D.K. Metcalf emerging, Lockett still remains a big threat once he gets his hands on the ball.
16. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Sutton is the real fantasy deal thus far and has averaged a healthy 15.9 yards per catch since his rookie 2018 year. He should continue to flourish and perhaps surpass the 1,112 yards and six touchdowns (17th fantasy finish) he accomplished in 2019.
17. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns
OBJ must improve his 31st place fantasy points he scored in 2019. He barely topped 1,000 yards and scored only four times. The talent is there, but OBJ has to do better than the 55.6 percent catch rate he managed last year. Baker Mayfield was much to blame.
18. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
Parker came out of irrelevance last year with 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns, making him waiver wire gold. He shockingly finished sixth in fantasy points. He is worth owning again, though potential revolving quarterbacks in Miami could set Parker back.
19. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
Allen lost his Phillip Rivers’ security blanket and now his fantasy fate lies with either Tyrod Taylor and/or rookie Justin Herbert. Thus, I’ve downgraded his outlook for 2020 while hoping Allen still tops 1,000 yards and his six touchdowns from last year.
20. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers
Many folks are higher on Moore in 2020 than I am. Perhaps the presence of new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater helps Moore’s value. If so, look for Moore to best his 21st place fantasy finish (1,175 yards and four touchdowns) from 2019.
21-25. Prove me wrong wide receivers who could push their way into the top-20.
21. D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars
Going for Chark, is that Garder Minshew will have to pass a lot keep up with his competition. On the downside, it is just difficult to trust any member of the Jaguars to score you fantasy points on a consistent basis.
22. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
I love Diggs’ talent and he last produced an amazing 17.9 yards per catch in Minnesota. But playing for the Bills run-heavy offense and with the mobile Josh Allen, Diggs is not a top-20 fantasy option in my opinion.
23. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns
Landry ranked 14th in fantasy points in 2019. But, if OBJ gets his fantasy mojo back on track, Landry’s numbers might drop. As I stated earlier, Baker Mayfield’s performances hold the keys to his receivers’ success.
24. Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins
McLaurin had an admirable rookie year with 919 yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Redskins’ offense stunk as a whole and ranked 31st last year. This makes McLaurin a dark horse fantasy option.
25. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Yay! We should see Green — one of my favorites — back in 2020. Green was a fantasy stud back in the day, but he hasn’t played since mid-2018. If he has lost his step, look for Tyler Boyd to easily finish within the top-25 instead.
