Getty Images. Pictured: A.J. Brown, Calvin Ridley, D.K. Metcalf
Sean Koerner — the No. 1 fantasy football draft ranker of 2019 — breaks down the final edition of his 2021 WR Draft Tiers. This series is part of our Action PRO subscription, which will not only grant you access to these Tiers, but also to Koerner’s real-time rankings in our 2021 Fantasy Draft Kit.
Running back is the most important position in fantasy football, but wide receiver is a close second.
With the depth at the position, it’s easy to convince yourself that if you miss out on certain WRs, there will be more talent to choose from later — but you can’t neglect the position so much over the first six rounds that you end up with Deebo Samuel as your WR2.
You need to spend significant draft capital to lock in your WRs. That’s why I’ve outlined the final version of my 2021 WR Draft Tiers below, so you can strategize exactly how to do that.
These tiers are based on my rankings as of Sept. 3, but reminder to check our 2021 Draft Kit for real-time rankings between now and the end of the season.
Fantasy WR Rankings & Tiers
| » Click here to download a PDF version of these tiers featuring notes for your drafts « | |
| Tier | Players |
| 1 | Davante Adams (GB) Tyreek Hill (KC) |
| 2 | Calvin Ridley (ATL) Stefon Diggs (BUF) DeAndre Hopkins (ARI) D.K. Metcalf (SEA) |
| 3 | Justin Jefferson (MIN) |
| 4 | A.J. Brown (TEN) |
| 5 | Keenan Allen (LAC) Terry McLaurin (WAS) Allen Robinson (CHI) CeeDee Lamb (DAL) Amari Cooper (DAL) Mike Evans (TB) Chris Godwin (TB) Tyler Lockett (SEA) Robert Woods (LAR) Cooper Kupp (LAR) Adam Thielen (MIN) Julio Jones (TEN) D.J. Moore (CAR) |
| 6 | Diontae Johnson (PIT) Tee Higgins (CIN) Ja’Marr Chase (CIN) Brandon Aiyuk (SF) Odell Beckham Jr. (CLE) Chase Claypool (PIT) |
| 7 | Robby Anderson (CAR) Jerry Jeudy (DEN) Kenny Golladay (NYG) Laviska Shenault (JAX) Juju Smith-Schuster (PIT) Deebo Samuel (SF) Courtland Sutton (DEN) D.J. Chark (JAX) Mike Williams (LAC) Tyler Boyd (CIN) Jarvis Landry (CLE) Brandin Cooks (HOU) Michael Gallup (DAL) Will Fuller (MIA) |
| 8 | Corey Davis (NYJ) Marvin Jones (JAX) Marquise Brown (BAL) Devonta Smith (PHI) Marquez Callaway (NO) Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) Curtis Samuel (WAS) DeVante Parker (MIA) Michael Thomas (NO) Antonio Brown (TB) Jaylen Waddle (MIA) |
| 9 | Elijah Moore (NYJ) Cole Beasley (BUF) Darnell Mooney (CHI) Mecole Hardman (KC) Henry Ruggs (LV) Russell Gage (ATL) Nelson Agholor (NE) Jakobi Meyers (NE) Rondale Moore (ARI) Jalen Reagor (PHI) Gabriel Davis (BUF) Sterling Shepard (NYG) Tyrell Williams (DET) |
| 10 | Terrace Marshall (CAR) Bryan Edwards (LV) Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) Tre’Quan Smith (NO) Emmanuel Sanders (BUF) Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB) Christian Kirk (ARI) Nico Collins (HOU) Jamison Crowder (NYJ) |
| 11 | Zach Pascal (IND) K.J. Hamler (DEN) Josh Palmer (LAC) Byron Pringle (KC) Sammy Watkins (BAL) A.J. Green (ARI) Parris Campbell (IND) Kendrick Bourne (NE) Randall Cobb (GB) Hunter Renfrow (LV) Darius Slayton (NYG) Van Jefferson (LAR) |
Tier 1
Davante Adams (GB)
Tyreek Hill (KC)
Meet the elite WR1s.
Tier 2
Calvin Ridley (ATL)
Stefon Diggs (BUF)
DeAndre Hopkins (ARI)
D.K. Metcalf (SEA)
Tier 3
Justin Jefferson (MIN)
Tier 4
A.J. Brown (TEN)
Tiers 2-4 represent the rest of the WR1s. I prefer to draft one WR (or Travis Kelce) before these tiers evaporate — having WR be the strength of your roster is never a bad thing.
Tier 5
Keenan Allen (LAC)
Terry McLaurin (WAS)
Allen Robinson (CHI)
CeeDee Lamb (DAL)
Amari Cooper (DAL)
Mike Evans (TB)
Chris Godwin (TB)
Tyler Lockett (SEA)
Robert Woods (LAR)
Cooper Kupp (LAR)
Adam Thielen (MIN)
Julio Jones (TEN)
D.J. Moore (CAR)
This massive WR2 tier tends to come off the board in Rounds 3-5 of most drafts. It’s such a big tier that it allows you to be pretty flexible in how you attack it — I typically aim to draft 1-2 WRs from this tier in every league.
Tier 6
Diontae Johnson (PIT)
Tee Higgins (CIN)
Ja’Marr Chase (CIN)
Brandon Aiyuk (SF)
Odell Beckham Jr. (CLE)
Chase Claypool (PIT)
This tier acts as a safety net if you go heavy on QB/RB/TE in Rounds 1-5. I would be OK having any one of these wideouts as my WR3, but it’s critical to have at least three WRs before this tier is off the board.
Tier 7
Robby Anderson (CAR)
Jerry Jeudy (DEN)
Kenny Golladay (NYG)
Laviska Shenault (JAX)
Juju Smith-Schuster (PIT)
Deebo Samuel (SF)
Courtland Sutton (DEN)
D.J. Chark (JAX)
Mike Williams (LAC)
Tyler Boyd (CIN)
Jarvis Landry (CLE)
Brandin Cooks (HOU)
Michael Gallup (DAL)
Will Fuller (MIA)
We’re starting to build out our bench with this tier. Jerry Jeudy, Laviska Shenault, Mike Williams and Michael Gallup are the ones to target at ADP.
Tier 8
Corey Davis (NYJ)
Marvin Jones (JAX)
Marquise Brown (BAL)
Devonta Smith (PHI)
Marquez Callaway (NO)
Michael Pittman Jr. (IND)
Curtis Samuel (WAS)
DeVante Parker (MIA)
Michael Thomas (NO)
Antonio Brown (TB) (+)
Jaylen Waddle (MIA) (+)
For Tiers 8-11, I prefer to target WRs with the most upside. Therefore, I indicated who has the built-in upside to crush their current ADP with plus-signs (+) — these WRs are far from slam dunks, but won’t kill your season if they don’t pan out.
Tier 9
Elijah Moore (NYJ) (+)
Cole Beasley (BUF)
Darnell Mooney (CHI)
Mecole Hardman (KC) (+)
Henry Ruggs (LV)
Russell Gage (ATL)
Nelson Agholor (NE)
Jakobi Meyers (NE)
Rondale Moore (ARI)
Jalen Reagor (PHI)
Gabriel Davis (BUF) (+)
Sterling Shepard (NYG)
Tyrell Williams (DET)
Tier 10
Terrace Marshall (CAR) (+)
Bryan Edwards (LV)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)
Tre’Quan Smith (NO)
Emmanuel Sanders (BUF)
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB)
Christian Kirk (ARI)
Nico Collins (HOU) (+)
Jamison Crowder (NYJ)
Tier 11
Zach Pascal (IND)
K.J. Hamler (DEN)
Josh Palmer (LAC) (+)
Byron Pringle (KC)
Sammy Watkins (BAL)
A.J. Green (ARI)
Parris Campbell (IND)
Kendrick Bourne (NE)
Randall Cobb (GB)
Hunter Renfrow (LV)
Darius Slayton (NYG)
Van Jefferson (LAR)