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Football season is upon us, and that means fantasy leagues are gearing up to begin. Want to get a leg up on your competition? Check out these recommendations heading into Week 1. Here is a list of wideouts that you should consider either starting in your lineup or sitting on your bench for the upcoming slate of games:
Sit: Brock Bowers — Las Vegas Raiders (vs LAC)
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The top TE in college football slipped further than many draft experts expected. Bowers eventually landed with the Las Vegas Raiders who spent a premium pick on Michael Mayer just last year. Both Bowers and Mayer are listed as starters on Vegas’ initial depth chart, leading us to believe that the team envisions the two TEs sharing the field quite a bit. Bowers is a reliable pass-catcher who is electric in the open field. However, he enters Week 1 nursing a foot injury and is less than 12 months removed from ankle surgery. The Raiders will play it safe with their prized pick. Don’t expect a high snap count for Bowers in his debut.
Start: Jake Ferguson — Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
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Dallas’ receiving corps isn’t as deep as years past. CeeDee Lamb paced the team with a whopping 182 targets. The No. 2 option on Dallas was TE Jake Ferguson who earned a Pro Bowl nod after a strong sophomore campaign. Ferguson recorded 71 receptions (on 102 targets) for 761 yards and five scores. QB Dak Prescott loves to attack the seams, and Ferguson’s 6-foot-5 frame makes him an ideal target in that area of the field. Lamb will get plenty of targets, but Ferguson is in line for a big game as Prescott attempts to avoid Cleveland’s elite cornerbacks.
Sit: Mark Andrews — Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
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Mark Andrews has been Lamar Jackson’s No. 1 target ever since the two-time MVP took over as Baltimore’s QB. While Andrews remains a solid option in fantasy leagues, it has to be noted just how uneven his 2023 performance was. Despite Jackson winning MVP, Andrews wasn’t a big part of the offense. He saw more than six targets in a game just twice all year (a mark that he passed 11 times the year prior). While he missed seven regular season games due to injury, backup Isaiah Likely established himself as a quality target. Also, the Chiefs have made it a point to shut down Andrews when these two teams face off. In five career meetings against the Chiefs, Andrews is averaging 2.6 receptions for 21.8 yards and has yet to score a touchdown.
Start: Trey McBride — Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
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Trey McBride has a chance to be the No. 1 TE in all of fantasy this season, and has a great chance to finish as TE1 after Week 1. The Cardinals take on a Buffalo team that saw some massive changes over the offseason. The safety tandem of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are gone. Star linebacker Matt Milano will also miss this game, and would have likely drawn the McBride matchup. We will eventually see Marvin Harrison Jr. take over as the No. 1 in this offense, but Week 1 will have a heavy dosage of McBride as Kyler Murray’s favored target.
Sit: Noah Fant — Seattle Seahawks (vs DEN)
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Seattle’s starting TE will be facing off against the team that drafted him for a second time in his career. Noah Fant was drafted in the first round by the Broncos in 2019, and spent three years with the organization before joining the Seahawks. His usage has dipped in Seattle as the team has mostly focused on getting the wideouts and RB Kenneth Walker involved. Having a healthy Geno Smith helps this offense, but we don’t expect Fant to see an increase in target share. He can safely be benched for a higher upside option in this matchup.
Sit: Jaylen Waddle — Miami Dolphins (vs JAC)
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When Jaylen Waddle was a rookie in ’21, he was surrounded by a rather pedestrian skill group constructed under Miami’s previous regime. Now, the speedster hardly stands out next to track stars like Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane. Waddle managed to go over 1,000 yards for the third-straight season but saw just 104 targets and scored only 4 TDs for the AFC’s No. 1 offense in ’23. He signed an extension in the offseason and is already dealing with an injury. While Miami is a bit thin at wideout (Odell Beckham Jr. will start the season on IR), they’re still likely to play it safe with Waddle if he suits up in Week 1.
Start: Tee Higgins — Cincinnati Bengals (vs NE)
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This is an easy one. Tee Higgins has a chance to dominate Cincinnati’s Week 1 matchup. Teammate Ja’Marr Chase is not practicing while his camp tries to settle on a new contract extension. With No. 3 wideout Tyler Boyd leaving in the offseason, the Bengals are suddenly thin at wideout if Chase doesn’t play in Week 1. The starters next to Higgins would likely be sixth-round pick Andrei Iosivas and Alabama rookie Jermaine Burton. QB Joe Burrow would lean on Higgins to move the ball through the air. The Patriots have a strong CB room, but Higgins’ volume should more than makeup for the tough matchup.
Start: Jakobi Meyers — Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
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Vegas wideout Jakobi Meyers is among the most underrated pass-catchers in the game. He finished last season with 806 yards and 8 TDs despite Vegas’ shaky QB play. On a per-target basis, Meyers was even more efficient than his superstar teammate, Davante Adams. The Raiders face a familiar foe in the Chargers in Week 1. Of course, that means the return of Jim Harbaugh to NFL sidelines. If we know anything about Harbaugh, he’s not going to let Adams run free all game. LA’s defense will focus on stopping Vegas’ No. 1, which should allow Meyers to stack up receptions while working the short-to-intermediate range of the field.
Sit: Jerry Jeudy — Cleveland Browns (vs DAL)
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Jerry Jeudy has always been a polarizing player among fantasy football circles. He’s an immensely talented route runner with strong athletic tools but has never put together a complete season from start to finish. His biggest supporters have pointed to Denver’s lack of steady QB play as the main culprit for Jeudy’s inconsistency. However, are we sure that will change in Cleveland? Deshaun Watson has not played at a high level for years, and Jeudy will still be behind Amari Cooper (and, possibly David Njoku) in the pass-catching pecking order. We’d avoid Jeudy unless Watson begins the season playing at a high level.
Start: Joshua Palmer — Los Angeles Chargers (vs LVR)
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It’s a new era for the Chargers. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler are gone, opening up opportunities for a cast of new faces. One familiar, though, is a solid option for your fantasy lineups in Week 1. Joshua Palmer was quite good in ’23 before suffering a season-ending injury. Over his last nine games, Palmer averaged nearly 6.7 targets, 4.1 receptions and 64.1 yards. And that was while sharing the field with established veterans. There isn’t anybody to soak up those targets in ’24, leading us to believe QB Justin Hebert will rely on a guy like Palmer to get the job done in this one.
Sit: Any New England Patriots WR (at CIN)
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New England’s offense can’t be much worse than last year, but it will likely rank near the bottom of the league in ’24. We’re still unsure of how the team will choose to deploy its wideouts. Kendrick Bourne is the group’s veteran but has gone over 700 yards in a season just once over his seven-year NFL career. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker are rookies who will likely struggle early. The team’s first-year head coach, Jerod Mayo, isn’t even willing to name the Week 1 starter at QB. Avoid this dumpster fire at all costs.
Start: Khalil Shakir — Buffalo Bills (vs ARI)
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Much has been made about Buffalo’s receiving corps throughout the offseason. Replacing Stefon Diggs is no easy task, but the team made several additions to try and alleviate the loss. Curtis Samuel was added into the mix and the team spent a second-round pick on Keon Coleman. From a fantasy perspective, we prefer two players who were on the team last year — Shakir and TE Dalton Kincaid — over any offseason acquisition. Shakir is just 24 years old and scored in both of Buffalo’s playoff games last year. He’s a potential breakout candidate who could thrive in Week 1 versus an Arizona secondary that doesn’t have any great corners.
Sit: DeVonta Smith — Philadelphia Eagles (vs GB)
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Former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith is arguably the best No. 2 receiver in football. He’s already gained over 3,100 yards in three seasons and has scored 7 TDs each of the last two years. He should approach the 1,000-yard mark again this year. However, we envision him having a pedestrian opening game. The Eagles are going to want to show off their shiny, new toy — RB Saquon Barkley. Expect Barkley to be heavily involved in the offense as the Eagles employ a run-heavy attack. Additionally, it might take some time for QB Jalen Hurts to get comfortable behind a new-look line that doesn’t feature Jason Kelce. The Eagles passing attack might suffer as a result.
Start: George Pickens — Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
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Opposite of Courtland Sutton’s situation in Denver, George Pickens’ skillset aligns quite nicely with Pittsburgh’s starting QB. The third-year wideout was exceptional last year while battling awful QB play. Pickens put up a 63/1140/5 campaign on just 106 targets while leading the NFL in yards-per-reception (18.1). Though Russell Wilson is a shell of his former self, the nine-time Pro Bowler will happily oblige to chucking the ball downfield and giving his talented wideout a chance to win a jump ball. Even if Wilson provides average QB play, that will be a huge step up from what Pickens has experienced thus far in his career.
Sit: Brandin Cooks — Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
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If you’ve played fantasy football long enough, you’ve likely had Brandin Cooks on your team at one point. The reliable wideout has had a nice career, compiling 1,000-yard seasons for four different franchises. Unfortunately, none of those campaigns came with the Dallas Cowboys. Cooks totaled 657 yards in Dallas last year over 16 games — 41.1 YPG, the lowest of his career. CeeDee Lamb will control most of the target share in this offense, and TE Jake Ferguson is likely the No. 2 option. Cooks should not be in your lineups for Week 1 in what should be a brutal matchup against the stout Cleveland defense.
Start: Demarcus Robinson — Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
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This is a shout for those playing in deeper leagues. This matchup could very well be the highest-scoring game in the entire Week 1 slate. Those fantasy managers who have Rams or Lions on their team will surely be inserting them into their startling lineup. We already know Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are easy calls, but No. 3 wideout Demarcus Robinson could also provide some solid production. From Week 12-17 last year, Robinson averaged nearly 7 targets per game and scored four times over five weeks. This Rams offense is good enough for everybody to feast and they’ll likely need to put up a ton of points to keep up with Detroit’s attack.
Sit: Malik Nabers — New York Giants (vs MIN)
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It isn’t easy to trust rookies in any capacity. Nabers is a unique talent who should eventually blossom into one of the better receivers in football. But, it’s not often that a first-year receiver hits the ground running. More often than not rookie wideouts struggle to adjust to NFL speed. It doesn’t help that Nabers’ quarterback is one of the more inconsistent passers in the game. Daniel Jones limits the overall ceiling of the Giants offense, and Nabers should be kept on your bench until he proves that he can produce despite Jones’ limitations.
Start: Adam Thielen — Carolina Panthers (vs NO)
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A two-pack of Panthers with this pick. Carolina’s offense looks to be improved under new head coach Dave Canales. It’s unclear how the wideouts will be deployed, but the team has two quality slot options — veteran Adam Thielen and former Steeler Diontae Johnson. Whoever gets more snaps in the slot could feast against the Saints in Week 1. New Orleans is strong on the boundaries (though, Marshon Lattimore has been nursing an injury during camp), but nickel corner Alontae Taylor is a bit more susceptible. We’ll sign with Thielen on this one due to his familiarity with QB Bryce Young, but either wideout has a chance to do some damage.
Sit: Courtland Sutton — Denver Broncos (at SEA)
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It’s interesting that Denver opted to trade Jerry Jeudy in the offseason rather than 2019 Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton. Sutton is arguably the better overall player, but his skill set does not coincide with starting QB Bo Nix. In Sean Payton’s offense, Nix will likely be a check-down merchant looking to attack the short areas of the field. Sutton is a 6-foot-4 deep threat who can consistently win at the catch point. It feels like Sutton will be used more as a field stretcher rather than a No. 1 target. The Seahawks boast two star corners, including 6-foot-4 speedster Riq Woolen who will have no trouble matching up with Sutton’s size.
Start: Deebo Samuel — San Francisco 49ers (vs NYJ)
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The 49ers’ receiving corps is a tricky one to predict. Brandon Aiyuk is holding out for a new contract, and there have been trade rumors circulating the star wideout all offseason. San Francisco spent a first-round pick on Florida product Ricky Pearsall, but he’s been dealing with a shoulder injury that has kept him out of practice. Veteran Jauan Jennings is also banged up and not practicing. This makes Deebo Samuel a must-start across all formats. He even might get an increased rushing usage as RB Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a calf injury.
Start: Calvin Ridley — Tennessee Titans (vs CHI)
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Those who drafted Calvin Ridley last year were sorely disappointed by the receiver’s efforts. Playing in a solid Jaguars offense, Ridley had a decent campaign but failed to live up to the immense hype. He signed with the Titans over the offseason and looks to be the focal point of Tennessee’s attack. Ridley played in just five games between ’21 and ’22 due to injuries and a suspension. The fact he was able to suit up for all 17 in ’23 is a positive sign. Derrick Henry is no longer on this offense, and DeAndre Hopkins is unlikely to suit up in Week 1. All aboard the Ridley hype train…again.
Sit: Mike Williams — New York Jets (at SF)
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Former Charger Mike Williams is now with the New York Jets, and some are excited about the prospect of him playing alongside all-time great QB Aaron Rodgers. We’d temper expectations for Williams — especially given his injury history. Williams played in just three games last year and is still recovering from a torn ACL. He’s had limited practice time and will need more reps until he’s fully comfortable in the offense. Williams could be a difference-maker at some point this season, but he’s unlikely to be impactful in Week 1.
Start: Stefon Diggs — Houston Texans (at IND)
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The Houston Texans enter ’24 as a favorite in the AFC South following a tremendous offseason. Among their acquisitions, former Buffalo Bill Stefon Diggs is now set to join a talented Houston offense. Diggs is coming off his six-straight 1,000-yard campaign, and he caught 37 touchdowns over four seasons in Buffalo. Targets will be a bit more difficult to come by with the Texans. Nico Collins is a budding star and Tank Dell was enjoying a marvelous rookie year before a season-ending injury. However, it feels like Houston will make it a point to get Diggs the ball in his first game. Indianapolis’ secondary is among the weakest in the league. If they can keep Diggs away from nickel corner Kenny Moore, he should have a field day against this defense.
Sit: Keenan Allen — Chicago Bears (vs TEN)
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There’s going to be some growing pains for Keenan Allen. That just comes with the territory when you join a new team after being with a single franchise for 11 years. Allen will have to get used to his new teammates and city, and we’re positive he’ll get comfortable sooner rather than later. That being said, Allen could be in for a quiet Week 1. The Titans completely revamped their defense with quality starting talent. It’s difficult to imagine the Chicago playbook will be very expansive in Caleb Williams’ first start under center. We imagine Allen will snag a few passes from the rookie hurler but don’t expect a huge debut game from the former Charger.
Start: Michael Pittman Jr. — Indianapolis Colts (vs HOU)
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The Colts could boast one of the league’s best offenses in ’24. Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor are healthy, and the receiving corps should be better than many expected. One player who greatly benefits from Richardson being back is No. 1 wideout Michael Pittman Jr. Richardson targeted Pittman Jr. 11 times in their first game together last year. Of course, the bruising QB was knocked out of the season early. Now that he’s set to return, Pittman Jr. could be in line for a huge campaign.
