There is always a frenzy on fantasy football draft day to grab the high-profile players who dominate on a weekly basis. The top running backs and wide receivers fly off the board as the foundation of rosters, but depth is required to win a fantasy championship.
Landing an elite WR3/flex receiver can be just as important as stocking a roster in the initial rounds. Elite players slide into the middle rounds as individual roster needs are addressed, and some talent falls through the cracks but can still be roster cornerstones.
Here are five wide receivers outside the top-25 ADP who are strong value picks at a bargain price and could help make the difference between winning and losing a fantasy league.
5
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans has been consistently going at WR30 or later in most drafts, and the question is why? Because Tom Brady is gone? He was posting consistently strong fantasy seasons before Brady arrived three years ago. Is it because he’s old? He hasn’t showed any signs of that – he has missed just nine games in nine years and doesn’t turn 30 until later this month.
As a rookie in 2014, the Buccaneers were a mess. Evans still posted 1,051 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He survived the ups and downs of the Jameis Winston era and never missed a beat. Baker Mayfield has similarities to Winston in their willingness to throw into traffic, which is where Evans dominates – at 6-foot-5, 231 pounds, he has perfected the contested downfield pass, averaging 15.3 yards per reception.
There is change in Tampa Bay, but it shouldn’t impact Evans. If he has an average year, he’ll catch 75 passes for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons put him in rarefied air with two other players – Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. That should be enough impetus to want him.
4
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirk came to the Jaguars last season with high expectations, and he lived up to everything he was hoped to provide. Trevor Lawrence made a significant jump due in no small part to Kirk leading the team across the board – in targets (133), receptions (84), yards (1,108), average (13.2), and touchdowns (8). Those were all career highs for Kirk.
The arrival of Calvin Ridley (who is ranked as a WR2) has everyone assuming he will step in after almost two years away from the game in a new city with a new quarterback and a new system and hit the ground running. Kirk has a year with Lawrence and they have built a rapport that Ridley is still learning.
Kirk was Jacksonville’s most consistent receiver last year – catching six or more passes in nine games. Ridley is going to create in-house competition, but he also is likely to draw more double-teams or be locked up with an opponent’s shutdown corner than Kirk. If Lawrence takes the next step in his growth, Kirk could top his 2022 numbers as the No. 2 guy in the pass offense in their second year together.
3
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Both Lockett and DK Metcalf saw their fantasy stock take a hit last year when the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson and were willing to stand pat with backup Geno Smith. Instead of imploding, both receivers topped 1,000 yards, and Lockett led the team with nine touchdown catches.
The primary reason Metcalf isn’t a WR1 on most draft boards is because of Lockett. They’re a tandem – even if Metcalf possesses freakish physical skills that Lockett doesn’t. In the four years they’ve been teammates, their numbers have been eerily similar in targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns – 466-339-4,319-35 for Lockett, 499-306-4,218-35 for Metcalf.
While Metcalf is a generational talent, every Batman needs his Robin – much less when they essentially equals in terms of overall production. Lockett is on the wrong side of 30 (he turns 31 in September) but has missed just three games in eight seasons, so durability has never been a concern. Until Lockett’s production takes a dip, he will continue to over-produce his ranking, which is what you look for in a WR3.
2
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
The entire dynamic of the 49ers offense changed with the arrival of Christian McCaffrey with one exception – that role performed by Aiyuk. Prior to McCaffrey showing up, Deebo Samuel was getting as much production running the ball as catching it and Aiyuk was exclusively a downfield receiving threat.
Despite a revolving door at quarterback last season due to injuries, Aiyuk clicked with all of them – setting career highs with 78 receptions for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 18 more receptions than the next highest player (George Kittle with 60) and had almost 400 more receiving yards than Samuel (632).
Samuel is rated as a WR2, but Aiyuk has proved to be the team’s most consistent big-play threat. That shouldn’t be impacted if there are injuries at quarterback since San Francisco’s depth at QB is as deep as any team in the league – Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold and Trey Lance. Aiyuk could easily surpass his numbers from 2022, making him a great value pick as a WR3.
1
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
Cooks has showed his value in one of the most unusual ways possible – consistently having teams willing to trade for him. In nine NFL seasons, he has been traded four times. He started his career with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and now the Cowboys.
Despite numerous changes of scenery, one constant in Cooks’ career has been high-end productivity. In all six seasons, he has played 15 or more games and topped 1,000 yards – including at least one season with every team he has played on.
In Dallas, CeeDee Lamb is the primary receiver and a legitimate WR1. However, that doesn’t mean he’s the only show in town. Before being traded, Amari Cooper was a consistent 1,000-yard receiver, and there’s no reason to think Cooks won’t immediately step into a position to be an 80-catch, 1,000-yard receiver.
With the Cowboys moving away from a run-heavy offense with the release of Ezekiel Elliott and the loss of No. 2 receiver in tight end Dalton Schultz in free agency, there will be plenty of opportunities to get Cooks heavily involved in the offense and, as has been the case often in his career, a bargain in a new setting – where he has thrived in the first year every time he has been traded.
