The wide receiver group is deep this year, so you can get away with starting a lot of different players. If you're torn between a few players, use my rankings to figure out who to start and who to sit. I list the top 50 because there aren't any worth playing beyond that.
Byes: Kansas City Chiefs & New Orleans Saints
Updated: Oct. 9
Other Rankings: Other Rankings: QB, RB, WR, TE, DEF
Rank & Player | Opponent | Notes |
1. Julio Jones, ATL | CHI | Julio has a great matchup this week. |
2. Demaryius Thomas, DEN | @NYJ | Thomas is always a safe start and has a good matchup. |
3. Antonio Brown, PIT | @CLE | Brown always seems to play well against the Browns. |
4. Jordy Nelson, GB | @MIA | Nelson has been on fire. |
5. Alshon Jeffery, CHI | @ATL | He's a safer play than Marshall and has a decent matchup. |
6. Randall Cobb, GB | @MIA | Given that the Packers throw the ball a ton, Cobb is safe play. |
7. Dez Bryant, DAL | @SEA | Dez will likely see a lot of Richard Sherman. That's not great for his fantasy output. |
8. Brandon Marshall, CHI | @ATL | Marshall has just six catches in his last three games. Ouch. |
9. Jeremy Maclin, PHI | STL | Maclin has played amazing so far. |
10. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN | @NYJ | I thought Sanders' targets would drop with the return of Welker. Kinda whiffed on that one. |
11. Vincent Jackson, TB | BAL | He's not a WR1, but Jackson is worth a start. |
12. Victor Cruz, NYG | @PHI | With the Giants looking like an actual football team on offense, Cruz is worth starting. |
13. Percy Harvin, SEA | DAL | No way he gets three TDs called back this week. Right? |
14. Roddy White, ATL | CHI | If White is healthy, he plays for you. |
15. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR | @CIN | Benjamin has played great lately, but has a poor matchup. |
16. Steve Smith, BAL | @TB | Smith has played really well. Maybe he's not washed up. |
17. Golden Tate, DET | @MIN | With Calvin likely out, Tate's value skyrockets. |
18. Keenan Allen, SD | @OAK | Not a great effort last time out, but he is playing the Raiders this week. |
19. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU | IND | Go ahead and start playing Hopkins. |
20. Mike Wallace, MIA | GB | Wallace is worth a look as a WR2 or flex. |
21. Michael Floyd, ARI | WAS | Floyd has taken over the WR No. 1 role in Arizona. |
22. Julian Edelman, NE | @BUF | This isn't a great matchup for Edleman, but he's been the Patriots' most consistent fantasy player. |
23. Andre Johnson, HOU | IND | I think Hopkins is a better play this week. |
24. T.Y. Hilton, IND | @HOU | Hilton is hanging out in the 7-10 point production range. |
25. Michael Crabtree, SF | @STL | This isn't a great matchup, but he's worth a look. |
26. DeSean Jackson, WAS | @ARI | Jackson lit up Seattle. Maybe he'll shake his inconsistency against the Cards. |
27. Wes Welker, DEN | @NYJ | Welker will probably be brought along slowly. |
28. Reggie Wayne, IND | @HOU | Wayne is usually worth a look at the flex spot. |
29. Pierre Garcon, WAS | @ARI | Garcon has looked very good this week. |
30. Mohammed Sanu, CIN | CAR | No AJ Green means Sanu will be counted on. |
31. Brian Quick, STL | SF | Austin Davis loves going to Brian Quick. |
32. Rueben Randle, NYG | @PHI | Randle had a nice effort last time out, so we'll see if that stays the same. |
33. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI | WAS | Fitz hasn't done much of anything this season. |
34. Sammy Watkins, BUF | NE | Watkins has been nothing but inconsistent. Playing with Orton might help. |
35. Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN | DET | :( |
36. James Jones, OAK | SD | Someone has to catch passes in Oakland. |
37. Justin Hunter, TEN | JAC | Hunter had a big week, but I don't think that will continue. |
38. Terrance Williams, DAL | @SEA | Teams are focused on Dez, which means Williams is getting more looks. However, he's got a terrible matchup. |
39. Eric Decker, NYJ | DEN | Decker needs touchdowns to be worth playing, and that's tough to bank on. |
40. Markus Wheaton, PIT | @CLE | Wheaton will be good, but you don't need to start him quite yet. |
41. Eddie Royal, SD | @OAK | After back-to-back insane weeks, Royal has come back down to earth. He'll probably stay there. |
42. Kendall Wright, TEN | JAC | Wright looks like a WR3 at best right now. |
43. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | @PHI | Beckham looked good last week. Let's see if that continues. |
44. Torrey Smith, BAL | @TB | Smith has really struggled this season. I blame Steve Smith. |
45. Anquan Boldin, SF | STL | Don't trust Boldin. He's too inconsistent. |
46. Greg Jennings, MIN | DET | Jennings is a backup. |
47. Andrew Hawkins, CLE | PIT | He's valuable in a PPR league, but not so much in a standard one. |
48. Allen Hurns, JAC | @TEN | Hurns is a boom-or-bust play. |
49. Calvin Johnson, DET | @MIN | I don't think Johnson will be able to play this week. |
50. A.J. Green, CIN | CAR | Green left practice Wednesday on a cart. Monitor him closely. |