We have just closed out the 2022 regular season. For those who just started playing dynasty in the past year or two, you might be getting that start up fever. If you are just hearing about dynasty and want to dip your toe into the pool, you have come to the right place. Dynasty Nerds has bevy of great resources to get you started down the path to dynasty glory.

This series will look at the top of each position. I take into account not just recent performance, but what the next 2-3 seasons might look like. Is the player in a stable situation? Is their contract set? Are they nearing an age cliff? All things you want to consider when building a dynasty. I am looking at the wide receivers today.

Wide Receiver Rankings

1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
   • Jefferson is in a tier of his own. Young, good quarterback situation, high volume passing team. He does everything very. very well.
2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
   • Jefferson’s former college teammate checks in at #2. Explosive and has the ability to win at the catch point. Not quite as consistent as Jefferson.
3. AJ Brown, Philadelphia
   • One of the most efficient receivers in the game. Brown is dominant at the catch point and with the ball in his hands.
4. Ceedee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
   • Uses great route running ability to create separation. Lamb is a target hog on a high volume passing attack.
5. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
   • One of the best route runners in the league, Diggs is right in the middle of his prime, and tied to one of the highest passing offenses in the NFL.
6. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
   • Hill will be 29 next season but is still the most explosive player in the game. At any position.
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
   • One of the best young slot receivers in the game, who is equipped with the ability to play on the outside.
8. Garrett Wilson, New Your Jets
   • Wilson has performed well, despite the quarterback issues in New York. He has flashed ball skills that remind me of a young DeAndre Hopkins.
9. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
   • Kupp is older and coming off an injury. Still, I can’t discount the on field production. He dominates the the receiving share in Los Angeles.
10. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
    • The second Bengal on the list. Higgins is an alpha receiver on a team that throws the ball a lot. Between Chase and Higgins opposing defenses are in a ‘pick-your-poison’ situation.
11. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    • Godwin spent the first few seasons as a deep threat, but has become more of a low ADoT receiver with Brady. The Brady years are coming to an end soon and Godwin is entering his prime. I expect a return to the early years.
12. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
    • Samuel is dynamic with the ball in his hands and is tied to the 49ers offense thanks to a new 3-year contract extension.
13. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
    • Great route runner with tremendous speed. The Dolphins offense is built to get the ball to the wide receivers where they can run.
14. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
    • Metcalf has a career high in catches. While there are some aspects of the game ho doesn’t do well, the things he is good at, he is really good at. You can’t teach 6’3″ 235lbs with 4.5 second speed.
15. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
    • Adams is an excellent route runner with a nose for the end zone. He just turned 30 and has questions about his quarterback situation.
16. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
    • A well rounder receiver who quickly ascended to the top of an injured Sainted receiving corps. However, when the receiving corps got healthy, Olave didn’t give the top spot back.
17. DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers
    • After three 1100+ yards seasons 2022 has been a train wreck in Carolina. A mid-season coaching change has settled the situation down, but there will likely be a new quarterback with the mission to get the ball to DJ.
18. Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts
    • Receptions are up, yards and touchdowns are down thanks to musical chairs at the quarterback position. I might be optimistic thinking that a new coach and new quarterback bring out the best in Pittman, but I like the talent.
19. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
    • London has WR1 ability in a WR3 offense. He is a talented ball hawk with size. We just need Atlanta to figure out the quarterback position.
20. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals
    • Brown would be higher on this ranking if he didn’t have to contend with Nuk Hopkins. The Cards aren’t as high volume in the passing attack as we perceive either.
21. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
    • The Slim Reaper is a vicious route runner who leaves defensive backs grasping at air. If the Eagles passed at a higher volume, Smith would push for WR1 status.
22. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
    • 80 catches and 1100 yards seem to be the norm for McLaurin. If we could get double digit touchdowns he could move up the ranks. He has three years left on his deal, here’s hoping they figure out the quarterback position.
23. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
    • Look for Williams to provide the boom to Detroit’s offense next season. He has great speed, route running, and hands.
24. Dionte Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
    • The epitome of a possession receiver, Johnson is having quite a touchdown drought in 2022, but look for that to turn around next season as his young quarterback gets more comfortable.
25. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
    • Cooper is quietly having one of his best seasons. Look for more of the same moving forward as the quarterback situation settles down.
26. Deandre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
    • Hopkins is one of the best ball trackers in the league. He still has a couple of prime years left.
27. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    • Evans just racks up 1000 yard seasons. Big wide receivers tend to have a steeper drop than smaller ones, but I think Evans still has some gas in the tank.
28. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
    • Williams can look like ‘The WR1’ one week, and practically disappear the next. Consistency will be the key to Williams reaching his potential.
29. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans
    • We saw flashes of what made Burks a first round pick. Injuries, subpar quarterback play, and well, Derrick Henry kept a low ceiling on his production. Look for him to establish his spot at the top of the Titans depth chart.
30. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
    • Denver had a rocky season under first year coach Nathaniel Hackett and new quarterback Russell Wilson. Hackett didn’t make it, but year two with Wilson should get back on track.
31. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
    • Jeudy suffered all of the same issues as Sutton. Both have the potential to rise up the ranks with their complementary styles.
32. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
    • Aiyuk is pacing for his first 1000 yard season. He is the yang to Deebo’s yin. He is heading into a contract year so look for him to put up big numbers.
33. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
    • Dotson was a touchdown machine in his rookie season. I expect him to wrest the WR2 spot from Samuel and be the successor to McLaurin in a couple of years.
34. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
    • The season started off bad with a big drop then injuries. When Watson did make it back to the field, he rained touchdowns and big plays. Look for him to take a big step in 2023.
35. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers
    • Pickens has been stacking highlight reel catches amid stretches of inconsistency. He will be the WR2 in Pittsburgh in 2023 with a maturing quarterback. Look for Pickens to smooth out the inconsistencies.
36. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
    • Allen is still one of the best route runners in the league. He is a first down machine and favorite of Justin Herbert. With heir apparent Josh Palmer nipping at his heels, the aging superstar may find himself on a new team in 2024.
37. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
    • Bateman had a promising rookie season, so much so that the Ravens granted Hollywood Brown’s trade request. An injury plagued 2022 has left fantasy managers wanting more from Bateman. He will get the shot to regain that momentum in 2023.
38. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
    • Kirk lived up to his contract in 2022. How much volume will he lose with the addition of Calvin Ridley and the return of Zay Jones.
39. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
    • The sand is running out of the hourglass on Lockett. There is still some time, but he turns 31 at the beginning of the 2023 season. Look for the pendulum to swing toward Metcalf.
40. Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
    • If Claypool becomes the deep threat and Mooney uses his route running ability in the intermediate area of the field he should be the more efficient receiver in Chicago.
41. Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
    • Ridley has not been reinstated yet, but when he is he will be the WR1 in JAX.
42. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
    • Pierce has has an up and down rookie season as a deep threat with poor quarterback play. He has a more well rounded skill set than he has been called on to use.
43. Chase Claypool, Chicago Bears
    • Claypool is a tough one to judge. He could be the ‘one’ in Chicago or fall prey to the very low volume passing attack.
44. Donavan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns
    • Now here is a guy who just gets better every season. As Deshaun Watson gets back on track the receiving opportunities should continue to rise.
45. Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
    • Just 24-years-old and hitting the open market, Meyers is a great possession receiver. I would not be surprised to see him re-up with New England for three years.
46. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
    • Boyd is buried on a high powered offense. He will turn 29 during the season and has one year left on his contract. Look for him to take one last swing at a main role.
47. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
    • The end is nigh for Keenan Allen. While Allen was out this season with an injury Palmer filled in nicely and looks ready to take over the possession role in Los Angeles.
48. Elijah Moore, New York Jets
    • Moore struggled in 2022 with the clown car of quarterbacks in New York. He is young and really talented. I expect the quarterback situation to be more stable moving forward and Moore to reach his potential over the next couple of seasons.

That is the top 48 wide receivers according to me. The 2023 rookie class will shake this up. Leave a comment and tell me what you think. Or stop the the Dynasty Nerds Show on the Bettor Sports Network on Thursday nights and hit the call button ant tell me in person.