For quite some time now, Justin Jefferson has been the consensus WR1 in dynasty. This leaves Ja’Marr Chase as the number two guy until this off-season. According to KeepTradeCut, Chase briefly jumped up to the WR1 in 1QB leagues. After seeing what the Minnesota Vikings have done this off-season, the WR1 spot in dynasty is now a hot topic.
Justin Jefferson
Jefferson has been the clear-cut WR1 in dynasty football for quite some time. He is on track to be one of the best receivers of all time after he came out and dominated during his first three seasons in the NFL.
Most receiving yards through first three seasons in NFL history:
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) March 10, 2023
1. Justin Jefferson (4,825)
*massive gap*
2. Randy Moss (4,163)
3. Odell Beckham Jr. (4,122)
Jefferson is not only the best active receiver. He could end up being the best of all time.pic.twitter.com/SIgwMbzPu4
However, the Vikings decided to trade for star tight end T. J. Hockenson last season and draft Jordan Addison in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. This leaves Jefferson with more target competition than he’s ever seen heading into 2023.
Overall, Jefferson is still in a good situation with the Vikings. Kirk Cousins isn’t a top-five quarterback, but he’s very good nonetheless. From a numbers perspective, Cousins has been great these past three seasons. During this span, he’s thrown for over 4,200 yards and 28 touchdowyearlyear.
The passing volume this offense puts up is phenomenal. In 2022 the Vikings ranked third in the NFL for passing attempts per game which was above teams like the Chiefs and Bengals. Even though the Vikings have more weapons than ever, they have more than enough passing volume to support Jefferson.
Ja’Marr Chase
As good as Jefferson has been in his NFL career, Chase has outscored him slightly during his first two years. Chase outscored Jefferson by 0.8 PPG in his first two yeaRemembermind that Chase has been playing alongside another elite option his whole career; Tee Higgins.
We know Chase can put up these elite-level numbers despite playing alongside Higgins because he has a fantastic quarterback and passing volume. Joe Burrow is an elite quarterback who will be connected to Chase for years to come. The two have amazing chemistry leading back to their days at LSU, which helps elevate Chase’s play in this offense.
Cincinnati #Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow talked about his relationship with star wideout Ja'Marr Chase, saying you will not be a great team if your best players are not tight, he told @ComplexSports:
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 12, 2023
“We have a strong bond off the field and that translates onto the… pic.twitter.com/zID1vdt8eY
The Bengals are one of the most pass-happy teams, and for a good reason. The Bengal’s offense was phenomenal, averaging 265 yards on 37.8 pass attempts last season. Playing in such an elite, efficient offense benefits Chase in a big way.
Conclusion
It’s fun to have this discussion, and I believe you can make a case for Chase now, but the WR1 is still Jefferson. Jefferson is an elite talent who commands a ton of volume and is extremely efficient with it. Even if Cousins isn’t as good as Burrow, the Vikings passed the ball more than the Bengals in 2022, which helps Jefferson a ton.
Jefferson is 24, and Chase is 23, so both are still extremely young. This isn’t enough to move the needle to Chase’s side, as both players are developing and getting better each year. Chase is a great receiver, but from what we’ve seen so far, it would be foolish to name anyone but Jefferson the WR1 in dynasty football.
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