You love fantasy rankings, but you really love tiered fantasy rankings. We get it: Tiers give rankings texture and can be a big help when you’re actually drafting.
Here are my tiered wide receiver rankings for 2022.
Tier 1
These are the elites. I’d feel comfortable taking any of them not only in the first round of PPR or 0.5 PPR fantasy drafts but inside the top five.
With a 145-1,947-16 season, Cooper Kupp led the league in receptions, receiving yardage and TD catches last year. It all looked every bit as good as the numbers suggest, too. Kupp probably won’t be able to match his majestic 2021 numbers, but regal production will likely be the new normal for him.
Plagued by drops in training camp and the preseason, Ja’Marr Chase became an August bargain in fantasy drafts and paid off handsomely with 1,455 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s probably not going to average 11.4 yards per target again, but it’s clear that Chase is a special player, and it was fun to see him pick up where he left off with LSU teammate Joe Burrow.
Justin Jefferson has finished WR6 and WR4 in fantasy scoring in his first two seasons in the league. He piled up 108-1,616-10 last year, and it will be fun to see what he can do in an offense designed by Sean McVay disciple Kevin O’Connell.
Tier 2
Tier 1 is sublime. Tier 2 isn’t chopped liver either, but these players aren’t quite as flawless as the top-three WRs on the board.
Davante Adams has finished as a top-three fantasy WR in three of the last four years. Concerns that he’s changing teams are mitigated by playing with Raiders QB Derek Carr at Fresno State, where Adams had 233 catches for 3,031 yards and 38 TDs in two seasons.
Stefon Diggs had 103-1,225-10 last year, and it actually felt like a mildly disappointing season after his 127-1,535-8 campaign in 2020. Diggs has had more than 160 targets in each of his first two seasons in Buffalo.
CeeDee Lamb had 1,102 yards last season and becomes the undisputed No. 1 receiver in Dallas now that Amari Cooper has left for Cleveland.
Deebo Samuel was a multifaceted fantasy force in 2021, piling up 77-1,405-6 as a receiver and also rushing for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. Samuel probably won’t line up as a running back as often this year, and a QB change from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance could change the dynamics of the San Francisco passing game. However, Samuel is electrifying with the ball in his hands and is still a worthwhile second-round fantasy pick.
Tyreek Hill goes from playing with Patrick Mahomes to playing with Tua Tagovailoa. Still, it’s impossible to drop him from this tier considering that he’s been a top-eight fantasy receiver in four of the last five years – including a WR1 season (0.5 PPR) in 2018 and a WR2 season in 2021.
Tier 3
This is a tier full of fantasy WR2s. It was hard to figure out where Tier 3 should end and Tier 4 should begin. It comes down to this: I think everyone on Tier 3 has a top-12 finish in their range of outcomes. I don’t think that’s the case with the Tier 4 receivers.
My FantasyPros colleagues Derek Brown and Andrew Erickson are excited about Michael Pittman for 2022, and they’ve convinced me to climb aboard the Pittman bandwagon. As DBro has noted, Pittman’s target quantity and target quality could both improve with Matt Ryan replacing Carson Wentz as the Colts’ quarterback. Pittman had his first 1,000-yard season in 2021 and finished as the WR15.
Tee Higgins improved on a promising rookie year, going for 74-1,091-6 in 14 games. The presence of Chase lowers Higgins’ ceiling somewhat. Still, the Buccaneers had two players finish in WR1 range last year (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin), the Seahawks had two in 2020 (D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett), and the Steelers had two in 2018 (Antonio Brown and Tyler Lockett).
D.J. Moore has topped 1,100 yards in each of the last three seasons and just turned 25. The Panthers have an ugly QB situation, and Moore’s single-season high in touchdowns is only four, but there’s a sturdy floor here, and we haven’t seen the ceiling yet.
The move from Tennessee to Philadelphia devalues A.J. Brown at least a smidge. Brown has lost six games to injury the last two years, and he has yet to post a top-10 fantasy season after three years in the league, but it seems only a matter of time before this imposing physical specimen erupts for a huge year. In 2020, Brown had 1,075 yards and 11 TD catches in only 14 games, hinting at the upside yet to be fully tapped.
Mike Evans has topped the 1,000-yard mark eight times in eight NFL seasons. He’s had double-digit touchdowns in half of those seasons, and his 14 TD catches last year were a career-high. With Chris Godwin recovering from a torn ACL, Evans might see some enormous target counts in early-season games while Godwin recovers.
Through the first five weeks of the 2021 season, Mike Williams led all WRs with 100.6 fantasy points (0.5 PPR). Williams tweaked his knee in Week 5, was limited in Week 6, and didn’t start to pick up the pace again until December. Five years into his career, Williams hasn’t put it all together over a full season yet, but the dude just oozes talent, and he operates in one of the league’s better passing attacks.
I’m lower on Keenan Allen than most because he doesn’t make many big plays or score many touchdowns, and his efficiency numbers have been on a slow but steady decline. Still, Allen has finished with 97 to 106 catches in each of the last five years and should land in that range again if he stays healthy.
It’s hard not to fade D.K. Metcalf when he’s facing a season with a Drew Lock/Geno Smith combination at quarterback. On the other hand, Metcalf caught four TD passes from Smith in the four games (more like 3.3 games, actually) where Smith filled in for an injured Russell Wilson. Metcalf is a rare physical specimen who might be able to defy the limitations of his QBs.
Brandin Cooks has exceeded 1,000 yards in six of the last seasons (with four different teams) yet continues to be bargain-priced in fantasy drafts. Yes, the Texans’ offense is somewhat limited, but young QB Davis Mills wasn’t bad last year.
Diontae Johnson blossomed in his third season, producing a WR9 season on 107 catches. Chase Claypool and George Pickens could provide some in-house target competition, and the QB situation in Pittsburgh isn’t especially attractive, with Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett battling for the starting job. Still, Johnson is a productive target monster who can get even better if he eliminates the occasional concentration drops.
Terry McLaurin has been on the edge of a breakout for a while now, but Washington’s quarterbacking keeps holding him back. That might be how it goes again this year with Wentz taking over as the Commanders’ QB.
Fading a young WR as good as Jaylen Waddle is no fun, but the Dolphins’ offseason trade for Tyreek Hill put a big dent in Waddle’s 2022 outlook. Waddle’s average depth of target last year was 7.1 yards. Hill’s aDOT in Kansas City last year was 10.4 yards (which was actually a four-year low). Which player do you think is going to see more high-value downfield targets in Miami this season?
Tier 4
What a fascinating tier this is, populated by breakout candidates, bounce-back candidates, team changers and QB changers. This tier is a great place for WR speculators; everyone should come out of their drafts with at least one receiver from this tier.
Rashod Bateman flashed as a rookie but never gave us consistent production. It didn’t help that he missed much of training camp and the first five games of the season with a groin injury. With Marquise Brown traded to Arizona, Bateman is poised to be Lamar Jackson‘s top receiver, yet Bateman remains affordable in fantasy drafts.
Former fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney has established himself as an overachiever. With Allen Robinson gone, Mooney is now the Bears’ de facto go-to receiver. Chicago’s offense isn’t going to be good, but young QB Justin Fields has the arm talent to potentially fuel a big season for Mooney.
We’ll have to adjust our expectations for Amari Cooper based on whatever discipline the NFL metes out to Browns QB Deshaun Watson. Whether he’s been sharing targets with Michael Crabtree or Lamb, Cooper has rarely been the undisputed No. 1 receiver on his own team, but that’s clearly the case with Cooper in Cleveland.
Gabriel Davis dazzled us with 201 yards and four TDs in the Bills’ playoff loss to the Chiefs. He’s only 23 and is in line for a significant snap increase this year.
Chris Godwin tore his ACL in Week 15 of last year and didn’t have surgery until Jan. 3. His availability for Week 1 is uncertain.
Marquise Brown reunites with former Oklahoma Sooners teammate Kyler Murray in Arizona, and he should get ample targets early on while DeAndre Hopkins serves a six-game suspension.
As a rookie last season, Elijah Moore was the WR2 over a five-week span from Week 9 to Week 13. There was a ton of buzz about Moore during OTAs and the preseason, but a quad injury in August and a concussion in September slowed his arrival. The Jets’ drafting of Garrett Wilson with the 10th overall pick has drained some of the enthusiasm for Moore, making him a sneaky draft value.
Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton should both benefit from Russell Wilson’s arrival in Denver, but which will become Wilson’s go-to guy? I slightly prefer Jeudy, but I think the early ADP is too high for both.
Allen Robinson was banged up for much of the 2021 season, and he was also disgruntled about playing on the franchise tag. Neither factor fully explains his lack of productivity in 2021 after terrific seasons in 2019 and 2020, but A-Rob is a good bet to rebound in a potent Rams passing attack.
After a 1,426-yard season at age 22, JuJu Smith-Schuster has spent the last three years trying to overcome both injuries and the decaying of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. A move to Kansas City could do wonders for him.
Michael Thomas missed much of the 2020 season with injuries, including a late-season ankle injury. Thomas put off ankle surgery, then missed all of 2021 when the ankle didn’t heal properly. Thomas was a force before the injuries, racking up 378 catches over a three-year stretch from 2017 to 2019. Will he still be the same player upon his return, and can he return to such lofty heights with a QB other than Drew Brees?
After a promising rookie season, Brandon Aiyuk started sluggishly in 2021 but closed strong. He’ll have to get on the same page with new 49ers QB Trey Lance.
Amon-Ra St. Brown had 51-560-5 over the final six games of 2021, but TE T.J. Hockenson and RB D’Andre Swift were sidelined for much of that stretch, and the Lions have since added WRs D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams.
Tier 5
Drake London and Treylon Burks are both highly regarded rookies who should immediately step in as the No. 1 receivers for their respective teams.
The Eagles’ acquisition of A.J. Brown undeniably damages the fantasy value of DeVonta Smith, even though Smith looked as good as advertised as a rookie.
Speaking of damaged fantasy value, Tyler Lockett had a nice run with Russell Wilson as his QB but will now have to catch passes from Lock and/or Geno Smith.
Forced to take on a bigger role last season when Darren Waller was hurt and none of the Raiders’ other young WRs stepped up, Hunter Renfrow responded with a 103-1,038-9 season. Waller and Davante Adams will command many targets, but Renfrow can still be a useful fantasy depth piece.
DeAndre Hopkins must serve a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, and he’ll face stiffer target competition upon his return now that Marquise Brown has arrived in Arizona
The 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, Garrett Wilson is a dangerous man with the ball in his hands. But can Zach Wilson be an effective ball distributor for the Jets, and how will he divide those balls between Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, Corey Davis and others?
Kadarius Toney was spectacular in Weeks 4-5 last season, with 6-78-0 vs. the Saints and 10-189-0 vs. the Cowboys. A medley of injuries wrecked the rest of his season, and he was the subject of offseason trade rumors. But Toney is a twitchy athlete who can make magic with the ball in his hands, and the arrival of offensive wizard Brian Daboll as head coach could fully unlock Toney’s talents.
Adam Thielen’s efficiency numbers have been plummeting, but he’s piled up 24 touchdowns over the last two years.
If you believe in following the money, you should be bullish on Christian Kirk, who got a four-year, $72 million deal from the Jaguars in free agency.
Is Chase Claypool all tools and no toolbox? The physically gifted receiver has shown immaturity at times. You have to wonder if that immaturity played into the Steelers’ decision to select WR George Pickens in the second round of this year’s draft.
Kenny Golladay’s first season with the Giants was an injury-marred washout. He hasn’t had a fully healthy season since 2019, but we probably shouldn’t forget how good he was with the Lions in 2018-2019.
The Packers have an ambiguous WR situation in the wake of Davante Adams’ departure. Allen Lazard could be Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver by default.
Chris Olave might be the most polished route runner among this year’s rookie receivers, and he has blazing speed, too.
Robert Woods is coming back from a torn ACL and will have to fit in with a new team, the Titans. The good news is that the Titans have a lot of vacated targets to go around after trading away A.J. Brown.
Tier 6
Some of the players on this tier will emerge as impactful fantasy contributors. Others will disappoint and will be waived by fantasy managers en masse. Let’s look at a few of the notable players from this group:
Russell Gage will be asked to take on a big role for the Buccaneers if Godwin isn’t able to answer the bell in Week 1 after a late-season ACL tear. Gage may also have some stand-alone fantasy value even when Godwin is back.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore join a new-look Kansas City WR corps. Moore, a second-round rookie, seems to be the preferred choice among most fantasy managers, but MVS got a lot of money in free agency to leave the Packers for the Chiefs.
Christian Watson might go earlier than fellow rookie Jahan Dotson in most fantasy drafts even though Dotson went 1.16 in the NFL Draft and Watson went 2.02. It’s possible third-rounder David Bell sees more targets than either of them as the new slot man in Cleveland.
Will Fuller remains unsigned and could climb draft boards quickly if he landed in the right spot – like Green Bay, for instance.
Pat Fitzmaurice’s 2022 Wide Receiver Rankings & Tiers
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