Wide Receivers are the cornerstone of perennial championship dynasty fantasy football teams. Teams that trade win, teams that won’t, well, they don’t, and this article aims to remind you and help you find dynasty wide receiver trade targets that can elevate your own roster right now, before everything changes with the actual NFL Draft.
As always, this article will follow my mantra of No Hype. No Mandates. Just honest thoughts and insights so that you can make decisions for your team(s).
All of these recommendations are players I am actually sending offers for, not crowd-pleasing choices.
As is customary, now is the time to grab an English cup of tea (or the drink of your choice) before we get started.
Fantasy Football: Dynasty Trade Targets (Wide Receivers)
Let’s dive into a few of my favorite dynasty trade targets in fantasy football leagues.
The Elites. Eight targets for the price of one
I always find it perplexing that dynasty wide receiver trade target articles often try to predict either real-life trades or what will happen in the draft, as if they are finding an “edge.” The reality is that both are just guesswork, no matter how it is dressed up.
Therefore, everyone forgets to remind you to trade for elite wide receivers. You shouldn’t need reminding, but ask yourself this: when was the last time you saw an elite receiver traded in your league? More to the point, when was the last time you even tried to acquire one?
It’s easy to believe that certain players are untouchable, but they are not. Don’t be the manager who is surprised when one is traded and you didn’t even ask. You don’t need that level of regret in your quest for fantasy football dominance.
The big 5 (Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, and CeeDee Lamb) are players I am sending offers out for pre-rookie drafts. Even if you are starting a deep rebuild, those are players you should be building around. Don’t be scared to pay up for them, especially with rookie hype peaking now. There are no guarantees that Jeremiyah Love, Makai Lemon, Carnell Tate, or Jordyn Tyson will end up in good situations or will be any good in the NFL.
Own the 1.01 to 1.04? Use them. I would move any of those picks with a plus on top to grab one of the big five. I’d also include Amon-Ra St. Brown, Drake London, and Malik Nabers, giving us eight targets.
Remember, mock drafts don’t mean a damn thing. “Analysts” and your leaguemates are dreaming and serving up a big dollop of hope for the perfect landing spot. Running back is a much more volatile position. Build your team around an elite core of wide receivers, and you’ll be a contender for years to come.
Did you know – in 1QB PPR leagues, the 1.01 for the past five rookie classes has returned only 14.84 PPG? That’s ok, but it is replaceable. You should strive for better if you want to win a Championship.
You have been officially reminded. Pay up now for true difference makers. Go and get Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, and CeeDee Lamb. Points win championships; these players are as close to guaranteed points as you can get in fantasy football. At least try! The worst the manager can say is no.
Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)
I am buying all of the Emeka Egbuka shares I can get my hands on. He is elite.
Let’s look at the facts.
He was a first round pick, which we know is important for opportunity in the NFL. We all recall the comments from Mayfield and the coaching staff about his ability to do everything.
Who had the better rookie year, Egbuka or Amon-Ra St. Brown? Amon-Ra’s was perhaps more unexpected given the difference in draft capital, but the hard, cold facts are that it was Egbuka.
Of the 2,145 rookie wide receiver seasons, Egbuka’s 938 receiving yards last season are 42nd all-time for rookie yardage. That was more than Amon-Ra St. Brown, who most would say had a stellar rookie year. It’s also more than CeeDee Lamb and Terry McLaurin. If we want to get carried away, it was also more than Jerry Rice. I am not saying his career will reach those players’ levels, but he has the tools and, in Tampa, the opportunity. Especially with Evans gone.
Still not convinced? His 63 receptions last season are 63rd all-time. That is in the 97th percentile of all rookie wide receivers.
Because his first nine games were so good, people forget that his entire season was still very good for a rookie, and they easily forget that, toward the back end of the season, the Buccaneers were much healthier. Buy Egbuka.
Jalen Coker (WR – CAR)
Hear me out with this one. I know a lot of you are not thinking about Jalen Coker for your fantasy teams. When reviewing my dynasty rankings, which you can find here, one player that I am higher on than consensus is Jalen Coker.
His teammate, Tetairoa McMillan, just won offensive rookie of the year and is still going to command targets, I have no doubt.
Once fully healthy in 2025, Coker’s usage ramped up with 9.2 yards per target. In the playoff game against the Rams, he was trusted with nine receptions on 12 targets for 134 yards and a touchdown. He achieved 28.4 PPR points in that game.
He achieved more than 15 PPR points in four of his last six games last season. For the likely cost of a late 2nd or 3rd round pick, he is exactly the sort of player with realized upside I will target.
Davante Adams (WR – LAR)
This is one for contending teams. People are out on Davante Adams because he lives in the fantasy football shadow of Puka Nacua. Those not paying attention missed that he was a legitimate fantasy star in his own right.
Adams finished as the WR8 last season. Yes, he is a year older, but his situation is stable. Everything is in place for him to repeat on a team that is one of the favorites again.
There are very few players you can acquire for an early 2nd round pick who will return even close to a WR8 finish and the 14.86 points per game last season.
By comparison, since 2021, the 1.10 to 2.04 rookie picks have averaged between 5.47 and 12.66 PPR PPG. Buy Davante if you are contending.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN)
As dynasty wide receiver trade targets go, I was buying Jaylen Waddle shares when he was going to be in an expected poor Miami Dolphins offense.
I am still buying now that he has moved to Denver. The best part is that people are happy to part with him because of the fictional notion that he is always injured.
Of the 280 wide receivers who have played since 2021, only 18 have played more games during that time. Don’t let a false narrative stop you from trading for a player who has finished as the overall wide receiver 21, 7, 12, 32, 48, and 19. He is consistent, he scores fantasy points, and he is not injury-prone. Do you want to win your Championship or not?
He can easily be bought for a late 1st. I’m doing that all day long.
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – PIT)
I have a confession. Until last year, Pittman was a player I never rostered in any of the 40+ dynasty leagues I play in. That changed when someone dropped him at cutdowns in August. I got him with a FAAB bid, and it paid off.
He quietly finished as the WR18 overall last season. He now moves to Pittsburgh, where he will contend with a similarly unclear QB situation. Use that unknown situation to your advantage.
I’ve seen multiple trades in which Pittman is moved to a new manager for random second-round picks; he is surely worth targeting at that value.
And finally
Tank Dell and Brandon Aiyuk are the final two dynasty wide receiver trade targets I am buying. Yes. I know. This is hit and hope territory. It relies on two things: that they can both fully recover from injury, and, for Tank Dell, that CJ Stroud can improve his play as he did in his rookie year. For Brandon Aiyuk, he has to sign somewhere; the continuous rumor is Washington. Both their values increase instantly when these things happen.
Both players have surpassed 15 points per game in their best seasons. Aiyuk has done so twice.
You might not even need to trade for them; they could be sitting in your rookie draft pool. I’d take both of them anytime from the early second in a 12-team league.
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