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Today, fantasy football expert Bill Dubiel takes a look at tiers 3 and 4 for wide receivers. In PPR formats, these can be some of the most valuable players to own on your fantasy football teams.
These are the rankings for keeper/dynasty formats, and while age isn’t necessarily the only factor, it plays a huge role in these rankings versus redraft leagues.
More rankings: Quarterbacks, Running Backs (Tier 1), Running Backs (Tiers 3, 4), Wide Receivers (Tier 1), Wide Receivers (Tier 2), Wide Receivers (Tiers 5, 6), Tight Ends (Tiers 1, 2), Tight Ends (Tiers 3, 4), Top 200 (Standard), Top 200 (PPR), Rookie Rankings
Tiered Dynasty Rankings: Wide Receiver (WR), Tier 3
13) T.Y. Hilton, 25, IND
T.Y. Hilton quickly emerged as the number one receiver in Indianapolis in 2014, a role that is always a lock for quality fantasy production as long as Andrew Luck is throwing the ball. Unfortunately for Hilton, the Colts added two more quality candidates for targets in the offseason—Andre Johnson through free agency and Philip Dorsett via the draft. Hilton’s blinding speed makes him more of a deep threat than anything, particularly considering his 5’9” frame. I fully expect Andre Johnson to be the playmaker in the red zone, but Hilton will pile up his yards and get a handful of long touchdowns. End of season he’ll be one of the better WR2s in the league.
14) Kelvin Benjamin, 24, CAR
The word on the street is that Kelvin Benjamin showed up to mini-camp overweight, but don’t read too much into it. Benjamin will straighten himself out over the next two months, and I expect the red zone monster to pick up right where he left off in 2014. He found pay dirt nine times last season, and while he had a few underwhelming games he should still be one of the best WR2s in fantasy. The addition of rookie Devin Funchess should force defenses to give Benjamin more room to run, and I expect him to improve upon last year’s 1,008-yard receiving total. Benjamin is trending up, and has a WR1 ceiling if he lives up to his potential.
15) Sammy Watkins, 22, BUF
As long as Buffalo continues to go with a borderline bench player at quarterback, Sammy Watkins will be limited from a fantasy perspective. He is young and loaded with talent, but I’m afraid that the combination of poor quarterback play and the Bills dedication to the ground-and-pound offense will cap Watkins as a WR2 at best. Don’t get me wrong, I still expect 1,000 receiving yards and six or seven touchdowns, but not much more than that.
16) Brandin Cooks, 21, NO
Brandin Cooks was one of the more lackluster rookies in 2014, but he did show flashes of what made him a first-round pick. He missed the last six games due to a thumb injury, so we didn’t even really get a full look at what he’s capable of. I expect that to change with Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills now gone, as Drew Brees is still capable of making a star out of his number one receiver. Marques Colston should be a distant second for targets, and possibly third if Josh Hill breaks out as some are predicting. Cooks is the clear star in New Orleans, and should be a WR2 if he stays on the field.
17) Jordan Matthews, 22, PHI
Jordan Matthews should be the clear number one option in Philadelphia now that Jeremy Maclin has departed for Kansas City, but that role may not be as profitable now that Sam Bradford is under center. At his best, Bradford has enough talent to make Matthews a quality fantasy option, but it all depends on his health (Mark Sanchez isn’t a bad backup option though). Rookie Nelson Agholor is better suited as a slot receiver, leaving Matthews as the top option on deeper throws and in the red zone. Matthews should be able to repeat his eight-touchdown performance from 2014 and flirt with 1,000 receiving yards as well.
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Tiered Dynasty Rankings: Wide Receiver (WR), Tier 4
18) Amari Cooper, 21, OAK
The fourth-overall pick in the draft, Amari Cooper should be one of the best rookie candidates to make an immediate impact in fantasy. He’s pretty much the default number one receiver in Oakland, as Michael Crabtree and Rod Streater don’t have superstar talent, and I think Cooper can top 1,000 yards given his speed, mature route running and open-field skills. His ceiling is largely dependent on the progress of Derek Carr, who definitely has the talent to make Cooper a top WR2. It all comes down to whether or not he can get a bit smarter with the ball. He should be the top rookie WR in 2015 and could be a superstar in the making.
19) Kevin White, 21, CHI
Kevin White is the best bet to challenge Cooper for rookie supremacy in 2015. He should slide right into Brandon Marshall’s role in Chicago—a red zone threat who dominates on jump balls and deep throws. While Alshon Jeffery should still be the number one receiver in Chicago for the foreseeable future, there is no reason Jay Cutler can’t continue to make more than one receiver fantasy-relevant. I wouldn’t expect 1,000 yards in his first season, but I definitely think White can find the end zone at least six times and possibly eight or nine.
20) Keenan Allen, 23, SD
After an outstanding rookie campaign, Allen disappointed fantasy owners in 2014 with only four touchdowns and less than 800 receiving yards. Thanks to that performance, he could be at a discount on draft day. The problem last year was more due to his usage than an actual decline in performance—Allen only saw six end zone targets in 2014. I don’t see that being the case in 2015, and at the very least his touchdown total should go up. At only 23, Allen is just coming into his prime, and still has the talent to be a quality WR2.
21) Devante Parker, 22, MIA
Jarvis Landry broke out as the top option in Miami in 2014, particularly in a PPR format. However, he is clearly a slot receiver, and has nowhere near the potential that Devante Parker has in the end zone. The 6’3”, 210-lb. Parker should quickly emerge as Ryan Tannehill’s top option, and as Tannehill continues to perform Parker should become a low-end WR2 right away. The ceiling is much higher in the long-term, but I certainly wouldn’t mind taking Parker in 2015 and capitalizing on his talent immediately.
22) Allen Robinson, 21, JAC
Allen Robinson should be the top option in Jacksonville going into the 2015 season, although there isn’t a whole lot of prestige that comes with the title. The Jaguars are still going to be bad, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t be productive from a fantasy perspective. Blake Bortles needs to take a few steps forward for it to happen, but Robinson could top 1,000 yards assuming Justin Blackmon isn’t reinstated at any point before the season begins. Robinson is 6’2” and weighs around 220 pounds, and has the hands and body control to be a legitimate red zone threat. I’ve got him as a WR3 in 2015, but that could improve as the Jaguars (hopefully) get better in the future.
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