Five Wide Receivers To Avoid In Fantasy Football Drafts (2024)

August 26, 2024

Mike Barner’s five wide receivers to avoid in fantasy football drafts in 2024. Mike evaluates the ADP of five different players on Sleeper and provides insight into why these players should be avoided for fantasy drafts.

The wide receiver position is loaded with great options. There are currently eight wide receivers that have an ADP on Sleeper that would put them in the first round of 12-team leagues. CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill are two of those wide receivers, and they both have an ADP inside the first four picks on most sites.

As deep as the position is, there are still some potential pitfalls. Whether it is big names in the later stages of their career or talented players who just don’t have a good quarterback to get them the football, there are some wide receivers who could disappoint fantasy managers.

Let’s highlight five players with an ADP inside the top 100 on Sleeper to consider avoiding in drafts.

Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans

Sleeper ADP: 32, Overall: WR 16

After a hot start last year, Diggs cooled off considerably down the stretch. Across his final 11 games in the regular season, he caught 58 of 94 targets for 563 yards and just three touchdowns. He totaled eight touchdowns for the season, breaking his streak of back-to-back campaigns with double-digit scores.

The good thing about Diggs is that he has generally been healthy. He has played in at least 15 games in each of the last six seasons. However, he was traded to the Texans during the offseason, no longer leaving him as the clear-cut top receiving option on his team. The Texans already have two talented wide receivers in Nico Collins and Tank Dell who thrived with C.J. Stroud last season. One of the reasons why Diggs was so successful in Buffalo is that he received at least 154 targets in each of his four seasons with the team. That number could take a significant hit this year.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

Sleeper ADP: 38, Overall: WR 20

Pittman was busy last season, catching 109 of 156 targets. However, he averaged a modest 10.6 yards per reception, leaving him with a total of 1,152 receiving yards. He also caught just four touchdown passes, giving him a total of 15 touchdown receptions over his four seasons in the league.

Colts (-1.5) bettors rejoice! 🤑

Gardner Minshew & Michael Pittman Jr. with the walkoff Touchdown ‼️

pic.twitter.com/N1wjYXIRHs

— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) December 3, 2023

Anthony Richardson will be back under center for the Colts, and while that might be a good thing for the team, it might not be for Pittman. Richardson can destroy teams with his legs, which wasn’t in the wheelhouse of Colts’ quarterback Gardner Minshew II last year. Jonathan Taylor was also limited to just 10 games last year. With Taylor and Richardson likely to get plenty of work on the ground, Pittman has the potential to receive fewer targets in a run-heavy offense. He will likely continue to have limited touchdown upside, as well, as the Colts can turn to Taylor and Richardson to run it in when they get close to the end zone.

Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars

Sleeper ADP: 64, Overall: WR 31

Kirk was limited to just 12 games last season because of injury, leaving him with a disappointing stat line of 57 receptions for 787 yards and three touchdowns. He is healthy heading into this season, and the Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley in free agency, which would seem to benefit Kirk. However, they drafted Brian Thomas Jr. and signed Gabe Davis to help make up for Ridley’s absence.

Not only do the Jaguars have three wide receivers with deep-play upside, but they also have Evan Engram at tight end. He received a team-leading 143 targets last year, which he turned into 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns. Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence only threw 21 touchdown passes last season and hasn’t topped 25 touchdown passes in any of his three seasons in the league. It might be best to wait a little longer in drafts and take a receiver with higher upside, like Jayden Reed (ADP 73, WR 35) or Marquise Brown (ADP 85, WR 40).

Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

Sleeper ADP: 71, Overall: WR 33

The Bears certainly improved their offensive outlook during the offseason. They signed D.J. Moore to a contract extension, traded for Keenan Allen, and drafted both Odunze and Caleb Williams. In addition to vastly improving their passing attack, they added D'Andre Swift to their backfield.

As talented as Odunze is, he didn’t exactly land in an ideal spot for fantasy for his rookie season. There could be some bumps in the road for Williams, and the Bears have never had a 4,000-yard passer in a season in franchise history. He also has two talented veterans in Moore and Allen to compete with for targets. Even tight end Cole Kmet had 73 receptions last season. There might not be enough targets going his way for Odunze to justify a top-75 selection.

DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans

Sleeper ADP: 89, Overall: WR 42

The Titans didn’t have a great wide receiver group last season, which contributed to Hopkins receiving 137 targets. It was that heavy volume that helped make him valuable, leaving him with 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns.

Here is video of #Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins with a wrap on his left knee during individual period of practice yesterday. pic.twitter.com/SZG0Orw6gv

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) August 1, 2024

There are a couple of concerns that come with drafting Hopkins. First and foremost is a knee injury that is expected to keep him sidelined until September. There is a chance that he might not be ready for Week 1. Another thing to consider is that the Titans improved at wide receiver by adding Ridley and Tyler Boyd. The potential for missed games and fewer targets should stop fantasy managers from selecting Hopkins inside the top-100.

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