Free Agency Check - Wide Receiver ADP Risers and Fallers

Which wide receivers had the best and worst landing spots in free agency this offseason for fantasy football? Joey Pollizze looks at which wide receivers had their ADP rise and fall in free agency.

What an NFL offseason it has already been, and the 2024 NFL Draft hasn't even taken place yet. Several Pro Bowlers will play on new teams this upcoming season after players like Saquon Barkley, Kirk Cousins, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard all signed multi-year deals in free agency.

However, the biggest surprise this offseason came at the wide receiver position when the Buffalo Bills traded away All-Pro playmaker Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. There were a lot of moving parts at wide receiver this offseason and many shocks, to say the least.

So, which wide receivers saw their ADP rise or fall this offseason based on their landing spot? Let's dive in and find out.

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Wide Receiver ADP Risers

Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs 

Wide receiver Marquise Brown might have been the biggest winner this offseason following his one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Although Brown struggled in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals and totaled a career-low 574 yards on 51 catches and four touchdowns, his arrival to Kansas City will immediately boost his fantasy value.

The Chiefs' wide receiver group really struggled to help Patrick Mahomes in 2023, and now Brown will arrive hoping to fix that. He'll work on the outside for Mahomes in the passing game, where he can put up big numbers in that offense. Just three years ago, the 26-year-old wideout had a 91-catch, 1,008-yard season in 2021. Similar numbers could be in store for the former 2019 first-round pick.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Newly signed #Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown says that Kansas City will give him the best chance to showcase his full talent, saying there’s a lot to his game that he hasn’t been able to show.

“Being in this system, I feel like I’ll be able to showcase my skill… pic.twitter.com/J6WUoQk3x3

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) March 20, 2024

The talent has always been there for Brown, so look for the wideout to take that next step with Mahomes now as his quarterback. With Rashee Rice also dealing with some legal troubles, there's a strong chance the former Cardinals' wideout could be in for an even better season. He could establish himself as the WR1 in Kansas City's offense and the go-to option in the passing game.

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons

Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is also a slight winner after signing with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason. Mooney spent the last couple of seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he struggled to be involved in the passing game. With Justin Fields' inconsistencies at quarterback, the 26-year-old wideout wasn't really incorporated much on offense. He totaled just 71 catches for 907 yards and three touchdowns combined over the past two seasons.

However, the potential for Mooney to succeed in the right place is there. He has a 1,000-yard season to his name back in 2021, and he can be a reliable WR2 in the league moving forward. His landing spot with the Falcons was also one of the best situations for him this offseason. He is now attached to Cousins for the foreseeable future, which is great news for his fantasy value.

After years of dealing with rough quarterback play, Mooney will now have a consistent quarterback throwing him passes. Cousins also recruited the wideout to sign with the Falcons this offseason, meaning the veteran could target him early and often in the passing game. The 26-year-old should easily see over 115 targets in 2024.

Curtis Samuel, Buffalo Bills

When the Buffalo Bill signed Curtis Samuel to a three-year deal earlier in free agency, Samuel was a slight fantasy winner. He would be connected to Josh Allen for the next couple of seasons but still faced some competition for targets with Diggs and Dalton Kincaid.

After Diggs was traded to the Texans, Samuel was a huge winner in fantasy. As of now, the versatile wideout is the Bills' WR1, and anytime you have that title in an offense with Allen, good things are bound to happen. Even though Buffalo will likely take a wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the former Commanders' wideout will still have a large role on offense in 2024.

Curtis Samuel has a real chance to thrive in Buffalo next season.

In 2020 with the Panthers:

77 receptions
1,051 total yards
5 total TDs

Good route runner. Potential option out the backfield. Such a versatile player. Now reunited with Joe Brady again. pic.twitter.com/plv3YEnzl4

— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) April 5, 2024

Samuel should be in for a solid season in Buffalo's offense. He can not only catch passes in the slot but he can be used in the backfield as well. He has rushed for at least 130 yards in three of the past five seasons while totaling over 600 receiving yards in four of the past five years. Now, he's attached to Allen in 2024, which is why his ADP has risen significantly this offseason.

Wide Receiver ADP Fallers

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans 

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley entered the offseason as the top wide receiver on the free-agent market. Many teams were interested in the 29-year-old, but his landing spot with the Tennessee Titans does not exactly help his fantasy value. Ridley signed a four-year, $92 million deal with the Titans this offseason.

Some might have expected more from Ridley in his first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as he only totaled 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. However, that was good enough for him to finish as the WR17 in half-PPR formats. It might be hard, though, for the 6-foot-1 wideout to finish around that fantasy mark this upcoming season.

According to @Schultz_Report, the Jags offered the same contract the #Titans offered to WR Calvin Ridley.

Ridley’s conversation with GM Ran Carthon was the deciding factor. pic.twitter.com/Ddskgr8QH6

— SharmSports (@SharmSports_NFL) April 11, 2024

For starters, he gets a quarterback downgrade from Trevor Lawrence to Will Levis. Levis showed some nice things in his rookie season, but there will likely be some inconsistencies from him throughout the year. On top of that, Ridley will have to compete for targets with DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins will see his fair share of targets on offense and already built a nice rapport with the young quarterback. The veteran's presence is very worrisome for Ridley's fantasy value in 2024.

Noah Brown, Houston Texans 

The Houston Texans re-signed wide receiver Noah Brown early in the free agency period, and it was a nice reunion for both sides. Brown was solid in the WR3 role for the team last year, where he totaled 33 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns. He became a waiver wire pickup mid-way through the season after his seven-catch, 172-yard, one-touchdown game in Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Entering the 2024 season, he likely would have been a late-round target for those in 12-plus team leagues since he was tied to C.J. Stroud. However, with the Texans trading for Diggs just a couple of weeks ago, Brown will no longer be a fantasy option in 2024.

He will start the season behind Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell on the depth chart and likely won't see much playing time -- unless an injury occurs. Brown wasn't going to be selected anywhere near the top of drafts, but the All-Pro's arrival almost kills his fantasy value.

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