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Analysis of three fantasy football wide receivers that could be league winners. Are these WRs undervalued players and potential league winners to target in deeper 2024 drafts?
The 2024 NFL season is inching closer, and fantasy draft season has begun! Everyone knows it's important to nail early-round picks, but fantasy managers separate their squads from the pack by taking high-upside fliers in the later rounds.
It's essential to have at least a handful of high-upside targets at each position heading into your fantasy football drafts, no matter the format. Here are some late-round wide receivers with league-winning upside for you to consider drafting this season. Also, check out our other wide receiver sleepers article, which lists other backs who are late-round picks that could potentially break out in 2024.
Our editors have hand-picked these specific NFL players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2024 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today and start reading all 300+ of our 2024 player outlooks, along with many other premium articles and tools available exclusively in our 2024 Draft Kit.
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Ladd McConkey, Chargers - Fantasy Football Outlook
The new-look Los Angeles Chargers used the 34th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Ladd McConkey as they reset their wide receiver corps. McConkey's college career began on Georgia's scout team but he would soon emerge as a reliable option who averaged 14.2 yards per catch with 18 total TDs in 39 games. The 75.3% catch rate helped make the most of his opportunities on a run-happy Georgia team. He also returned 21 punts there, averaging 13.3 yards per return.
We know Justin Herbert has a massive arm, but he's now without Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett. That's over 225 vacated targets. Their 2023 first-rounder, Quentin Johnston, supplied little reason for optimism going into 2024 and Joshua Palmer is not a No. 1 receiver, which means the door is open for McConkey to be Herbert's primary target.
— go to ➡️ collegefootballnetwork.com (@PickettsPool) November 12, 2023
Jim Harbaugh's return to the NFL may bring a balanced rushing attack, but McConkey is sure to be involved as a PPR magnet thanks to being a crisp route-runner with plus hands. He may struggle to secure enough yards or TDs to separate from the pack in non-PPR formats, but a WR3 in PPR is viable, and he could have late-season spike weeks.
- Nick Mariano, RotoBaller
Christian Watson, Packers - Fantasy Football Outlook
After a promising rookie season that saw Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson score nine touchdowns, his ADP skyrocketed from WR65 in drafts to WR24 in 2023. The Packers' offense was a pleasant surprise last season, and many have high expectations for what they might be capable of in 2024. Despite this, Watson is coming off the board just outside the Top 100 picks.
Sure, he didn't reach his lofty TD total from his rookie season – but the only feasible knock against Watson is the lingering hamstring strain that forced him to miss eight games. His yards per reception were nearly identical to his rookie season (15.1), showing no signs of regression with the switch to Jordan Love, and Love proved he is at least on his way to cementing himself as a top passer in the league.
Some may point to the Packers' crowded WR room as a reason to fade Christian Watson, but from Week 4 to Week 13 – the only Green Bay receiver to out-target him was Romeo Doubs, 54 - 53. The next closest player was Jayden Reed (44).
- Alex Ciulla, RotoBaller
Brandin Cooks, Cowboys - Fantasy Football Outlook
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks started his 2023 campaign with a new team after being traded from the Houston Texans to Dallas. Dallas didn't give up much for the now 30-year-old wideout with six seasons of 1,000 or more yards under his belt. They sent a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick to Houston in exchange for the veteran wide receiver. Cooks' 2023 season began slow, but he managed 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns by the end.
Both CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson were quarterback Dak Prescott's favorite weapons. Lamb finished the season as the most targeted player in the NFL with a whopping 181 targets. Ferguson was second on the Cowboys with 102 targets. The 30-year-old was targeted 81 times over the season, making him the WR2 on the roster. Michael Gallup is now retired, and Dallas did not draft a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. This is good news for Cooks, who is looking to slip back into the WR2 role in Dallas' pass-heavy offense.
Dak Prescott has his 4th TD pass, this one to Brandin Cooks!
📺: #LARvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/jhrnvLgpCz— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023
His main competition for Dallas' WR2 role is Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. Cooks is a boom-or-bust player that can be taken late in drafts. He is a viable WR3 on your fantasy roster, and if the booms come late in the year, he could have league-winning upside.
- Kacey Kasem, RotoBaller
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