X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Time To Hang It Up: Five NFL Wide Receivers That Should Retire Before The 2024 Season

Michael Thomas - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, Draft Sleepers

Aidin Ebrahimi analyzes which wide receivers should think about retiring before the 2024 NFL season starts. These wideouts may not be as effective as they once were.

Just like every year, we saw many NFL stars hang up their boots in the 2024 offseason. Legends of the game, such as Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, Matt Ryan, and Matthew Slater, are just some of the names that will no longer play in 2024.

Former 1000-yard WR DeVante Parker also shockingly announced his retirement despite signing with the Eagles two months prior to his announcement. This got us thinking, who are some other WRs who could/should retire before opening day?

Without further ado, let's look at five wide receivers that should retire before the 2024 season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Julio Jones, Free Agent

Julio Jones is one of the most talented wideouts of his generation, and it looked like he'd be one of the rare players at his position who would keep performing well into his 30s. After averaging almost 1600 yards per season from 2014 to 2018, Jones continued his brilliance in 2019, the first season of his 30s.

He made the All-Pro second team for the third consecutive year and finished as the PPR fantasy WR3. He kicked the 2020 season off in style, recording 157 yards (15th most in a game of his career) against the Seahawks.

But then, persistent hamstring issues kept him out for most of the season. He still managed to put up 90+ yards in five out of his nine games that year and was viewed as a big trade target once he requested a trade from Atlanta. He was traded to Tennessee, but those hamstring injuries ruined his tenure there.

He tried to save his career in Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, but it's clear that the former superstar is now a shell of his former self. He has averaged just 26.0 yards per game over his last three seasons, which is a far cry for a man who has had five separate seasons of averaging 100+ yards per game.

 

Willie Snead IV, Free Agent

The story of Willie Snead IV is a cautionary tale. Snead bypassed his senior season at Ball State and declared for the 2014 NFL Draft to support his pregnant girlfriend but went undrafted as scouts thought he should have stayed in college for another year. Snead then bounced around several practice squads before landing in New Orleans.

Snead was named as the team's WR4 in 2015 but exceeded all expectations and would have finished the year with 1000+ yards had he played just one more game.

Snead, Brandin Cooks, and Michael Thomas formed a solid trio in 2016, powering the second-best offense in the NFL. After Cooks' departure in the 2017 offseason, Snead and Thomas were destined to be New Orleans' starting WRs for many years to come. But on June 11, 2017, Snead drove while intoxicated and crashed his car.

He was suspended for three games and fell out of favor with the team after suffering hamstring and toe injuries. After a solid, if not spectacular three-year stint in Baltimore, he became a journeyman and has racked up just 52 receiving yards in the last three seasons. Snead could have been a star, but one mistake changed his career's trajectory forever, and now his future in the league is in jeopardy.

 

Michael Thomas, Free Agent

Speaking of Michael Thomas, he benefitted from Snead's demise, becoming Drew Brees' go-to guy. Thomas improved in each of his first four seasons in the league, culminating in a fantastic 2019 season.

He broke the record for the most receptions in a single season (149) en route to winning the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year. At the time, only Jerry Rice, Antonio Brown, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison Sr., Isaac Bruce, Herman Moore, and Julio Jones had recorded more fantasy points in a season than Thomas' 374.6 PPR points in 2019.

However, as we all know, things would all go downhill from there for Thomas. An ankle sprain in Week 1 of the 2020 season would derail his career, as he went on to miss nine games that year. He underwent surgery to fix the problem in 2021, but he had a setback that required another surgery, which caused him to miss the entire season.

A foot injury made him miss 14 games in 2022, and by 2023, Thomas was a shell of his former self. The Saints decided against bringing him back, and it's unlikely that another team will take a chance on such an injury-prone player.

 

Allen Robinson II, New York Giants

Unlike Thomas, Allen Robinson has managed to successfully bounce back from a devastating injury setback once in his career. He tore his ACL in the 2017 season opener, which would turn out to be his final game as a Jacksonville Jaguar.

The Bears took a chance on him, and it paid off big time as Robinson helped the team make the playoffs twice during the Mitch Trubisky era. When the Bears moved on from Trubisky in 2021, Robinson struggled and only had 410 yards. But his struggles were downplayed by the media.

He got a good contract to join the Rams, who had just won Super Bowl 56 and looked poised to repeat. Robinson was a terrible fit in the Rams' system and barely got any attention from Matthew Stafford, who kept feeding Cooper Kupp.

A foot fracture ended his season prematurely, and he failed to provide a spark for the Steelers in 2023. Now, he has signed with the Giants, but it's unclear if he'll make the final roster.

 

Randall Cobb, Free Agent

Randall Cobb is mostly known nowadays as Aaron Rodgers' "bestie," but he was actually a good player for Green Bay back in the day. He made the Pro Bowl in 2014, but a bunch of minor injuries piled up on top of each other and gradually reduced his effectiveness.

In 2019, he joined the Cowboys, where he had a good season, followed by signing a massive contract with the Texans. He was disappointing in Houston and was brought back to Green Bay at the request of Rodgers.

By that point, it was clear that Cobb wasn't the same player he once was, missing multiple games due to injury. He famously walked out of the tunnel with Rodgers in their final game for Green Bay against the Lions in 2022, which would have been the perfect ending to their working relationship.

But Cobb signed with the Jets to join Rodgers' new team in the offseason. The duo would only play one game together in New York, as Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear just four snaps into his Jets tenure. Cobb only caught five passes for the rest of the season, and another reunion with Rodgers is very unlikely.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Back in Action on Sunday
Sean Manaea

Reinstated From Injured List
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Carlos Correa

Returns to Twins Lineup
Connor Norby

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. Should Move Up on Sunday
Ross Chastain

is a Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Josh Berry

Should Be Avoided in Fantasy at Sonoma
Chris Buescher

is A Great DFS Option to Consider for Sonoma Lineups
Riley Herbst

a Deep Sleeper at Sonoma
Joey Logano

May be A Sneaky DFS Option Who Can Pay Off for Sonoma Lineups
Austin Cindric

Could Austin Cindric Work for DFS Lineups at Sonoma?
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar Worth Rostering For Sonoma DFS Lineups?
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek A Sneaky DFS Play for Sonoma?
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Probably More Valuable for DFS If He Doesn't Flip the Stage
Alec Bohm

Unlikely to Play on Sunday
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Brady House

Homers Twice on Saturday
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Alec Bohm

Makes Early Exit on Saturday
Brandon Woodruff

Records 10 Strikeouts
Byron Buxton

Continues to Shine, Hits for Cycle in Win
Garrett Crochet

Dazzles in Complete Game Shutout of Rays
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF