NFL 2023 Fantasy Season – WR Rankings (21.-25.)

by: Domagoj Erbežnik

In this range we have a few players with a big upside if they stay healthy alongside players that are proven over the years and are still going very low in drafts if you need good wide receivers between the 4th and 7th round here are some you should target if they stay available at that point.

21
Christian Kirk - Jacksonville Jaguars
2022 stats: 1108 receiving yards, 8 receiving TDs, 84 receptions (133 targets) in 17 games played

The Jaguars’ offense should improve with the addition of Calvin Ridley but one beneficiary of that should definitely be Christian Kirk alongside Evan Engram. Kirk has a very high floor and if anything happens to Ridley he could see more targets come his way. He has played every game over the last two seasons and he should be a great consistent fantasy option 2023 season. Trevor Lawrence should again improve his play and playing in a weak division should mean a lot of offence from Jags and their players. Lawrence-Ridley/Kirk stack isn’t talked about a lot but it is certainly the one I will keep my eye on.

Good categories: Receiving Yards
Bad categories:
22
Mike Williams - Los Angeles Chargers
2022 stats: 895 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs, 63 receptions (93 targets) in 15 games played

Healthy Mike Williams is easily a top 15 wide receiver but can he stay healthy for all 17 games without picking up a bunch of small injuries in a big question with him? He has a great upside especially if this team becomes a pass-first team as we all expect and Justin Herbert becomes the top 2 passing QB in the league. There are a lot of factors with his success in the 2023 season and will be an interesting situation to observe especially early in the season. If you pass on him in the draft and the Chargers’ offense becomes as good as we think they can be it will be difficult to trade for him. In the end, there are a lot of questions surrounding him again but if things finally click he can become a league winner especially if some of his teammates like Allen on Ekeler get injured.

Good categories:
Bad categories: Health
23
Diontae Johnson - Pittsburgh Steelers
2022 stats: 882 receiving yards, 0 receiving TDs, 86 receptions (147 targets) in 17 games played

Diontae has had 3 straight seasons of at least 144 targets and that kind of volume is hard to find after the first few rounds and it is especially valuable if you can get it after 4th or 5th round. Kenny Pickett should improve in his 2nd season in the NFL and with a similar volume Johnson could easily finish as a top 20 wide receiver. Last year was an anomaly with 0 TDs (5 in 2019, 7 in 2020, and 8 in 2021) and that number should again be in a 5+ range. He is still a clear no. 1 option in the Steelers receiving game and should be drafted as one.

Good categories: Targets
Bad categories:
24
DJ Moore - Chicago Bears
2022 stats: 888 receiving yards, 7 receiving TDs, 63 receptions (118 targets) in 17 games played

We will find out this season how good can Justin Fields be as a passing QB with the addition of DJ Moore. Moore has played his 1st five seasons in NFL in Carolina and in those 5 seasons, he had over 1,100 yards in a season 3 times. The initial report is that he and Fields have good chemistry and that this season could be great for both of them but we will have to see it first to believe it. At his current ADP he is an interesting option as his ceiling is very high and if things go right he could be content for a top 10 WR spot but I don’t trust Fields as a passer and would look to a safer option around his ADP or wait a little longer in draft for some similar receivers you can take few rounds later.

Good categories: Targets
Bad categories: QB Play?
25
Tyler Lockett - Seattle Seahawks
2022 stats: 1033 receiving yards, 9 receiving TDs, 85 receptions (117 targets) in 16 games played

Lockett has 4 straight seasons on at least 1,000 receiving yards and at his current ADP, he is again a steal in almost every fantasy draft. The Seahawks’ offense added the best receiver in the 2023 draft in Jaxon Smith-Njigba and now has one of the best-receiving cores in the NFL. If Geno can again have a good passing season Lockett will again go over 1000 yards and be a top 20 receiver. He is certainly one player I am looking to draft in as many leagues as possible. This will be his 9th season in the NFL and in the previous 8 seasons, he has played at least 15 games in each season so his ability to stay healthy will likely be great for your fantasy team as you can pick him as your no. 3 or even no. 4 wide receiver.

Good categories: Receiving yards, Health
Bad categories: