Fantasy Football WR Rankings Week 1: Who to start, best sleepers at wide receiver | Sporting News (2024)

Wide receiver is far and away the most daunting position in fantasy football just based on the sheer volume of players to keep track of alone. Plus, some receivers are very dependent on the play of their quarterbacks, but then there are some who seem like they can produce no matter who is throwing the ball. Are they facing a shut-down corner in this week's matchup? Not only are there more players than at any other position, but there are also more variables in play as well.

That being said, if you drafted a wide receiver in the first few rounds, it's pretty much a given you will start them each and every week that they are suiting up. But it's that WR3 or Flex position where things start to get more interesting.

And Week 1 is the toughest to predict for obvious reasons. Rome Odunze has all the talent to be a WR1, but in his first ever NFL game, and with other options like D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet, and D'Andre Swift, what will his target share look like? While he's certainly draftable, he's likely only startable in the deepest of leagues with so many unknowns. Use these rankings as a guide to setting your lineups in a tough-to-predict first week of the season.

Remember, the rankings below are for Week 1 ONLY. If you still have drafts coming up before the season kicks off, remember to check out all of our Ultimate Cheat Sheet, which includes rankings, positional tiers, sleepers, busts, injury updates, and much more!

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet

Who are the best fantasy WRs Week 1?

Speed kills, and even though he's now 30, Tyreek Hill still possesses that deadly speed. He gets a juicy matchup against a burnable Jacksonville defense. It would be a disappointment if we don't see Hill eclipse 100 yards and notch at least one touchdown in his season debut.

And even though it's Sam Darnold under center for the Vikings, Justin Jefferson is still ranked No. 2 in his matchup against the Giants. Darnold may be among the weaker starting QBs in the league, but he'll pepper Jefferson with as many targets as he can handle. Even if this turns into a run-heavy game with neither team wanting to rely on their QBs (Daniel Jones for the Giants), Jefferson should still see enough volume to put up big numbers.

CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys finally came to an agreement on a new deal, ending Lamb's offseason-long holdout. Lamb may be a little rusty after missing training camp, but much like Jefferson in Minnesota, Lamb will continue to see a ton of volume. After Lamb, there isn't a whole lot of options for Prescott to spread it around to. Jake Ferguson is good tight end, but after Lamb there's Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert at the WR position. Lamb is matchup proof, even when he misses all of training camp.

WEEK 1 FANTASY FOOTBALL PPR RANKINGS
QB |RB | WR| TE

Who are the best fantasy WR waiver pickups Week 1?

Hopefully you're not scouring the waiver wire looking for a starting wide receiver already, but if you are, or if you purposely drafted an injured player to stash and now have a vacant roster spot, there are still some attractive options available.

Maybe it shouldn't be a big surprise given his injury history, but Mike Williams avoided the PUP list and will be suiting up for Week 1 with the Jets. Williams was always a threat with the Chargers, but he had a hard time staying on the field. With Aaron Rodgers throwing to him now, he's not a bad option to pick up now and if he flashes good chemistry with Rodgers, you can ride him out until the inevitable injury pops up. He's only rostered in 44% of Yahoo! leagues.

Perhaps you followed our PPR Draft rankings and feel like you drafted a playoff team, but you're already looking towards the postseason and trying to figure out who might be a good stash that could pay dividends later in the year. Some of the less-heralded rookies are often a good place to look, and Adonai Mitchell of the Colts fits the bill. Rostered in just 27% of Yahoo! leagues, Mitchell could end up being a steal. Josh Downs is a bit of a concern in terms of the depth chart, but Downs has been dealing with an ankle injury, which has given Mitchell even more valuable reps in camp. Mitchell could end up being a big producer, and you might not have to wait very long to see the production.

2024 PPR FANTASY DRAFT RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB |RB | WR| TE|DEF/ST| K

Who are the best fantasy WR sleepers Week 1?

The term "sleeper" might have a different definition depending on who you talk to. Even though he's a 100% rostered player, Devonta Smith fits the criteria here. Just about every analyst will tell you Smith is startable in his matchup against the Packers, but he has a chance to finish as a WR1 this week rather than a WR2 or WR3. All indications are that Smith has been seeing plenty of snaps in the power slot role that Keenan Allen smashed in last season with Kellen Moore coordinating the offense with the Chargers. With Moore now in Philly, this could be an even bigger season than expected for Skinny Batman.

In the same game, Romeo Doubs has a very good chance to be a sleeper as well. The Eagles' defense should be much-improved compared to last year with a revamped secondary, but any time something is "revamped", it can take some time to really come together. Given how Jordan Love was cooking at the end of last season, expect him to pick up where he left off. But it's anyone's guess as to who the top receiving target will be from week to week on this team. While Christian Watson might have some of the splashiest highlights, and Jayden Reed has the versatility to run the ball as well, some reports out of camp have been speculating that Doubs could end up being Love's go-to guy.

2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB|RB|WR|TE|D/ST|Deep Sleepers|Sleepers by Team

What are the biggest WR injuries Week 1?

It's not really an injury, but all eyes are on Cincinnati and Ja'Marr Chase right now as he continues his "hold-in". After CeeDee Lamb came to an agreement with the Cowboys, it was assumed that Chase would follow suit in the next day or two. The two sides have yet to come to an agreement, so his status for Week 1 is up in the air. And even if he does play, at this point, it could take a game to shake off some rust. This could lead to an expanded role for Tee Higgins.

The other notable injury to at least keep an eye on is with Puka Nacua. He went down with a knee injury at the beginning of August, but thankfully his status for Week 1 does not seem in question. That being said, he could be rusty as well, and Nacua fantasy managers will breathe much more easily if he escapes Week 1 without any further injuries.

Fantasy WR Rankings Week 1: Who to start, sit at wide receiver

Rankings based on PPR scoring