Week 3 Rankings (2019): Top 50 Wide Receivers: Big Names Stock Falling, Under-the-Radar Targets & More

With injuries to some of the top quarterbacks in the league, as well as the inevitable change finally coming in New York, the impact will be felt by wide receivers across the league. Throw in some injuries that were are forced to maneuver around as well, and there are a lot of questions that need answering. Who should we be trusting? Who carries too much risk? Let’s take a look at how our rankings currently look for the upcoming week:

1. DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans – at Los Angeles Chargers
2. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
3. Amari Cooper – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Miami
4. Odell Beckham – Cleveland Browns – vs. Los Angeles Rams
5. Keenan Allen – Los Angeles Chargers – vs. Houston
6. Antonio Brown – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
7. Devante Adams – Green Bay Packers – vs. Denver
8. Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers -vs. New York Giants
9. Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints – at Seattle
10. JuJu Smith-Schuster – Pittsburgh Steelers – at San Francisco
11. Kenny Golladay – Detroit Lions – at Philadelphia
12. Tyler Lockett – Seattle Seahawks – vs. New Orleans
13. Sammy Watkins – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
14. Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New York Giants
15. Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
16. T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Atlanta
17. Adam Thielen – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Oakland
18. Robert Woods – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
19. DJ Moore – Carolina Panthers – at Arizona
20. Julian Edelman – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
21. Calvin Ridley – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
22. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals – vs. Carolina
23. Brandin Cooks – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
24. John Brown – Buffalo Bills – vs. Cincinnati
25. Tyrell Williams – Oakland Raiders – at Minnesota
26. Marquise Brown – Baltimore Ravens – at Kansas City
27. Allen Robinson – Chicago Bears – at Washington
28. Tyler Boyd – Cincinnati Bengals – at Buffalo
29. Christian Kirk – Arizona Cardinals – vs. Carolina
30. John Ross – Cincinnati Bengals – at Buffalo
31. Sterling Shepard – New York Giants – at Tampa Bay
32. Stefon Diggs – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Oakland
33. Terry McLaurin – Washington Redskins – vs. Chicago
34. Demarcus Robinson – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
35. Marvin Jones – Detroit Lions – at Philadelphia
36. Jamison Crowder – New York Jets – at New England
37. Nelson Agholer – Philadelphia Eagles – vs. Detroit
38. D.J. Chark – Jacksonville Jaguars – vs. Tennessee
39. Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns – vs. Los Angeles Rams
40. DK Metcalf – Seattle Seahawks – vs. New Orleans
41. Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers – at Arizona
42. Will Fuller – Houston Texans – at Los Angeles Chargers
43. Emmanuel Sanders – Denver Broncos – at Green Bay
44. Josh Gordon – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
45. [ES1]  Samuel – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Pittsburgh
46. Mecole Hardman – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
47. Randall Cobb – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Miami
48. Courtland Sutton – Denver Broncos – at Green Bay
49. Corey Davis – Tennessee Titans – at Jacksonville
50. Robbie Anderson – New York Jets – at New England

Thoughts:

• Amari Cooper has scored a TD in each of the first two games this season and now draws a Miami defense that’s already allowed 5 TD to opposing wide receivers.  Now remember that’s before the Dolhpins traded their best cornerback to Pittsburgh for a first round pick.  It’s hard to imagine Cooper not enjoying a big day, isn’t it?
• It’s a bit of a surprise, but through two games Chris Godwin has outproduced Mike Evans, picking up 11 receptions for 174 yards and 2 TD (Evans has 6 receptions for 89 yards).  The truth is against the Giants both have to be considered usable options, but if we had to pick one we’re rolling with the guy who’s actually produced.
• As we all know both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Michael Thomas are going to take a small hit in value thanks to the loss of their respective quarterbacks.  While it doesn’t remove them from WR1 status, at least until we get a better look at how productive they will be, it does drop them down the rankings a few spots.
• We’ve all heard the hype surrounding Kenny Golladay before, but it’s nice to see him back it up in his third season.  Over the first two weeks he has 12 receptions, 159 yards and 2 TD, and things could get even better against an Eagles’ defense that’s allowed the second most points per week to opposing wide receivers.  Consider him a borderline WR1 for this week, and one that could entrench himself into the conversation for that type of ranking weekly.
• One of the problems with a deep receiving corps, at least from a fantasy perspective, is that you never know where the targets will go.  At this point Cooper Kupp has been the most targeted option (19) for the Rams, but would it be surprising if Robert Woods (15 targets) or Brandin Cooks (10) enjoyed a bigger week?  For now Kupp is the best investment, but no one is more than a mid-level WR2 thanks to the risk.
• Will Larry Fitzgerald ever slow down?  Over the first two weeks he has 13 catches for 217 yards and 1 TD and he should continue to be a go to target for Kyler Murray.  That’s going to keep him on the WR2 radar.
• We’ll have to monitor the news on Tyrell Williams closely, though the early indications are that he’s going to play.  Assuming he’s on the field and fairly healthy a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, coupled with his early season production (11 receptions, 151 yards, 2 TD), puts him right on the WR2 spectrum.
• There are questions as to whether or not Sterling Shepard will be cleared to play, and the questions could keep him from building a strong rapport with Daniel Jones ahead of his NFL debut.  Of course Jones offers more upside from a QB perspective, so if Shepard plays he’s a WR3 option and could emerge as a WR2.

Sources – ESPN, NFL.com

Make sure to check out all of our Week 3 rankings: