2021 Fantasy Football: 3 Wide Receivers to Target

Wide receiver is a deep group, one you’ll want to take lots of shots on in your best ball formats. Earlier today we gave you our guys to avoid, but now it’s time for the guys you really, really, really want to target in your fantasy football drafts this year. With no further fanfare...

D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (Skyler Carlin)

ECR: WR18

I was torn between listing Tyler Lockett or D.J. Moore here, but while I love Lockett at his current ADP, Moore doesn’t get nearly enough love from fans that he deserves. Moore has been extremely productive in the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers despite inconsistent play from the quarterback position. Back in the 2019 season, Moore became just the 17th wide receiver in NFL history to notch 1,100+ receiving yards in a season before turning 23 years old (as noted by NumberFire’s JJ Zachariason). Moore recorded 87 receptions, 1,175 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns in 2019, even with Kyle Allen starting under center for the majority of the season. Just a year after having a breakout season in his second year in the NFL, Moore followed that up with 66 catches for 1,193 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2020. Once again, Moore didn’t have stellar play from his quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. The quarterbacks that have operated Carolina’s offense in recent years have severely limited his ability to produce touchdowns. Regardless of how you feel about him as a real-life quarterback, Sam Darnold is the most talented quarterback Moore has caught passes from since Cam Newton. Last season, Moore finished as WR22 in half-PPR formats, even with him posting only four receiving touchdowns. Moore has been able to accrue receptions and receiving yards with ease over the past two seasons, but once he begins scoring touchdowns more often, he’s capable of becoming a top 10 performer at his position in fantasy football.

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Marvin Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars (Heath Capps)

ECR: WR49

Jones is just a reliable veteran being undervalued. The Jaguars are paying him $7 million a year, and NOT to sit on the sidelines. He should start on one of the boundaries alongside teammate D.J. Chark. And while the presence of Laviska Shenault and running back Travis Etienne may mean that Jones is more of a boom-or-bust type than what we’ve seen recently, that’s already baked into his ADP as the WR49. Over the last two years, Jones has finished as the WR27 (13 games) and WR17 (16 games) in half PPR formats. He’d have to miss half the year to not beat his ADP. In best ball formats where I don’t have to figure out when he’s going to pop off—or in deep formats with plenty of flex spots—I’m totally happy snagging Jones at his WR4/5 price point. He’s got WR3 written all over him in 2021.

Nelson Agholor, New England Patriots (Mark Abell)

ECR: WR59

I completely get there is uncertainty at quarterback. That is a big uncertainty to have for a wide receiver, but I think there is massive upside for Agholor this season. A two-year, $22 million contract tells us New England wants him to be a cornerstone of this offense. He left practice a few days ago (as did Hunter Henry with an injury) but it appears his departure was not injury related. New England has a favorable schedule for wide receivers, and when you dig into his career stats you see a veteran presence with multiple 700-yard, 8 TD seasons. He fared well last year with Las Vegas for one year and will be looking to prove himself worthy of another $20+ million dollar contract after this one. This is a player you are getting outside the top 100 who could EASILY return top 100 value (only 11 WR matched his yards + TD output last season with the Raiders).