Fantasy football rankings: Eric Karabell's wide receiver tiers

Fantasy football drafts are all about value, supply and demand and, to some degree, just plain going with your gut. Anyone can see the raw stats from last season, project ahead and make those numbers tell the story they desire, but there must be something more that separates how we choose the players. Relying in part on a positional tiered system can be of the utmost help during those pressurized moments in a draft when the clock is ticking and the seconds are winding down. Checking the tiers by position aids in decision-making.

Rankings are everywhere, of course, in our game and others, and everyone and their mail carrier can do them, but a tiered system takes the process further, allowing you to further clarify remaining value at a certain position and evaluate depth. Round 4 comes around and you're focused, as you should be, on the best available players. Say you don't have a quarterback yet -- it's the smart move -- but you've already invested in several flex-eligible players. Well, check your tiers for available options. The answers are there.

For example, perhaps you see four available quarterbacks in the highest tier, negligible difference between them. Pass. Pass for a while. There's also quite the crew of wide receivers clumped together. Pass again. There's ample wide receiver depth. You can wait. Then there are one or two running backs alone in a tier and, in your opinion, a significant jump in production compared to the next section. There -- thanks to a tiered system -- is the answer. Reduce your stress, crave efficiency. As the saying goes, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

Anyway, fantasy managers should rank, project and tier players themselves, for their league format, using analysts as a guide to help construct their opinions. Then do what you want! The fantasy teams are yours. If you do not agree with the tiers below, well, good, you shouldn't! Follow your own advice, your gut and build the teams you want. Below are one analyst's tiers for wide receivers (standard league, PPR), but again, make your own. You will be pleased you did.

Tier 1: Top of Round 1 overall

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Notes: Running back Jonathan Taylor is the first overall pick, but one could easily make the case for one of these receivers next, as any or all might go in the top five picks. Kupp had the monster 2021 season, but Jefferson and Chase project similarly for 2022.

Tier 2: Round 2

Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Notes: This is a strong, reliable crew of receivers for the second round, and it includes several big-name players switching teams in Adams and Hill, who are leaving top quarterbacks for lesser ones. If you choose to keep Adams and Hill at the top of the tier, we won't argue ... too much.

Tier 3: Round 3

Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers

Notes: These might not be clear WR1 options, but they are accomplished players in their own right. Allen gets his 100 receptions. Evans scores touchdowns. Moore remains consistent and underrated regardless of quarterback.

Tier 4: Rounds 3-4

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Elijah Moore, New York Jets

Notes: This is a larger tier that includes several receivers who are not expected to be the prime targets in the offense. Still, don't let that influence your decisions. Waddle and Williams can still be terrific. Brown goes to a new offense, but target share should not be a problem.

Tier 5: Rounds 5-6

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills
Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Notes: And here is an even larger tier, a reminder that after the first few rounds many of the wide receivers are statistically indistinguishable. It hardly means one or two cannot emerge as more, though. The Broncos have an impactful, new quarterback. Brown might thrive in his new home. Godwin just needs a return to health to move up a tier or even two.

Ready for kickoff? Sign up now to play ESPN Fantasy Football with friends and family. Get started

Tier 6: Rounds 7-8

Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs
Allen Robinson II, Los Angeles Rams

Notes: Wow, a whole lot of wide receivers changed teams this offseason! Just that fact alone is not predictive of positive or negative value, but sometimes it takes a few games for newcomers to fit in with new passers. In addition, some will dismiss the older Thielen and younger Smith, but here they seem underrated.

Tier 7: Rounds 9-10

Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers
Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans

Notes: Someone has to catch the passes thrown by Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Tannehill! They are, of course, very different quarterbacks. Bateman, Lazard and Woods offer different degrees of upside and stability, but any of them could emerge as WR4 choices, too.

Tier 8: Round 10

Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

Notes: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Thomas has barely played since the 2019 MVP season because of injury. Hopkins cannot play this season until late October because of a performance-enhancing substance suspension. Drafting on name value is such a dangerous thing.

Tier 9: Rounds 10-11

Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

Notes: Rookies! Several of these highly regarded, first-year options might become immediate providers of receptions, yards and touchdowns, but based on what we know of rookie wide receivers in past seasons, it might be any of them or none of them. Risks abound. That's why they are better served as later-round fantasy picks.

Tier 10: Rounds 11-12

Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
Russell Gage, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City Chiefs
Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
Robbie Anderson, Carolina Panthers
Kenny Golladay, New York Giants
Marvin Jones Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Notes: There is a bit of guesswork in this tier. With Hill gone, will QB Patrick Mahomes turn any of these Chiefs wide receivers into fantasy stars? Can Giants QB Daniel Jones make his receivers relevant? Aiyuk and Boyd are relevant, but perhaps a bit down the depth chart of their offense's options.

Tier 11: Rounds 13-undrafted

Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Jarvis Landry, New Orleans Saints
Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals
DJ Chark, Detroit Lions
Cedrick Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker, New England Patriots
Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
Odell Beckham Jr., free agent

Notes: The depth at wide receiver is clearly different from that at running back, so many fantasy managers load up on the latter position, hoping to hit the proverbial home run, knowing that the former position will provide September aid. There are upside options within this tier, and among some wide receivers we didn't even rank.