Times have certainly changed in the NFL in the last few decades. Thirty years ago, the running back position was the most coveted offensive skill position outside of quarterback. In today’s NFL, the air-raid style offense has taken the league by storm. Wide receivers are now more important to teams, and fantasy managers than ever before. To help you rock your fantasy football draft, here is my 2023 wide receiver tier list.

S Tier – The Studs

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Justin Jefferson – No surprise here, the reigning WR1 in fantasy for 2022 finds himself atop the S tier. The 24-year-old phenom has virtually no holes in his game. An easy lock for a top-three pick in all fantasy formats.

Ja’Marr Chase – Chase and Jefferson are very similar wide receivers in fantasy. The only difference is Chase has another very capable WR1 on his team. Even though Joe Burrow still favors Chase heavily over Tee Higgins (B tier), there will still be a handful of games where Higgins eats targets. Regardless, Chase should be the second wide receiver off the draft board.

Cooper Kupp – Kupp was on pace for another top-three finish in 2022 before an injury blew his season. With Stafford returning, and hopefully healthy, Kupp should slide back into form. Look for him to continue to dominate your fantasy league as a lock to finish top five.

A Tier – Dynamite WR1s

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Tyreek Hill – Many people thought leaving Patrick Mahomes meant the worst for Hill. They couldn’t have been more wrong. The WR2 in PPR formats last year went crazy in Miami, posting career highs in receptions and yards. Look for another stellar season from Hill, with an expected top-five WR finish.

A.J. Brown – A change of scenery was the best thing to happen for Brown. Finding his new home in Philadelphia, Brown finished as the WR4 in PPR formats. Jalen Hurts and his dynamite WR1 should look to keep the good times rolling in 2023.

Stefon Diggs – Even with all the drama, Diggs is still a top-seven wide receiver in fantasy. Josh Allen constantly looks for Diggs, and fantasy managers reap the rewards. Expect winning and production to push the drama aside.

CeeDee Lamb – Fantasy managers finally saw the breakout campaign for the hyped-up young wideout. Even in the short stint without Dak Prescott, Lamb still found a way to contribute great numbers in fantasy. Lamb should be a first-round pick in all formats.

Davante Adams – The quarterback situation in Vegas is scary, but Adams has proven that talent can help even the most mediocre quarterback play. Hopefully, Jimmy Garoppolo can get his physical health in line and help Adams finish in the top ten.

Amon-Ra St. Brown – Rounding out the A tier is the ultra-dynamic Lions star wideout. This Lions offense continues to improve, and St. Brown is a main factor for it. I expect St. Brown to continue to impress and should finish as a top-ten wide receiver.

B Tier – Lower WR1s and high upside WR2s

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Garrett Wilson – Leading off the B tier is the highly touted second-year Jets wideout. Adding Aaron Rodgers is a huge upgrade from the QB carousel last year. However, Wilson could see a slow start to the 2023 campaign with Rodgers who historically favors the veterans he knows and trusts. Wilson should still flirt with WR1 status in 2023.

Keenan Allen – After a newly restructured contract, Allen returns to the Chargers in 2023. Allen is a PPR machine when healthy, but that’s his biggest flaw. Injuries have plagued him the last couple of years and he’s hard to trust as a fantasy asset. His upside is sky-high, if he stays healthy.

Jaylen Waddle – We saw how dominant Waddle can be in 2022. He had six games of 19 points or more, with a 40 bomb sprinkled in there. He also had five games with eight points or less with a dreadful two-point performance in Week 13. Sharing targets with Tyreek Hill hinders Waddle’s true potential. He still should grade as an overall WR1, but don’t be surprised by some bad games throughout the season.

DeVonta Smith – Like Waddle, although super talented, comes in as the WR2 on the depth chart which hurts his target share. Smith will still have his games where he dominates, but there is a reason A.J. Brown is in the A tier and Smith a tier below. Smith can be trusted as a high-end WR2, who should flirt with WR1 status.

Tee Higgins – Another case of a WR2 on the depth chart, with WR1 talent. Higgins sits behind S-tier superstar, Ja’Marr Chase. Like Waddle and Smith before him, he will suffer from target share. It should be noted that if injuries were to happen to Chase, A.J. Brown, or Tyreek Hill, these three young receivers immediately become lock WR1s.

Amari Cooper – Having Cooper finish out the B tier is very fitting given the uncertainty that lies before him. Cooper was surprisingly great with Jacoby Brissett under center for the bulk of the Browns’ season in 2022. When Deshaun Watson came back, it wasn’t so great. Failing to score more than 10 points in four of the six games Watson started, hopefully, a full offseason will help both Cooper and Watson find some chemistry.

C Tier – Weekly WR2s

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Chris Olave – The 2022 ROY finalist got a much-needed upgrade at QB this offseason. Derek Carr joins the Saints and will look to Olave as his go-to in the passing game. Still, this Saints offense is hard to trust, which is why Olave finds himself leading off the C tier.

Calvin Ridley – After taking some time off, and serving a one-year suspension, Ridley finds himself back in the NFL and on a new team. It’s tough to tell if we will see the Ridley of old after his time away. The uncertainty is what lands him in the C tier.

Terry McLaurin – Scary Terry is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL. Unfortunately, talent doesn’t ALWAYS mean fantasy dominance. Sam Howell, or whoever lines up under center will have a lot to do with McLaurin’s success. With above-average QB play, scary Terry could find himself sliding up a tier.

D.K. Metcalf – An absolute unit on the field, but unfortunately is sharing a wide receiver room with two other very capable players in Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Target share and a run-first offense are what put Metcalf this low on the list.

DeAndre Hopkins – As I’m writing this article, Hopkins has yet to find a new team. He will most likely go to a contender with a wide receiver core already in place. The landing spot really hinders his tier placement, but Hopkins is too talented to leave off this list.

D Tier – Bottom Tier WR2s and FLEX

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Christian Watson – The second-year wideout for Green Bay leads off the D tier. After a breakout second half of his rookie season, Watson looks to continue that in 2023. A lot of his value will be in the hands of Jordan Love and how he plays in 2023.

Chris Godwin – Talent is certainly not the reason Godwin finds himself this low on the 2023 wide receiver tier list. Godwin’s high-value fantasy impact might have left the building along with the GOAT, Tom Brady.

Christian Kirk – Kirk quietly finished as a WR1 in his first year in Jacksonville. With his first 1,000-yard season under his belt, Kirk will be competing for targets with the newly acquired Calvin Ridley (C Tier). Kirk’s upside is still sky-high, and is a great value add in the sixth/seventh round.

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown – The Cardinals could be the worst team in the league in 2023. With Kyler Murray’s return date unknown, Brown will be dealing with bottom-tier QB play. Arizona’s WR1 will suffer from a lot of three and outs in 2023.

Wide Receivers Run the League

A major shift in the fantasy landscape is upon us for 2023. The once dominant running back position will be taking a step back to the ultra-talented class of wide receivers in the NFL. The first round of fantasy drafts looks to be jam-packed with wide receiver talent. This 2023 wide receiver tier list will help simplify your decisions come draft day.

About the Author

Paul Orlando is a die-hard Ravens and Orioles fan and a fantasy football junkie. Paul is co-host of The Eye Test: A Fantasy Football Podcast on Youtube and has recently begun writing for Belly Up Sports. He gives expert advice in both Dynasty and Redraft settings, and loves finding the sleepers no one else talks about. Find all things fantasy football on Belly Up Fantasy Sports. Find the full-length video on The Eye Test’s WR Tier List here.