The NFL season is upon us, and it’s time to explore the wide receiver landscape. Will the rookie make an impact? Is there still some gas left in the tank for the veterans? Can Ja’Marr Chase perform at his previous level? And what about those new offensive coordinators in Chicago and Jacksonville? So many questions to start off the first week.
Unfortunately, Coker has a quad injury and is now on the IR list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first month. This situation arose after the Panthers traded Adam Thielen, allowing Coker to move into his position. Now, it looks like Xavier Leggett is in line for a fantasy boost.
Mooney, who was held back by a shoulder injury during the preseason, is back at practice. If he continues to participate in practice this week, he should be ready to go.
Reed is dealing with a Jones fracture in his leg but plans to play through it. The extent to which it affects his performance remains uncertain, but it will likely impact his long-term outlook.
Downs has some hamstring troubles but is expected to return to practice this week. However, we’ll need to monitor how well he practices to get a better sense of his status.
After coping with a calf injury and a contract dispute, Jennings returned to practice on Monday. He might take a week to ramp up for game time, which could work out well. However, it seems unlikely he’ll be fully integrated into the lineup right away.
Godwin won’t be placed on IR, but he’s not expected to play until October. Jalen McMillan is also sidelined until mid-season. These injuries could open the door for Emeka Egbuka to step into a full-time role.
When evaluating fantasy wide receivers, it’s crucial to target games likely to be high-scoring or where one team is expected to trail. For instance, you might look at the Cowboys, who typically rely on a pass-heavy approach, so Dak Prescott might easily exceed 40 attempts.
Bills’ Ravens (-1.5) – 52.5
Packers Lions (-2.5) – 47.5
Browns’ Bengals (-5.5) – 47.5
Eagles Cowboys (-7.5) – 47.5
The highest projected team totals include:
Eagles 27.5, Bills 27, Bengals 26.5, Commanders 26, Ravens 25.5, Packers 25
Jets Steelers (-2.5) –37.5
Titans Broncos (-7.5) —41.5
Cardinals Saints (-5.5) – 42.5
Patriots Raiders (-2.5) —43.5
Bears Vikings (-1.5) –43.5
The teams with the lowest projected totals are:
Titans 17, Jets 17.5, Saints 18.5, Giants 19.5, Cowboys 20, Steelers 20
Eagles Cowboys (-7.5)
Broncos Titans (-7.5)
Commanders Titans (-6.5)
Focusing on Darnell Mooney vs. the Buccaneers, his preseason injury has limited his visibility, placing him at just 51% on Yahoo. After a promising upgrade at QB for 2024, however, he may quickly bounce back to nearly 100%.
Addison needs to step up in week one with Jordan Addison out for the first three games.
