It’s time to get those Fantasy Football lineups fine-tuned for the 2021 NFL regular-season opener. For our Week 1 wide receiver and tight end rankings we take a deep dive into a handful of big-named pass catchers and fast-rising talents. Is Odell Beckham Jr. ready to bounce back? Can you trust Kyle Pitts as a TE1? Is Marquez Callaway “the guy” in New Orleans? Let’s discuss.
Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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Wide Receiver & Tight End Outlook Week 1
Odell Beckham Jr. (WR18) at KC
- OBJ may no longer be on his Hall of Fame trajectory. With that said, the fact that he’s being drafted as a high-end WR3 in PPR leagues is a complete and utter bargain. This is still a guy who has topped 1,000 yards receiving in every season he’s played at least 12 games. Over his six full games last year, Beckham was targeted eight-plus times in half of them and hauled in three touchdowns. The Chiefs proved extremely difficult for opposing wideouts last season (second-fewest points allowed). Yet, of the 13 receivers to be targeted eight-plus against K.C., 10 of them either recorded 80-plus receiving yards and/or scored a touchdown.
Marquez Callaway (WR41) vs. GB
- Callaway clearly looks to have a connection with Jameis Winston, that’s of course a plus. On top of that, no Michael Thomas should help free up opportunities for the second-year pro. Still, despite loads of upside, it would be wise to tread carefully. The Saints are well known for juggling their favorite target from week to week. For instance, Callaway was targeted 16 times over a two-game span early last season. Over the next four weeks, he was targeted just twice. The matchup doesn’t add much more promise either, as the Packers allowed the eighth-fewest points to wideouts last season and the ninth-fewest net-yard passing average (6.1). Not ideal for a homerun threat such as Callaway.
Kyle Pitts (TE7) vs. PHI
- This one is pretty simple. If Hayden Hurst can finish as a top-10 tight end with Julio Jones eating into his targets, then Kyle Pitts can be a weekly top-10 play with Jones shipped off to Tennessee. Quarterback Matt Ryan attempted 16 more passes than any other signal-caller in football last season. The volume will be there for the rookie, as will the matchup in Week 1. The Eagles allowed nine touchdowns to tight ends in 2020 (tied seventh-most).
Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: Wide Receivers
[QBs | RBs | WRs & TEs | DEF & Ks]
|
# |
Wide Receivers |
Opp. |
|
1 |
Davante Adams GB |
at NO |
|
2 |
Tyreek Hill KC |
vs. CLE |
|
3 |
Stefon Diggs BUF |
vs. PIT |
|
4 |
Calvin Ridley ATL |
vs. PHI |
|
5 |
A.J. Brown TEN |
vs. ARI |
|
6 |
DeAndre Hopkins ARI |
at TEN |
|
7 |
D.K. Metcalf SEA |
at IND |
|
8 |
Justin Jefferson MIN |
at CIN |
|
9 |
Keenan Allen LAC |
at WAS |
|
10 |
Terry McLaurin WAS |
vs. LAC |
|
11 |
Diontae Johnson PIT |
at BUF |
|
12 |
Robert Woods LAR |
vs. CHI |
|
13 |
Chris Godwin TB |
vs. DAL |
|
14 |
Allen Robinson II CHI |
at LAR |
|
15 |
CeeDee Lamb DAL |
at TB |
|
16 |
Cooper Kupp LAR |
vs. CHI |
|
17 |
Julio Jones TEN |
vs. ARI |
|
18 |
Odell Beckham Jr. CLE |
at KC |
|
19 |
Tee Higgins CIN |
vs. MIN |
|
20 |
Adam Thielen MIN |
at CIN |
|
21 |
Amari Cooper DAL |
at TB |
|
22 |
Tyler Lockett SEA |
at IND |
|
23 |
Mike Evans TB |
vs. DAL |
|
24 |
Deebo Samuel SF |
at DET |
|
25 |
Antonio Brown TB |
vs. DAL |
|
26 |
D.J. Moore CAR |
vs. NYJ |
|
27 |
Brandon Aiyuk SF |
at DET |
|
28 |
Sterling Shepard NYG |
vs. DEN |
|
29 |
Robby Anderson CAR |
vs. NYJ |
|
30 |
Tyler Boyd CIN |
vs. MIN |
|
31 |
JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT |
at BUF |
|
32 |
DeVonta Smith PHI |
at ATL |
|
33 |
Brandin Cooks HOU |
vs. JAC |
|
34 |
Jerry Jeudy DEN |
at NYG |
|
35 |
Chase Claypool PIT |
at BUF |
|
36 |
Jarvis Landry CLE |
at KC |
|
37 |
Laviska Shenault Jr. JAC |
at HOU |
|
38 |
Corey Davis NYJ |
at CAR |
|
39 |
Ja’Marr Chase CIN |
vs. MIN |
|
40 |
Kenny Golladay NYG |
vs. DEN |
|
41 |
Marquez Callaway NO |
vs. GB |
|
42 |
Courtland Sutton DEN |
at NYG |
|
43 |
vs. LAC |
|
|
44 |
D.J. Chark Jr. JAC |
at HOU |
|
45 |
Marvin Jones Jr. JAC |
at HOU |
|
46 |
Jakobi Meyers NE |
vs. MIA |
|
47 |
Parris Campbell IND |
vs. SEA |
|
48 |
DeVante Parker MIA |
at NE |
|
49 |
Michael Pittman Jr. IND |
vs. SEA |
|
50 |
Russell Gage ATL |
vs. PHI |
|
51 |
Marquise Brown BAL |
at LV |
|
52 |
Michael Gallup DAL |
at TB |
|
53 |
Jaylen Waddle MIA |
at NE |
|
54 |
Tyrell Williams DET |
vs. SF |
|
55 |
Cole Beasley BUF |
vs. PIT |
|
56 |
Mike Williams LAC |
at WAS |
|
57 |
Mecole Hardman KC |
vs. CLE |
|
58 |
Elijah Moore NYJ |
at CAR |
|
59 |
Darnell Mooney CHI |
at LAR |
|
60 |
Henry Ruggs III LV |
vs. BAL |
|
61 |
Tre’Quan Smith NO |
vs. GB |
|
62 |
Nelson Agholor NE |
vs. MIA |
|
63 |
Terrace Marshall Jr. CAR |
vs. NYJ |
|
64 |
Jalen Reagor PHI |
at ATL |
|
65 |
Jamison Crowder NYJ |
at CAR |
|
66 |
Christian Kirk ARI |
at TEN |
|
67 |
Hunter Renfrow LV |
vs. BAL |
|
68 |
Darius Slayton NYG |
vs. DEN |
|
69 |
Randall Cobb GB |
at NO |
|
70 |
Rondale Moore ARI |
at TEN |
|
71 |
Amon-Ra St. Brown DET |
vs. SF |
|
72 |
Emmanuel Sanders BUF |
vs. PIT |
|
73 |
A.J. Green ARI |
at TEN |
|
74 |
Bryan Edwards LV |
vs. BAL |
|
75 |
Sammy Watkins BAL |
at LV |
|
76 |
Gabriel Davis BUF |
vs. PIT |
|
77 |
Allen Lazard GB |
at NO |
|
78 |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB |
at NO |
|
79 |
KJ Hamler DEN |
at NYG |
|
80 |
DeSean Jackson LAR |
vs. CHI |
Tight End Rankings
[QBs | RBs | WRs & TEs | DEF & Ks]
|
# |
Tight Ends |
Opp. |
|
1 |
Travis Kelce KC |
vs. CLE |
|
2 |
George Kittle SF |
at DET |
|
3 |
Darren Waller LV |
vs. BAL |
|
4 |
Mark Andrews BAL |
at LV |
|
5 |
Dallas Goedert PHI |
at ATL |
|
6 |
Logan Thomas WAS |
vs. LAC |
|
7 |
Kyle Pitts ATL |
vs. PHI |
|
8 |
T.J. Hockenson DET |
vs. SF |
|
9 |
Robert Tonyan GB |
at NO |
|
10 |
Zach Ertz PHI |
at ATL |
|
11 |
Hunter Henry NE |
vs. MIA |
|
12 |
Noah Fant DEN |
at NYG |
|
13 |
Tyler Higbee LAR |
vs. CHI |
|
14 |
Rob Gronkowski TB |
vs. DAL |
|
15 |
Jonnu Smith NE |
vs. MIA |
|
16 |
Mike Gesicki MIA |
at NE |
|
17 |
Austin Hooper CLE |
at KC |
|
18 |
Gerald Everett SEA |
at IND |
|
19 |
O.J. Howard TB |
vs. DAL |
|
20 |
Evan Engram NYG INJ |
vs. DEN |
|
21 |
Anthony Firkser TEN |
vs. ARI |
|
22 |
Eric Ebron PIT |
at BUF |
|
23 |
Blake Jarwin DAL |
at TB |
|
24 |
Cole Kmet CHI |
at LAR |
|
25 |
Jared Cook LAC |
at WAS |
|
26 |
Chris Herndon IV MIN |
at CIN |
|
27 |
Kyle Rudolph NYG |
vs. DEN |
|
28 |
Hayden Hurst ATL |
vs. PHI |
|
29 |
Dawson Knox BUF |
vs. PIT |
|
30 |
Dan Arnold CAR |
vs. NYJ |
|
31 |
Jimmy Graham CHI |
at LAR |
|
32 |
Adam Trautman NO INJ |
vs. GB |
|
33 |
Jordan Akins HOU |
vs. JAC |
|
34 |
Jack Doyle IND |
vs. SEA |
|
35 |
Dalton Schultz DAL |
at TB |
|
36 |
Tyler Conklin MIN |
at CIN |
|
37 |
Juwan Johnson NO |
vs. GB |
|
38 |
C.J. Uzomah CIN |
vs. MIN |
|
39 |
Tyler Kroft NYJ |
at CAR |
|
40 |
Mo Alie-Cox IND |
vs. SEA |
|
41 |
Ian Thomas CAR |
vs. NYJ |
|
42 |
Brevin Jordan HOU |
vs. JAC |
|
43 |
Drew Sample CIN |
vs. MIN |
|
44 |
David Njoku CLE |
at KC |
|
45 |
Kaden Smith NYG |
vs. DEN |
|
46 |
Albert Okwuegbunam DEN |
at NYG |
|
47 |
Foster Moreau LV |
vs. BAL |
|
48 |
Will Dissly SEA |
at IND |
|
49 |
Kylen Granson IND |
vs. SEA |
|
50 |
Harrison Bryant CLE |
at KC |
|
51 |
Pat Freiermuth PIT |
at BUF |
|
52 |
Donald Parham Jr. LAC |
at WAS |
|
53 |
Jacob Harris LAR |
vs. CHI |
|
54 |
Geoff Swaim TEN |
vs. ARI |
|
55 |
Noah Gray KC |
vs. CLE |
|
56 |
Nick Boyle BAL |
at LV |
|
57 |
Cameron Brate TB |
vs. DAL |
|
58 |
James O’Shaughnessy JAC |
at HOU |
|
59 |
Pharaoh Brown HOU |
vs. JAC |
|
60 |
Maxx Williams ARI |
at TEN |
|
61 |
Ross Dwelley SF |
at DET |
|
62 |
Darrell Daniels ARI |
at TEN |
|
63 |
Durham Smythe MIA |
at NE |
|
64 |
Devin Asiasi NE |
vs. MIA |
|
65 |
Chris Manhertz JAC |
at HOU |
Comments
Fantasy Football Week 1 WR Rankings: Odell Beckham, Kyle Pitts & More