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Wideouts bounced back in a big way last year. As a whole, receivers scored a record-high 532 touchdowns to boost their Fantasy numbers. Their running back counterparts didn't average as many Fantasy points per game in PPR based on top-12 (0.3 higher), top-24 (1.9 higher) or top-36 averages (1.8 higher). Can't remember the last time that happened.

But maybe the best news of all for Fantasy drafters is that wide receivers aren't quite as top-heavy as they were last year.

In addition to knowing your lineup requirements and scoring system, you must answer these questions:

  • How risk-averse are you?
  • How badly do you want to fill your starting lineup with no-brainers?
  • How deep do you think this position is?
  • Are you good at finding replacement receivers off waivers?

The first two questions go hand-in-hand: Wide receivers are generally safer than their running back counterparts, but they typically don't score as much in non-PPR, and only the top guys come close to matching up in PPR. The more of those "safe" picks you want for your starting group, the more receivers you should target early in your draft.

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You can use my tiers to determine how deep you think the position is, but after stewing on this for six months (that's right, while you were living your life, I was studying these guys), I feel real good about the wideouts in the first four or five rounds being good starters. I'm also confident that the receivers in the fifth and sixth tiers make up a bunch of breakout and sleeper candidates who carry enough upside to warrant starting. You should find the entire class to your liking and may even decide to wait to draft your third or fourth receivers.

That last question? I'm not you, so I can't exactly answer that. But if you've played Fantasy Football for a while, you know that there are receivers with at least decent upside on waivers every week. No one who will cement himself into a starting spot, but someone who offers a chance at scoring a touchdown, going for 70 yards, etc. The better you (and we) are at finding them, the less urgency you'll need to draft deep.

Just know that nearly every Fantasy manager will select at least one very good receiver before the end of Round 3. That doesn't mean it's a mistake to lock up two of them if you want to differentiate your lineup, but that is a move that's best saved for PPR formats and smaller leagues (10 or fewer teams).  

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But the safest plan on Draft Day is to pick enough receivers from the top-five or six tiers to cover your starting spots, then another two or three for the bench. And always remember that receivers who tend to play the best in Fantasy are those who regularly get a piece of the target share from good quarterbacks. When you're drafting a receiver who doesn't already carry stud status, ask yourself if he has the potential for 120 targets (to yield 70-plus receptions) and/or eight touchdowns. Those are the stats we're shooting for from the non-obvious guys in Round 6 and beyond. The more of those players you get, the more likely you'll compete for a trophy in December.     

What about punting on receivers and not taking any until after 50th overall? That's the kind of plan you're going to have to follow if you insist on drafting two stud running backs and a stud tight end with your first trio of picks. This is do-able in smaller non-PPR formats and it carries a chance at being successful, especially if you pull the lever on the right receivers starting in Round 5.

But the safest plan on Draft Day is to pick enough receivers from the top-five or six tiers to cover your starting spots, then another two or three for the bench. And always remember that receivers who tend to play the best in Fantasy are those who regularly get a piece of the target share from good quarterbacks. When you're drafting a receiver who doesn't already carry stud status, ask yourself if he has the potential for 120 targets (to yield 70-plus receptions) and/or eight touchdowns. Those are the stats we're shooting for from the non-obvious guys in Round 6 and beyond. The more of those players you get, the more likely you'll compete for a trophy in December.   

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Tiers 5.0
Wide Receivers - PPR
WR Tiers 5.0
Mega-Elite
D. Hopkins KC
J. Jones PHI
D. Adams NYJ
O. Beckham Jr. MIA
J. Smith-Schuster KC
WR Tiers 5.0
Elite
T. Hill MIA
M. Thomas NO
M. Evans TB
K. Allen CHI
WR Tiers 5.0
Excellent
A. Cooper BUF
S. Diggs HOU
J. Edelman NE
A. Brown TB
B. Cooks DAL
A. Thielen CAR
WR Tiers 5.0
Very Good
T. Hilton DAL
C. Godwin TB
C. Kupp LAR
K. Golladay NYG
C. Ridley TEN
R. Woods HOU
WR Tiers 5.0
High-upside Value
T. Boyd TEN
D. Moore CHI
A. Green ARI
A. Robinson DET
WR Tiers 5.0
Mid-value Upside
C. Kirk JAC
A. Jeffery PHI
T. Lockett SEA
J. Gordon TEN
D. Westbrook GB
M. Williams PIT
C. Samuel BUF
R. Chosen MIA
WR Tiers 5.0
High-potential Backups
C. Davis NYJ
W. Fuller MIA
S. Shepard TB
D. Pettis NO
J. Landry NO
D. Jackson BAL
L. Fitzgerald ARI
S. Watkins BAL
WR Tiers 5.0
Mid-potential Backups
C. Sutton DEN
M. Jones DET
D. Moncrief HOU
T. Williams DET
M. Valdes-Scantling NO
J. Crowder WAS
A. Miller BAL
K. Coutee MIA
G. Allison ATL
WR Tiers 5.0
Bench Depth
J. Brown BUF
G. Tate TEN
D. Hamilton MIA
E. Sanders BUF
A. Wilson LV
J. Washington ATL
N. Harry MIN
M. Gallup LV
R. Cobb NYJ
K. Stills NO
M. Boykin SEA
D. Metcalf SEA

Tiers 5.0
Wide Receivers - Non-PPR
WR Tiers 5.0
Mega-Elite
D. Hopkins KC
J. Jones PHI
D. Adams NYJ
O. Beckham Jr. MIA
T. Hill MIA
WR Tiers 5.0
Elite
J. Smith-Schuster KC
M. Thomas NO
M. Evans TB
WR Tiers 5.0
Excellent
K. Allen CHI
A. Cooper BUF
S. Diggs HOU
B. Cooks DAL
A. Brown TB
T. Hilton DAL
WR Tiers 5.0
Very Good
J. Edelman NE
A. Thielen CAR
C. Kupp LAR
C. Godwin TB
C. Ridley TEN
WR Tiers 5.0
High-upside Value
K. Golladay NYG
R. Woods HOU
T. Boyd TEN
A. Green ARI
D. Moore CHI
WR Tiers 5.0
Mid-value Upside
A. Robinson DET
C. Kirk JAC
A. Jeffery PHI
T. Lockett SEA
J. Gordon TEN
M. Williams PIT
C. Samuel BUF
R. Chosen MIA
WR Tiers 5.0
High-potential Backups
W. Fuller MIA
D. Westbrook GB
C. Davis NYJ
S. Shepard TB
D. Pettis NO
D. Jackson BAL
J. Landry NO
S. Watkins BAL
M. Jones DET
WR Tiers 5.0
Mid-potential Backups
C. Sutton DEN
D. Moncrief HOU
T. Williams DET
M. Valdes-Scantling NO
L. Fitzgerald ARI
A. Miller BAL
J. Brown BUF
WR Tiers 5.0
Bench Depth
K. Coutee MIA
G. Allison ATL
E. Sanders BUF
J. Washington ATL
G. Tate TEN
M. Gallup LV
K. Stills NO
N. Harry MIN
J. Crowder WAS
M. Boykin SEA
D. Hamilton MIA
D. Metcalf SEA
M. Brown KC

So which Fantasy Football busts should you avoid in your draft? And which superstar QB isn't a trustworthy QB1 option? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy Football cheat sheets from the model that called Allen Robinson's disappointing season, and find out.