Wide receivers are the backbone of your NFL DFS lineups. It’s a spot where you’ll need massive production if you’re going to take down a GPP, but it’s also a spot where you can save money on occasion. Some of the best values in a given week are likely to be found at the receiver position.
In this piece, I highlight wide receivers who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by the award-winning expert ranker, Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
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You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($8,100 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel)
I’m not sure there’s any debate about who the best receiver in football is anymore. With all due respect to guys like Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, Smith-Njigba is in a tier of his own. He combines volume and efficiency in a way that no one else can, giving him an elite floor and ceiling on a weekly basis.
Despite his starting QB going down after just five plays in Week 1, Smith-Njigba turned in a pretty typical performance. He finished with eight catches, 122 yards, and a touchdown, despite the team mustering just 200 passing yards total.
Unsurprisingly, his underlying metrics were ridiculous: 48% target share, 51% air yards share, and 100% end zone share. Smith-Njigba was also a massive target hog last year, so it doesn’t seem to matter who is under center for Seattle: JSN is going to get fed.
Smith-Njigba ranks first at the position in median and ceiling projection, so he’s the clear top option if spending up at receiver. There are some strong values to consider, but Smith-Njigba brings the most firepower to the table.
Garrett Wilson ($6,000 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel)
The Jets’ offense was one of the biggest surprises of NFL Week 1. Their offense didn’t just look competent; they looked pretty dangerous. Geno Smith looked nothing like the guy we saw with the Raiders last year. He led all QBs in on-target throw percentage, and almost every incompletion he recorded was credited as a drop. We’ll see how much of that can be attributed to the Titans’ defense, but it at least gives the Jets a reason for optimism moving forward.
If Smith can continue to produce, Wilson could be poised for a big year. He racked up a 30% target share and 49% air yards share in Week 1, and those numbers could persist throughout the year. He had a 34% target share last season; the Jets’ QBs just weren’t good enough for that to matter.
The Jets will face a stiffer test this week vs. the Packers, but they’re catching them at a good time. Green Bay is still without Micah Parsons, and their defense has not been the same without him. They’re 0-5 sans Parsons dating back to last season, and they just allowed 39 points to the Vikings in Week 1.
Wilson stands out as a very strong midrange option on DraftKings. He has the top projected Plus/Minus among receivers priced above $4,200. He also has the seventh-highest median projection at the position but ranks tied for 17th in salary.
Ladd McConkey ($6,200 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel)
At this point, McConkey is heading towards a questionable designation for Week 2. He exited the team’s first game early due to a rib injury, and he hasn’t practiced to start the week. It still sounds like the team is optimistic about his prospects vs. the Raiders, but he’s going to have to get back on the practice field on Friday.
If McConkey does suit up, he stands out as a clear value across the industry. He was a target monster before exiting against the Cardinals in Week 1. He had a 27% target share on just a 51% route participation. That’s good for a target-per-route-run mark of 39%. McConkey was poised for an uptick in volume with Keenan Allen no longer in town, and he delivered on that in Week 1.
McConkey stands out as a particularly strong value on FanDuel. His $6,400 salary comes with a 99% Bargain Rating, and he leads all receivers in projected FanDuel Plus/Minus.
DeMario Douglas ($3,800 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel)
There are a handful of strong value receivers to consider in Week 2, but Douglas is arguably the best of the bunch. He led the Patriots with a 23% target share in Week 1, and his route participation was all the way up to 79%. That’s a massive increase compared to last season, and with A.J. Brown injured and Kayshon Boutte gone, there’s no reason to expect much different in Week 2.
The Patriots’ offense was inefficient in Week 1, but they had to deal with a brutal Seahawks’ defense. Their matchup in Week 2 is a bit friendlier. While the Steelers aren’t an easy matchup, they did allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers last year. They were 16th in EPA per pass defensively, so it’s a nice bounce-back spot for Drake Maye and the rest of the offense.
Using a value WR3 is always an appealing strategy for DraftKings’ cash games, and Douglas ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus.
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Luther Burden ($5,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)
It’s pretty crazy that the Bears went off for 59 points in Week 1, and their expected top two pass catchers – Burden and Colston Loveland – didn’t get in on the action. Instead, the running game did most of the damage, with the team racking up just under 300 yards and a ridiculous six touchdowns on the ground.
There will undoubtedly be better days ahead for Burden. We wanted to see a larger role from him in Week 1, and he delivered on that. He led the team with a 71% route participation, and that figure might’ve been higher if not for the game turning into a blowout.
As long as Burden continues to be on the field at a near every-snap rate, he should be extremely productive. He was third at the position in terms of yards per route run last year, trailing only Smith-Njigba and Nacua.
The Bears didn’t really need their passing attack last week, but they probably will vs. the Vikings. Minnesota’s defense is significantly stronger than Carolina’s, so expect a bit more from all of their pass-catchers.
Chris Olave ($7,200 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel)
Is Olave the most underrated receiver in football? He’d probably get my vote. He picked up right where he left off last season in Week 1, tallying 10 catches for 182 yards vs. the Lions. He had a 27% target share and 52% air yards share, and he put together a top-six finish at the position in terms of fantasy points.
The scary part is that Olave’s day could’ve been even better. He made a brief exit due to an injury, and while he was ultimately able to return, it resulted in an 87% route participation, and that number could be higher in Week 2.
Olave could find himself in another favorable game script vs. the Ravens. The Saints fell into a big hole last week, which is why Tyler Shough had to throw the ball 56 times. They probably won’t attempt that many passes for the second straight week, but it could be another busy day for the pass-catchers. They’re listed as 8.5-point underdogs vs. the Ravens in a game with a 46.5-point total.
Xavier Hutchinson ($3,500 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel)
The bodies in the Texans’ WR room continue to fall. They were already playing without Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell, and now, they’re expected to be without Nico Collins. He was unable to practice at all this week, which makes him unlikely to suit up vs. the Bengals on Sunday.
Without Collins, Higgins, and Dell, the team is pretty barren at receiver. It leaves Hutchinson as arguably the next man up. He served as the team’s No. 2 receiver in Week 1, trailing only Collins in terms of routes and targets. He had a healthy 21% target per route run mark and a 17% target share overall.
Hutchinson could be close to an every-snap receiver if Collins is out in Week 2. It’s possible that Boutte takes on a larger role in his second week with his new team, but Hutchinson should still have decent volume for his price tag. He’s a bit riskier than Douglas in this price range, but he could possess more upside.
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Jalen Coker ($5,100 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel)
Coker was a big breakout star of NFL Week 1. He racked up eight catches for 138 yards and two scores, resulting in 36.8 DraftKings points. Add in the 31.4 DraftKings points he scored in the Panthers’ playoff loss last season, and Coker has tallied two straight monster performances.
The underlying metrics for Coker were also excellent. He had a 93% route participation and 28% target share, both of which ranked first on the team. While Tetairoa McMillan still profiles as the team’s top receiver, there might not be much difference between the two this year.
Coker remains reasonably priced following last week’s outing, and he’s still projected for less than 8% ownership. His optimal lineup rate is closer to 10% on DraftKings, which is one of the largest discrepancies at the position in SimLabs.
Christian Watson ($6,200 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel)
Watson is another player who looks undervalued in Week 2. He has a chance to be a much more consistent part of the offense this year after the team lost Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks in the offseason. Even with those guys in the fold, Watson was still a major factor down the stretch last season. He averaged 13.2 0.5-PPR points per game from Week 11 through 17, which ranked ninth at the position.
Watson started the year with a bang, racking up six catches, 147 yards, and two scores vs. the Vikings. He was still a massive big-play threat – his average depth of target checked in at 16.0 yards – but his eight targets were more than he saw in all but one game last year. Ultimately, he should have a much safer floor in 2026-27.
Additionally, Matthew Golden also stands out for Green Bay. While he wasn’t quite as productive as Watson in Week 1, he had the better underlying data. He had a massive 31% target share, compared to just 21% for Watson. He also had 50% of the team’s end zone targets, so he could also be undervalued at the moment. Both guys have appeal as standalone options or as part of a big Packers’ stack with Jordan Love.
Parker Washington ($5,900 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
Washington may not have the same pedigree as some of these receivers, but he has been balling for the Jaguars for quite some time. He had produced in limited playing time in the past, but he really took off down the stretch last season. From Week 12 on (including playoffs), Washington averaged 14.5 0.5-PPR points per game.
There were some questions about how the targets would shake out in Jacksonville in 2026-27, but Washington was the clear alpha in Week 1. He had a 29% target share on just 72% of the routes, good for a mark of 33% in terms of targets per route run. Brian Thomas Jr. was second among their receiving corps with a 14% target share, so the gap between Washington and his teammates was wide.
Washington will have to deal with a brutal matchup vs. the Broncos in Week 2, but he is simply too cheap across the industry. He’s a particularly nice value on FanDuel, where his price tag comes with an 80% Bargain Rating.
Malik Washington ($4,000 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel)
Someone has to catch the passes in Miami, right? They’re nearly two-touchdown underdogs against the 49ers in Week 2, and Washington was their top receiver in their first game. He had a perfect 100% route participation and 32% target share, both of which are absolutely elite. He also had 41% of the team’s air yards. If you were simply looking at those metrics and not his name, you’d think Washington was a $7k+ receiver.
Of course, you can’t ignore that Washington plays for the Dolphins. He managed just 4.8 fantasy points last week, and there’s going to be some clear missed opportunities with Malik Willis at the helm. Still, Washington should have as many chances to make plays as any receiver in this price range.
Caleb Douglas also warrants some consideration for the Dolphins. His metrics weren’t quite as impressive as Washington’s (86% route participation, 24% target share), but he made up for it by catching a touchdown. If the Dolphins are as bad as expected, both guys could continue to see strong volume.
Pictured: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Photo Credit: Imagn
