Every team in the AFC…nay the NFL is chasing the Kansas City Chiefs. In fantasy football, we are pursuing the player who will give us the most fantasy points.
The AFC West will provide you with plenty of fantasy possibilities. Let’s take a look at the wide receiver position in the division.
Fantasy Football 2020: Ranking The AFC West Wide Receivers
Last Year Fantasy Football Stats
2019 Ending Fantasy Football Stats (Standard Scoring)
1. Michael Thomas – 225.6 – New Orleans Saints (using as a reference point)
11. Keenan Allen – 157.5 – Los Angeles Chargers
17. Courtland Sutton – 150.4 – Denver Broncos
28. Tyreek Hill – 130.3 – Kansas City Chiefs
37. Mike Williams – 112.3 – Los Angeles Chargers
44. Tyrell Williams – 101.1 – Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders
49. Mecole Hardman – 93.5 – Kansas City Chiefs
52. Sammy Watkins – 86.5 – Kansas City Chiefs
55. Hunter Renfrow – 84.5 – Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
67. Demarcus Robinson – 68.9 – Kansas City Chiefs
79. Nelson Agholor – 55 – Philadelphia Eagles (Signed With Raiders In Offseason)
102. DaeSean Hamilton – 35.7 – Denver Broncos
133. Zay Jones – 21.9 – Buffalo Bills (Signed With Raiders In Offseason)
2019 Ending Fantasy Football Stats (PPR)
1. Michael Thomas – 374.6
6. Keenan Allen – 261.5
19. Courtland Sutton – 222.4
32. Tyreek Hill – 188.3
41. Mike Williams – 161.3
47. Tyrell Williams – 143.1
50. Sammy Watkins – 138.5
55. Hunter Renfrow – 133.5
61. Mecole Hardman – 119.5
69. Demarcus Robinson – 100.9
76. Nelson Agholor – 94
95. DaeSean Hamilton – 63.7
108. Zay Jones – 48.9
128. Tim Patrick – 37.8 – Denver Broncos
And Then There Are The Rookies
The ability of rookies to help your fantasy team not only depends on their talent but where they land is all-important too.
1. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos: Everyone thought that Jeudy would be the first wide receiver off the board. He wasn’t. But he landed in a great spot for both him and your fantasy team.
2. Henry Ruggs III, Oakland Raiders: Ruggs was the first wide receiver off the board. He is in a really good spot. Ruggs will most likely be the number one wide receiver in Vegas
The only problem is the Raiders ranked 25th in pass play percentage in 2019. And they ranked 21st in passing attempts per game.
The hope is that if you’re the Raiders, you don’t draft a wide receiver at 12 to let him watch Josh Jacobs run the ball.
3. KJ Hamler, Denver Broncos: Hamler is best suited for the slot. It is very conceivable that Denver runs Jeudy and Sutton on the outside and puts Hamler in the slot. But he isn’t worth you drafting him early or mid. Boom or bust type of fantasy player.
4. K.J. Hill, Los Angeles Chargers: Hill played out of the slot 90 percent of the time at Ohio State. Unfortunately, he is sitting behind Allen and Williams, and oh yeah, there is the quarterback situation.
5. Joe Reed, Los Angeles Chargers: Reed will compete for WR3 against Hill.
Ch…Ch…Changes
There were a few changes in the AFC West that could impact the production of the wide receivers.
Denver Broncos
- New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur
- New wide receivers
- Jerry Jeudy
- KJ Hamler
- Quasi-new quarterback Drew Lock who started five games last season
Kansas City Chiefs
Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL nothing new…in fact
- Re-Signed Sammy Watkins
- The offense is in-tact from the last year’s Championship team
Las Vegas Raiders
- Addition of speedster Henry Ruggs III
- Addition of Nelson Agholor
- Addition of Zay Jones
Los Angeles Chargers
- New quarterback Tyrod Taylor
- Loss of Melvin Gordon
- Addition of Joe Reed
- Addition of K.J. Hill
Ranking of AFC West Wide Receivers
2020 PPR Rankings
1. Courtland Sutton: Jeudy will take the double teams off of Sutton. And if Lock is close to what is advertised this will be a lethal connection.
2. Tyreek Hill: Yes, he will be a boom or bust, but when he booms…
3. Keenan Allen: Even with a decrease in the number of passes the Chargers have, Allen will be the main target.
4. Jerry Jeudy: The Broncos’ offense should be firing on all cylinders.
5. Sammy Watkins: They still are the Kansas City Chiefs.
6. Henry Ruggs III: He will eventually be WR1 in Las Vegas.
7. Hunter Renfrow: Playing in the slot in the Raiders’ new high-powered offense, there is room enough.
8. Mecole Hardman: Yes, the Chiefs will have three of the AFC West top wide receivers. Are you surprised?
9. Mike Williams: There is a good chance that Taylor hits Williams on a couple of deep shots. But having Taylor instead of Philip Rivers hurts all the wide receivers. For Dynasty players, this will improve once Justin Herbert takes over the offense.
10. Tyrell Williams: Rumor has it Williams asked for a trade in the off-season. Then Ruggs entered. And of course, there is Darren Waller. Then Renfrow had a really good end to his 2019 season. So Williams may find himself the odd man out.
2020 Standard Rankings
- Courtland Sutton
- Keenan Allen
- Tyreek Hill
- Jerry Jeudy
- Henry Ruggs III
- Mecole Hardman
- Hunter Renfrow
- Sammy Watkins
- Mike Williams
- Tyrell Williams
So The Ratings
The AFC West has the firepower and the defending NFL Champions. It has possibilities for a high ceiling and the shadows of a low floor.
Will Lock be able to utilize the weapons he has been given? Can Taylor be more than a game manager, or will it be Justin Herbert’s time sooner rather than later?
Will Carr or Marcus Mariota be under center for the majority of the season? And can Kansas City remain King of it all?
Who are you drafting as your first wide receiver from the AFC West? Let me know.
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