2020 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Wide Receiver Tiers 2.0 and strategies for using them on Draft Day

As NFL teams move to offensive systems that use running backs and tight ends as mismatches in the passing game, wide receivers as a whole are seeing their target share get spread a little thin. It has created a landscape where replacing a wideout who's hurt or grossly under performing with someone off the waiver wire won't exactly crush you as it would at running back or tight end. At least 49 wide receivers have averaged at least 10 PPR points per game in four of the past five seasons -- and only 11 wide receivers total have averaged 20-plus PPR points.

This doesn't mean you should wait forever to start taking wide receivers, though.

Your strategy for drafting wideouts should be based on how many you need to start each week and what your scoring system is. The more wide receivers you can start, and the more points you get for receptions, the more likely you'll want to target them.

And if you're not the risky type, wide receivers are a safer bet in Fantasy compared to running backs because they don't get as hurt as frequently. They also have a built-in advantage in leagues where catches count. But there's depth to the position that's better than any other. The best ones are impossible to seamlessly replace, but once you get past the first five tiers, it's not crazy to say that expectations are essentially the same for everyone.

No matter the round, there will always be wideouts worth taking. So the recommendation is to not prioritize any specific strategy for wide receivers and instead bake them into your roster around your approach for taking running backs, quarterbacks and tight ends. Obviously, if you chase wide receivers early, you won't mind settling on lesser talent at other positions. That works for the best in full PPR, and especially if you can start at least three wideouts each week.

If you really want to feel secure, simply pick enough wide receivers from the first five tiers to cover your starting lineup requirements, then grab another two (maybe three) who have as much upside as possible to break out early on in the year. Many of them are in Tier 7.

It's common sense that the wide receivers with high target volume will go early, but even the ones who can average 7.5 per game can finish with at least 120 in a season. Once those guys are gone, the pass catchers with 6.3 targets per game upside will go next since that average comes out to 100 per year. Faster wide receivers are always preferred, as are wideouts who play with accurate, strong-armed quarterbacks. That's why you'll see No. 2 guys like DK Metcalf and Calvin Ridley ranked ahead of No. 1s such as Julian Edelman or Brandin Cooks.

This is all reflected in the tiers, so consider using them to choose a wide receiver when the talent in the highest remaining tier is dwindling. And don't sweat it if you whiff on one because you should be able to find someone who can give you decent production off the waiver wire once the season starts.

On Wednesday's Fantasy Football Today podcast, we discussed the wide receivers in depth. Follow all our podcasts and subscribe here.

Here are the tiers:

PPR: Mega-Elite

Round 1

M. Thomas NO Michael Thomas NO

D. Adams LV Davante Adams LV

J. Jones PHI Julio Jones PHI

T. Hill MIA Tyreek Hill MIA

D. Hopkins TEN DeAndre Hopkins TEN

PPR: Elite

Round 2

C. Godwin TB Chris Godwin TB

C. Kupp LAR Cooper Kupp LAR

K. Golladay NYG Kenny Golladay NYG

D. Moore CHI D.J. Moore CHI

PPR: Excellent

Round 3

C. Ridley TEN Calvin Ridley TEN

T. Lockett SEA Tyler Lockett SEA

M. Evans TB Mike Evans TB

A. Thielen CAR Adam Thielen CAR

R. Woods HOU Robert Woods HOU

A. Robinson PIT Allen Robinson PIT

PPR: Very good

Round 4

A. Brown PHI A.J. Brown PHI

J. Smith-Schuster NE JuJu Smith-Schuster NE

A. Cooper CLE Amari Cooper CLE

T. McLaurin WAS Terry McLaurin WAS

D. Metcalf SEA DK Metcalf SEA

C. Sutton DEN Courtland Sutton DEN

K. Allen CHI Keenan Allen CHI

O. Beckham Jr. BAL Odell Beckham Jr. BAL

PPR: Good

Round 5

T. Hilton DAL T.Y. Hilton DAL

S. Diggs HOU Stefon Diggs HOU

D. Chark CAR D.J. Chark CAR

A. Green ARI A.J. Green ARI

D. Parker PHI DeVante Parker PHI

T. Boyd CIN Tyler Boyd CIN

PPR: No. 3 WRs/Less upside

Rounds 6-7

J. Landry NO Jarvis Landry NO

B. Cooks DAL Brandin Cooks DAL

M. Brown KC Marquise Brown KC

M. Jones DET Marvin Jones DET

PPR: High-potential backups

Rounds 8-9

D. Slayton NYG Darius Slayton NYG

S. Shepard NYG Sterling Shepard NYG

D. Johnson CAR Diontae Johnson CAR

J. Edelman NE Julian Edelman NE

J. Reagor NE Jalen Reagor NE

J. Jeudy CLE Jerry Jeudy CLE

C. Lamb DAL CeeDee Lamb DAL

M. Gallup DAL Michael Gallup DAL

W. Fuller MIA Will Fuller MIA

J. Crowder WAS Jamison Crowder WAS

H. Ruggs III LV Henry Ruggs III LV

E. Sanders BUF Emmanuel Sanders BUF

PPR: Solid Backups

Rounds 10-11

A. Miller KC Anthony Miller KC

A. Lazard NYJ Allen Lazard NYJ

C. Kirk JAC Christian Kirk JAC

C. Anderson MIA Chosen Anderson MIA

J. Jefferson MIN Justin Jefferson MIN

M. Pittman IND Michael Pittman IND

D. Jackson BAL DeSean Jackson BAL

S. Sims HOU Steven Sims HOU

J. Brown BUF John Brown BUF

PPR: Bench depth

Round 12+

D. Samuel SF Deebo Samuel SF

L. Shenault Jr. SEA Laviska Shenault Jr. SEA

M. Williams NYJ Mike Williams NYJ

B. Perriman IND Breshad Perriman IND

N. Harry MIN N'Keal Harry MIN

P. Williams CAR Preston Williams CAR

S. Watkins BAL Sammy Watkins BAL

M. Hardman KC Mecole Hardman KC

L. Fitzgerald ARI Larry Fitzgerald ARI

B. Aiyuk SF Brandon Aiyuk SF

T. Higgins CIN Tee Higgins CIN

G. Tate TEN Golden Tate TEN

R. Cobb NYJ Randall Cobb NYJ

C. Beasley NYG Cole Beasley NYG

P. Campbell PHI Parris Campbell PHI

D. Mims PIT Denzel Mims PIT

A. Jeffery PHI Alshon Jeffery PHI

Non-PPR: Mega-Elite