No Backs Needed
If you have been playing fantasy football longer than 5 years, you may have noticed a shift in the matrix. The return on investment for drafting high on wide receivers has changed drastically. Smart fantasy owners used to always push for early round running backs. Not anymore. With NFL team moving to pass heavy offenses and running back by committee, workhorse backs are few and far between. Top and mid tier wide receivers have become more valuable.
Stock Piling Receivers
Chances are your draft, last year, saw at least 4 wide receivers come off the board in the 1st round. Don’t expect that to change this year, as a matter of fact, you may see up to six. I have even been witness to the no back draft strategy. This is where owners go three straight receivers out the gate. Stock piling receivers is not a bad play. Quiet honestly, its genius. If you are lucky enough to build your team around 2 top tiered receivers and your third pick lands you Sammy Watkins or Alshon Jeffery as your third wide receiver , what does it matter if you have Rob Kelley or Eddie Lacy as your number one back?
So don’t be scared to go away from the norm. Use my tiered wide receiver ranks to build yourself an unbeatable team. Your fellow owners may think you’re crazy, but come week 3, they will all envy your strategy.
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | POSITION |
| Tier 1 | |||
| 1 | Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | WR |
| 2 | Julio Jones | Atlanta | WR |
| 3 | Odell Beckham Jr. | New York Giants | WR |
| 4 | Mike Evans | Tampa Bay | WR |
| Tier 2 | |||
| 5 | A.J. Green | Cincinatti | WR |
| 6 | Jordy Nelson | Green Bay | WR |
| 7 | Dez Bryant | Dallas | WR |
| 8 | T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis | WR |
| 9 | Michael Thomas | New Orleans | WR |
| Tier 3 | |||
| 10 | Amari Cooper | Oakland | WR |
| 11 | DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | WR |
| 12 | Alshon Jeffery | Philadelphia | WR |
| 13 | Sammy Watkins | Buffalo | WR |
| 14 | Allen Robinson | Jacksonville | WR |
| 15 | Doug Baldwin | Seattle | WR |
| 16 | Demaryius Thomas | Denver | WR |
| 17 | Brandin Cooks | New England | WR |
| 18 | Michael Crabtree | Oakland | WR |
| Tier 4 | |||
| 19 | Keenan Allen | Los Angeles Chargers | WR |
| 20 | Davante Adams | Green Bay | WR |
| 21 | Emmanuel Sanders | Denver | WR |
| 22 | Jarvis Landry | Miami | WR |
| 23 | Terrelle Pryor | Washington | WR |
| 24 | Julian Edelman | New England | WR |
| 25 | Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | WR |
| Tier 5 | |||
| 26 | Golden Tate | Detroit | WR |
| 27 | Donte Moncrief | Indianapolis | WR |
| 28 | Stefon Diggs | Minnesota | WR |
| 29 | Eric Decker | New York Jets | WR |
| 30 | Brandon Marshall | New York Giants | WR |
| 31 | Kelvin Benjamin | Carolina | WR |
| 32 | DeSean Jackson | Tampa Bay | WR |
| 33 | Jamison Crowder | Washington | WR |
| 34 | Rishard Matthews | Tennessee | WR |
| 35 | Kenny Britt | Cleveland | WR |
| 36 | Tyreek Hill | Kansas City | WR |
| 37 | Randall Cobb | Green Bay | WR |
| 38 | Devante Parker | Miami | WR |
| Tier 6 | |||
| 39 | Jordan Matthews | Philadelphia | WR |
| 40 | Corey Coleman | Cleveland | WR |
| 41 | Tyrell Williams | Los Angeles Chargers | WR |
| 42 | Martavis Bryant | Pittsburgh | WR |
| 43 | Wille Snead | New Orleans | WR |
| 44 | Sterling Shepard | New York Giants | WR |
| 45 | Adam Theilen | Minnesota | WR |
| 46 | Tyler Lockett | Seattle | WR |
| 47 | Kevin White | Chicago | WR |
| Tier 6 | |||
| 48 | Josh Doctson | Washington | WR |
| 49 | Pierre Garcon | San Francisco | WR |
| 50 | John Brown | Arizona | WR |
Top 100 fantasy players of 2017 here
Check out my Top Tiered QB rankings for 2017 here
Check out my Top Tiered RB rankings for 2017 here
Please leave you comments below. Feedback is always welcomed.