Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019
- Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 College Football
- Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Fantasy
- Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Roster
- Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Nfl
Slot receivers are the reliable, fallback options for most quarterbacks, and as a result, they get that boost you need in a PPR format. And the best part is, they usually come cheaper in drafts. Washington has a particularly nice matchup this week, leveraging his role in the slot. Arizona has allowed the fourth-most fantasy PPG to slot receivers since Week 10 (21.9) and the fifth most on. This is, of course, very similar to the first table, for the simple fact that wide receivers get the majority of pass targets. 76% of slot targets and 91% of wide targets went to wide receivers in 2019, so for most teams, the differences were slight; 24 defenses finished within five percentage points of their overall wide DVOA against wide receivers.
There are countless guides and lists to help you prepare for your fantasy draft, but rankings can vary wildly from outlet to outlet. Instead of trusting one expert, we’ve come up with a better way to help you evaluate and rank wide receivers on your board.
We analyzed five player rankings from around the internet – the latest lists from ESPN, Yahoo!, FFToday, CBS Sports, and Sports Illustrated – and found every wide receiver’s average position across the five rankings.
By finding each WR’s overall rank, we can determine what round each player should be selected in. If a player has an overall average of 16.0, you can expect him to be selected between picks 12 and 24 in the second round of your draft. All round assignments assume a 12-player draft.
Here are the top 60 fantasy wide receivers for the the 2019 NFL season.
FIRST-ROUND LOCKS:
WR 1: DeAndre Hopkins (HOU)
Overall average: 6.6 Best position: 4th Worst position: 8th
WR 2: Davante Adams (GB)
Overall average: 7.6 Best position: 5th Worst position: 9th
WR 3: Julio Jones (ATL)
Overall average: 8.0 Best position: 6th Worst position: 11th
WR 4: Michael Thomas (NO)
Overall average: 10.8 Best position: 9th Worst position: 13th
WR 5: JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT)
Overall average: 12.4 Best position: 8th Worst position: 17th
SECOND-ROUND PICKS:
WR 6: Odell Beckham Jr. (CLE)
Overall average: 14.0 Best position: 12th Worst position: 17th
WR 7: Tyreek Hill (KC)
Overall average: 16.2 Best position: 12th Worst position: 18th
WR 8: Mike Evans (TB)
Overall average: 18.6 Best position: 16th Worst position: 20th
WR 9: Antonio Brown (OAK)
Overall average: 20.4 Best position: 15th Worst position: 28th
WR 10: Keenan Allen (LAC)
Overall average: 22.6 Best position: 19th Worst position: 29th
THIRD-ROUND PICKS:
WR 11: T.Y. Hilton (IND)
Overall average: 26.4 Best position: 20th Worst position: 33rd
WR 12: Amari Cooper (DAL)
Overall average: 26.8 Best position: 25th Worst position: 30th
WR 13: Adam Thielen (MIN)
Overall average: 28.2 Best position: 21st Worst position: 32nd
WR 14: Julian Edelman (NE)
Overall average: 33.6 Best position: 27th Worst position: 41st
WR 15: Stefon Diggs (MIN)
Overall average: 34.2 Best position: 29th Worst position: 38th
T-WR 16: WR Robert Woods (LAR)
Overall average: 36.8 Best position: 32nd Worst position: 40th
T-WR 16: Brandin Cooks (LAR)
Overall average: 36.8 Best position: 30th Worst position: 48th
FOURTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 18: Chris Godwin
Overall average: 38.8 Best position: 33rd Worst position: 43rd
WR 19: Kenny Golladay (DET)
Overall average: 44.0 Best position: 40th Worst position: 54th
WR 20: Tyler Lockett (SEA)
Overall average: 46.0 Best position: 39th Worst position: 53rd
WR 21: Cooper Kupp (LAR)
Overall average: 47.6 Best position: 41st Worst position: 55th
FIFTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 22: Calvin Ridley (ATL)
Overall average: 50.6 Best position: 40th Worst position: 57th
WR 23: Tyler Boyd (CIN)
Overall average: 51.0 Best position: 44th Worst position: 54th
WR 24: DJ Moore (CAR)
Overall average: 54.4 Best position: 39th Worst position: 63rd
WR 25: Mike Williams (LAC)
Overall average: 57.4 Best position: 46th Worst position: 69th
WR 26: Alshon Jeffery (PHI)
Overall average: 59.2 Best position: 42nd Worst position: 76th
WR 27: Allen Robinson (CHI)
Overall average: 60.8 Best position: 46th Worst position: 79th
SIXTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 28: AJ Green (CIN)
Overall average: 62.2 Best position: 49th Worst position: 83rd
WR 29: Robby Anderson (NYJ)
Overall average: 62.4 Best position: 53rd Worst position: 76th
WR 30: Christian Kirk (ARI)
Overall average: 66.6 Best position: 60th Worst position: 80th
WR 31: Jarvis Landry (CLE)
Overall average: 72.4 Best position: 65th Worst position: 80th
SEVENTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 32: Dede Westbrook (JAX)
Overall average: 73.2 Best position: 65th Worst position: 84th
WR 33: Sammy Watkins (KC)
Overall average: 76.4 Best position: 55th Worst position: 86th
WR 34: Sterling Shepard (NYG)
Overall average: 81.2 Best position: 64th Worst position: 94th
WR 35: Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)
Overall average: 82.2 Best position: 60th Worst position: 97th
T-WR 36: Curtis Samuel (CAR)
Overall average: 83.6 Best position: 63rd Worst position: 124th
T-WR 36: Will Fuller V (HOU)
Overall average: 83.6 Best position: 69th Worst position: 108th
EIGHTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 38: Marvin Jones Jr. (DET)
Overall average: 87.6 Best position: 77th Worst position: 98th
WR 39: Corey Davis (TEN)
Overall average: 91.8 Best position: 74th Worst position: 122nd
WR 40: Dante Pettis (SF)
Overall average: 92.2 Best position: 78th Worst position: 106th
NINTH-ROUND PICKS:
WR 41: Geronimo Allison (GB)
Overall average: 100.0 Best position: 72nd Worst position: 116th
WR 42: DeSean Jackson (PHI)
Overall average: 102.8 Best position: 68th Worst position: 124th
WR 43: Courtland Sutton (DEN)
Overall average: 104.8 Best position: 85th Worst position: 124th
WR 44: Jamison Crowder (NYJ)
Overall average: 105.0 Best position: 87th Worst position: 123rd
WR 45: Anthony Miller (CHI)
Overall average: 108.2 Best position: 73rd Worst position: 127th
10th-ROUND PICKS:
WR 46: Keke Coutee (HOU)
Overall average: 108.6 Best position: 94th Worst position: 142nd
WR 47: Donte Moncrief (PIT)
Overall average: 110.2 Best position: 103rd Worst position: 128th
WR 48: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB)
Overall average: 115.4 Best position: 89th Worst position: 147th
WR 49: Emmanuel Sanders (DEN)
Overall average: 117.2 Best position: 79th Worst position: 148th
11th-ROUND PICKS:
WR 50: Tyrell Williams (OAK)
Overall average: 122.6 Best position: 107th Worst position: 136th
WR 51: Michael Gallup (DAL)
Overall average: 125.0 Best position: 97th Worst position: 147th
Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 College Football
WR 52: Devin Funchess (IND)
Overall average: 128.6 Best position: 113rd Worst position: 141st
WR 53: DaeSean Hamilton (DEN)
Overall average: 130.0 Best position: 122nd Worst position: 140th
WR 54: Golden Tate (NYG)
Overall average: 132.6 Best position: 115th Worst position: 160th
12th-ROUND PICKS:
WR 55: James Washington (PIT)
Overall average: 137.8 Best position: 106th Worst position: 170th
WR 56: Kenny Stills (MIA)
Overall average: 142.0 Best position: 127th Worst position: 168th
WR 57: John Brown (BUF)
Overall average: 143.4 Best position: 122nd Worst position: 166th
13th-ROUND PICKS:
WR 58: DK Metcalf (SEA)
Overall average: 151.6 Best position: 123rd Worst position: 181st
WR 59: Mohamed Sanu (ATL)
Overall average: 152.0 Best position: 121st Worst position: 185th
14th-ROUND PICKS:
Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Fantasy
WR 60: Albert Wilson (MIA)
Overall average: 160.0 Best position: 130th Worst position: 203rd
THE NEXT THREE WRs:
Parris Campbell (IND), Adam Humphries (TEN), DeVante Parker (MIA)
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In the 2019 regular and postseason, per Pro Football Focus data, slot receivers regardless of position (receivers, running backs, and tight ends) accounted for 32% of all targets, 31.6% of all receptions, 32.3% of all receiving yardage, and 34.3% of all receiving touchdowns. In a league where the three-receiver set is by far the default formation (it happened on 69% of all snaps last season, per Sports Info Solutions), having a versatile and productive slot receiver is an absolute necessity in the modern passing game.
Moreover, there is no one kind of slot receiver in the modern NFL. It used to be that you wanted the shorter, smaller guy inside, and your bigger, more physical receivers on the outside. Then, offensive coaches started to realize that by putting bigger receivers and tight ends in the slot, you could create mismatches with slower linebackers and smaller slot cornerbacks. Teams countered this by acquiring linebackers built like safeties, eager to do more than just chase after run fits, and also by moving their best cornerbacks into the slot in certain situations.
Now that offensive and defensive coaches have worked hard to create as many schematic and personnel ties in the slot as possible, the best slot receivers are the ones who consistently show the ideal characteristics for the position. These receivers know how to exploit defenders who don’t have a boundary to help them — they’ll create inside and outside position to move the defender where they want him to go. They understand the value and precision of the option route, and how you can hang a defender out to dry with a simple “if this/then that” equation based on coverage rules. They know how to work in concert with their outside receivers to create route combinations which create impossible math problems for defenses. And they know how to get open in quick spaces.
But don’t automatically assume that slot receivers are just taking the dink-and-dunk routes — they’re actually tasked to catch everything from quick slants to vertical stuff down the seam and up the numbers. Last season, per PFF data, the NFL average for yards per completion for outside receivers was 11.28. For slot receivers, it was 11.63. So, over time and based on the play design and the makeup of the receivers, teams could find just that many more yards by throwing to their slot targets.
The best slot receivers in the game bring unique and highly valuable traits to the game, and here are the best among them.
Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Roster
More Top 11 lists: Slot defenders Outside cornerbacks Safeties Linebackers Edge defenders Interior defensive linemen Offensive tackles Offensive guards Centers Outside Receivers
Honorable Mentions
Had we dropped the qualifying floor to under 50% slot snaps, two guys would have easily made it — Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, and Baltimore’s Marquise Goodwin. Evans led all slot receivers with at least 25 targets with a passer rating when targeted of 151.3, and Brown was an absolute force against defenses in the slot — especially when he was using his speed in empty formations.
San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel, who was probably the MVP of the first half of Super Bowl LIV before things started to go backward for his team, would have received a mention as well — Samuel had just 33 targets, but caught 28 of them and helped his quarterback to a 135.3 rating when he was targeted in the slot. Kansas City speed receiver Mecole Hardman had just 23 a lot targets, but he was also highly efficient with them, helping his quarterbacks to a 133.9 rating. Though Danny Amendola was the only Lions receiver to make the 50% threshold, both Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay were highly efficient when tasked to move inside. Other former slot stars like Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs and Minnesota’s Adam Thielen saw their roles change more to the outside in 2019 from previous seasons.
Best Fantasy Slot Receivers 2019 Nfl
Of the receivers who actually qualified, Nelson Agholor of the Eagles was quietly efficient and had just two drops in the slot last season — which would go against several memes on the subject. Buffalo’s Cole Beasley just missed the cut, through he was one of several receivers on the Bills’ roster who didn’t always get the accuracy and efficiency they deserved from quarterback Josh Allen. And though Randall Cobb was productive for the Cowboys last season and should be so for the Texans in 2020, his nine drops as a slot man… well, we can only have one guy with nine slot drops on this list. More on that in a minute.
Now, on to the top 11.
Willie Snead IV Julian Edelman Tyler Boyd Jared Cook Golden Tate Keenan Allen Larry Fitzgerald Allen Robinson Cooper Kupp Chris Godwin Tyler Lockett