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Franchises don't often let great players in their prime depart.
That's why none of the names on this list are projected to be a fantasy football WR1 or WR2 in 2024. They aren't cornerstones of an offensive identity. Good isn't great, but there's still real value in some of the guys who changed teams this offseason.
Below, the notable wide receivers donning new jerseys in 2024 are ranked based on their fantasy football value.
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1. Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs
From the East Coast to the desert to the Midwest, you can find Hollywood all over the country.
The 2019 first-round pick has been unable to find a permanent home in the NFL, spending three seasons with his original team, the Baltimore Ravens, before the last two in Arizona. His new one-year deal with the Chiefs may as well read 'For Rent'. Marquise Brown is betting that a season with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football will lead to a lengthier, pricier contract next offseason.
Fantasy managers played the patience game with Brown in 2023. Four straight games with at least 15 PPR fantasy points in Weeks 2-5 were a pleasant surprise while Kyler Murray recovered from his knee injury. Brown then largely disappeared. But he teased his potential and Murray was nearing his return. So we waited. And waited.
When Murray returned in Week 10, we waited some more. Brown tallied three catches combined in Murray's first two games. He did earn the most targets of his season (12) in Week 12. Then, a nagging heel injury knocked him out for the rest of the season. He ended with a career-low mark in receiving yards (574).
Health is part of the reason why Brown hasn't laid down his roots. He's played a full allotment of games in just one of his five seasons (in the COVID-plagued 2020 season no less). It may prevent him from living up to his draft capital.
If he does string together another healthy season, there's no better quarterback to pair up with than Mahomes. The Chiefs were relying on Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson to get open downfield. Brown is several classes above those wideouts as a deep threat but he's established a healthy route tree.
New Chiefs WR Marquise Brown has been a solid zone-beater throughout the course of his career and specializes in intermediate in-breaking routes.
Full #ReceptionPerception profile:https://t.co/tUp7KDKaAk pic.twitter.com/WiGAiawvY3
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) March 15, 2024
As Travis Kelce continues his inevitable decline, other receivers have to step up for Kansas City to continue to be successful. Second-year wideout Rashee Rice is already delivering. Brown should join that club. It won't be flashy all of the time, but you can bet Mahomes brings the spotlight back to Hollywood on more than one occasion.
2. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears
Just a few months ago, there was a real debate about whether the Bears should keep Justin Fields and trade the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Every move they've made since the season ended (including trading Fields himself) showed that Chicago was always going to select Caleb Williams.
One of those moves was the trade for the best wide receiver in Chargers franchise history, Keenan Allen. He is one of the greats of this generation and will provide a steady, veteran presence for Williams as he learns what it takes to play quarterback in the NFL.
But Andrew! You said at the beginning of the article that franchises keep great players!
That's true, which is why the Chargers held onto Allen for a decade. He represents an interesting case due to his age and blunders made by a previous general manager. The Chargers couldn't bring all of their hefty contracts into the new year. Team brass restructured the contracts of their star pass-rushers, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, while letting go of their wideouts. The transactions also represent how new coach Jim Harbaugh wants to play: with a tough defense and ground-and-pound running game.
Allen was pacing for the best season of his career before a heel injury ended his year. He fell short of his best marks for receiving yards and touchdowns but did finish with 108 receptions, a career high. He's not showing any signs of slowing down as he nears his 32nd birthday.
R U SERIOUS KEENAN?
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/nSmXEEfIEf
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) November 7, 2023
Allen joins D.J. Moore, last year's WR6, in the wide receiver room. Historically, Allen is more consistent with his numbers than his new teammate but Moore's never played with a quarterback like Philip Rivers or Justin Herbert. Why can't he transform into a weekly guarantee with a pure passing quarterback under center?
Williams has been labeled as a can't-miss prospect since his days at Oklahoma. That doesn't mean he will support two top-24 wide receivers in his debut season. Just once since 2013 has a rookie done enough to push two wideouts into a top-30 finish in PPR formats (Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd with Joe Burrow in 2020). C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell would have likely gotten there last season if not for Dell's injury.
Still, that's a small number for a relatively large sample size. If Williams can match what Rookie of the Year Stroud did last season, then Allen and Moore will shine. That's a big ask, seeing as Stroud led the entire league with 273.9 passing yards per game. However, Chicago is not your typical top-selection team. They have pieces of a winning football team and only are picking 1.01 because of Carolina.
With his wealth of NFL knowledge and crisp underneath routes, anticipating Allen to be the top option for Williams early in the season isn't outlandish. Just don't expect the Keenan Allen of Los Angeles in the Windy City. He'll be a high-end WR3 and could sneak into the WR2 range this summer.
3. Mike Williams, New York Jets
In an early-season episode of "The Office," Steve Carell’s Michael Scott attempts to resolve a conflict where everyone wins, including himself for solving the dispute. A win, win, win. The New York Jets are a winner in the signing of Mike Williams. Williams is a winner himself. There’s a third party involved and the Jets and Williams don’t care that they’re winners. Fantasy managers have to be happy with this addition.
The Jets were desperate for a reliable WR2 opposite of Garrett Wilson. Allen Lazard was a healthy scratch late in the season and Mecole Hardman Jr. was released after one reception. Undrafted rookie Xavier Gipson finished the year as a starter. New York remains all-in on 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers. Adding another piece in the passing game was essential.
What does Mike Williams still do well? That's tough to say as he enters his age-30 season recovering from a torn ACL. Add the season-ending injury to a laundry list of other ailments and it's reasonable to believe that Williams will lose some of his all-world athleticism. Historically, he's relied on that and his 6-foot-4 frame to win contested catches. He's never been one to separate himself from defenders easily.
Mike Will score the TD ‼️ @darealmike_dub
📺: #MIAvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Fjz0sbDEsG pic.twitter.com/aJSY28EUpi— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2022
His new quarterback is one of the most precise passers in NFL history. Again, assuming age hasn't removed his abilities, he'll place several red-zone passes where only Williams can jump up and get. If the Jets don't draft another receiver early in the NFL Draft, Williams will average the second-most targets per game for Gang Green. Like another receiver above him on this list, his play hinges on health. The former first-round pick hasn't played a full season since 2018.
4. Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers set up Bryce Young with aging veteran Adam Thielen, injury-prone D.J. Chark, and second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo for his rookie season. It's no wonder why Young is being labeled as a bust after one year.
New head coach Dave Canales brings a new offense to Charlotte and he'll have a new toy to better implement his vision. Diontae Johnson unquestionably becomes the best receiver for the Panthers. But he may represent the 'good not great' mantra more than anybody on this list.
In Ben Roethlisberger's final season, Johnson logged his first and only 100-catch, 1,000-yard campaign en route to the WR8 finish. He consistently got open both underneath and downfield. When Kenny Pickett took over, his production faltered. He's averaged the 39th-most fantasy points per game in each of the last two seasons. Touchdown regression was to blame in 2022. Injuries and continued poor quarterback play were the problems in 2023.
Another former first overall pick in Baker Mayfield enjoyed the best season of his career with Canales calling the shots last season. Tampa Bay, however, rosters Chris Godwin and future Hall of Famer, Mike Evans. Both are noticeably better at their craft than Johnson. Young should improve with Canales at the helm and Johnson running routes, but it may not be enough for Johnson to be a weekly starter for fantasy football.
It would also be somewhat surprising if the Panthers don't select a receiver with their second-round pick (33rd overall). Johnson doesn't solve the entire problem plaguing the Panthers' passing game.
Regardless of what happens in late April, the Carolina offense will still be projected as one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2024. Johnson will be better suited in PPR formats as his target numbers will surely reach the mid-100s. His touchdown numbers (even excluding the scoreless campaign) don't reflect those of an elite receiver. Depending on him getting open in the end zone plus Young making the connection aren't odds I like to take.
5. Curtis Samuel, Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs pulled a Houdini at the end of the 2023 season. Gabe Davis ghosted the Buffalo offense even more than his counterpart. It was time for some fresh faces in the wide receiver room. Enter Swiss army knife wideout Curtis Samuel.
Curtis Samuel averaged 9.08 mph within the first second of his routes in 2023 (i.e., his "burst"), 3rd-quickest in the NFL (min. 300 routes).
Bills wide receivers averaged a 7.95 mph burst last season, 29th in the NFL (Gabe Davis: 8.25 mph; Stefon Diggs: 7.73 mph).#BillsMafia https://t.co/e43I5ts3Hb pic.twitter.com/QpLyvvGO2G
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 14, 2024
Josh Allen immediately becomes the best quarterback that Samuel has played with in his NFL career. The best season of his career (77 catches, 851 yards) came primarily with Teddy Bridgewater under center. His other quarterbacks? The final Carolina seasons for Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, and Taylor Heinicke, and the Washington version of Carson Wentz, and Sam Howell.
Although his rushing opportunities took a dip in 2023, Samuel remained consistent through the air. His 2022 and 2023 receiving stat lines were nearly identical but his carry count was slashed. Buffalo hasn’t utilized its wide receivers in that fashion under this regime. Isaiah McKenzie logged 10, 10, and nine carries from 2020 to 2022. His replacement in the offense when he departed for Indianapolis, Deonte Harty, rushed four times in 2023.
Samuel fits that mold, but are a healthy amount of carries in his immediate future? Offensive coordinator Joe Brady worked with Samuel in Carolina in 2020. That season, Samuel was given a career-high mark in carries and rushing yards. He lined up in the backfield for over 10 percent of his snaps.
Samuel most often lines up in the slot. 404 of his 571 offensive snaps in Washington last season were inside. Khalil Shakir was the primary Z receiver in Buffalo and he’s not going anywhere. Mack Hollins was also signed by the Bills this offseason. He’s an outside receiver best known for his run-blocking prowess. With tight end Dalton Kincaid also in the fold, there aren’t enough snaps for the whole lot. Shakir may be the odd man out in base sets, but he’ll be involved in the offense. Josh Allen trusts him.
The Bills may also select their next WR1 in the NFL Draft in April. Diggs has allegedly been waffling in his commitment to the organization and he’ll turn 31 midway through next season. If it comes to fruition, an addition through the draft and subtraction of Diggs would boost Samuel’s current WR4/5 value. If nothing else changes, he’ll be a double-digit round pick with the potential to move up a tier should Buffalo take advantage of Samuel’s rushing abilities.
6. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans
General manager Ran Carthon is making amends for the mistakes made by his predecessor. The old regime traded away Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Brown because they didn't want to pay him 20 million dollars per year. The replacement the team selected, Treylon Burks, hasn't panned out. It's forced Carthon to acquire both DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley, the latter being paid the 20+ million dollars that they didn't give to Brown.
At the very least, the Titans aren't evaluating Will Levis without a strong supporting cast. Between Hopkins, Ridley, Burks, Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tony Pollard, and Tyjae Spears, they'll learn quickly whether Levis is the face of the franchise or not. Therein lies one of the bigger issues with Ridley for the 2024 season. Levis exploded for four passing touchdowns in his NFL debut. He combined for the same number of scores in the next seven starts with two games over 250 passing yards.
Three of those four touchdowns (and six of his eight total) were caught by Hopkins. The other was snagged by defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. While the talent opposite Hopkins was lacking, Levis was not supporting a second receiver. Hopkins himself was a fringe WR3 during the rookie's starting tenure.
Ridley cobbled together 1,000 yards in his lone season in Jacksonville but it wasn't pretty. His average separation (2.3 yards) was among the worst for qualified wideouts and he saw 22.6% of the targets. That's not a terrible number, but top receivers earn at least a quarter of their team's attempts. The Jaguars rarely schemed to get the ball into Ridley's hands. Instead, they routinely sent him sprinting downfield.
New Tennessee coach Brian Callahan, an offensive-minded leader, is sure to be smarter about using the prized addition. But there's still an obvious downgrade in quarterback talent between Trevor Lawrence and Levis. Both Tennessee receivers will be in the WR3 range once the 2024 rookie class finds their homes.
7. Gabe Davis, Jacksonville Jaguars
Gabe Davis is not a one-to-one replacement for Calvin Ridley in the Jacksonville offense. They planned to add Davis while retaining Ridley. Instead, Ridley listened to the sound of the Brink's trucks rolling up to his driveway.
Davis is one of the best deep threats in football, averaging 16.7 yards per reception through his first four seasons. His old quarterback, Josh Allen, never turned down the chance to toss a deep pass. Trevor Lawrence, while slightly more accurate with his long balls, didn't attempt as many shots in 2023.
The 136 targets vacated by Ridley won't all be going to Davis. His career-best mark is 93 targets in 2022. Christian Kirk will be the target hog in 2024, followed by Evan Engram. Zay Jones will get his piece of the pie as well.
Davis has never finished better than the WR36 in any of his four seasons. He'll be viewed even lower (WR4/5 range) when most seasonal drafts take place in August. Managers hope they can figure out the algorithm that tells us when to place him in starting lineups. As always, he's a terrific option in best ball formats where managers can afford the inevitable goose egg that Davis will produce.
8. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons
Darnell Mooney is arriving in Atlanta as a better wideout than his 2023 stat line suggests. The former fifth-round pick tallied 31 receptions, 414 yards, and one touchdown in 14 games, all career lows and a far cry from his 81-catch, 1,055-yard 2021 campaign. The arrival of D.J. Moore and the emergence of tight end Cole Kmet in Chicago relegated Mooney to third on an offense that ran the football more than they passed.
Unfortunately, the fit in his new offense may be similar to the one he just left. Drake London is the bona fide WR1. Kyle Pitts, although he’s been a mild disappointment, should be the second option. Kirk Cousins has historically been great for tight ends on his roster. T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Reed enjoyed career years with Cousins under center. Last season, over a quarter of Cousins' attempts went to tight ends. That ranked fifth in the NFL. Rondale Moore was also added to the wide receiver room this offseason.
So:
RB: Bijan Robinson
X: Drake London
Z: Darnell Mooney
Slot: Rondale Moore
TE: Kyle PittsI like it. https://t.co/WCvA8FwBX5
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) March 14, 2024
The new offense in Atlanta under Zac Robinson will be similar to the one Cousins piloted in Minnesota. Both Robinson and Kevin O'Connell are branches of the Sean McVay coaching tree.
Consider Mooney a poor man's version of Jordan Addison. Seven of Mooney's 31 catches gained at least 20 yards. Just under a fifth of Addison's 108 targets were of the deep variety. Mooney's stock increases in his new city but has a ways to go before he's viewed as a reliable fantasy asset.
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