It’s officially summertime, which means NFL training camps are in full swing and important depth chart battles have begun. With the fantasy football draft season here, you need the 411 on which camp battles are the most important to monitor across the NFL.
In an effort to help educate you, the fantasy football fanatic, I’ll be researching the most important camp competitions at each of the four major offensive skill positions ahead of 2024 fantasy drafts: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.
In this article, I’ll focus on the wideouts.
Before we get started, I want to point out that not all of these battles are for depth chart positioning. Instead, some will delve into target share competitions because the players are already locked into their roles. For example, the Chicago Bears will start DJ Moore and Rome Odunze on the outside and Keenan Allen in the slot. All three will compete for looks in the pass attack, but there’s no real competition for the depth chart status.
In order to see what Vegas thinks about some of these notable wideout battles, I’ve also included receiving yardage leader odds for some players, according to DraftKings.
Bears: DJ Moore vs. Keenan Allen vs. Rome Odunze
The Bears have one heck of a wideout trio after trading for Allen and drafting Odunze. As I stated earlier, all three are set in terms of their roles, though Moore and Allen can play both out wide and on the inside. Vegas likes Moore (+2200) to lead the team in receiving yards, slightly ahead of Allen (+3000) and further ahead of Odunze (+5000). ADP data over the National Fantasy Football Championships agrees with this order, as Moore (30), Allen (62) and Odunze (94.5) are coming off the board one after the other. While Odunze might seem like the best value, I like Allen the most of the three based on his current ADP.
Texans: Nico Collins vs. Stefon Diggs vs. Tank Dell
The Texans are absolutely loaded at wide receiver, which could make Collins, Diggs and Dell less reliable for fantasy fans than last season. Collins is tied for 10th among wideouts in terms of yardage odds at +2000, with Diggs just behind him at +2200. Dell trails them both at +4000. In terms of Offensive Player of the Year odds, Collins and Diggs are both at +6000. Average draft position data mirrors these odds, as Collins (24.7) is coming off the board first, with Diggs around 14 spots behind him. Dell, the clear third option in the odds and in fantasy football, is being drafted at 55.5. I have Collins ranked the highest of the trio too, but it would be a shock to no one if Diggs led the Texans in targets. Regardless, how those opportunities are split up could be difficult to decipher on a weekly basis.
Chargers: Ladd McConkey vs. Josh Palmer vs. Quentin Johnston
The Chargers are likely set in their top three wideouts, as Palmer and Johnston will man the perimeter while McConkey starts in the slot. D.J. Chark is also in the mix, but he’s fourth for now. McConkey is at +7000 to win the receiving title, with Palmer (+8000) a close second and Johnston (+15000) further down the board. ADP reflects these odds, with the rookie at 104 … nearly 50 spots ahead of Palmer. I’m already on board with McConkey as one of my sleeper wide receivers to target, and he can be had as a WR3/flex in drafts. Palmer might end up being the best bargain, but I’m out on Johnston until the very late rounds (at best).
Chiefs: Rashee Rice vs. Hollywood Brown vs. Xavier Worthy
Despite the fact that Rice (68.4) has a potential suspension hanging over his head, he’s still the top Chiefs wideout coming off the board based on NFFC ADP data. Brown (75.9) and Worthy (111.8) follow him, and the rookie could be a steal if Rice is forced to miss extended time. In the wagering world, Brown (+4000) is the favorite in terms of yardage with both Rice and Worthy at +5000. It’s tough to prognosticate this situation until we know the status of Rice, but at this point he’s still the fantasy favorite in terms of ADP data.
Packers: Jayden Reed vs. Romeo Doubs vs. Dontayvion Wicks
The Packers have plenty of talent at receiver, but who will be the most valuable in fantasy action? I’m going with Reed, who was a league winner at the end of last season and is a lock to remain the slot man. I see Watson as locked in as a perimeter starter, at least as long as he can avoid injuries, so who between Doubs and Wicks will emerge? Both are at +8000 in terms of receiving yards, but Doubs is being drafted a full three rounds ahead of Wicks. To me, I’d rather take the value and wait on Wicks as a WR5 with upside.
Panthers: Adam Thielen vs. Xavier Legette vs. Jonathan Mingo
There’s no question Diontae Johnson will lead this team in targets, but the next receivers in line in terms of targets are in question. Legette projects as the other starter on the outside, while Thielen mans the slot. Thielen is at +8000 in receiving yardage odds, with Legette at +10000 and Mingo (+20000) a distant third among the trio. That’s also the order of things based on ADP data, with Thielen coming in at 162.3 and Legette at 175.4. Thielen, the WR17 last season, could be a decent bargain. Even Johnson is coming off the board at 87 overall, which could make him a nice value as well as a No. 3 wide receiver or flex option.
Bills: Keon Coleman vs. Curtis Samuel vs. Khalil Shakir
The Bills receivers are almost completely different compared to last season. Stefon Diggs is gone, while the team signed Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and drafted Keon Coleman. Samuel and the rookie will start on the perimeter, with incumbent Khali Shakir in the slot. Coleman has the best odds in terms of receiving yards at +8000, while Samuel is +12000. Surprisingly, Vegas currently likes Shakir (+10000) more than Samuel. None of the receivers are being drafted in the top 100, however, as Coleman leads them all at 117. The player we might be undervaluing is Shakir, who has a higher ADP (by around seven spots based on NFFC data) than Samuel, who is seen as a popular fantasy sleeper.
Colts: Adonai Mitchell vs. Alec Pierce
Michael Pittman Jr. is the alpha wideout on the Colts roster, and Josh Downs is locked in as the main slot man. That leaves the second perimeter receiver spot open for either Mitchell or Pierce to grab. The rookie is the favorite based on the Vegas odds (he’s at +12000 based on yardage, while Pierce has no odds), and it’s not even close when it comes to the NFFC ADP data where Mitchell has a massive lead of 147 spots. With that said, Mitchell needs to perform well in camp to hold off the veteran and be worth a late pick in redrafts.
Patriots: Ja’Lynn Polk vs. Kendrick Bourne vs. Demario Douglas
The Patriots wide receiver depth chart looks to be wide open. Polk and Bourne look like the favorites to start on the perimeter, with Douglas in the slot. The rookie and Douglas come in at +12000 in terms of the yardage odds, with Bourne second at +15000. Javon Baker, who has had some buzz this offseason, is a distant fourth at +25000. The ADP data likes Douglas most, but only by about two rounds ahead of Polk. I’m going with Polk to lead this team in most receiving (and fantasy stats), but things are very much up in the air.
Giants: Wan’Dale Robinson vs. Jalin Hyatt vs. Darius Slayton
The Giants drafted LSU’s Malik Nabers, who is a virtual lock to lead their team in targets as a rookie. Behind him, Slayton and Hyatt will battle for the second perimeter spot. The latter has more favorable odds in terms of receiving yards, with Robinson, the slot man, third. I prefer the upside of Hyatt to Slayton, Allen Robinson or Isaiah Hodgins, but all three of them are being picked ahead of him, on average, based on NFFC ADP data.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fantasy Football Training Camp Battles: Wide Receivers.
