Week 1 is here after seven long, cold months. Ian Hartitz ranks his top 60 receivers for the opener, sorts them into seven tiers, and stops at the end of every tier for a bigger question about the position. QB, RB, WR and TE ranks and tiers, every single week.
Week 1 is here after seven long, cold months. Ian Hartitz ranks his top 60 receivers for the opener, sorts them into seven tiers, and stops at the end of every tier for a bigger question about the position. QB, RB, WR and TE ranks and tiers, every single week.
TIER 1: THE BIG FOUR
Puka Nacua, Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Key question: was 2025 an outlier year for JSN? He took 35.8% of his team's targets in the games he played; the only other receiver to clear 35% in a decade was 2017 DeAndre Hopkins at 35.3%. He also commanded 49.4% of Seattle's air yards, past 2022 DJ Moore's 47.9% 10-year high. Klint Kubiak is gone and Rashid Shaheed has a full offseason in, so the share can come down without the player falling far.
TIER 2: BADASS WR1s
A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Nico Collins, Justin Jefferson, Chris Olave, DeVonta Smith, Drake London, Malik Nabers.
Key question: which Week 1 matchups profile as back-and-forth shootouts? Ian wants a total of 48 or better with a spread inside six: 49ers at Rams (LAR -3.5, 48.5), Buccaneers at Bengals (CIN -3.5, 50.5), Saints at Lions (DET -7, 49.5) and Cowboys at Giants (DAL -2.5, 48.5). The Nabers workload is the open question, though releasing Darius Slayton reads as a good sign against last year's 32nd-ranked defense versus receivers.
TIER 3: STARTING WITH CONFIDENCE
George Pickens, Tee Higgins, Jaylen Waddle, Ladd McConkey, Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, Davante Adams, Mike Evans.
Key question: which receivers have the best and worst early-season schedules? Best rooms through four weeks: Eagles, Saints, Ravens, Giants, Jets, which lifts Dontayvion Wicks, Devaughn Vele, Rashod Bateman, Malachi Fields and Adonai Mitchell. Toughest: Buccaneers, Jaguars, Bears, Steelers, Lions.
TIER 4: THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN
Tetairoa McMillan, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Christian Watson, Parker Washington, DJ Moore, Emeka Egbuka, Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, Terry McLaurin.
Key question: what are the key Week 1 injuries at receiver? The Bears secondary McMillan draws is banged up everywhere: corners Kyler Gordon (calf, PUP), Jaylon Jones (IR), Jaylon Johnson (arm) and Tyrique Stevenson, plus safeties Coby Bryant (knee, IR) and Xavier Woods. Ian runs the full league-wide list and is most worried about Rome Odunze, who did not practice Monday.
TIER 5: FLEX PLAYS YOU SHOULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT
Chris Godwin, Quentin Johnston, Jayden Reed, Stefon Diggs, Marvin Harrison Jr., DK Metcalf, Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr., Jordan Addison.
Key question: who were the best and worst teams against slot receivers last season? The five worst were the Bears, 49ers, Colts, Commanders and Cowboys, which is good news for T-Mac and Jalen Coker, Puka, a Zay Flowers breakout, DeVonta Smith and Nabers. The five best: Vikings, Eagles, Falcons, Browns, Saints.
TIER 6: WE'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE
KC Concepcion, De'Zhaun Stribling, Carnell Tate, Matthew Golden, Michael Wilson, Courtland Sutton, Jalen Coker, Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman.
Key question: can Michael Wilson keep getting away with it in 2026? He was the WR4 in PPR points per game from Week 8 on at 18.6, and only Puka outscored him over the last eight weeks. The case against: 0.67 yards per route run, dead last, in the eight games Marvin Harrison played 70% of snaps, against 2.33 and 12th with Harrison out. His 57.6 PPR points while trailing by three-plus scores is the highest of any receiver in five years.
TIER 7: WR5 LONGSHOTS
Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Rashid Shaheed, Wan'Dale Robinson, Devaughn Vele, Romeo Doubs, Khalil Shakir, Xavier Worthy, Makai Lemon, Rashod Bateman, Denzel Boston, Tre Harris.
Key question: which receivers have full-time roles and are dirt cheap in DFS? Under $4,000 on DraftKings: Rashod Bateman ($3,900), Tre Harris ($3,800), Jahan Dotson ($3,700), Jaylin Noel ($3,600), Devaughn Vele ($3,500), Chris Bell ($3,200) and Caleb Douglas ($3,000). Vele is the one Ian is most pumped about.
Full rankings, tiers and the Injury Report are all in the draft kit, linked at the top. Promo code IAN35 takes 35% off.
Timestamps:
0:00 The plan and the seven questions
0:31 Tier 1: The big four
1:16 Key question: was 2025 an outlier year for JSN
2:57 Tier 2: Badass WR1s
7:01 Key question: which Week 1 matchups profile as shootouts
7:51 Tier 3: Starting with confidence
12:17 Key question: the best and worst early-season schedules
14:02 Tier 4: There's just a little bit of concern
18:41 Key question: the Week 1 injuries to watch at receiver
19:24 Tier 5: FLEX plays you should feel good about
22:47 Key question: the best and worst teams against slot receivers
23:56 Tier 6: We're saying there's a chance
26:40 Key question: can Michael Wilson keep getting away with it
28:54 Tier 7: WR5 longshots
31:41 Key question: full-time roles that are dirt cheap in DFS
34:00 Wrapping up