Fantasy Football Rankings 2021: Rookie wide receivers and dynasty
By Drew DeLuca
2021 Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings: Honorable Mentions
None of the players in this tier are elite wide receiver prospects, but each one has his share of fans in several communities of NFL scouts, draft analysts, and fantasy football experts. We begin with Amon-Ra St. Brown, a 5-11, 197-pound master of the wide receiving craft from USC.
The younger brother of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, Amon-Ra has played an integral role in the Trojans’ offense since his freshman year. A solid prospect with advanced route-running skills for an underclassman, St. Brown has captured the attention of many over the last few seasons and will be on the mind of scouts and analysts as early as Day 2 during the 2021 NFL Draft Day.
We’re higher than most on Amari Rodgers (5-9.5, 212 pounds), who overcame an ACL injury and enjoyed a breakout season at Clemson in one of the perennially most difficult lineups for a college wide receiver to crack as a starter. He’s not especially fast or tall, but the 2020 Biletnikoff Award semifinalist is a skilled route runner who should excel in the slot at the next level.
North Carolina’s Dyami Brown, according to Pro Football Focus, ranked first in the nation in receptions (15), yards (606), and touchdowns (8) on “go routes” since 2019. Brown may not be the fastest deep specialist in the draft, but his size (6-1, 185 pounds) and ability to make sensational catches has commanded the attention of many NFL scouts and fantasy football experts alike.
In fact, his impressive recent workouts and eye-popping film reel have caused him to creep up the rankings of many analysts and draft experts in recent weeks. In a New York Post interview, the ubiquitous Mel Kiper Jr. named Brown as a potential first-round surprise in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
Few high-profile prospects suffered more from poor quarterback play in college than Michigan’s Nico Collins, who was forced to serve time as a leading receiver in an offense led by Shea Patterson for much of his career. Collins, who opened the eyes of many during his Pro Day workouts this offseason, is one of our favorite sleepers entering the 2021 NFL Draft; we expect him to be a Day 2 pick at worst, and see him as a potential fantasy football star in the right situation.
Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace frequents the top 10 of most experts’ rankings, including our own, and deservedly so. After bouncing back from an ACL tear suffered in October 2019, Wallace put together an impressive 2020 highlight reel, and again finished one of the best outside wide receivers in college football, per PFF: since 2018, Wallace graded out as the nation’s top wide receiver when lined up outside, ahead of DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase, and Rashod Bateman.