The top 24 scoring WR’s in 2019, as with other positions, contains a lot of names that you would have expected at the start of the season (in this article we will look at 1-12). But how did they get there and how what does their early outlook for 2020 look like?
For the purposes of this article, we are going to use the scoring in the default version of the Stats Database (0.5 PPR). That is available in our shop. Remember if you want to chat about any of the player values for next year- reach out! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #1 Michael Thomas
Receiving Stats: 149 recs, 1,725 yards, 9 TDs
Michael Thomas was the standout receiver this season, with a clear gap between him and the WR2. Thomas broke the NFL record for receptions, in a season that Drew Brees was forced to miss significant time.
2020 Outlook: Thomas is probably the most talented receiver in the league. There is nothing he can’t do. With Drew Brees returning, Thomas should again be a top WR.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #2 Chris Godwin
Receiving Stats: 86 recs, 1,339 yards, 9 TDs
Godwin broke out last season in a big way, picking up a lot of fantasy fans along the way (due to the draft capital that was needed to pick up the WR2). Godwin excelled as the slot receiver in the Bruce Arians system, something he is likely to be used in again.
2020 Outlook: Under Jameis Winston, the offense was firing, as one of the biggest risk-takers in the league. With the team now bringing in Tom Brady as their QB, the team could be hampered by his (apparent) lack of arm talent. Regardless, Godwin‘s role in the offense is highly important to the offense and he should have an effective season.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #3 Julio Jones
Receiving Stats: 99 recs, 1,394 yards, 6 TDs
Julio Jones is a constant at the top of the league in WR scoring each season. Every season you just hope for him to start scoring more TDs and become truly elite, but again Jones was an effective fantasy weapon
2020 Outlook: Jones now has Calvin Ridley on the other side of the field, who impressed in parts last season, but Jones will still be the lead receiver in Atlanta and be a top WR next season
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #4 Cooper Kupp
Receiving Stats: 94 recs, 1,161 yards, 10 TDs
Kupp finishing in the top 5 at the position just proves the size of his big games, as there was a whole stretch of games where he did nothing for your team.
2020 Outlook: Kupp was part of an offense that took a step back last season, but he had flashes of brilliance. However, despite that the inconsistency he showed in the season makes it hard to draft him confidently.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #5 Kenny Golladay
Receiving Stats: 65 recs, 1,190 yards, 11 TDs
Golladay finished towards the top of the position in scoring due to his ability to catch touchdowns, leading the league in TD receptions last season.
2020 Outlook: Golladay had a great season, despite having to deal with backups QBs last season, with Matthew Stafford missing time through injury. Golladay is likely to have touchdown regression next season, but should still be a top WR option.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #6 DeAndre Hopkins
Receiving Stats: 104 recs, 1,165 yards, 7 TDs
Hopkins had a tough start to the season, leading to some early trades of him in some leagues, but rebounded well to finish towards the top of the league again.
2020 Outlook: Hopkins outlook for next season should still be positive as a potential lead scorer at the position. However, his trade to Arizona clouds the likelihood of that as his role in the offense isn’t really known yet.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #7 DeVante Parker
Receiving Stats: 72 recs, 1,202 yards, 9 TDs
Just when I thought I was out on Parker he has a season like this. Parker flourished with new coaching but benefitted from a lack of competition at the position and a lot of garbage time through the season.
2020 Outlook: Parker had a great season, but any WR that is relying on Ryan Fitzpatrick to be consistent is hard to trust. Combine that with the return of Preston Williams who was a good performance last season, and a potential rookie QB- it’s hard to trust Parker as a top option for next season.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #8 Keenan Allen
Receiving Stats: 104 recs, 1,199 yards, 6 TDs
Allen used to be the perfect receiver for fantasy owners, had the occasional big game, but rarely had a bad one. Last season, however, that wasn’t the case. He continued to have great games, but his bad ones really sunk fantasy owners.
2020 Outlook: The Chargers decided to let their long time QB Phillip Rivers leave last season, and currently that position is yet to be filled. With Mike Williams, Hunter Henry and Austin Ekeler all commanding targets too, Allen could struggle to get the receptions he needs to be a fantasy star.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #9 Amari Cooper
Receiving Stats: 79 recs, 1,189 yards, 8 TDs
Cooper may have changed teams, but the same inconsistency mired his season. He had some incredible games but had so many bust games at the end of the season- which will leave a bad taste in the mouth for many fantasy owners.
2020 Outlook: Cooper has returned for another season with Dallas, surrounded by the same talent as last season. However, the constant inconsistency means that he is a hard player to trust as your lead receiver.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #10 Allen Robinson
Receiving Stats: 98 recs, 1,147 yards, 7 TDs
Robinson had a crazy amount of targets last season, but unfortunately, they came from the wildly inaccurate Mitch Trubisky. Despite that, the opportunities led to his fantasy performances.
2020 Outlook: The team clearly decided they needed to make a change at QB, with the team making a move and signing Nick Foles. With an effective QB, if Robinson gets a similar target volume he could be a great option for next season.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #11 Julian Edelman
Receiving Stats: 100 recs, 1,117 yards, 6 TDs
Edelman was a great WR again for fantasy owners until the playoffs where his season fell apart. Edelman has long been the favored target of Tom Brady, which shows in the number of receptions he managed to get.
2020 Outlook: Until New England decide what they are going to do at the QB position, Edelman‘s value will be unknown. If the team brings in a veteran then he should be in line for another good season.
2019 Top 24 WR’s 1-12: #12 Mike Evans
Receiving Stats: 67 recs, 1,157 yards, 8 TDs
Evans and Godwin flipped and flopped all season as the WR1 for Tampa Bay last season. Evans started the season badly and had a few games where he struggled, but his big games helped catapult him to the top of the league in scoring.
2020 Outlook: Tom Brady has always managed to utilize the talent around him, and Evans‘ big body should enable Brady the opportunity to score red-zone touchdowns in the WR-friendly offense in Tampa.
Image credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
