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If running backs are top-heavy and tight ends are in short supply, wide receivers are the all-you-can-eat buffet of the century. The position is insanely deep and not particularly top-heavy, meaning you can find starters you'll feel good about with plenty of your picks.

All the more reason to focus on other positions early on. Hint hint.

College football has spawned so many exciting new receivers, and they're adapting to the pro game faster than their predecessors. Not that their more recent predecessors are getting pushed out the door -- plenty of really good veterans are still big-time factors.

But if we're looking for 15 PPR points per week from a starting Fantasy receiver, we should be able to find someone who has the outlook to deliver it pretty easily. On average, 25.9 wide receivers averaged 15 PPR points per week in 2020. On a per-person basis, 17 receivers averaged 15 PPR points per game and another 15 averaged between 13 and 14.9.

Make no mistake, receivers are safe. That's why it's understandable to go after these guys with, say, two of your first four picks. These pass catchers tend to stay healthier than their running back counterparts and can provide some good consistency. Plus the game is changing in their favor -- teams are passing more and the league is loaded with exciting quarterbacks. 

But as has been the case for a few years, offenses are employing more spread formations, meaning that wide receiver target shares are getting watered down a little. Maybe that changes as the league moves to a 17-game slate, but it's unlikely to alter anything greatly.

The rush to draft running backs early will push some great values into your face at receiver. Take advantage. You should feel comfortable drafting anyone into the sixth tier, or Round 7, as a startable part of your lineup. You might even feel OK with a couple of other receivers you'll find one round later. And even if you don't, there are always players out there, both later on Draft Day and on the waiver wire, who should at least provide a floor of 10 PPR points. 

But even if that makes you nervous, you could always choose just enough wide receivers from the first five tiers to cover your league's lineup requirements. Chase a couple of other receivers later, namely, those who you believe can pick up at least six targets per game and/or have early-season breakout potential (good role, good quarterback, friendly schedule).

DAVE'S FAVORITE STRATEGY: Bake your receiver picks into your strategies at other positions. Don't force yourself to take one when there's a better value at running back or tight end early on. Assume you'll be able to find a receiver you'll like until you get to Round 8. 

Wide receiver PPR tiers (updated 9/1)

Rounds 1-2
First Tier
D. Adams LV Davante Adams LV
T. Hill MIA Tyreek Hill MIA
Rounds 1-2
First Tier, Part Deux
S. Diggs HOU Stefon Diggs HOU
C. Ridley TEN Calvin Ridley TEN
D. Hopkins TEN DeAndre Hopkins TEN
A. Brown PHI A.J. Brown PHI
D. Metcalf SEA DK Metcalf SEA
K. Allen CHI Keenan Allen CHI
J. Jefferson MIN Justin Jefferson MIN
Round 3
Second Tier
A. Robinson PIT Allen Robinson PIT
R. Woods HOU Robert Woods HOU
T. McLaurin WAS Terry McLaurin WAS
C. Lamb DAL CeeDee Lamb DAL
C. Godwin TB Chris Godwin TB
Round 4
Third Tier
T. Lockett SEA Tyler Lockett SEA
A. Cooper CLE Amari Cooper CLE
D. Johnson CAR Diontae Johnson CAR
C. Kupp LAR Cooper Kupp LAR
J. Jones PHI Julio Jones PHI
M. Evans TB Mike Evans TB
Round 5
Fourth Tier
J. Jeudy CLE Jerry Jeudy CLE
B. Aiyuk SF Brandon Aiyuk SF
J. Chase CIN Ja'Marr Chase CIN
T. Boyd CIN Tyler Boyd CIN
T. Higgins CIN Tee Higgins CIN
D. Moore CHI D.J. Moore CHI
Round 6
Fifth Tier
A. Thielen CAR Adam Thielen CAR
C. Claypool MIA Chase Claypool MIA
C. Anderson MIA Chosen Anderson MIA
J. Smith-Schuster NE JuJu Smith-Schuster NE
C. Sutton DEN Courtland Sutton DEN
Round 7
Sixth Tier
K. Golladay NYG Kenny Golladay NYG
A. Brown TB Antonio Brown TB
D. Smith PHI DeVonta Smith PHI
O. Beckham Jr. BAL Odell Beckham Jr. BAL
J. Waddle MIA Jaylen Waddle MIA
Rounds 8-9
High-end backups
J. Meyers LV Jakobi Meyers LV
L. Shenault Jr. SEA Laviska Shenault Jr. SEA
M. Thomas NO Michael Thomas NO
M. Jones DET Marvin Jones DET
M. Callaway PIT Marquez Callaway PIT
D. Chark CAR D.J. Chark CAR
B. Cooks DAL Brandin Cooks DAL
D. Mooney ATL Darnell Mooney ATL
C. Davis NYJ Corey Davis NYJ
M. Brown KC Marquise Brown KC
W. Fuller MIA Will Fuller MIA
M. Hardman KC Mecole Hardman KC
E. Moore CLE Elijah Moore CLE
M. Pittman IND Michael Pittman IND
D. Samuel SF Deebo Samuel SF
Rounds 10-11
Solid backups
H. Ruggs III LV Henry Ruggs III LV
J. Landry NO Jarvis Landry NO
C. Samuel BUF Curtis Samuel BUF
P. Campbell PHI Parris Campbell PHI
M. Gallup DAL Michael Gallup DAL
M. Williams NYJ Mike Williams NYJ
B. Edwards NO Bryan Edwards NO
R. Moore ATL Rondale Moore ATL
S. Shepard NYG Sterling Shepard NYG
E. Sanders BUF Emmanuel Sanders BUF
Round 12+
Bench depth
R. Gage TB Russell Gage TB
T. Marshall Jr. CAR Terrace Marshall Jr. CAR
J. Reagor NE Jalen Reagor NE
A. St. Brown DET Amon-Ra St. Brown DET
C. Beasley NYG Cole Beasley NYG
R. Bateman BAL Rashod Bateman BAL
D. Parker PHI DeVante Parker PHI
T. Williams DET Tyrell Williams DET
G. Davis JAC Gabe Davis JAC
J. Crowder WAS Jamison Crowder WAS

Wide receiver Non-PPR tiers (updated 9/1)

Rounds 1-2
First Tier
T. Hill MIA Tyreek Hill MIA
D. Adams LV Davante Adams LV
S. Diggs HOU Stefon Diggs HOU
C. Ridley TEN Calvin Ridley TEN
D. Hopkins TEN DeAndre Hopkins TEN
A. Brown PHI A.J. Brown PHI
D. Metcalf SEA DK Metcalf SEA
J. Jefferson MIN Justin Jefferson MIN
Round 3
Second Tier
A. Robinson PIT Allen Robinson PIT
R. Woods HOU Robert Woods HOU
T. McLaurin WAS Terry McLaurin WAS
K. Allen CHI Keenan Allen CHI
T. Lockett SEA Tyler Lockett SEA
C. Lamb DAL CeeDee Lamb DAL
Round 4
Third Tier
A. Cooper CLE Amari Cooper CLE
C. Godwin TB Chris Godwin TB
M. Evans TB Mike Evans TB
D. Johnson CAR Diontae Johnson CAR
Round 5
Fourth Tier
J. Jones PHI Julio Jones PHI
J. Jeudy CLE Jerry Jeudy CLE
C. Kupp LAR Cooper Kupp LAR
B. Aiyuk SF Brandon Aiyuk SF
J. Chase CIN Ja'Marr Chase CIN
T. Higgins CIN Tee Higgins CIN
Round 6
Fifth Tier
C. Claypool MIA Chase Claypool MIA
D. Moore CHI D.J. Moore CHI
C. Anderson MIA Chosen Anderson MIA
T. Boyd CIN Tyler Boyd CIN
A. Thielen CAR Adam Thielen CAR
C. Sutton DEN Courtland Sutton DEN
J. Smith-Schuster NE JuJu Smith-Schuster NE
Round 7
Sixth Tier
D. Smith PHI DeVonta Smith PHI
K. Golladay NYG Kenny Golladay NYG
J. Waddle MIA Jaylen Waddle MIA
A. Brown TB Antonio Brown TB
O. Beckham Jr. BAL Odell Beckham Jr. BAL
Rounds 8-9
High-end backups
M. Thomas NO Michael Thomas NO
D. Mooney ATL Darnell Mooney ATL
M. Callaway PIT Marquez Callaway PIT
M. Jones DET Marvin Jones DET
L. Shenault Jr. SEA Laviska Shenault Jr. SEA
M. Brown KC Marquise Brown KC
J. Meyers LV Jakobi Meyers LV
C. Davis NYJ Corey Davis NYJ
W. Fuller MIA Will Fuller MIA
D. Chark CAR D.J. Chark CAR
M. Hardman KC Mecole Hardman KC
B. Cooks DAL Brandin Cooks DAL
Round 10
Solid backups
H. Ruggs III LV Henry Ruggs III LV
M. Pittman IND Michael Pittman IND
E. Moore CLE Elijah Moore CLE
C. Samuel BUF Curtis Samuel BUF
M. Gallup DAL Michael Gallup DAL
R. Moore ATL Rondale Moore ATL
Round 11+
Bench depth
J. Landry NO Jarvis Landry NO
D. Samuel SF Deebo Samuel SF
M. Williams NYJ Mike Williams NYJ
B. Edwards NO Bryan Edwards NO
E. Sanders BUF Emmanuel Sanders BUF
T. Marshall Jr. CAR Terrace Marshall Jr. CAR
R. Bateman BAL Rashod Bateman BAL
P. Campbell PHI Parris Campbell PHI
J. Reagor NE Jalen Reagor NE

So which sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five performance? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Josh Allen's huge season, and find out.