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. 

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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. 

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Wide receiver PPR tiers (updated 9/1)

Rounds 1-2
First Tier
D. Adams LV
T. Hill MIA
Rounds 1-2
First Tier, Part Deux
S. Diggs HOU
C. Ridley TEN
D. Hopkins TEN
A. Brown PHI
D. Metcalf SEA
K. Allen CHI
J. Jefferson MIN
Round 3
Second Tier
A. Robinson PIT
R. Woods HOU
T. McLaurin WAS
C. Lamb DAL
C. Godwin TB
Round 4
Third Tier
T. Lockett SEA
A. Cooper CLE
D. Johnson CAR
C. Kupp LAR
J. Jones PHI
M. Evans TB
Round 5
Fourth Tier
J. Jeudy CLE
B. Aiyuk SF
J. Chase CIN
T. Boyd CIN
T. Higgins CIN
D. Moore CHI
Round 6
Fifth Tier
A. Thielen CAR
C. Claypool MIA
R. Chosen MIA
J. Smith-Schuster NE
C. Sutton DEN
Round 7
Sixth Tier
K. Golladay NYG
A. Brown TB
D. Smith PHI
O. Beckham Jr. BAL
J. Waddle MIA
Rounds 8-9
High-end backups
J. Meyers LV
L. Shenault Jr. SEA
M. Thomas NO
M. Jones DET
M. Callaway PIT
D. Chark CAR
B. Cooks DAL
D. Mooney ATL
C. Davis NYJ
M. Brown KC
W. Fuller MIA
M. Hardman KC
E. Moore CLE
M. Pittman IND
D. Samuel SF
Rounds 10-11
Solid backups
H. Ruggs III LV
J. Landry NO
C. Samuel BUF
P. Campbell PHI
M. Gallup LV
M. Williams NYJ
B. Edwards NO
R. Moore ATL
S. Shepard NYG
E. Sanders BUF
Round 12+
Bench depth
R. Gage TB
T. Marshall Jr. CAR
J. Reagor NE
A. St. Brown DET
C. Beasley NYG
R. Bateman BAL
D. Parker PHI
T. Williams DET
G. Davis JAC
J. Crowder WAS

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

Rounds 1-2
First Tier
T. Hill MIA
D. Adams LV
S. Diggs HOU
C. Ridley TEN
D. Hopkins TEN
A. Brown PHI
D. Metcalf SEA
J. Jefferson MIN
Round 3
Second Tier
A. Robinson PIT
R. Woods HOU
T. McLaurin WAS
K. Allen CHI
T. Lockett SEA
C. Lamb DAL
Round 4
Third Tier
A. Cooper CLE
C. Godwin TB
M. Evans TB
D. Johnson CAR
Round 5
Fourth Tier
J. Jones PHI
J. Jeudy CLE
C. Kupp LAR
B. Aiyuk SF
J. Chase CIN
T. Higgins CIN
Round 6
Fifth Tier
C. Claypool MIA
D. Moore CHI
R. Chosen MIA
T. Boyd CIN
A. Thielen CAR
C. Sutton DEN
J. Smith-Schuster NE
Round 7
Sixth Tier
D. Smith PHI
K. Golladay NYG
J. Waddle MIA
A. Brown TB
O. Beckham Jr. BAL
Rounds 8-9
High-end backups
M. Thomas NO
D. Mooney ATL
M. Callaway PIT
M. Jones DET
L. Shenault Jr. SEA
M. Brown KC
J. Meyers LV
C. Davis NYJ
W. Fuller MIA
D. Chark CAR
M. Hardman KC
B. Cooks DAL
Round 10
Solid backups
H. Ruggs III LV
M. Pittman IND
E. Moore CLE
C. Samuel BUF
M. Gallup LV
R. Moore ATL
Round 11+
Bench depth
J. Landry NO
D. Samuel SF
M. Williams NYJ
B. Edwards NO
E. Sanders BUF
T. Marshall Jr. CAR
R. Bateman BAL
P. Campbell PHI
J. 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.