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Who is the Best WR3 in Fantasy Football?

Late round wide receivers are gold in fantasy football drafts. Here are the top 10 WR3s who should be targeted in all fantasy draft formats.

Of all the offensive positions in fantasy football, wide receivers have the safest floors. They are less injury prone than running backs, receive more targets than tight ends, and are more predictable than fantasy quarterbacks. The top tier wide receivers are always very safe early round fantasy draft selections.

But after roughly the first 20 wide receivers, it becomes much more difficult to project season long production. Therefore, it is important to handicap the third wide receivers on each team and take advantage of their low fantasy draft cost.

Here are the best team WR3s to strongly consider selecting with a late round draft pick.

(All statistics from PlayerProfiler).

Who is the Best WR3 in Fantasy Football?

10.  Nelson Agholor (ADP 225/WR77): Opportunity trumps all, and Philadelphia‘s Nelson Agholor has one of the best in fantasy football. The departure of Jordan Matthews moves Agholor into a starting slot receiver role that will be peppered with targets by second-year quarterback Carson Wentz. Matthews averaged 115.3 targets and 75 receptions each of the last three seasons, which should give Agholor a fantasy WR3 floor. His target competition consists of the oft-injured Alshon Jeffery and “feast or famine” Torrey Smith, neither of which should be a concern to fantasy drafters. Agholor has been a disappointment in Philadelphia during his first two seasons, but his 2017 fantasy opportunity makes him well worth a late round draft pick.

9. J.J. Nelson (ADP 210/WR71): There is a lot of talk in Cardinals’ camp about just who is the team’s third wide receiver. With Larry Fitzgerald the clear number one, and John Brown battling durability concerns as the number two, J.J. Nelson and his 4.28 speed is the logical third choice.

Nelson caught a touchdown in four straight games last season, and finished with six total. He posted two WR1 performances, and is one of the most popular third-year breakout candidates in the league. With Fitzgerald dominating the short routes, Nelson finished second among all wide receivers with a 17.7 average target distance. Former Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd is now in Minnesota, and Nelson can easily ascend to Carson Palmer‘s second-best receiving target in Arizona’s heavy pass offense.

8.  Ted Ginn Jr. (ADP 154/WR54):  A familiar face in a new place. Ted Ginn is just two years removed from a 10 touchdown season that was produced with Cam Newton (59.7 percent completion percentage) as his quarterback. This season, not only will he catch passes from one of the most accurate quarterbacks of all-time in Drew Brees, but Ginn also gets to play his home games in the speed-friendly turf field of New Orleans. Ginn has impressed the Saints already, as Brees has publicly confirmed. The quintessential WR3 has big play potential, and you need to find a spot for Ginn on your roster, especially in Saints home games.

7.  Kenny Stills (ADP 183/WR69):  Many drafters fail to realize that Miami’s Kenny Stills finished sixth among all wide receivers with nine touchdowns. That is quite an accomplishment while contending with Ryan Tannehill‘s limited deep ball prowess. Stills will have no such problem with Jay Cutler, whose 66 deep ball attempts in 2015 ranked 11th among all NFL quarterbacks. Stills brings 4.38 40-yard dash speed and the eighth-best fantasy points per target (2.08) among all fantasy wide receivers last season. Head coach Adam Gase will open up the Dolphins offense more with Cutler, and that should give Stills a chance to shine. If Cutler stays healthy for 16 games, Stills is a fantasy WR3 lock at a microscopic 183 ADP.

6.  Kenny Golladay (ADP 187/WR63): There is no WR3 rising quicker than Kenny Golladay of Detroit, especially after Detroit’s first preseason game.

Golladay caught two touchdown passes in the game, and has been working with the first team Lions offense in practice. At 6″4″ and 218 pounds with a 118.2 (84th percentile) SPARQ-x score, Golladay gives quarterback Matthew Stafford a field stretcher that doubles as a huge red zone target. Stafford has attempted over 590 passes for six straight seasons, which makes Golladay a lock for over 100 targets with a legitimate chance at a fantasy WR3 season.

5. Malcolm Mitchell (ADP 204/WR78): Has the fantasy world forgotten about Malcolm Mitchell?

The second year receiver from Georgia was hurt by the injury bug early in his rookie season when he suffered a dislocated elbow to start the year, compounded by a hamstring strain in week five. However, from weeks 11-13, Mitchell produced three consecutive top 16 PPR performances. Despite only totaling 48 targets on the season, Mitchell’s nine red zone receptions ranked 17th among all wide receivers. With 31-year-old Julian Edelman receiving more slot targets this season, Mitchell will start opposite Brandin Cooks in three wide receiver sets for New England. He is one of the absolute steals of fantasy football drafts at his current 204 ADP.

4.  Travis Benjamin (ADP 306/WR99): In terms of resumes, Travis Benjamin is at the top of this list. He made the transition from punt returner/gadget player to full-fledged NFL wide receiver during the 2015 season, when he produced 68 receptions, 966 yards, and five touchdowns for Cleveland. His first season with the Chargers started off very strong, including a six reception, 115 yard, two touchdown game against Jacksonville in week two. But a knee sprain in week six severely hampered his deep ball ability, and thus limited his fantasy production. The good news is that he is clearly healthy.

Benjamin is a big play receiver with 4.36 speed who is a forgotten man with the return of Keenan Allen and the 2017 breakout of Tyrell Williams. With Philip Rivers at quarterback and a flammable Chargers offensive attack, snatch up Travis Benjamin with your last round pick and enjoy his huge upside.

3. Cole Beasley (ADP 157/WR 56):  The undrafted SMU product has improved his reception and yardage totals for three consecutive seasons.

Beasley caught 75 of his 98 targets for 833 yards and five touchdowns for the Cowboys last season. With Ezekiel Elliott‘s six-game suspension announced last week, Beasley should be the recipient of a target increase, especially in the red zone. His 16.3 percent hog rate (percentage of targets per snap) was top ten among all wide receivers last season. When Cole Beasley is on the field, he will get targets. A 90+ reception season is highly possible for a player currently available in round 13.

2.  Randall Cobb (ADP 103/WR 42):  Cobb is the most accomplished player on this list and in the best fantasy situation. His amazing 2014 season (91 recs, 1,287 yards, 12 touchdowns) is still etched in the memory of fantasy owners. However, since that season he has been a fantasy disappointment, causing many to lose interest in the seventh year Green Bay receiver. But there is no denying that he is in the best fantasy situation of any wide receiver, tethered to perennial All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Cobb is a lock for double digit red zone receptions and would be in line for a WR1 ascension if Jordy Nelson or Davante Adams were to stumble. There is no safer WR3 in fantasy football than the Packers’ Randall Cobb.

1. Rishard Matthews (ADP 129/WR51):  The best WR3 in fantasy football this year is Tennessee’s Rishard Matthews. Currently being drafted after fellow Titans receivers Eric Decker and rookie Corey Davis, Matthews is the only one who has built a rapport with quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Despite only starting in the last ten games, Matthews finished seventh among all wide receivers with 12 red zone receptions, and sixth at the position with nine receiving touchdowns. Matthews is three years younger than Decker and will set new career highs in receptions and receiving yards this season. Corey Davis brings the draft capital, Eric Decker the reputation, but Rishard Matthews will bring the best fantasy production in 2017.

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Mike Randle

Mike Randle

Mike Randle is a fantasy football fanatic. He is Team Manager for the LWOS Fantasy Football Department and contributes to Dynasty Trade Calculator. Mike also hosts the Pickin' Up the Blitz Fantasy Football Podcast. He is a happily married father of two beautiful children.

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