2024 Draft Guide: Five Fades Series (WRs)

Five Fades: WRs

By: Mike Johnson (@mjohnson_86)

Previously in our One Week Season “Daily Dose” Draft Guide series, I gave you my “Seven Sleepers” – players to target late in drafts whose upside could change your roster in a positive way. Something that is just as, if not more, important in a fantasy football league is avoiding those players earlier in drafts who can tank your rosters. To help you with that, we are bringing you our “Five Fades” series, which will feature five players at each position that I am fading based on where they are being drafted and concerns I have about their outlooks. Today’s article will focus on wide receivers::

1. Davante Adams, WR, LVR

The Raiders’ coaching staff allegedly wants to be a run-first unit and have three running backs in the mix to see the field. Meanwhile, the Raiders spent a high first-round pick on tight end Brock Bowers and fellow wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has reportedly been the “star” of the Raiders offseason. The Las Vegas QB situation can be described as “mediocre at best” and Adams is in the back nine of his career. Adams is ranked as a mid-to-late second-round pick across most major sites, but he has a lot of obstacles to overcome in 2024.

2. Michael Pittman, WR, IND

Pittman is a solid NFL player but has not shown himself as an “alpha” in my mind. The Colts have a strong offensive line and should have a good running game, while Anthony Richardson’s rushing ability should also siphon a lot of production. The Colts also drafted Adonai Mitchell in the second round and Josh Downs has been a preferred target of Richardson’s throughout the summer. 

3. Zay Flowers, WR, BAL

Flowers had a solid rookie season and the Ravens’ offense can really get things rolling. However, the Ravens get Mark Andrews back now and he will likely resume his place at the top of the pecking order for targets. Flowers, like many of my “fades”, is likely to have some good games and should be “OK” most weeks, but he doesn’t have the type of upside for a player I want to target in the first few rounds of the draft.

4. George Pickens, WR, PIT

Pickens had a rough 2023 with Kenny Pickett at QB, but then had some huge games to end the year with Mason Rudolph taking over for the Steelers. The problem for many people who drafted him is their season was over by the time he started to produce. This year he gets Russell Wilson to start the year and may get Justin Fields later on, two QBs who have not been beacons of production for their offenses the last couple seasons. The problem with Pickens is when you have to set a weekly lineup it is really hard to feel confident with the production he will get you, but the theoretical upside of his skill set makes it hard to bench him. Simply having him on your roster can cost you more weeks than it wins you.

5. Keon Coleman, WR, BUF

The Bills drafted Coleman 33rd overall, have over 250 targets to replace from 2023, and have one of the top offenses in the NFL. So how can Coleman be a “fade”? Simply put, he is too tough for me to trust to put in a lineup early in the season and there is almost always a receiver I feel better about on the board when Coleman is still there. Everything has a price, and there is a point where I will take shots on Coleman, but he rarely, if ever, makes it to that point in a draft.