There’s a wealth of talented wide receivers in the NFL today. At least 10 players in the league are clearly capable of finishing with the most receiving yards, making it difficult to predict who will lead the NFL in that category. Below, we look at the odds to be the 2021 receiving yards leader, with NFL picks, predictions and best bets.
Last season, Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs came out of nowhere to lead the league in receiving with 1,535 yards on 127 receptions – also a league-high. The next closest player was Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (1,416 yards), followed by Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins (1,407) and Minnesota Vikings rookie WR Justin Jefferson (1,400).
Could Diggs repeat as the NFL’s receiving yards leader in his second season with the Bills? Or will a different player – be it, a tight end or wideout – unseat him atop the league in 2021?
2021 NFL receiving yards leader picks
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, Aug. 24.
Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (+750)
Adams is tied with Hill, Jefferson and Diggs as the second favorites to lead the league in receiving, but in my mind, he should have the best odds. With QB Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay and the Packers lacking a true No. 2 receiver who can take a significant number of targets away from Adams, the 2020 All-Pro is poised to put up big numbers.
Also see: Where to draft Adams in fantasy football
He was targeted 149 times in only 14 games last season and still managed to rack up 1,374 yards, leading the NFL with 98.1 yards per game. Had he stayed healthy, he very likely would’ve finished first in receiving yards. He’s a good value at +750.
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (+750)
Hill was targeted 137 times and caught 87 passes in 2018. He received 135 targets and caught 87 passes last season. However, he had 203 more yards in 2018 than he did last season, which was a difference of 2.3 yards per catch.
Also see: Where to target Hill in fantasy football
He’s a big-play weapon capable of scoring from anywhere on the field. The issue is he has to compete with Kelce for targets after the tight end saw 20 more passes thrown his way in 2020. Still, the Chiefs are going to air it out every week with QB Patrick Mahomes and Hill knows how to create big plays.
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Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (+750)
Diggs was a productive receiver with the Vikings, posting at least 720 yards in each of his first five NFL seasons, including back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019. He really took off with QB Josh Allen in Buffalo.
He led the NFL with 1,535 yards and 127 catches last season, quickly becoming Allen’s favorite target on offense. There’s no reason to believe he’ll slow down, even with the emergence of WR Gabriel Davis, making him a good bet at +750.
Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (+650)
Ridley erupted in 2020 while WR Julio Jones was injured and finished with a career-high 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and 9 touchdowns. He finished sixth in receiving yards and ninth in targets, two areas where he should see an uptick now that Jones is with the Tennessee Titans.
He’ll have to compete with rookie TE Kyle Pitts for targets, but Ridley is the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in Atlanta. He’s a solid pick at +650, but I don’t necessarily think he should be the favorite.
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Long shot: Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team (+1500)
One of the only things McLaurin lacks that the other receivers on this list don’t is a Pro Bowl quarterback. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to start for Washington and while he’s undoubtedly a gunslinger, he’s not in the same class as Mahomes, Rodgers, Allen or Matt Ryan.
McLaurin still managed to catch 87 passes for 1,118 yards last season, though, despite getting poor play from his quarterbacks. If Fitzpatrick can steady the ship in Washington, McLaurin could break out the way Ridley and Jefferson did last season.
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