The general consensus among fantasy football players is that the running back position is the most important in fantasy. Over the past few years, however, the “zero RB” strategy has grown in popularity due to people wanting to “zig” where others “zag.” Whether it’s to try to win a massive league like the Scott Fish Bowl or to simply try something new, the tag of most important position clearly goes to wide receiver.
Whether you subscribe to this strategy or not, it’s important to know which receivers you can rely on. Nothing’s worse than taking a receiver in the first two rounds and them becoming a bust. Nowadays, that in itself can be a death sentence for any team’s playoff hopes. That is why we have created and utilized consistency rankings to help make those tough, season-changing decisions easier. You can find our 2021 fantasy football consistency rankings here.
Our tool measures how often a player is a “boom,” “starter” or “bust” at their position (the finish for each category varies based on position and is explained on the tool’s page). This tool is as in-depth as you’ll find out there, as it looks at 100 WRs, 75 RBs, 60 TEs, 40 QBs, and even it takes into account every team’s defense as well.
Using our tool and looking at 2021 results, who does the data tell us can be relied upon to steer your team to a championship? Here were your most consistent 2021 fantasy football WRs.
Most Consistent 2021 Fantasy Football WRs
Cooper Kupp (Startable 93.8% of his games)
Cooper Kupp had one of the most dominant seasons by a fantasy football WR last year. Kupp scored nearly 80 points more than the second-ranked receiver, Davante Adams. Quarterback Matthew Stafford clearly tabbed Kupp as his favorite target and there is no reason to believe that won’t be the case again this year.
Kupp was a “boom” (Top-6) receiver an absurd 56.3% of the time and a “starter” (Top-30) for 93.8% of his games. While there clearly should be some regression to be expected from Kupp, he can regress and still have room to be an elite option for your fantasy team in 2022.
Deebo Samuel (86.7%)
Unfortunately, the Deebo Samuel fantasy football season was somewhat overshadowed by Cooper Kupp. Samuel’s emergence was just as incredible seeing in some leagues he was drafted right before kickers and defenses. Samuel was a massive reason the San Francisco 49ers and many fantasy teams got to the playoffs.
Samuel finished as WR3 last year and was a “starter” 86.7% of the time. He was also a “boom” 33.3% of the time as well. While his contract situation with the 49ers is certainly one to be monitored, the only thing that can hold him back is him sitting out. No matter where he plays next season, Samuel is going to be a strong WR1 for any team in any format.
Justin Jefferson (81.3%)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is one of the most overlooked quarterbacks in fantasy football. One of the biggest reasons for that is he gets to throw to one of the best young receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson. Last season, the Justin Jefferson fantasy value was “starter” level in over 81% of his starts. While he was a “boom” in just 18% of his starts, his consistency was a major reason he finished the year as WR4.
Unlike Kupp and Samuel, Jefferson was a “bust” (outside Top-48) one week. However, that was against the Dallas Cowboys in which he played just over 70% of the snaps. Jefferson may not be the best bet to put up massive stats from week to week, but he’s as consistent as they come. While he shouldn’t be the first receiver off the board, he should easily be near the top of the list.
Davante Adams (80%)
If by now you don’t think Davante Adams is the best receiver in the league, I don’t know what to tell you. His release and footwork are on a completely different level. While he no longer is catching passes from the most talented quarterback of all time in Aaron Rodgers, he should be able to do just fine with Derek Carr.
Adams played one less game than many receivers, like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, and he still finished as WR2. Adams was a “starter” for 80% of his games and a “boom” for 40% of games as well. While he will have to share more targets in Las Vegas, he will still get more than enough. While he may hit a little bump early as he learns a new system and adjusts to Derek Carr, he’s a surefire bet to be one of the most consistent receivers in fantasy.
Diontae Johnson (80%)
Last season, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had the arm of a wet noodle. Even with severe limitations on offense, also in part to comically bad playcalling, Diontae Johnson had a fantastic fantasy football season. Johnson was a “starter” 80% of the time and was never a “bust.”
A big reason for the consistency of Johnson was his insane number of targets. In 15 games last year, Johnson had 10 or more targets in 12 of them. While he only had eight touchdowns, he was an absolute monster in PPR leagues. The quarterback play for the Steelers is certainly a massive question mark this season. Still, Johnson still gives a ton of fantasy appeal.
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