Three must-draft mid-round wide receivers in fantasy football

With the 2023 NFL preseason officially behind us, fantasy football drafts are starting to ramp up. The wide receiver position has never been more important in fantasy football than it is today, so here are three mid-round targets with league-winning upside. 

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (ESPN ADP: 82.6)

The former first-round pick recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2022 en route to a WR15 finish in PPR formats. Yet, for some reason, Aiyuk is being drafted as the WR30 on ESPN behind names like Denver's Jerry Jeudy and Washington's Terry McLaurin, two receivers who are heading into the season injured. 

If quarterback Brock Purdy can return to full health and effectiveness after his offseason elbow surgery, the better Aiyuk's fantasy outlook for this season will be. From Week 14, Purdy's first start, and on, Aiyuk totaled 22 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns. During that span, he received 31 targets, barely trailing tight end George Kittle's 32 for the team lead. 

Kittle scored seven touchdowns in those games, and assuming he doesn't repeat that scoring success this season, Aiyuk could see significant positive regression in that category. 

San Francisco's offense is overflowing with talent, which limits Aiyuk's upside. However, unlike his teammate Deebo Samuel, he doesn't have to worry about running back Christian McCaffrey destroying any rushing value since that's not Aiyuk's forte. Although McCaffrey is the safest 49er to roster in terms of consistency, Aiyuk isn't far behind, and if any other key offensive starter were to miss time, the 25-year-old could be a top-10 wideout.

Jahan Dotson, Commanders (ADP: 103.4)

Aiming to build upon his solid rookie season that saw him catch 35 passes for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games, Dotson expects to break out as a sophomore.

“This year I feel like I gotta come crazy,” Dotson told the “2nd Wind Podcast" earlier this offseason. “It’s my breakout year, it’s what I’ve [been] working hard for. I gotta make ‘em feel me.”

While every player is full of self-confidence, the flashes Dotson showed as a rookie (with subpar quarterbacking) and the fact that he was a first-round draft pick give him a much more convincing argument. Second-year quarterback Sam Howell, who made one start last season, has been given full control of new OC Eric Bieniemy's offense and should see a high volume of passing attempts that will boost his talented receiving corps' fantasy value. 

Aside from being a safe selection, given his reasonable WR38 price tag, drafting Dotson could also propel you to the top of the standings early on since McLaurin's Week 1 status remains uncertain. Whenever McLaurin returns, he'll be considered the No. 1 receiver in Washington, but Dotson's talent gives him enough stand-alone value that one can feel confident about regularly starting him.

Gabriel Davis, Bills (ADP: 122.8)

After a historic four-touchdown performance in the 2021 AFC Divisional Round, many expected the UCF product to enjoy a full-fledged breakout last year, typically drafting him in the fourth round. Despite posting career bests in receptions (48) and receiving yards (836), Davis finished last season as the WR36, making him one of the worst picks in fantasy football.

Even so, it's time to let go of the past and buy the dip on Davis since his situation provides him with too much upside for a player rated as the WR46. Buffalo might have added to its passing attack, but Davis remains quarterback Josh Allen's No. 2 option behind Stefon Diggs. With that prominent role in what is arguably the NFL's most explosive offense, Davis can deliver a standout performance any given week. 

If you want to rack up a lot of points in fantasy, it's probably a good idea to invest in the highest-scoring offenses, so Davis is worth taking a flier on as a bounce-back candidate. And if he can cut down on last season's league-leading seven drops, this could be the year Davis finally takes off.