Teammates Who Could Both be Fantasy WR1s in 2023

In the last 10 years, 14 sets of teammates have finished as PPR WR1s in the same year. Last year featured Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle from Miami and A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith from Philadelphia.

Which duos have the best chance of accomplishing the same? Today I’m highlighting my top eight duos who could join the club in 2023.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill (ADP of WR4) and Jaylen Waddle (WR11) are both being drafted as if they’ll accomplish the feat again in 2023.

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Like Hill and Waddle, A.J. Brown (WR6) and DeVonta Smith (WR12) are both being drafted as if they’ll accomplish the feat again in 2023.

Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Ja’Marr Chase (WR2) and Tee Higgins (WR13) are also being drafted as if they will both finish as WR1 — or at least come extremely close. Last year, both Chase and Higgins finished in the top-12 in fantasy PPG, but only missed out on an overall duo-WR1 finish because of Chase’s injury and a missed game.

Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars

Once we get past the three mentioned above, it gets a little more unrealistic. But Christian Kirk (WR26) and Calvin Ridley (WR19) have the next best chance of accomplishing the feat. Kirk finished as the WR12 in PPR leagues last year as he emerged as a legitimate WR1 for Jacksonville.

Now there’s another legit WR1 in Ridley, who in 2020 finished top five among WRs before only playing five games in 2021 and no games in 2022. A rusty Ridley could prevent this from happening, but on Jacksonville’s suddenly dangerous offense, the hope is that it doesn’t take him much time to get back to form.

CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys

CeeDee Lamb (WR8 in PPG last year) and Brandin Cooks (three finishes as WR21 or better in the last five years) have an outside shot of doing this. Lamb is locked in as a top-12 fantasy WR, checking in at WR6 and top-10 overall in Jeff Ratcliffe’s 2023 fantasy football rankings. Cooks’ current ADP of WR45 makes him a longshot to accomplish a WR1 finish, but if Dallas becomes more pass-happy in the post-Ezekiel Elliott era, it’s not completely insane to think he could get there on volume.

Dalton Schultz is no longer in Dallas, and the WR2 post is wide open with Michael Gallup looking like nothing more than a WR3 post-injury.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions

Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR10) and Jameson Williams (WR31) also have a legit shot of accomplishing this. St. Brown finished as the overall WR7 last year after finishing the second half of his rookie season top-10 at the position as well.

Williams only played six games his rookie year, and he only caught one pass (a 41-yard TD). He had another long TD called back by penalty. He also had one rush attempt — that he took for 40 yards. Entering 2023, the hope is that a healthy Williams is fully healthy. The explosive playmaking ability is clearly there, given that he had three touches (including the penalty call-back) that all went for 40-plus yards. 

Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers

Mike Williams (WR20) and Keenan Allen (WR28) have slipped as an elite WR duo, but it would be wild to not still include them in this list. Now viewed as borderline fantasy WR2, if both players remain healthy and QB Justin Herbert plays closer to his 2020-2021 version than his 2022 version, a leap to borderline WR1 status isn’t out of the question. Herbert threw just 25 TDs last year after tossing 31 and 38 in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Allen and Williams were both in and out of the lineup in 2022, but they are still clearly the focal points in LA (including Austin Ekeler … if he’s still there). Allen had 14 targets in three different games last year, and Williams had four weeks as a top-12 player at WR.

Chris Olave and Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Chris Olave (WR14) and Michael Thomas (WR49) have the most unrealistic shot of the eight I’ve mentioned, but it’s within the realm of possibilities. Olave was the PPR WR24 last year and finished with three weeks inside the top 12 (Weeks 3, 11, and 18). Thomas, of course, has done nothing of note since 2019, when he was the overall WR1. Apparently Thomas is still not 100%, which has been true for four years now, and he’s only played 10 games in the last three seasons. But with the addition of Derek Carr, the Saints’ WRs at least get a bump in QB play.