2023 Top 10 Devy Wide Receivers

The first question you might ask yourself is: “What is Devy?”

Simply put, “devy” is short for “developmental.” Devy is a specific format of dynasty fantasy football that allows managers to draft college players and keep them as they enter the NFL. This is a format that is beginning to gain some momentum as dynasty leagues continue to gain popularity.

We have ranked over 400 players as devy prospects. Most devy leagues do not draft more than 75 players in a given year, but we wanted to make sure you were fully prepared for the deepest of leagues. This article is the beginning of a series in which I provide deeper analysis of my top 10 prospects at each position.

I’m excited to take over the Devy fantasy football content for Fantasy Points. Next up: the 2023 wide receivers.

If you are interested in our full rankings (400+ prospects), Fantasy Points subscribers can find them here: 2023 Fantasy Football Devy Rankings - WR.

2023 Devy WR Rankings

1. Marvin Harrison Jr. | Ohio State

HT: 6’ 4” WT: 205 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2024

Strengths

• Size

• Route-running

• Hands

Analysis

Marvin Harrison Jr., son of the NFL Hall of Famer, popped onto the national scene in the 2022 Rose Bowl versus Utah, when he caught 6 balls for 71 yards and 3 TDs. He was primarily used as a possession receiver and red zone threat while Jaxon Smith-Njigba went absolutely crazy (15/347/3). Harrison parlayed his momentum from the bowl game into a dazzling 2022 season with 77 receptions, 1,263 yards, and 14 TDs. Heading into his true Junior season, Harrison Jr is the undisputed WR1 in Devy and will be a top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He combines the elite route-running of his father with a 6’4”, 205-pound frame, making him practically unguardable. The way he is able to sink his hips and effortlessly come out of breaks should not be possible at his size. Unless you have a top-3 devy pick, Harrison will be tough to acquire at this point.

2. Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State

HT: 6’ 1” WT: 205 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2024

Strengths

• YAC ability

• Optimal build

• Playmaker

Analysis

Emeka Egbuka is the WR2 — for both Ohio State and Devy — which speaks to the insane run at WR the Buckeyes are on. Egbuka was actually the WR1 in his recruiting class (2021), and the primary receiver most people were excited about. And quite frankly, he has lived up to the hype. At 6’1” and 205 pounds, he is a strong, versatile playmaker who can line up anywhere on the field. Of his 407 pass snaps, Egbuka lined up in the slot 276 times (67.8%). He is a YAC monster who runs crisp routes and makes the quarterback’s job very easy by getting great separation on his routes. If you like Amon-Ra St. Brown, then you are going to love Egbuka, who has similar traits. I’d expect Egbuka to be a top-15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

3. Tetairoa McMillan | Arizona

HT: 6’ 5” WT: 205 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2025

Strengths

• Catch radius

• TD machine

• Size

Analysis

Tetairoa McMillan is my biggest reach on this list. I’m not sure there is another Devy analyst who even has him in their top 10. However, I’m not going to back down from my ranking. There are a few reasons why I’m so high on McMillan.

His early production is impressive. McMillan came into Arizona as a highly touted high four-star recruit and did not disappoint. Despite playing with two future NFL WRs, Dorian Singer and Jacob Cowing, McMillan put up solid numbers with 39 receptions, 702 yards, and 8 TDs (team high).

Another thing I really like about him is his size. After playing last year at 6’4” and 185 pounds, McMIllan grew an inch and gained 20 pounds this offseason. At his size, he has shown the versatility to be a threat in the red zone as well as a deep threat (18.0 YPC), which reminds me of Tee Higgins. The crazy thing is that he is still improving athletically. His leaping ability is well documented as a former star volleyball player in high school, but there were questions about his speed coming into college. After topping out at 18 MPH on the GPS tracker last year, McMillan has hit 22 MPH this offseason, which is ridiculously fast for a dude his size. If he has really improved his speed that dramatically, then the sky is truly the limit for McMillan.

4. Luther Burden | Missouri

HT: 5’ 11” WT: 208 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2025

Strengths

• Playmaker

• Explosiveness

• Positional versatility

Analysis

Luther Burden was the top WR coming out of high school in the 2022 class. As a St. Louis native, Burden chose to stay home and play for Missouri. Many people, including myself, expected Burden to come in and immediately be the WR1 in the Tigers’ offense. While Burden led the team in receiving TDs (6), his receiving numbers (45 receptions for 375 yards) were fairly pedestrian relative to expectation. However, Burden displayed his raw potential as a playmaker with his explosiveness and ability to play all over the field, including the backfield.

At 5’11” and 208 pounds, Burden’s physical frame and elite burst make him a nightmare matchup for any opposing defensive back. The Deebo Samuel comparison is probably overplayed at this point, but it’s hard not to see the similarities and ways to maximize his potential. I’m hoping new Missouri OC Kirby Moore can utilize Burden properly and free him up to do what he does best — make plays.

5. Zachariah Branch | USC

HT: 5’ 10” WT: 175 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2026

Strengths

• ELITE speed (10.33-second 100m)

• Extremely twitchy

• Body control

Analysis

Zachariah Branch is the definition of twitchy. I spent my waking moments this morning watching Devin Hester highlights. Hester is a one-of-one regarding his return abilities, but no hyperbole, Branch has similar twitch and explosiveness. It’s rare to find the combination of elite straight-line speed (10.33-second 100m), stop-start acceleration, and lateral agility that Branch possesses. He uses all of those strengths to run crisp routes that leave him wide open. The only question right now would be his size at 5’10” and 175 pounds. While I’m not sure how much taller he will get, I think he has the frame to put on 10-15 more pounds easily without losing the traits that make him special.

6. Xavier Worthy | Texas

HT: 6’ 1” WT: 164 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2024

Strengths

• Speed (10.55-second 100m)
• Route-running
• Early production

Analysis

Xavier Worthy burst onto the scene as a true freshman with 62 receptions, 981 yards, and 12 TDs despite subpar QB play. His elite speed and route running were on display from the very beginning. He did take a step back in 2022 with only 760 receiving yards while struggling with drops. However, it came out this spring that he was playing with a broken hand for much of last season. Similar to TreVeyon Henderson, if Worthy can bounce back this year, then he should be a first-round lock in the 2024 NFL Draft. The one concern for Worthy will be his weight, as he is only 164 pounds heading into his Junior season.

7. Barion Brown | Kentucky

HT: 6’ 1” WT: 166 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2025

Strengths

• Speed (10.67-second 100m)
• Home-run ability
• Route-running

Analysis

Barion Brown profiles similarly to Xavier Worthy. Both have elite speed, home-run ability, and route-running prowess. Brown wasn’t quite as productive as Worthy, but he didn’t have Steve Sarkisian as a playcaller (or Caleb Williams as a quarterback) either. With new OC Liam Coen stepping in, Brown should be the featured guy in the Kentucky offense and put up numbers that will garner national attention. For context, Wan’Dale Robinson had 104 receptions, 1334 yards, and 7 TDs under Coen in 2021. Like Worthy, Brown is sub-170 pounds, so he will need to gain weight before heading off to the NFL.

8. Johntay Cook II | Texas

HT: 6’ 1” WT: 184 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2026

Strengths

• Elite route-runner
• Body control
• Football IQ

Analysis

Johntay Cook II has the chance to be a very special WR under Steve Sarkisian. He is an elite route-runner who displays phenomenal playmaking skills on film. While we don’t have any verified track times for Cook, his speed is evident when you watch the tape. He was extremely productive at the highest classification (6A) of football in Texas, with 85 receptions, 1,530 yards, and 22 TDs. Cook is already 184 pounds as an early enrollee true freshman, so he is going to be 195-200 pounds by the time he graduates. While Zachariah Branch has otherworldly athleticism, Cook is far and away the best WR in the 2026 draft class currently.

9. Evan Stewart | Texas A&M

HT: 6’ 0” WT: 175 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2025

Strengths

• Speed (10.58-second 100m)
• Athleticism
• Early production

Analysis

Evan Stewart was the top WR, and 6th overall prospect, in the 2022 recruiting class. He certainly lived up to that billing in his first season in College Station as he led Texas A&M in receptions (53) and receiving yards (649) despite the Aggies struggling to find consistency at the QB position. At one point, Stewart had a four-game stretch in SEC play with at least 6 receptions and 80 yards receiving each game, including 8 receptions and 106 yards versus Alabama. Stewart showed out against the very best college competition in a subpar offense.

Stewart has good size, speed for days (10.58-second 100m), and is a solid route runner. I honestly should probably have him higher on this list on pure talent alone, but the Aggies’ offense could ultimately hinder his college production, which could hurt his draft stock. Regardless, he will not make it outside of the top 2 rounds in any Devy draft.

10. Malik Nabers | LSU

HT: 6’ 0” WT: 199 lbs

Draft Eligible: 2024

Strengths

• YAC ability
• Physicality
• Size

Analysis

Malik Nabers had a true breakout season in 2022, turning 100 targets into 72 receptions for 1,017 yards and 3 TDs. He is a versatile weapon in the passing game, lining up both on the outside (40%) and in the slot (60%). At 6’0” and 199 pounds, Nabers is tailor-made to play with physicality and be a YAC monster. Of the 113 receivers with 80-plus targets in 2022, Nabers ranked 6th in missed tackled forced with 21. While his 3 TDs was a low number, expect that number to increase in 2023 as he becomes even more of a focal point in the offense.

Nabers was extremely productive over the last two games of the season. However, much of that production came with Garrett Nussmeier at QB. The real question for Nabers is whether he can put up similar numbers with Jayden Daniels. If so, then he should be able to sneak into the back half of the first round in the 2024 NFL Draft.