NFL Draft Betting: How Many Wide Receivers Will Be Drafted in the First Round?

The NFL Draft, which starts on Thursday, April 27th, is just days away and FanDuel Sportsbook has plenty of odds markets available.

One of the markets available is how many wide receivers will be selected in Round 1. The line is set at 3.5 with -106 odds on the over and a number of -125 on the under.

Let's take a look at the outlook for wide receivers in Round 1.

All NFL Draft odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

According to Grinding the Mocks, four wide receivers have an expected draft position (EDP) inside the first round. Those four are Jaxon Smith-Njigba (14.2 EDP), Zay Flowers (22.2), Jordan Addison (23.9), and Quentin Johnston (24.4). The wide receiver with the next closest EDP is Jalin Hyatt (37.3).

The only other wide receiver with an EDP inside the first two rounds is Josh Downs, who owns an EDP of 50.0.

Barring a sudden change, Jordan Addison and Quentin Johnston both being selected in Round 1 appears to be the key to this bet.

Quentin Johnston was the favorite to be the first wide receiver drafted back in February. Since then, the rise of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zay Flowers' outlooks has pushed him slightly down that list. He now has the fourth-best odds (+1100) to be the first wide receiver off the board. Johnston played three seasons at TCU and posted career highs in catches (60) and yards (1,069) in his final season. Johnston was thought to be the top wide receiver in this class two months ago and would appear to have an excellent chance of being selected in Round 1. The over/under for his draft position sits at 26.5 (-178 for the over), and the team most likely to select him is the Minnesota Vikings (+900) followed closely by the Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs (+1000).

Jordan Addison had the second-best odds to be the first wide receiver drafted back in February. He now has the third-best odds (+1000) -- slightly ahead of Johnston. Addison played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Panthers before transferring to USC last season. At Pittsburgh, playing with current Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for his 2021 season. He caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. His production declined at USC where he recorded just 59 receptions for 875 yards and 8 touchdowns. The last three winners of the Fred Biletnikoff Award -- DeVonta Smith, Ja'Marr Chase, and Jerry Jeudy -- were all selected in the top half of the first round.

Jalin Hyatt also factors into this market. Hyatt won the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season after recording 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns as a Tennessee Volunteer. Hyatt is a longshot to be the first wide receiver selected (+2900), but his implied odds to be selected in the first round (+230) sit at 30.3%. If Johnston or Addison slide on draft day, Hyatt provides another, albeit less likely, path to over 3.5 wide receivers selected in the first round.

How you feel about the potential for two of these three wide receivers to be taken in Round 1 should determine which side of this bet you're on.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.