One fantasy superstar is holding steady, while another is falling fast. Who made our ranking of the Top 10 fantasy wide receivers? Read on to find out...
1. Andre Johnson, Texans
The debate used to be: Johnson or Fitz? Fitz or Johnson? But with the QB uncertainty in Arizona, Johnson is now the clear-cut top receiver in fantasy football. He may never be the red zone force that Larry Fitzgerald is, but Johnson has led the NFL in receiving yards each of the past two seasons.
2. Reggie Wayne, Colts
It’s nice to be Peyton Manning’s favorite receiver. Wayne is coming off six consecutive thousand-yard seasons and caught 100 passes in two of the past three years. With that kind of consistency, you can’t go wrong.
3. Miles Austin, Cowboys
How good was “Smiles” last year? After becoming a starter in Week 5, he had more receiving yards (1,239) than anyone in football. He’s a big-play threat who’s also a favorite red zone target of Tony Romo’s. And the Cowboys face a schedule of weak run defenses this season. The only worry: Will star rookie Dez Bryant get some of those passes that used to go to Austin.
4. Randy Moss, Patriots
The knee of Wes Welker, Tom Brady’s favorite target, is still a question mark. That could mean more passes for Moss, whose coming off a strong but not spectacular season. He’s one of the best in the NFL in the red zone, meaning he has the potential to pile up touchdowns.
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
Yes, I’m this worried about Fitzgerald. Once a challenger for the top spot on this list, Fitzgerald lost his quarterback when Kurt Warner retired in the offseason. Warner has been replaced by inconsistent veteran Derek Anderson, who was benched by the Browns last year. Plus, fellow Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin is in Baltimore now, so Fitzgerald will see even more double teams. It could be a disappointing year for a superstar talent.
6. Calvin Johnson, Lions
Quarterback Matthew Stafford should be more comfortable in his second NFL season, and the Lions signed receiver Nate Burleson to keep teams from constantly double-teaming Johnson. No one in the NFL can match Johnson’s combination of size and speed. If Stafford improves, Johnson could be one of the three most valuable receivers in fantasy football, capable of 1,500 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
7. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins
Marshall is the best possession receiver in the NFL. He knows how to use his body and has the strong hands to make the catch in traffic. He’s exactly what the Dolphins need. From a fantasy standpoint, the problem is that he doesn’t always pile up a ton of yards, and the Dolphins usually run it when they get close to the end zone.
8. Greg Jennings, Packers
With Donald Driver coming off a couple of knee surgeries, Jennings might emerge as Aaron Rodgers’s favorite receiver. He’s coming off back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. But Jennings needs to score more. Rodgers often looks to tight end Jermichael Finley in the end zone, and Jennings scored a measly four TDs last year.
9. DeSean Jackson, Eagles
The speedster will have to adjust to a new quarterback this year, as Kevin Kolb takes over for Donovan McNabb. Kolb is one of the NFL’s most accurate passers, and Jackson could end up having a lot of underneath catches that he turns into monster gains.
10. Steve Smith, Panthers
Poor quarterback play held Smith back last season. But he showed some nice chemistry with new starting quarterback Matt Moore late last season. There’s not a better big-play receiver in the NFL than Smith, who should be back among the league leaders in receiving yards.
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