1. Larry Fitzgerald(ARI)- Mr. Stud himself was unstoppable last year, especially in the play-offs where he raised his game to another level. Every defense will make stopping him their number one priority, so he could stumble out the gates, but Cards have enough other weapons with Boldin, Wells to give Fitzy enough openings to thrive again.
2. Randy Moss(NE)- It hurt watching Moss's skills go to waste so much of the time last year with Cassell at the helm, but he still put up decent numbers. With Brady back, those numbers have to go up, but Brady's deep ball will likely be affected by injury to his plant knee, so keep your expectations realistic(1400 yards, 12-15 TDs is my guess).
3. Andre Johnson(HOU)- Dre's 1575 yards last year were out of this world, but his 8 TD's were a little less than spectacular. As always, if Schaub can stay healthy he should be amazing, and though Grossman is a terrible starting quarterback, he should be as good or better than Rosenfels was if/when Schaub gets hurt.
4. Steve Smith(CAR)- Sure, he only scored 6 TD's last year, but he had 1421 receiving yards in only 14 games! With defenses forced to make the Panther's running attack their top priority this year, look for Smith's TD's to go up, though if they'd get this poor guy a QB who was worth a darn he'd be amazing.
5. Greg Jennings(GB)- Rodgers has proven he's more than capable, and Jennings is his best target. Look for the two of them to be fantasy gold for a long time.
6. Calvin Johnson(DET)- How the heck did this guy put up 1331 yards and 12 TD's on a team that went 0-16? Because he's amazing, that's how! Still, there's a lot of things that have to come together for this team to field a capable offense, and defenses will be throwing the kitchen sink at Megatron till they prove themselves elsewhere. On the otherside of the coin, though, Culpepper's reunion with Linehan, and the fact that Kevin Smith appears to be a capable running threat, could open the door for Johnson to put up even better numbers than last year's dazzlers.
7. Anquan Boldin(ARI)- It appears he will stay in Arizona, and that he is putting his contract squabbles behind him. During the first half of last season Q was an even better fantasy producer than Fitzgerald, so he could be a steal in the third or fourth round of this year's fantasy draft. The big question with him is health, though, as he usually misses a few games a season.
8. Reggie Wayne(IND)- With Wayne promoted to Peyton's number one option last year he should have put up his best numbers yet. What happened? He should still be Peyton's number one, so he's a definite top-ten fantasy receiver, but last year's lack of production scares me.
9. Roddy White(ATL)- Roddy was rock solid last year, though he could have caught a few more TD's. Matt Ryan should improve, and Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner will keep Roddy from facing any double-teams, so he should be a lock for another solid year.
10. Dwayne Bowe(KC)- I'm not a big fan of Matt Cassell or Dwayne Bowe, but there has to be some passing production in Todd Haley's offense, and where else is it going to go?
11. Chad Ochocinco(CIN)- Everybody seems to be writing no. 85 off, but with Palmer returning and Houshmandzadeh gone, I think Chad will put up some very solid numbers.
12. T.J. Houshmandzadeh(SEA)- If Hassellbeck can stay healthy and the offensive line can provide decent protection, then T.J. should gel well with his new teammates and put up the kind of numbers he did during his heyday in Cincy.
13. Wes Welker(NE)- Tom Brady is back, but his plant knee isn't going to right, which could throw off the deep ball, so he may have to lean on Welker even more than in the past. Look for Welker to have his best season yet.
14. Terrell Owens(BUF)- I really think TO's fantasy season will be a disaster this year with Edwards throwing and Buffalo's conservative offense. But I just can't put him lower than this because . . . he's TO!
15. Roy Williams(DAL)- He stunk in a major way in Big D last year, but he was solid in Detroit for all those years with much less talent around him and he's had a whole off-season to get it together, so the upside possibility is too high to pass up.
16. Marquez Colston(NO)- Thumb injury really ruined last season for him. How big will he rebound?
17. Brandon Marshall(DEN)- For all the hoopla and hype, he only caught 6 TD's last year, and that was with Jay Cutler. He should be solid with Orton, but it's hard to expect him to be elite.
18. Santonio Holmes(PIT)- He finally put it all together in the post-season last year. Hopefully he and Rothlisberger will pick up where they left off this year.
19. Antonio Bryant(TB)- He was a monster during the second half of the season last year, but new QB's and new coaching staff present a lot of question marks.
20. Vincent Jackson(SD)- The running game should return, so it's hard to see him putting up numbers as strong as he did last year.
21. Santana Moss(WAS)- While Santana Moss has never had an outstanding fantasy season, he's won a lot of fantasy games for his owners. He has a penchant for having two or three huge games a season, and if you're lucky enough to start him on the right week he can be huge. If you own him all year, though, and play him during those other weeks too, he can be maddening. In fact, you're most likely to get sick of playing him and bench him right before he has his big game, if you're anything like me. That said, he is still the best receiver on this team, and there is still untapped potential in this offense. If they can put it together, and if you don't mind his feast or famine statistical output, Santana could add solid depth to your fantasy squad.
22. Bernard Berrian(MIN)- With Berrian's speed and Favre's arm, I was salivating at the prospect of Brett Favre playing in Minnesota, but without him Berrian's fantasy value took a big hit. Still, he faired decently last year with Gus Frerotte and Tavaris Jackson at the helm, so whatever combination of Tavaris and Sage Rosenfels handles the snaps this year can't be much worse. Look for numbers around last year's totals, with a slight possible upside potential, and you won't be too disappointed if you grab Berrian.
23. Kevin Walter(HOU)- Walter doesn't garner a lot of attention in fantasy circles, but he quietly had a rock solid season last year. He caught the same number of TD's as Andre Johnson, and while his yardage totals weren't even close, it's clear that he isn't a forgotten man in this offense, and he comes so cheap late in drafts that he is a solid value pick. If Schaub can stay healthy, there should be plenty of balls to go around. In that event, look for Walter to put up his first 1000 yard season and catch 6-8 TD's, solid production for a guy that is basically just a draft day after-thought.
24. DeSean Jackson(PHI)- DeSean Jackson has a lot of potential for someone this late on my list. But with that potential comes a head with more holes in it than a slice of swiss cheese. If you saw his premature celebration on Monday Night Football, when he dropped the ball on the one foot line before stepping into the end-zone, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It took Donovan McNabb a long time to trust him after that miscue, but if they can form a better rapport during the off-season, and if DeSean can get his head out of his backside, he has the talent to be a solid fantasy contributor.
25. Anthony Gonzalez(IND)- Somebody has to step up and catch some more TD's with Marvin Harrison leaving town. I expected it to be Reggie Wayne last year, but his totals went down. Dallas Clark can't do it all himself, so either Gonzalez or long-shot Pierre Garcon have got to step up to the plate and see a serious increase in production. The only problem is that there was ample opportunity for Gonzalez to do it last year and he didn't. He's still young, though, so maybe there's still hope.
26. Torry Holt(JAX)- He's old, he's on a brand-new team that hasn't had a dynamic passing attack in years, and he's coming off the worst season of his career. Did I mention that he has a bad knee? After that introduction, I probably don't have to warn you that Holt could be a bust this year, but not long ago he was fantasy royalty. Don't expect numbers that will come anywhere near his heyday, but if the knee allows, there might just be enough left in the tank for a coda to his career like the one Jerry Rice had in Oakland. In other words, he won't put up great numbers, but he may not embarass himself either. He could still be a factor. Then again, it could be like when Rice went to the Broncos . . .
27. Laveranues Coles(CIN)- Don't look for Coles to pick up all of T.J. Houshmandzadeh's production. T.J. was a stud, and Coles isn't getting any younger, so I think Housh's numbers will be split between Coles and Chris Henry. However, Coles is still a capable receiver, and Mr. Ochocinco will be drawing the tougher defensive match-ups, so Coles could put up some very respectable numbers in Cincy.
28. Donald Driver(GB)- Driver has gotten it done for a long time. While he hasn't had a stand-out fantasy season since 2006, he also hasn't had less than 1000 receiving yards in each of the last five years. So he's a safe, if not exciting, pick on draft day. With Aaron Rodgers hucking the rock, and Greg Jennings drawing the defense to his side, Driver should be a safe bet for another solid season.
29. Lee Evans(BUF)- Lee could be one of the biggest benefactors of TO's visit to Buffalo. Lee will probably be offended at times by the lack of attention defenses will pay to him as they struggle to blanket Owens in coverage. Limiting his production, though, are his quarterback and their offensive system, so it's hard to be incredibly bullish about Evans, but there is tremendous upside potential, so don't forget him if he's available late in your draft.
30. Devin Hester(CHI)- Hester has huge break-out potential this year. He made serious strides learning the position last year, and now he has a rifle-armed quarterback in town to make the most of his incredible speed. Still, it's only his second year as a starting NFL receiver, and he's in an offense that will still run first, pass second, and only deep as needed. Also, unless he learns to run good routes, defenses will know what to do to defend Hester: just don't let him burn you! So, the potential is there, but there are a lot of question marks.
31. Donnie Avery(STL)- Donnie looked great at times last season, but this season the going could be a lot tougher. The Rams lack any other possible receiving threat on the roster heading into the pre-season, so unlike last year, when Torry Holt drew lots of attention, stopping Avery will be a high priority for opposing defenses. Of course, defenses will make stopping Steven Jackson their top priority, so Avery won't be facing any double-teams, and so he may put up solid fantasy stats nonetheless.
32. Derrick Mason(BAL)- After his short-lived retirement, Mason is back in training camp and ready to go. He's steady as they come, but getting a bit long in the tooth, and this is not a passing attack that will set the world aflame. But Flacco's numbers should go up a bit, and Mason is still the best receiver in town, so he should be solid.
33. Lance Moore(NO)- Lance Moore emerged as a favorite target of Drew Brees last year. Still, that was with Colston ailing, Reggie Bush out, and Jeremy Shockey MIA. Those three sould re-emerge as the top receiving threats this season, so that would push Moore's production way back down. Still, he showed enough last year to warrant draft day consideration.
34. Michael Crabtree(SF)- Crabtree has the tools to be a superstar, but even Calvin Johnson failed to make a huge splash during his rookie year, and Crabtree has already missed time in camp as the Niners struggle to sign him. Everyday he misses of practice, the liklihood of him putting up solid stats in his rookie campaign go down.
35. Earl Bennett(CHI)- Earl and Pierre Garcon in Indy are my super-sleeper specials. Garcon might win the WR3 spot in Indy, which could be a sweet spot to be in. Bennett, on the other hand, could find his way into the WR1 or WR2 spot in Chicago. That's because he played in college with Jay Cutler, and rumor has it that the two of them are hitting it off in practice. There should be more receiving stats with Cutler at the helm than Greg Olsen can account for alone, and Hester is still a project, so if someone like Bennett can emerge as a solid target, then he could have fantasy relevance.
Other wide-outs to consider: Eddie Royal, Deion Branch, Joey Galloway, Bobby Engram, Isaac Bruce
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