Rotobahn

WR Rankings Full Season

A look at the WR Market
By: Pete Davidson : October 24, 2012 7:49pm

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The wide receiver position is insanely deep right now. The injuries have not been all that bad which certainly contributes to the current level of depth. And, as we’ve learned in recent years, this is a throwing league, and all the throwing means more viable receiving options.

There are very dependable options right up until you hit the mid thirties and you have solid 12-team flex options right up into the fifties. It would not surprise me to see more leagues adding a second flex spot next year and in the future.

I’ll be back tomorrow with our initial lineup rankings for Week 8, which will all be posted before Thursday Night Football. Below are the links for our full season rankings for QB, RB and TE.

QB Rankings
RB Rankings
TE Rankings

Rank	PLAYER	TEAM	BYE	ROLE	THE SKINNY
1	Calvin Johnson	DET	0	WR1	Yes, he’s 12th in scoring on a per week basis. He’s still got a lot going for him and he’s past the bye. Megatron is still the most valuable asset at the position. If you can buy low on him right now, we’d encourage you to do so.
2	AJ Green	CIN	8	WR1	AJ has been everything we said he’d be and we’re temped to put him up top, but we sense a Megatron explosion coming, so we’re putting him here.
3	Roddy White	ATL	0	WR1	Roddy has been awesome and if teams keep paying extra attention to Julio Jones, then White will keep making them pay.
4	Percy Harvin	MIN	11	WR1	Harvin has been very consistent and he is now, along with Adrian Peterson, the heart of the Vikings’ offense. Only injury can slow him down.
5	Brandon Marshall	CHI	0	WR1	He had a few bumps early on, but Marshall looks very good in Chicago with Jay Cutler throwing him the ball. Right now he is rolling and he’s past his bye.
6	Victor Cruz	NYG	11	WR1	Cruz has been amazing and we expect him to keep playing well. Hakeem Nicks will begin to steal. some points if he stays healthy, but there is more than enough to go around for both players to play at a high level. Cruz is a lock starter.
7	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	0	WR1	He has tons and tons of upside and he’s the ninth best WR right now. Thomas is a player to trade for.
8	Jordy Nelson	GB	10	WR1	People started to write him off after a few low output weeks, but we’ve seen what he can do in weeks 6 and 7. He’s a stable commodity.
9	Julio Jones	ATL	0	WR1	We expect improvement as teams begin to lean on the madly productive Roddy White. Jones is healthy and he could really explode down the stretch.
10	Vincent Jackson	TB	0	WR1	He’s got an average QB, but he is still performing at a very high level. As I have said in the past, when Jackson is on top of his game, nobody can cover him. Nobody.
11	Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	10	WR1	He has QB problems, but Skelton is good enough to feed Larry, so we’re keeping him up with the WR1s.
12	Marques Colston	NO	0	WR1	Colston has been very good so far and is on a tear with Graham out of the lineup. He is a player we would strongly consider moving if the right deal presented itself.
13	Wes Welker	NE	9	WR2	He has been typical Welker and we think he will continue to tease WR1 value, though with Hernandez and Edelman both healthy, we do expect a slight reduction in value relative to what he did with those players out of the lineup.
14	Reggie Wayne	IND	0	WR2	He’s been amazing and we expect him to keep it up, though perhaps not at quite the torrid pace he’s been playing at so far. Defenses are going to start doubling him on every snap. He’s been seeing more extra coverage in recent weeks. We see him as a high-end WR2 the rest of the way. He’s been a solid WR1 so far.
15	Mike Wallace	PIT	0	WR2	Wallace is playing better in 2012 than he did in 2011 and it shows. He did have some drops in Week 7, but we think he finishes well. He’s a strong WR2 with WR1 upside.
16	Hakeem Nicks	NYG	11	WR2	He could climb back up into the WR1s if he continues to get healthier. Nicks is a phenomenal talent paired with a top QB. All he needs is health. Nothing else can stop him.
17	Eric Decker	DEN	0	WR2	He’s coming on strong now and we expect it to continue with Manning looking better and better.
18	Steve Smith	CAR	0	WR2	There’s dissension in Carolina, but Smith has always been able to rise above. We think he’ll play at a WR2 level the rest of the way. He’s healthy now.
19	Andre Johnson	HOU	8	WR2	He’s really dropped off and we’re tempted to rank him lower, but he is healthy and the Texans will be under more pressure to score with some harsh injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
20	Jeremy Maclin	PHI	0	WR2	No reason to worry and he could be ranked higher. There’s really not much separation between Maclin and the guys I have ranked ten spots higher. It’s a testament to the current depth at the position.
21	Dez Bryant	DAL	0	WR2	Bryant is also coming on and has upside well above his current ranking. He’s here because he is battling a groin issue. He can move up if he shows that he is healthy in Week 8.
22	Miles Austin	DAL	0	WR2	Another player with plenty of upside for a guy ranked in the 20s. He bounced back strong from a poor Week 7 and looks like a solid WR2 option going forward. He’s also healthy, which is big in his case.
23	Dwayne Bowe	KC	0	WR2	He could be so much higher, but the QB position in KC has been woefully neglected. At this point, we think they need to give our guy Stanzi a try. After getting good looks at Cassel and Brady Quinn, how much worse could he do? Quinn will play this week and we do like him better than Cassel. Bowe is still a viable play, but he’s in a tough situation much like Larry Fitzgerald.
24	Greg Jennings	GB	10	WR2	He can obviously move up quickly if he proves that he’s healthy, but the groin has lingered and we’re getting the feeling that we may not see Jennings in Week 8. With a week 10 bye, you have to worry that we won’t see him until week 11. That’d be a big hit to his value. This situation is fluid, but we don’t like the current trajectory.
25	Randall Cobb	GB	10	WR3	Cobb is a VERY interesting player. There is a school of thought that he is seeing extra looks due to Jennings’ injury. And while that is true to an extent, I think this player has truly arrived. They love him in Green Bay and most importantly, Aaron Rodgers loves him. The trust of HC Mike McCarthy and Rodgers is the key to what Cobb has done and what he will keep on doing. They use him a lot like New England uses Aaron Hernandez, but they do it with a twist of Welker. He’s a funky chess piece and they use him to create mismatches. Cobb’s role is only going to grow. He should be owned in all leagues.
26	Kenny Britt	TEN	11	WR3	We’re really pushing the envelope ranking him this high, but we like what we see so far. He’ll get over his dropsies and if that happens, the touchdowns will follow. Britt’s a dope for sure, but he is being given every opportunity to clean up his act. For the rest of 2012 he has a chance to excel. Just don’t ask me if he can get through the offseason without making headlines--the wrong way.
27	Torrey Smith	BAL	8	WR3	He exploded the night after his younger Brother passed away and he’s tailed off since. We like Smith and we think he’ll finish well. He’s got upside at this ranking.
28	Steve Johnson	BUF	8	WR3	Johnson has been the quintessential WR3 so far and that’s our expectation for the rest of the way.
29	Brandon Lloyd	NE	9	WR3	He’s just not making enough plays in NE’s offense. It obviously has a lot to do with all the other options that Brady has to throw to. We were careful with Lloyd’s ranking in August for that very reason, but we still may have been too optimistic. He’s currently producing like a WR4, but we think he’ll rebound and this ranking reflects that.
30	Antonio Brown	PIT	0	WR3	Not what he was last year, but still quite solid and well worth a play as a weekly WR3 in all formats.
31	James Jones	GB	10	WR3	Jones is tricky to rank for the rest of the season. He will move up or down depending on Jennings’ situation. Of all the Packers’ receivers, Jones is the guy who is posting inflated numbers due to the loss of their #1 guy. He’ll probably go back to being inconsistent once Jennings is back. His current value is at WR2 level but he could be an WR4 soon, so we’re ranking him here.
32	Denarius Moore	OAK	0	WR3	Moore is looking good now that his hamstring woes are behind him. He is the clear #1 option in Oakland and he could climb the rankings a bit if he stays healthy.
33	Mike Williams	TB	0	WR3	Williams’ resurgence was somewhat predictable. He just wasn’t built to be a team’s #1 option. He is now thriving in the #2 role and fantasy GMs are reaping rewards if they took him late in their draft. He’s delivered strong value so far and we expect that to continue.
34	DeSean Jackson	PHI	0	WR3	DeSean as struggled for well over a year at this point. He’s a WR3 these days and he does have the upside to do more, but he needs some help from his QB. Not sure if that help is coming or not.
35	Malcom Floyd	SD	0	WR3	Floyd has been solid. He’s a legit WR3 in 12-team leagues.
36	Lance Moore	NO	0	WR3	Moore has been pretty much exactly what most expected. He’s a low end WR3.
37	Brian Hartline	MIA	0	WR4	He’s right on the edge of WR3 value in 12-team leagues. He can have huge games and he can disappear. but on balance, he is a startable player.
38	Anquan Boldin	BAL	8	WR4	He lacks upside but he gives you solid flex numbers on most weeks.
39	Titus Young	DET	0	WR4	He’s been wretched so far, but he will get a chance to shine with Burleson gone. He’s got borderline WR3 value in 12-team leagues for his upside, but he needs to get ti going or Broyles could become the guy.
40	Josh Gordon	CLE	10	WR4	He is a riser, but there is still some issues with his floor. He’s getting it done, but mostly with big plays and that can dry up sometimes. What we like is his ability, which is very significant and we like his QB. He’s raw and there are players getting healthy in Cleveland, but would they really go back to Massaquoi after what Gordon has done? We sort of doubt it. We’re betting that he continues to have flex value or more.
41	Danny Amendola	STL	9	WR4	He practiced a bit this week, so he obviously intends on playing this season and perhaps a bit ahead of his scheduled return date of Week 11. Bear in mind that Ryan Mathews also practiced well ahead of his return date with a similar injury. It’s the ability to take contact that really matters.
42	Jeremy Kerley	NYJ	9	WR4	He’s really come on and stepped up to the challenge of replacing Santonio Holmes. Kerley has silenced his critics that pegged him as a slot-only type. While that still may be his best spot, as is the case with Victor Cruz, he can play outside too. Kerley can help you plenty in 12-team leagues as a WR3 during the byes and a flex on full weeks,
43	Michael Crabtree	SF	9	WR4	He is playing good football, but he needs a better QB play to move up into the WR3 ranks.
44	Nate Washington	TEN	11	WR4	The crowded receiving corps in Tennessee is taking a toll on Washington’s value. He’s a flex at this point with some WR3 appeal during the bye weeks.
45	Brandon LaFell	CAR	0	WR4	We are believers in LaFell and he found his way into the end zone in Week 7. Like Steve Smith, he is stuck in a struggling offense. It’s hard to tell just how things will break in Carolina, but LaFell has WR3 potential if they get it going, which they certainly could. Still a viable option in 12-team formats but more of a flex than a WR3 at this point.
46	Sidney Rice	SEA	11	WR4	He is a good player, but he is stuck in a pretty conservative offense. He has solid flex appeal, but his team needs to throw more if he wants to get back to the WR3 level.
47	Andre Roberts	ARI	10	WR4	Roberts has been very good relative to our expectations of him going into the year. He will be a bit unpredictable, but he is coming off one of his better games and has the ability to help you through the bye weeks and perhaps the whole season. The potential emergence of rookie #1 draft pick Michael Floyd is a potential issue that could hurt his value. So keep an eye on Floyd if you are dependent on Roberts.
48	Pierre Garcon	WAS	10	WR4	He may be out until Week 11. If he is 100% at that point, he can certainly help you. That is, if you are still alive.
49	Leonard Hankerson	WAS	10	WR5	Potential. That’s what has him this high. With Garcon out indefinitely and RGIII pulling defenses up close to the LOS, we see Hankerson as a guy who can make some big plays in the coming weeks. He could move up or down depending on how he reacts in the coming weeks or if Garcon returns.
50	Kendall Wright	TEN	11	WR5	Wright is going to be a player, but like Nate Washington, he is caught in a deep receiving corps when you factor in Jared Cook. He’s a decent flex option in 12-team leagues, but he’s a year away from WR3 status.
51	Jerome Simpson	MIN	11	WR5	He as the potential, but he’s been less than stellar since his back injury.
52	Ryan Broyles	DET	0	WR5	Broyles is a future fantasy asset. We have no doubts about this kid if he remains healthy. He was on a 2013 trajectory but now with Nate Burleson’s season-ending injury, he will be the Lions’ 3rd receiver. If things break right, he could eventually fill the same role for your fantasy team. He is that good. We’ll have to see how the targets and snaps play out. We’d be rostering this guy in all 12-teams leagues for sure.
53	Santana Moss	WAS	10	WR5	Moss is really coming on and with the departure of Fred Davis, he is now the most reliable receiver RGIII has until Pierre Garcon gets back.
54	Darrius Heyward-Bey	OAK	0	WR5	He has chance to gain some steam now that he is healthy, and Oakland is slowly working their way towards functionality on offense. He’s still a guy to own and use as a flex in 12-team leagues.
55	Greg Little	CLE	10	WR5	Little is a player that can move big in either direction. He had a good game in Week 7, but was struggling with his hands in prior weeks. We still like Little, but he may no longer be the top dog in Cleveland with the emergence of Josh Gordon. Of course, there is certainly room for both men in the offense.
56	Robert Meachem	SD	0	WR5	He needs to pick it up now as Vincent Brown’s return is on the horizon. Based on what we’ve seen so far, a healthy Brown could step right in as the team’s #1 receiver. Meachem would then be back to the same role he played as a Saint.
57	Donnie Avery	IND	0	WR5	He’s starting and that makes him viable to a degree, but he’s just not making enough plays at this point. He’s bench option in 12-team leagues. A WR5.
58	Golden Tate	SEA	11	WR5	Tate is getting better and we think he’ll continue to do so, but Seattle’s conservative approach is hurting the fantasy value of all their receivers.
59	Mario Manningham	SF	9	WR5	He’s got a shot to increase his value if he keeps playing well, but there are a lot of receivers in Frisco and they don’t throw as much as most teams do.
60	Chris Givens	STL	9	WR5	Givens has really come on and we like what we’re seeing on a week-to-week basis. The obvious issue is about what happens when Danny Amendola returns. That’s still a few weeks away barring an ill-advised early return by the smallish Amendola. Right now, you can use Givens as a flex option in 12-team leagues.
61	Davone Bess	MIA	0	WR6	Bess has value because there are no other options in Miami besides Hartline. He’s worth a roster spot in 12-team leagues.
62	Vincent Brown	SD	0	WR6	It’s hard to value him because we know so little about where his rehab is really at, but if we go by the original prognosis, he could be back by week nine. More likely, we see him back in week ten or eleven. What we do know, is that Brown can be a very solid WR3 if he returns in good health. He is exactly what Philip Rivers needs.
63	Julian Edelman	NE	9	WR6	He could move up if they use him the way they were when Welker went down in Week 3. Of course, he could also move down if Welker has totally reestablished himself. We’ll be watching this situation closely.
64	Kevin Walter	HOU	8	WR6	Totally hit and miss, but when he hits, it’s usually a long bomb. He’s a bit like Devery Henderson was a few years back. Boom or bust, but with a solid chance at boom.
65	Brandon Stokley	DEN	0	WR6	He is involved every week. He can help you during the byes in 12-team leagues.
66	Andrew Hawkins	CIN	8	WR6	He’s cooled down as we thought he would, but he still has some appeal in larger leagues.
67	Brandon Gibson	STL	9	WR6	Gibson has raised his game a bit and we have to admit that we are a bit surprised. We think his value goes down when Amendola returns, but he’s worth rostering in 12-team leagues for now.
68	Donald Jones	BUF	8	WR6	Very inconsistent, but he has performed well in plus matchups. He should be owned in 12-team leagues.
69	Kyle Williams	SF	9	WR6	Williams is coming on a bit and may have some value down the stretch in 12-team leagues when the matchup is right. And there are definitely some good matchups left on his schedule.
70	T.Y. Hilton	IND	0	WR6	Hilton has a ton of talent and we think he might jump ahead of Donnie Avery at some point. He’s a very light flex option right now, but he has room to improve.
71	Alshon Jeffery	CHI	0	WR6	Jeffery should return in the next few weeks and we like his chances at moving up in the rankings when he gets back. We love his prospects for 2013. He’s a great guy to own in long term formats.
72	Justin Blackmon	JAC	0	WR6	He’s just not a good option right now. Too much going wrong in Jacksonville and now a shakier QB situation with Blaine Gabbert’s shoulder woes. Blackmon has talent and we think he’ll eventually make it in the NFL, but he is just a stash right now in 12-team leagues.
73	Jonathan Baldwin	KC	0	WR7	We love this kid’s ability, but he has perhaps the worst QB situation in the entire NFL. He is a stash just in case they get their act together, which, in our view, means starting Ricky Stanzi over both Brady Quinn and Matt Cassel. We’ll see. Baldwin is a guy to hang onto in 12-team leagues and in all long term formats.
74	Cecil Shorts	JAC	0	WR7	Our guy, Cecil found the zone again in Week 7, but his QB got hurt and we’ll have to see how things shake out in Jacksonville before we know what to make of things. This kid is an NFL player though. He is just a pure football player.
75	Armon Binns	CIN	8	WR7	Binns is battling an ankle injury but should return soon. He’s just a bench option in deeper leagues.
76	Stephen Hill	NYJ	9	WR7	The fact that Hill is ranked so low is a testament to the depth at the position. Hill is worth owning in 12-team leagues due to his size and speed. he has three scores on the year though two came in the opener. Hill seems to be past his hamstring woes at this point.
77	Doug Baldwin	SEA	11	WR7	Baldwin now has a high ankle sprain and his value was just starting to rebound. He is out for Week 8 and he could be out longer.
78	Devin Hester	CHI	0	WR7	He will be a factor until Alshon Jeffrey returns.
79	Travis Benjamin	CLE	10	WR7	Benjamin is a very talented player and he’s getting healthy now. He’s only an option in very deep leagues.
80	Dom Hixon	NYG	11	WR7	Nicks is getting healthier, but we’ve seen what Hixon can do in this offense when given the chance. He is worth owning in 12-team formats, especially if you own Nicks. Hixon is a very sound receiver in terms of routes and hands.
81	Jacoby Jones	BAL	8	WR7	He’ll be hit and miss, but he is worth a spot in most 12-team leagues.
82	Devery Henderson	NO	0	WR7	He can help you in a pinch and he’s had a few nice games with Jimmy Graham on the sidelines. Henderson is worth rostering during the bye weeks in larger formats.
83	Joseph Morgan	NO	0	WR7	He has some juice to him and he can make the big play. He could be a factor when there are injuries to others. All of Brees' targets should be owned in 12-team formats, so he is certainly rosterable.
84	Earl Bennett	CHI	0	WR7	Just a possession guy. Rosterable in deep leagues.
85	Kevin Ogletree	DAL	0	WR8	He’s faded badly since his breakout game in Week 1.
86	Randy Moss	SF	9	WR8	He is just a role player, but he HAS flashed some skills. Randy is rosterable in 12-team leagues, but as a stash option, not as a playable one.
87	Michael Floyd	ARI	10	WR8	He could emerge in the coming weeks and is a player to keep a close eye on.
88	Mohamed Massaquoi	CLE	10	WR8	Still nursing a hamstring and could be Wally Pipped by Josh Gordon is he hasn’t already.
89	Braylon Edwards	SEA	11	WR8	Has been a factor but not a fantasy factor.
90	Laurent Robinson	JAC	0	WR8	Still waiting for full clearance after his 2nd concussion this season. He’s off the radar for now.
91	Dexter McCluster	KC	0	WR8	He came out strong in the opener, but reality has set in since then. He’s a bench player in deep formats.
92	Emmanuel Sanders	PIT	0	WR8	He’s a deep option but he could thrive if given more snaps and targets.
93	Keshawn Martin	HOU	8	WR8	We love this kid, but he’s not getting enough looks at this point. Could be a breakout candidate in 2013.
94	Deion Branch	NE	9	WR8	Not active enough these days.
95	Josh Morgan	WAS	10	WR8	He starts, and he almost scored in Week 7, but tough to depend on.
96	Damian Williams	TEN	11	WR8	We like him, but he’s buried in their depth chart.
97	Ramses Barden	NYG	11	WR9	Barden has talent as we saw in Week 3, but he’s off the radar now.
98	Matt Willis	DEN	0	WR9	Has a role but would need an injury (to somebody else) to gain steam.
99	Arrelious Benn	TB	0	WR9	We like his talent, but he’s not getting enough love right now.
100	Riley Cooper	PHI	0	WR9	Cooper is a guy we like a lot, but he won’t get the snaps as he is stuck behind two very talented guys in Philly and Avant is entrenched in the role of 3rd receiver.