• Tools
• My Locker
• Rankings
• Projections
• Grey Report
• Opportunity Stats
• Injuries
• Depth Charts
• Yardage/Scoring

Dynasty League Rankings - WRs

Aug 27 2008, 04:06 PM

Colts WR Reggie Wayne headed for six.

Contributed by: Jeff Williamson

Drafting wide receivers in dynasty leagues can be particularly tricky. You’re always looking for young talent with an eye on the future, but most rookie and second year receivers struggle adapting to the league. As a rule, I look for a track record of success, even if only a year or two, before investing heavily in a pass catcher. For every Marques Colston there are hundreds of receivers that never see the field. This is a look at how our wide receiver dynasty league rankings shake out.

1) Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
It was a tough call between some great receivers, but age, ability, and playing in the powerful Colts offense gives Wayne the edge. Last season he ranked first in yards, third in receptions, and ninth in touchdowns and this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

2) Randy Moss, New England Patriots
Moss is officially a member of the “I broke the single season touchdown record and all I got was this lousy number two ranking” club. But his age and a very good season from Reggie Wayne nudged him out. Moss is still great and has at least a few great seasons left in him as long as he remains in New England. Obviously he’s a must own.

3) Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Already one of the top receivers in the league, Fitzgerald could be the most physically talented and polished receiver in the league, but his quarterback is holding him from the top spot. If Arizona can solidify their QB situation, Fitzgerald could find himself with the top spot in the very near future.

4) Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns
Fantasy owners knew Edwards was a good receiver, but he surprised us all with a near 1,300 yard, 16 touchdown season. Edwards owes a lot of his success to the emergence of Derek Anderson and will go as far as the young QB can take him. All signs point to a bright future for Edwards and the rest of the Browns offense.

5) Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints
Colston snuck up on fantasy owners two years ago, and improved again in his second year while the rest of his team struggled. When New Orleans, the most frequent flying team in the league, puts it all together, Colston’s numbers could be flat out scary. What is scarier is that he is just 25 and is still improving.

6) Andre Johnson, Houston Texans
Johnson missed seven games due to injury, but was as dominant as any receiver in the league when he was on the field. Mired away in mediocrity for years, the arrival of Matt Schaub boosted Johnson’s value where it belongs. If he can stay healthy, he will battle for the top spot next year.

7) Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Calvin has it all; he’s 6’5”, 239 lbs., runs a 4.35 40, and has a good receiver across from him. Last season he battled a back injury that was worse than people realized, which explains his down numbers. Look for a 208 breakout from one of the league’s best up and coming receivers, and buy low while you still have the chance.

8) Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos
Marshall has the ability to be one of the league’s best receivers (if not THE best), but his off-the-field issues are dragging him down. If he can battle his personal issues and stay on the commissioner’s good side, the 24-year-old could be a top five receiver as soon as this year.

9) Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers
Smith might be the league’s most explosive receiver, but without Jake Delhomme under center he struggled. Delhomme looks healthy and the Panthers boosted their complementary receivers so Smith looks like he is poised for a return to form. A two game suspension will dampen his 2008 stats in the short term however. 

10) Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys
Last year Owens had another good year, finishing fifth in yards, third in touchdowns, and first in TV coverage, and shows no sign of slowing down (especially the TV coverage). Owens is in fantastic shape, but at age 34, he will slow down one of these years. He has shown no signs of a down turn and is still a great investment, but it would be smart to prepare for one just in case.

11) Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs
While everyone was gushing over Calvin Johnson, Bowe snuck on to the scene with a strong season in a weak Chiefs offense. Bowe is a strong receiver with good size and speed and should only improve as the KC offense does. He is a must own for dynasty fantasy owners.

12) TJ Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati Bengals
While his teammate, Chad Johnson, was ranked number one in 2007, Housh stole the show, catching 112 passes and scoring 12 touchdowns. He has battled a nagging hamstring injury this pre-season which drops his stock short term, but Housh is a great keeper in dynasty leagues.

13) Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals
Boldin is one of the league’s better receivers, but isn’t even the best on his own team. He has battled injuries the past few seasons and inconsistent QB play hasn’t helped either. He has publicly asked for a trade that could help or hurt his value depending on where he winds up. Either way he’s a receiver you want both short and long term for your fantasy team.

14) Chad Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
For fantasy owners, Johnson is as frustrating as he is entertaining, following huge games with lousy ones. After a long public contract battle he reported to camp only to suffer a serious shoulder injury in the pre-season. So far Johnson says he will play through it, but there is no doubt he will be restricted. Long term Johnson is still a top receiver, but for 2008 he is a risk.

15) Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers
In just his second year, Holmes developed into a borderline number one receiver racking up close to 1,000 yards in just 13 games. He isn’t physically imposing like most receivers, but he is lightning fast and the suddenly high flying Steelers know how to use him. At age 24, Holmes is a great dynasty receiver and one that tends to fall under the radar quite often.

16) Plaxico Burress, New York Giants
Plax was the model of inconsistency in his younger years, but the past few seasons he seems to have figured it out and has become a touchdown scoring machine. Unfortunately nagging injuries are dragging him down. At age 31, and with a significant injury history, Burress is a good choice for a win now team, but not ideal for a team building for the future.

17) Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams
Holt is about as consistent a receiver as there is in the NFL, but while his yardage totals are still very strong, he is getting older and may start to decline in the next few years. Holt is a player you should target in an effort to win now, rather than build for the future.

18) Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers
In his second season, Jennings surprised everyone catching 12 touchdowns in just 13 games. He is still young, fast, and has great hands, but the loss of Brett Favre significantly hurts his stock. On talent alone, Jennings deserves to be much higher, but if I’m a dynasty owner I’m waiting to see how Aaron Rodgers performs before I invest too heavily in Jennings.

19) Roy Williams, Detroit Lions
Williams is a good mix of size and speed, and teamed with Calvin Johnson will rarely face a double team for an entire game. He hasn’t lived up to his potential in Detroit, but he is a free agent in 2009. The Eagles and Cowboys will certainly have interest. Roy is a good player this year and potentially a great player next year if he lands in a good situation.

20) Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets
No player benefitted more from the Brett Favre trade than Cotchery. This pre-season the two appear to have developed a good connection and he could become this year’s Greg Jennings. Either way, Cotchery is a good young receiver and will only get better the next few years, especially if Favre sticks around.

21) Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
White had a breakout year in ’07, catching 83 passes for over 1,200 yards and yet he still flies under a lot of fantasy radars. The former first round pick is just 26 and quarterback Matt Ryan gives him an upgrade over every quarterback he had last year. White is a must own for dynasty owners, both short and long term.

22) Lee Evans, Buffalo Bills
Evans is a speedy, talented receiver, but defenses doubled him last season and forced the Bills to find another option. This year the team drafted another option in James Hardy, a big-bodied receiver who will complement Evans nicely and open up the field. Look for Evans to return to his 2006 form this season, and at age 27, he is a receiver to buy low on for the future.

23) Anthony Gonzalez, Indianapolis Colts
With Marvin Harrison on the decline, the future looks very bright for Gonzalez in that powerful Colts offense. Even if Harrison returns to form, Gonzalez could fill the Brandon Stokley role and be productive in the slot. I expect a strong 2008 season, but better seasons in the future as he works his way to starting.

24) Wes Welker, New England Patriots
Welker came out of nowhere to co-lead the league with 112 receptions. He is small and quick, has a knack for getting open, and at age 27 he is a strong keeper. Playing in the league’s most powerful passing offense will keep his numbers high, but seasons like Tom Brady had only come along once in a lifetime so a decline from Welker’s 2008 stats is to be expected.

25) Laveranues Coles, New York Jets
Coles is another underrated fantasy receiver who battled injuries most of last season. With Brett Favre in town, his stats will naturally improve, but injuries have been nagging again this pre-season giving Jerricho Cotchery more chance to take over the number one spot. Coles is only 30, but injuries could be catching up with him, limiting his long term potential.

26) Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ward is pound for pound the toughest receiver in the league. He is a tenacious blocker, and I would want him on my favorite team any day. But he is also on the wrong side of 30 and nagging injuries are creeping up on him. Ward is a good short term solution for your 2^nd or 3^rd receiver spot, but not worth a long term investment in dynasty leagues.

27) Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis Colts
Harrison was the definition of consistency until last season when a knee injury ended his season. Obviously, at 36 years old, he is on the down side of his career, but I’m not ready to give up on him just yet. Don’t invest heavily, but between concerns about age, injury, and messy off-field issues, Harrison will be dirt cheap and can help your team win this year.

28) Chris Chambers, San Diego Chargers
Chambers has been teasing fantasy owners since his quasi-breakout in 2005. A switch from the Dolphins to the Chargers will help boost his numbers and he will have a full off-season to learn the playbook. As he develops a rapport with Philip Rivers, Chambers has a chance to post good numbers and could work his way to a number two fantasy receiver.

29) Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers
Driver has posted four straight 1,000-yard seasons, but with Brett Favre in New York, Driver will need to develop a new chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. Driver has been under-rated as a fantasy receiver for years, but at age 33 and with a new quarterback on the scene, Driver’s value is on the decline.

30) James Hardy, Buffalo Bills
Hardy is a big body receiver with a nose for the end zone. A multi-sport athlete at Indiana (basketball), he caught 36 touchdowns in just three seasons before leaving early for the pros. Of all the rookie receivers, Hardy is the most likely to have a first year impact and will make a perfect complement to the speedy Lee Evans.

31) Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers
Jackson is a huge receiver at 6’5”, 240 lbs. and has good speed to match, but he has yet to put it all together in the NFL. Jackson did click well with Philip Rivers in the playoffs, averaging exactly 100 yards per game in the post-season. If Rivers and Jackson pick up where they left off, VJax could be a bargain.

32) Bernard Berrian, Minnesota Vikings
Berrian left a terrible quarterback situation in Chicago for an equally terrible one in Minnesota. With opposing defenses preoccupied with Adrian Peterson, however, he should find some more room downfield at the very least. Berrian is a very speedy receiver, which can mean inconsistency from week-to-week, but he is still just 27 and has a lot of upside.

33) Devin Thomas, Washington Redskins
Thomas is a big receiver with good speed who had a great senior year at Michigan State, but did little in the years prior. He has all of the physical tools to be a solid pro. He will likely need a little seasoning, but is well worth stashing away in dynasty leagues.

34) Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
At age 36, Galloway never ceases to amaze and shows no signs of slowing down. He was on pace for over 1,200 yards last season, but sat out most of the last three games to rest for the playoffs. A player his age should not be drafted for long term, but could definitely help a dynasty team win a championship this season.

35) Nate Burleson, Seattle Seahawks
In 2007, Burleson had a respectable year, hauling in 50 passes for nearly 700 yards. In 2008 he assumes the starting job by default with Deion Branch and Bobby Engram injured and DJ Hackett gone. Burleson is still young and showed flashes of greatness while with the Vikings. He has the opportunity to return to form; he just has to take it.

36) D.J. Hackett, Carolina Panthers
In Seattle, Hackett showed the ability to be a top notch receiver, but he also showed the ability to be injured often. In Carolina, he will likely be the third receiver behind Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad, but could earn a starting job if Muhsin struggles. Long term, Hackett is an excellent complement to Smith and could creep in to the top 20 in our rankings.

37) Steve Smith, New York Giants
Smith battled injuries his rookie season and played in just five games. He has good hands and is a good route runner and will eventually take over the number two role when Amani Toomer retires. He likely won’t have a huge impact in 2008, but he could be a solid number two or three fantasy receiver in the very near future.

38) Limas Sweed, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rated as one of the top college receivers last year, Sweed was sidelined with a wrist injury that eventually cost him his season and caused him to fall in the draft. At 6’4” Sweed should be a great red zone target and has the talent to become a good pro in the very near future.

39) Kevin Curtis, Philadelphia Eagles
Curtis had a surprisingly strong season in his first season as an Eagle, posting over 1,100 yards. In reality, Curtis is more of a number two receiver, but as long as he holds the number one role he has value. Curtis will miss a good deal of the first half of the 2008 season with a groin injury, but has decent long-term value as long as he remains Philly’s number one.

40) Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
Showing signs of stardom with his 1,500 yards in 2005 and 800 yards in both years since, Moss has frustrated fantasy owners to no end. He has game breaking speed, but is very inconsistent as most speed receivers are. The Skins brought in two very good rookie receivers so the end of the road may be close for Santana.