Top 10 Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football 2010 draft

Written by Erik M. Dell Saturday, 24 July 2010 11:21

The wide receiver crop is divided this year and the gap between elite and good is further widening. This year more than ever it is imperative to break the traditional RB/RB draft motto. If you don’t snag one of the top WR1s in the first 3 rounds then you are looking at a significant drop in production. Sure there will be a sleeper or two but the difference between Andre Johnson and Devin Hester is going to be extreme.

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1)  Andre Johnson – A beast. The Beast. One man wrecking crew. So many ways to describe the #1 receiving threat. There isn’t a much safer pick at wide out than Johnson. His supernatural connection with one of the league’s best quarterbacks all but guarantees first round numbers. In fact the second receiver on this list will have trouble maintain the fantasy point pace that Johnson will be setting.

The combination of Owen Daniels returning and Ben Tate eventually winning the RB1 position will only increase the fantasy value of Johnson. The inside threat will be legitimate enough to prevent teams from focusing on Johnson the entire time which should lead to a few opportunities for bombs and end zone looks. The real tough question is if you have the 5^th or 6^th pick do you snag Johnson knowing he will be gone after you or do you stick with a stud RB. I imagine that every league in America will have Johnson gone by the eighth pick.

2)  Randy Moss – How in the world does this guy stay on this list year in and year out? Two words: Tom Brady. Click. That is the sound these two made from game 1 when they played together. They have a great chemistry and good sideline camaraderie. Moss’s career will be defined by his time with the Patriots. People often forget what a knucklehead Moss was when he played for the Vikings and the Raiders.

Wes Welker should be playing by game 4 (+ or – 2 games) and in the meantime the Pats have a sneaky weapon in Julian Elderman who is a Welker clone. The Patriots will still fly and Moss will still be Brady’s favorite target. Simple.

3)  Calvin Johnson – The second Johnson on my list. Megatron will have a fantastic rebound season. Put it in writing, mark it in ink, and place your bets. Stafford is the real deal and the Lions were one of the best, if not the best, improved teams during the offseason. Look for great numbers as Nate Burleson FINALLY provides a decent receiving threat on the opposite side.

Word on the street is that the Lions will also be running a decent amount of two TE sets. That combined with Jahvid Best’s ankle twisting cuts will free up the rusty transformer to show you the way to the fantasy championship. Because other people will not have Johnson rated so high it is entirely possible to snag a Johnson/Johnson duo on WRs. That’s my goal for the 5-7^th pick.

4)  Larry Fitzgerald – He fell a few spots from last year’s rankings but do not make the mistake of thinking Matt Leinart is a complete moron. He knows he has one of the best receivers in the game and he will throw A LOT of balls at him. Even with the departure of Anquon Boldin the Cardinals have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.

Just pray that Leinart’s wannabe UFC days are over with. Fitz should still top a 1000 yards easily and haul in around 10 balls for scores. A gift of an athlete and an all-around good human being make Fitzgerald a sexy pick because you have the potential of getting 1^st round value in the 2^nd round.

5)  Roddy White – Good pick to land after a stud RB in the 1-4 spot. Matt Ryan continues to progress in his knowledge of the game and has a nice set of weapons around him. Having Michael Turner healthy for a full season will spell success for everyone in Atlanta but especially Roddy White who likes the long balls for big yards.

There are very few legitimate one on one threats. Ten of them will be listed here and Roddy White excels at long routes and has blazing speed after the catch is made. If you are going WR/WR this year then White is very likely candidate to fill that second WR position. Pull the trigger and then watch as week after week White will put up above average numbers for him. Think 1200/10.

6)  Miles Austin – The most fantastical sleeper of last year starts this year with a clear #1 role and the full confidence of the Cowboys and Romo. I’ve seen Austin as high as #2 in certain fantasy football cheat sheets by supposed experts (cough cough Matthew Berry). Don’t get me wrong Miles Austin could live up to this extraordinary hype.

But then again Romo has a TON of options and will be spreading the ball out more than ever. Witten gets around 90 catches, Roy Williams will see some Targets, Dez Bryant just signed his rookie contract and will be looking to contribute, Felix Jones will be getting third down duties, and there is another receiver somewhere in there. You get the point. Look I love Austin’s play but I think he will suffer from the Marques Colston syndrome. Too many mouths to feed.

7)  Greg Jennings – I want to put him higher because I think he’ll have one heck of a year but there is a chance Jennings could suffer from the same as Miles Austin but on a smaller scale. Aaron Rodgers loves to air out the ball and more than likely that long rainbow pass is going straight to Greg Jennings’ arms.

I’ve watched Green Bay play a few times last year and I was impressed with Rodgers and the looks he gives Jennings (very brief but he does notice where the WR is at all times). I believe I’m a bit more bullish on Jennings this year than other fantasy football gurus. Which to me spells upset and value pick. Like him in the second, LOVE him in the third or higher.

8)  Brandon Marshall – I’m not sold. Marshall is a great player, I’ll give him that. Talented and finds ways to be open. There are some people saying Chad Henne will have a big year. I hear you talking but I’m not letting you in. Here’s why.

This is a wildcat team; in fact this is the ONLY team that consistently gains productive yardage almost every time they run the stupid formation. Now to transition that type of a team to make Marshall a standout superstar WR, to me is a little far-fetched. There will be games where Marshall will throw up big numbers but I will gladly take the previous 7 wide outs before Marshall and if he’s still on the board when it’s my pick I may very well take the full two minutes to make my decision.

9)  Reggie Wayne – It’s hard not to notice how seamless Wayne came in and stole the WR1 from Marvin Harrison. There is no question who the #1 WR on the team is… if only by a slim margin. There are a few ankle biters nipping at Wayne’s feet but for now they pose no immediate threat.

Reggie Wayne will give you solid numbers because, well, Peyton Manning will give you solid numbers. A threat anywhere on the field, Wayne is a great WR1 and who knows, I might opt to take him over Brandon Marshall. Consistency is the key and Wayne will give you that.

10)  Michael Crabtree – I know, I know. You think I’m nuts. San Francisco is a run first team and there is no way Alex Smith will shine in the QB role. Crabtree was good last year and good despite the fact he missed part of the season, meaning he had to play catch-up to learn the plays and run the routes.

The bottom line is the coach. Yep, the sole reason this player is on my top ten lists is the coach. Mike Singletary obviously is very gifted in mentorship and getting 100% out of his players. I’m counting on Singletary taking Crabtree to heart and trusting him fully. There will be magic in the 49ers season this year and Crabtree will be part of that. Snag him while you can.

There are literally tens of thousands of fantasy football tips out there. My advice is this: Find someone that matches your style and someone who you enjoy reading and stick with them. If that happens to be me then make sure you visit www.babybluemonkey.com often.