This post is first and foremost dedicated to thanking any and all
of our Military protecting our country. With two children that are
veterans, I appreciate all the services they perform in protecting us. If
any of you readers are either active or veterans Thank You! If you are deployed
by any chance, God speed and protect you in your service!
With that said, a list of my projected best wide receivers
would look like the following, based upon last year's stats and any possible
improvements for the listed players on the teams on which they are presently a
member of the roster. This is the order that I will draft the wideout position
in my drafts.
1) Randy Moss - New England: Consensus first pick or at
least in the top two, Moss lived up to his hype last year as the best duo, with
Tom Brady's help. For the season as is well documented, Moss finished with 98
receptions for 1,493 yards. He averaged 15.2 yards per catch and scored a
whopping 23 touchdowns.
2) Terrell Owens - Dallas: The "other"
consensus leader of the wide outs. Owens finished the season with 81 catches
for 1,355 yards. He averaged 16.7 yards per catch and scored 15
touchdowns. Owens also miraculously didn't melt down when the Cowboys' fortunes
turned south and headed downhill.
3) Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis: Wayne turned into
Peyton Manning's favored target last season, as Marvin Harrison fell off on the
stats level slightly. Wayne, in 2007, had 104 catches for 1,510 yards. He
averaged 14.5 yards per catch and scored 10 times.
4) Braylon Edwards - Cleveland: One of the
surprise success stories of 2007, Edwards and Derek Anderson shocked the NFL
into becoming believers. Edwards, in 2007, had 80 receptions for a total 1,289
yards with a 16.1 yard per catch average and 16 touchdowns.
5) Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona: With a big, new
contract, Fitzgerald has lined himself up in the elite NFL status. In 2007,
Fitzgerald caught 100 balls for 1,409 yards, a 14.1 yards per catch average and
10 scores. He needs to follow up this season to prove he is worth all the new
dollars he is collecting.\
6) T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Cincinnati: "Who's yo
Momma" is now considered one of the elite NFL receivers. He is in the
middle of trying to get past the distractions that teammate Chad Johnson is
providing the Bengals with as he makes the NFL season his stage for drama. T.J.
finished 2007 with 112 catches for 1,143 yards and a 10.2 yard per catch
average with 12 scores.
7) Marques Colston - New Orleans: Colston was another
surprise success story in 2007, 98 catches for 1,202 yards, a 12.3 yards
per catch average and 11 touchdowns. With a healthy Brees throwing again this
year, the numbers should only go up for Colston.
8) Chad Johnson - Cincinnati: A year ago, Johnson would
have been one of the top three receivers drafted in most drafts. His off-season
antics plus his threats first not to play this year, then to have foot
surgeries, have pushed him down on the draft lists. In 2007, Johnson finished with
93 catches for 1,440 yards, a 15.5 yards per catch average for 8 scores. To
draft him this high right now, owners have to have trust that he will play and
not pull a "T.O. Meltdown" during this season.
9) Plaxico Burress - New York Giants: The best NFL
player to never practice and then play, last season, Burress put up tremendous
efforts in spite of the hype surrounding his injuries that prevented him from
practicing and then he would just go out and rip up opposing defenses on
Sundays. He finished the season last year with 70 receptions for 1,025 yards
and a 14.6 yards per catch average with 12 scores.
10) Brandon Marshall- Denver: Marshall starting coming
of age in 2007 by compiling a resume with 102 catches for 1,325 yards ,a 13.0
yards per catch average and seven scores. With Jay Cutler's continued development,
Marshall's number should still be on the rise this year.
11) Wes Welker - New England: Welker certainly
benefited by playing on the opposite side of the field from Randy Moss and his
stats ballooned because of it. In 2007, his line read 112 receptions for 1,175
yards and a 10.5 yards per catch average for eight touchdowns.
12) Santonio Holmes- Pittsburgh: Holmes took over Hines
Ward's job as the primary weapon in the Steelers offense. Last season, he
finished with 52 catches for 942 yards. His 18.1 yards per catch average made
up for me that his total number of receptions was less than the other receiving
leaders, and he scored eight touchdowns.
13) Anquan Boldin - Arizona: In my list, Boldin rises
beyond other, better known names as he fought for his recognition last year. He
had 71 receptions for 853 yards and a 12.0 yards per catch average for nine
touchdowns.
14) Greg Jennings - Green Bay: Jennings was one of the
little known names that emerged last season, mainly as the recipient of Brett
Favre's unbelievable throws in their storybook season. In 2007, Jennings had 53
receptions for 920 yards and a 17.4 average for yards per catch to go with 12
touchdowns.
15) Lee Evans - Buffalo: Despite a terrible quarterback
situation last year in Buffalo, Evans still was a threat to hurt opposing
offenses and put up decent fantasy numbers. The situation will be better in
Buffalo this year, and with a frightening defense getting the ball for the offense
in better positioning, as well as the Bills drafting James Hardy to take
pressure away from Evans, the stat line will favor drafting Evans in the top
fifteen. Last year he had 55 catches, 849 yards, 15.4 yards per catch average
and only five touchdown catches.
There are other names that fantasy owners will believe should
be in place of some names on my list. That is the beauty of fantasy football,
because your drafts will prove players' worth is either right or wrong on all
the lists put out this time of year for projected values. Good fortune to
owners and may all the lists prove you right.
