Time for the New Guys: Fantasy Wide Receiver Rankings

2014 will be the deepest wide receiver class in recent memory when it comes to fantasy football. While I think there is only a couple of elite players, I think from players 7-25 will all give you very good weeks. Some of my projections are based on the high upside of players, I am down on a couple of former fantasy studs who haven’t aged well or are in spats with their teams (i.e. Andre Johnson). As always at the end of this article I will proved my busts, sleepers and breakout players for the 2014 season.

Calvin Johnson

Dez Bryant

A.J. Green

Demaryius Thomas

Brandon Marshall

Julio Jones

Antonio Brown

Jordy Nelson

Alshon Jeffrey

Randall Cobb

Vincent Jackson

Michael Crabtree

Keenan Allen

Roddy White

Andre Johnson

Victor Cruz

Pierre Garcon

Michael Floyd

Cordarrelle Patterson

Golden Tate

Jeremy Maclin

Emmanuel Sanders

Larry Fitzgerald

Marques Colston

Julian Edelman

Desean Jackson

Percy Harvin

Kendall Wright

Torrey Smith

TY Hilton

Eric Decker

Reggie Wayne

Mike Wallace

Justin Hunter

Mike Evans

Brandin Cooks

Hakeem Nicks

DeAndre Hopkins

Wes Welker

Busts: Wes Welker: This might be the most obvious one of all because there is no way he will match last year’s production. We learned yesterday that Welker will be suspended for the first 4 games of the season because of amphetamines. I actually already had Welker listed as WR #40 for me because that concussion is a major concern for me. Peyton tends to lead his receivers into dangerous situations and with the position Welker is in another concussion could be the end of his career. That risk is too great for me to use Welker as a WR2 or a WR3. Value for Welker to me is a bench guy who I know I can rely on if healthy but don’t want to waste a starting spot on him.

Busts: Larry Fitzgerald: Let me say this, Larry has always been one of my favorite receivers in this league, but I don’t like the offense he is in. Bruce Arians is a let it fly type of coach and Michael Floyd is his guy for that. John Brown’s elite speed makes him effective out of the slot like TY Hilton was when he coached him in Indianapolis is rookie year. I see Michael Floyd taking over as WR1 on this team and a WR2 overall. Fitzgerald had a disappointing fantasy season last year and I don’t think much will change this season as I currently have him ranked as a WR3.

Breakouts: Michael Crabtree: If he had played the entire season last year I truly believe based on his splits that he would have finished inside the top 10 receivers. I currently have him ranked as WR12 but I can easily see him entering the top 10 this season if Kaep (who I am low on) has a good year. I think this is Crabtree’s year to become elite and enter into the top 10.

Breakouts: Jeremy Maclin: A guy off an ACL injury? Yes. Before Maclin’s injury and under a different head coach Maclin actually led the Eagles in plays downfield over his former counterpart Jackson. While healthy Maclin had more catches than Jackson and as long as he can stay healthy, which I think he will this season, he has the ability to be a top 20 WR. I currently have Maclin rated just outside the top 20 because I need to see how he is used once the season begins but I think by years end he will be on a lot of winning leagues teams because of the value you can currently get him at.

Breakouts: Cordarelle Patterson: I am doing three breakouts for this position because I think there are that many players who are entering into a different stratosphere as opposed to where they were a year ago. Patterson has elite open field ability and we saw that this preseason and down the stretch last year. Matt Cassel is a serviceable QB that during his best year led Dwayne Bowe to fantasy relevance somewhere he hasn’t been since. Patterson has top 10 ability and is currently going as high as the late 3^rd rd, early 4^th. Get him before the hype grows too big.

Sleeper: Justin Hunter: There are a couple guys I could pick for this spot and yes this is probably the most obvious. Like his former Tennessee (college) teammate Patterson listed above, Hunter was the better receiver while in school. Hunter is showing a knack for the endzone and proved that his preseason. Locker is a sleeper Quarterback this year who I think enters top 20 by years end. If Locker does it won’t be because of Kendall Wright it’ll be because Hunter has a great year.