Fantasy Football 2012: Breaking Down the NFL's Best Wide Receiver Tandems

Packers wideouts Jordy Nelson (career-high 15 TDs in 2011) and Greg Jennings combined for 135 catches, 197 targets, 2,212 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The forward-thinking eggheads at Rotowire have painstakingly crunched the numbers to determine fantasy football's best wide receiver tandems for 2012, citing the vital categories of Targets, Catches, Yards Receiving and Receiving Touchdowns.

Targets: Roddy White (155), Julio Jones (113) = 268 total

Catches: Wes Welker (103), Brandon Lloyd (64) = 167 total

Receiving Yards: Victor Cruz (1,433), Hakeem Nicks (1,159) = 2,592 total

Touchdowns: Calvin Johnson (15), Titus Young (5) = 20 total

The Big 64

Using Rotowire as a reference point, here's my listing of fantasy's best receiver tandems, 1 through 32.

For clubs like the Dolphins, Browns, Rams, Jets, Panthers and Bears, it wasn't easy to separate the No. 2 wideout from the third, fourth or even fifth options.

However, in terms of four-category viability (targets, catches, receiving yards, TDs), I'm comfortable with these WR1/WR2 assumptions, heading into July:

Greg Jennings/Jordy Nelson, Packers (2,212 yards and 24 TDs last season)

Victor Cruz/Hakeem Nicks, Giants (Nicks' foot injury muddles picture a bit)

Roddy White/Julio Jones, Falcons

Wes Welker/Brandon Lloyd, Patriots

Mike Wallace/Antonio Brown, Steelers

Miles Austin/Dez Bryant, Cowboys

Calvin Johnson/Titus Young, Lions

Vincent Jackson/Mike Williams, Bucs (M-Will was a top-13 WR last summer)

Jeremy Maclin/DeSean Jackson, Eagles

Kenny Britt/Nate Washington, Titans (this club is locked and loaded at WR)

Laurent Robinson/Justin Blackmon, Jags (highest-ranked vet/rookie combo)

Demaryius Thomas/Eric Decker, Broncos