(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
(Page 4 of 4)
Tier Four (Late Rounds)
38. Michael Crabtree—San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco has yet to decide who their starting quarterback will be, and the same goes for their receivers.
Crabtree is an early favorite to snag one of the starting jobs, but the quarterback situation (and the fact that he's a rookie) could be enough to scare the casual fantasy owner away.
While most rookie receivers take time to develop, it's important to note that Crabtree's game doesn't depend on speed, but more his reliable hands and ball skills.
He could be in for some rough patches, but still could easily be a decent WR3.
39. Deion Branch—Seattle Seahawks
Branch has yet to live up to his big contract with Seattle, but since they're paying him, he'll get every chance to keep one of the two starting gigs.
Branch has the speed and ability to be a solid fantasy weapon, but with no elite seasons under his belt, he's a scary selection.
40. Devin Hester—Chicago Bears
Hester is progressing slowly as a starter, but still put up over 50 catches and 665 yards, which are encouraging statistics, considering Chicago's lackluster pass attack as well as their commitment to the ground game.
Now that Jay Cutler is in town though, that all could change.
Hester may not be the perfect receiver yet, but his speed and play-making will be put to great use with a bonafide Pro Bowl quarterback throwing him passes.
41. Donnie Avery—St. Louis Rams
Avery is an intriguing fantasy talent simply because he's the starter for the Rams, and he put up over 600 yards receiving as a rookie.
However, the Rams are still the Rams, and Marc Bulger is still behind center.
Two things that should have you shaking your head no on anyone in St. Louis not named Steven Jackson.
42. Chris Chambers—San Diego Chargers
Chambers will be 31 in August, and is coming off of three straight seasons of 700 yards or less, and five touchdowns or less.
The saddest part? He scored all of his five touchdowns in the first five games last season, and topped 60 yards receiving just once the rest of the way.
Chambers is still talented and can grow into a bigger role, but it's clear that Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates get the looks ahead of him.
43. Michael Jenkins—Atlanta Falcons
While everyone was hyping up Roddy White (as they should), Jenkins was quietly having one of his better seasons in Atlanta as he grabbed 50 catches for 777 yards.
Jenkins should continues to be a big-play threat for Matt Ryan, and with his great size (6'4''), he could even begin to develop into a red-zone threat.
44. Ted Ginn Jr.—Miami Dolphins
Reports from Miami's camps say nothing but good things about Ginn, which lead many to believe that he's finally ready to take the next step toward becoming an elite receiver.
Ginn put up 56 catches for over 700 yards in his second season as the starter, and could improve on those numbers with another year with Chad Pennington. Ginn is a solid sleeper to break-out in 2009, and could be had late in your draft as a solid WR3.
45. Mark Clayton—Baltimore Ravens
Clayton has so much speed, athleticism, and big-play ability, that it's almost a crime to have him this low on the list.
But with only three touchdowns in the past two seasons, and less than 50 catches for two straight years, he's not exactly a threat to consistently dominate.
The more comfortable Joe Flacco gets, the more likely Clayton is to post better numbers. But considering Derrick Mason is the more polished receiver with better hands, it may be another year or two away from happening.
46. Miles Austin—Dallas Cowboys
Outside of Roy Williams, the slots for the Dallas receivers are wide open.
Another man to consider here is Patrick Crayton, but many reports have Austin as the guy who will eventually snag the number two receiver spot.
With his electric performance against Green Bay last year (115 yards, 1 TD), he displayed his big-play ability.
Crayton could easily be had right around the same spot, so like with any other situation where several players are battling for spots, you'll have to go with your gut.
47. Domenik Hixon—New York Giants
At least for right now, Hixon is the most reliable receiver on the Giants to draft.
He's not Plaxico Burress, but over 596 yards in his first try as a starter shows he at least has the potential to be a solid receiver in the NFL.
With three straight games of 60 yards or more to end the season, Hixon is a solid addition as a WR3 or first-in-line back-up.
48. Jeremy Maclin—Philadelphia Eagles
Maclin should look to make plays out of the slot in his first year, and depending on injuries or instant impact, he could see his role increase.
He has exceptional speed and has great fluidity in his movements. However, as stated before, all three of the Eagles receivers on this list don't look to end the season any better than a WR2, and are likely WR3 candidates.
49. Muhsin Muhammad—Carolina Panthers
Muhsin Muhammad picked up right where he left off in his first season back in Carolina.
He provided Jake Delhomme with a reliable second target, as he caught 65 passes for 923 yards and five scores.
He's obviously past his prime, but even at 36, he is still a solid receiver. If you think he can stick around 900 yards again, draft him as your WR3.
50. Devery Henderson—New Orleans Saints
Henderson is that insane kid with lightning speed. You know, the one that can run past the secondary, but can't run routes.
If he could develop consistent go-to moves when facing pres coverages, he would be a lot more effective. Then again, actually catching the ball would help, too.
Still, no one covers as much ground as Henderson does with the number of catches he receivers.
For his career, Henderson has averaged over 21 yards per catch, and has accumulated over 2,200 yards while never catching more than 32 passes in a season.
While he may not get many looks, it's arguable that he does more with his than any other player in the league.
The main problem with Henderson is that he can register two catches for 150 yards and a score one game, but then deliver four games in a row of two catches for 20 yards.
7 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete