2008 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers

The official Maniaxs rankings are in, and there are some mild surprises at the top of the list. Again, all Maniaxs staff participated in the rankings. These rankings are of the seasonal type, and will be adjusted accordingly should anything radical change around them.

A complete table/grid with 93 players is included as well as a downloadable PDF document for your draft/s at the very bottom of the article.

1) Randy Moss: Moss should have another exciting year. Look for Moss to continue his hot streak for as long as Brady is his QB. They have a rapport that very few wide receivers and quarterbacks have, and that is essential in making plays in the league. Moss caught a terrifying 23 touchdowns and 1,493 yards in 2007, and was signed long term in the offseason. He’s not a bad option to pick number one overall.

2) Terrell Owens: Owens looks to reap the benefits of a fantastic year this season. Even at this age, he still shows that he has it. He was a terror against some of the better corners in the league last season, so you know he has the ability to separate if pressed in one-on-one coverage.

Further, Owens averaged 16.7 yards a catch. If he stays healthy, he’ll start to get double teamed, but if he’s the Owens of old, he’ll break away from the coverage.  Any receiver who breaks the 1,000 yard mark is incredible. He had 1,355 yards on 81 receptions. He won’t last long in the draft, and it is doubtful if he’ll slip past the first round. Gobble him up while you can.

3) Reggie Wayne: With Marvin Harrison obsolete throughout last season, Reggie Wayne stepped in and played marvelously. Wayne has terrific speed to get to the outside, and he’s proven he can be the number-one wide receiver. He had more yards and receptions than Owens did last season, but Wayne isn’t a great WR in the red zone, only catching three passes for scores in 2007.

Because Manning likes to utilize his tight ends and fullbacks in the red zone, it is very difficult for the receivers to get any play, much less touchdowns. However, you still have to respect Wayne for his playmaking ability. His 1,510 receiving yards weren’t a fluke. If Harrison is able to wash himself clean of the club shooting, Wayne will be the obvious number-two receiver, but he’s still worth picking high. 

4) Braylon Edwards: For years Edwards has struggled, but only because he didn’t have a quarterback to throw the ball to him. Now that he has a good player in Anderson tossing balls in his direction, Edwards should rise on your draft board.  His tall frame is ideal, and this past season has shown that he has the ability to go up and make a play on the ball. He had 16 touchdown grabs in 2007, and that was with shaky quarterback play at the beginning of the season. Now that the quarterback position is solidified, look for Edwards to improve on his 1,289 yards and 16 TDs this season.

5) Andre Johnson: Don’t let his 851 receiving yards deceive you. He missed seven games last season, and will be a very good pick in the third or fourth rounds, if he’s there. If Schaub can stay protected long enough to make plays, look for Johnson’s numbers to soar.

A consistent problem in the Texans’ organization is the fact that they’ve never protected their quarterback well. But now with Kubiak taking the reigns, the focus has been on solidifying the line, and they did that by drafting Duane Brown out of Virginia Tech.

Did I mention Johnson has 4.32 speed? He’s a speedster and as such, he’ll get some yards after the catch.

6) Larry Fitzgerald: He is the number-one receiver on a poor passing team. Part of the problem is the Cardinals' reluctance to choose a definite starting quarterback. Warner and Leinart were inconsistent, and it didn’t help them any that their running game only averaged two yards per play. He only had 10 TD receptions in 2007, but he had 1,409 yards receiving. His counterpart, Boldin, had nine, but only had 853 yards. Boldin is more of a red zone threat than Fitzgerald, but buyer beware on Fitzgerald. He doesn’t have the speed to break away from zone coverage, and he’s not very fast coming off the line of scrimmage, but he’ll be a great number-two option with his size.

7) TJ Houshmandzadeh: He proved to be better than Chad Johnson this season, and rightfully so. This seventh-year player shows no signs of slowing down. He is the WR that is drama free, and may be the Bengals number-one receiver this season, even if Chad Johnson decides he wants to play. The problem with Houshmandzadeh is that he doesn’t get a lot of yards after the catch. That number isn’t evident with his 1,143 reception yards, and 12 touchdowns. That will need to be corrected if he is to be an elite receiver.

8) Marques Colston: Colston started the season slowly, but picked it up after game five. He still ended the season with 1,202 yards and 11 TDs. This season, the Saints look to add former first-round draft pick Robert Meachem to the lineup to play opposite Colston, but because Meachem is coming back from a knee surgery, he won’t get that many opportunities early. Colston will still be the go-to person. He scored nine of his touchdowns in the redzone. Colston could very well become a sleeper in his third year in the league, and has the possibility to become MVP. 

9) Chad Johnson: Drama-filled Chad Johnson is playing alongside TJ Houshmandzadeh, but will be a non-factor if he keeps demanding trades. Though he had 1,400 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, he may see significant bench time and may not be as effective as he once was. Buyer beware. He could be hit-or-miss this season, so if you draft him, monitor his progress the first couple weeks. Don’t be ashamed if you miss out on drafting him. There are other wide receivers to pick up his slack.

10) Steve Smith: His numbers were okay, and was still able to receive over 1000 yards, barely (1002). His speed and numbers have dropped off in recent years, but he’s still good. He’s good to keep around, but as a fifth, maybe sixth-round pick, you’re not losing a lot of stock. I wouldn’t put stock in him going earlier than that. He gets a lot of receptions, but doesn’t get a lot of touchdowns, with only seven last season. He’s not bad to have around as a utility player or third wide receiver. Just be careful, as he may not make it all season. His history with injury may catch up with him this season.

11) Wes Welker: Welker is a snake and is very hard to contain. He’s crafty and quite speedy for a slot receiver. He managed to amass over 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns. He also led the Patriots in receptions with 112. He is definitely a red-zone threat with his craftiness to elude defenders. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick him up after your first few receivers or running backs are selected. He has proven that he can play with the big boys, and the Dolphins are now sorry that they didn’t keep him.

12) Anquan Boldin: Playing alongside Larry Fitzgerald is no easy task, but Boldin has proven that he can. Boldin had one more touchdown than Fitzgerald, but has significantly less yards, with only 853. When Fitzgerald is getting the attention, Boldin is often ignored, but so much the better for fantasy owners. While he won’t get you points via yards, he certainly helps in the touchdown department. Be patient with him. He may not be the household name, but he can quietly get you points.

13) Plaxico Burress: Burress’s years in the league are starting to catch up with him. He only had 1,025 yards receiving and that’s not bad, but it’s not great for the number-one receiver on the team. The number that should stick out is his touchdown total of 12. He didn’t have a stellar year, and part of his inconsistency this season was due to the sporadic play of Eli Manning early in the year.

14) Tory Holt: Holt only had seven touchdowns and 1,198 yards this past season, and that was with three different quarterbacks. Should Bulger come back healthy, Holt will have a bigger year. It helps his stock now that Issac Bruce is no longer with the team. Holt is still Holt. He’s tough, fast, and doesn’t get injured often, but he needs to play better in the red zone to get more touchdowns. His downside is often blockers won’t block for him when he has the ball to help him get extra yards.

15) Brandon Marshall: Marshall came on the scene last season and made a good target for Jay Cutler. He netted 1,306 yards, but only seven touchdowns. Keep in mind that Marshall will be coming off an offseason injury in which he suffered by “horsing around” with his brother. The Broncos drafted a WR in Eddie Royal to help the anemic passing game, but Marshall still should be the front runner for the number-one WR spot.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to draft him later, especially if you have a four-WR set in your league. He doesn’t warrant a high pick, and the only reason he has the yards he has is because there’s no one else to throw to in Denver.

16) Greg Jennings: Greg Jennings is a pleasant surprise. He doesn’t have a 1,000-yard season yet, but he was so close last season when he had 920 yards. He also missed the first two games of the season. What’s so surprising about Jennings is that he had 12 touchdowns. Now that Favre is gone, Jennings will be the prime target for Rodgers (if he doesn’t get hurt).

Either way, the Packers will be relying on Jennings and Driver, but look for Jennings to get the nod. Perhaps he will be a third-year wonder and break out. He and Colston look to be the prime targets for their respective teams, and Jennings also has a chance to be considered in the MVP race.  

17) Roy Williams: His numbers slipped in 2007; he only amassed 836 yards and five touchdowns. Though he didn’t play the last four games of the season, he showed how ineffective he can be. He dropped a league-high eight passes, and can’t be relied on to provide a consistent outing each week. It is shaky to have him in your lineup, and injuries are mounting up on this young player. Draft him as a No. 2 option.

18) Santonio Holmes: Holmes isn’t commanding much attention from defenses, but he’s shown that he can burn them. He averaged 18 yards a reception last season. That’s a very sick number when you consider he’s not that tall or fast for a receiver. He was able to gain 942 yards and eight touchdowns. He can get into the open lanes and has a quick first-step off the line of scrimmage. He’s not a bad pick in the later rounds, but watch for him because he may go quicker than some expect.

19) Marvin Harrison: This is a reach, even this low, but you still have to respect Harrison for what he’s done in the past. If he is cleared from the shooting incident and he stays healthy, he’ll be a bona fide wide receiver. Last season he only 247 yards and one touchdown in five games. Age may be a factor this season. He’ll be 36 when the season starts, so it is risky to take a chance on him. He’s good, but may not be as good this season.

20) Hines Ward: He was often overshadowed by Santonio Holmes, but Ward makes his money as the number-two receiver. Though it can be argued he played the number-one spot this season, his numbers didn’t show it. He still has the explosiveness and could get you a surprise touchdown or two. His 732 yards and seven touchdowns are certainly no fluke. Limas Sweed is now with the team, so there may be some questions as to Ward’s role in the offense. Pick up Ward in the later rounds, and wait to see if Sweed is as advertised. If not, Ward should see significant playing time. 

Below is the table containing our top-40 Fantasy Football WRs for 2008.

RANK	PLAYER
1	Randy Moss
2	Terrell Owens
3	Reggie Wayne
4	Braylon Edwards
5	Andre Johnson
6	Larry Fitzgerald
7	T.J. Houshmandzadeh
8	Marques Colston
9	Chad Johnson
10	Steve Smith
11	Wes Welker
12	Anquan Boldin
13	Plaxico Burress
14	Torry Holt
15	Brandon Marshall
16	Greg Jennings
17	Roy Williams
18	Santonio Holmes
19	Marvin Harrison
20	Hines Ward
21	Dwayne Bowe
22	Calvin Johnson
23	Roddy White
24	Chris Chambers
25	Joey Galloway
26	Donald Driver
27	Jerricho Cotchery
28	Lee Evans
29	Laveranues Coles
30	Bobby Engram
31	Santana Moss
32	Bernard Berrian
33	Kevin Curtis
34	Donte' Stallworth
35	Javon Walker
36	Patrick Crayton
37	Jerry Porter
38	Anthony Gonzalez
39	Derrick Mason
40	Nate Burleson

Now some low-end WR1 and all of the WR2 below.

RANK	PLAYER
41	Bryant Johnson
42	Isaac Bruce
42 B	Justin Gage
43	Marty Booker
44	Ernest Wilford
45	D.J. Hackett
46	David Patten
47	Reggie Brown
48	Vincent Jackson
49	Drew Bennett
50	Kevin Walter
51	Antwaan Randle El
52	James Hardy
53	Sidney Rice
54	Dennis Northcutt
55	Keary Colbert
56	Ted Ginn Jr
57	Antonio Bryant
58	Laurent Robinson
59	Roydell Williams
60	Mark Clayton
61	Mark Bradley
62	Devard Darling

To end these rankings, for deep leagues, all of the WR3 and a couple of WR4.

RANK	PLAYER
63	Jabar Gaffney
64	Sam Hurd
65	Devery Henderson
66	Limas Sweed
67	Deion Branch
68	Reche Caldwell
69	Jason Avant
70	Steve Smith (NY)
71	Andre Davis
72	Shaun McDonald
73	Brandon Stokley
74	Reggie Williams
75	Craig Davis
76	Michael Clayton
77	Muhsin Muhammad
78	James Jones
79	Brandon Jones
80	Devin Thomas
81	Arnaz Battle
82	Terry Glenn
83	Bobby Wade
84	Drew Carter
85	Roscoe Parrish
86	Bobby Jenkins
87	Darrell Jackson
88	Earl Bennett
89	Jeff Webb
90	Demetrius Williams
91	Derek Hagan
92	Devin Hester
93	Ben Obomanu

Downloadable 2008 WRs rankings

Wayne Lin is the editor of Fantasy Football Maniaxs.