Fantasy Football Profiles: Terrell Owens, Anquan Boldin, and Other Wideouts

Ryan LesterAug 11, 2009

Greg Jennings hardly missed a beat in the transition from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers. His TD total dipped from 12 to nine without No. 4, but his receptions jumped from 53 to 80 and his yardage from 920 to 1,292. Aaron Rodgers should be even more comfortable this year, assuming the Packers aren’t serious about the Michael Vick sweepstakes.

Jennings had five 100-plus yard games and had 90-plus yards and/or a TD in 12 of his 16 contests. Aside from TDs (three home, six away) Jennings’ home-road numbers were nearly identical. The bulk of his receptions (48) were thrown 10 yards or less, but he did show the ability to get deep with 10 receptions on passes thrown over 20 yards, including four 41 yards or more.

Jennings is going in the second or third rounds of fantasy drafts and could be a great value depending on how late you get him. I’m expecting 85 receptions for 1,300 yards and 10 TDs.

Roddy White

Roddy White is fresh off a fat, new contract. I just hope his desire to prove he’s worth that big contract is equal to the drive he showed while auditioning for that contract. White followed up his breakout third season of 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and six TDs with an impressive 88-reception, 1,382-yard, seven-touchdown performance. This while playing with a rookie QB in Matt Ryan, and a heavy rushing attack led by Michael Turner.

It would be natural to expect another increase in production had the Falcons not acquired Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez. While Gonzo’s presence will help take some pressure off of Roddy, Gonzo’s going to get his share of receptions, which will cut into Roddy’s numbers.

Having Gonzo in the mix is great the Falcons, it diminishes everyone outside of Matt Ryan’s fantasy value. Michael Turner’s TD total is bound to drop as Gonzo is great in the red zone. Roddy and Michael Jenkins’ touches are going to decrease. Even Gonzo will be targeted less with more weapons to share with.

So where does that leave Roddy in fantasy terms? I would still take him as a No. 1 WR, but not until the third round when I have two RBs (or one RB and Brees, Peyton, or Brady). I’m expecting 75 receptions for 1,200 yards and seven TDs.

Marques Colston

Marques Colston’s impressive young NFL career took a little bit of a break last year as he was limited with injuries. He still managed 47 receptions for 760 yards and five TDs in 11 games.

It just doesn’t compare to the 84 receptions, 1,120 yards, an 9.5 TDs he averaged in his first two years. His 16.2 yards per catch was a career high for those of you looking for consolation on a failed draft pick last year. Of course, if you were able to make the fantasy football playoffs with him, you enjoyed the 183 yards and two TDs he got in Weeks 15 and 16.

His 2008 troubles should get you Colston at a discounted rate. You can get him in the third round and possibly even stretch him out into the fourth round.

When I have WRs on the same plane, I tend to look at their QB and their environment. Colston has Drew Brees at QB, which helps put him at the top of the next tier for me. Plus, he plays his home games in a dome. Those factors put him in the top 10 of WRs for me. I’m expecting a 90-reception, 1,200-yard, nine-TD season from Colston.

Terrell Owens

T.O. has done it again.

He wore out his welcome and was greeted with open arms. In his wake he has left San Francisco, Baltimore (briefly), Philadelphia, and now Dallas. He has arrived to the smooth waters of Buffalo, unless you are a cabbie...sorry—hockey reference (Patrick Kane).

I don’t blame Buffalo as they haven’t had a WR like this since Eric Moulds. T.O. is a much more imposing force, though.

T.O., who will turn 36 in December, had a pretty rocky go of it last year with just 69 receptions for 1,052 yards and 10 TDs. He hasn’t been that “unproductive” in a full season since 1999. The fact that he was still able to catch double-digit TDs in a down year is pretty impressive.

So what to make of his numbers in Buffalo. While Trent Edwards is a solid QB, he’s no Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, or Tony Romo. Of course, he’s never had a weapon like T.O., so maybe he’ll surprise some people. He’s going to have to have some thick skin to handle T.O. being T.O. If not his season, and Buffalo’s will go up in smoke.

Owens should actually find himself with a little less attention than he has in years as Lee Evans is the best complimentary WR he has seen in a while, plus the Bills have a three-headed rushing attack in Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and Dominic Rhodes.

I would take T.O. as my No. 1 WR, but I would not take him until the mid-to-late third round, or preferably the fourth round. I would also make sure my next pick was another WR so I would have a solid No. 1, even if the T.O. experiment blew up in the Bills’ faces. If that doesn’t happen, he should be good for 80 receptions for 1,200 yards and 10 TDs.

Anquan Boldin

It doesn’t look like Anquan Boldin is going anywhere. At least not any time soon, which is good news for Cardinals fans, and most likely Boldin owners since you don’t know where he’d end up.

He’s in a pretty good setup with Kurt Warner at QB running the high-powered offense with Larry Fitzgerald drawing the opposition’s attention. Though he has to share with Fitz, they have shown there are plenty of fantasy goodies for both of them.

Though he didn’t finish strong, Boldin had 100-plus yards and/or a TD in in eight of his first nine games, including a six-game TD streak. Now Boldin just needs to show he can stay healthy. He has missed multiple games in four of his six years in the league, including four in each of the past two years.

I would roll with him as my No. 1 WR, but I would prefer him as my No. 2 if possible considering his injury history. Of course, that would mean taking two WRs with my first three picks since Boldin is going early in the third round in fantasy drafts.

It may be a good idea to try and land Steve Breaston as insurance if you draft Boldin. Not only does Breaston put up solid numbers in his own right, but he would see a dramatic increase if Boldin went down. My prediction for Boldin is 80 receptions for 1,200 yards and 10 TDs.

Profiles originally published at LestersLegends.com.