2008 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers, Updated!

By Wayne Lin & Derek Lofland from Fantasy Football Maniaxs.

This latest August release has Bengals’ Chad Johnson surpass his teammate Houshmandzadeh.  There was a couple reasons for this. 

We believe that Houshmanzadeh's hamstring injury has the potential to hinder him longer than Johnson's shoulder injury.  Also, Chad's model behavior in camp has us less concerned than back in May.  

TJ's unhappiness with his contract situation is beginning to worry us a bit.  Both are still in the top 10.  We also had Saints’ Marques Colston going from ninth to seventh.

These were the major changes in our rankings.

1) Randy Moss: Moss should have another exciting year. Look for Moss to continue his hot streak 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 very terrifying 23 touchdowns for 1,493 yards in 2007 and was signed long term in the offseason. He’s not a bad option to pick No. 1 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 from corners 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 that 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 hurt throughout last season, Reggie Wayne stepped in and played marvelously. Wayne has terrific speed to get to the outside and he has proven he can be the No. 1 wide receiver we predicted him to be in our 2007 rankings.

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. 

Manning’s knee injury is a concern, but he won’t last long enough for you to pass on him. Edwards has had only one good year, and Andre Johnson is too injury prone. They both have question marks, too.

4) Braylon Edwards: For years, Edwards struggled, but only because he didn’t have an efficient quarterback to throw the ball to him. Now that he has a good player in Derek 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 up in the third or fourth round, if he’s there. If Schaub can stay protected long enough to make a play, 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 No. 1 receiver on a not-very-solid passing Arizona team. Part of the problem is the Cardinals' reluctance to choose a definite starting quarterback. Warner being named the starter helps him, because Warner is the better downfield thrower.

He only had 10 TD receptions in 2007 season, but had 1,409 yards receiving. His counterpart, Anquan 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 still puts up great numbers.

7) Marques Colston: Colston started the season slowly, but picked it up after Week 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 red zone. Colston could very well become a sleeper in his third year in the league, and has the possibility to become a MVP caliber player.

8) Chad Johnson: Chad Johnson changed his attitude when he hit camp, but now he has a hurt shoulder that could linger a while. He had 1,400 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last year and has a great quarterback to get him the ball. Don’t be fooled by T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s high touchdown totals in 2007. Houshmandzadeh is also missing time with a bum hamstring, and Johnson is Palmer’s No. 1 target.

9) T.J. Houshmandzadeh: He proved to be better than Chad Johnson last season, in terms of touchdown catches, and rightfully so. He is much taller and has a better body to get grabs near the goal line. This seventh-year player shows no signs of slowing down, so long as his hamstring is ready to start the season.

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 on 112 catches and 12 touchdowns. Johnson had over 1,400 yards with far few catches. That will need to be corrected if T.J. Houshmandzadeh is to be considered an elite receiver.

10) Wes Welker: Welker is a snake and is very hard to contain. He’s crafty and speedy for a slot receiver. He managed to amass over 1,175 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. He also led the Patriots in receptions with 112. He is definitely a red-zone threat with the 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.

11) 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 a No. 1 receiver on the team. The number that should stick out is his touchdown total: 12.

He didn’t have a stellar year, and part of his inconsistency was due to the sporadic play of Eli Manning early in the year. Hopefully he can practice more than he did last season.

12) Torry 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 Isaac 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 that often blockers won’t block for him when he has the ball to help him get extra yards.

13) 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, 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. The only question is: What team’s uniform he will be wearing. He is unhappy with his contract and has been demanding a trade.

14) Steve Smith: His numbers were okay in 2007, and he was still able to receive over 1,000 yards, barely (1002). His speed and numbers have dropped off in recent years, but he’s still good. The Panthers suspended Steve Smith for the first two games of the regular season.

We had him ranked as the 10th best receiver. He was probably an early third-round pick. With this move, I would say he drops to the end of the third round or beginning of the fourth round.

He was a question mark to begin with, given that Jake Delhomme was coming off Tommy John’s surgery. There are no other dependable quarterbacks to get him the ball if Delhomme goes down. Still, you can’t have a No. 1 receiver that isn’t playing the first two weeks.

That could be the difference between going 2-0 or 0-2. In a 14-game season, that is a big risk. He is still a high pick, but make sure he is no better than your second WR.

15) Santonio Holmes: Holmes isn’t commanding much attention from defenses, but he’s shown that he can burn them. He averaged 18-yards per 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.

Nevertheless, he can get into the open lanes and has a quick first step off the line of scrimmage. He is not a bad pick up in the fifth or sixth round, but watch for him because he may go quicker than some expect.

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 breakout. He and Colston look to be the prime targets for their respective teams. Jennings played against Denver this week, so he should not miss the first two games of the season like he did in 2007.

17) Roy Williams: His numbers slipped in 2007, and 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 could 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) Jerricho Cotchery. With the addition of Brett Favre, he now makes our top-20. He should increase his good numbers from last year, and will be useful in the short-passing game. Over a 1,000-yard season and eight TDs could be a strong possibility. Favre will also go to Coles once he gets healthy, which will help Cotchery from being keyed on by opposing defense.

19) 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. He has been suspended three games by the commissioner, with the possibility of a game being taken off that.

He was a borderline No. 2 and an excellent No. 3 receiver. He probably is a solid No. 3 receiver or excellent No. 4 receiver now.

Also keep in mind that Marshall will be coming off an offseason injury, 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 No. 1 WR spot when reinstated. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to draft him later, especially if you have a 4-WR set in your league.

He doesn’t warrant a high draft pick, and the only reason he has the yards he has is only because there’s no one else to throw to in Denver.

20) Laveranues Coles: What a trade does for a team! Coles reappears in the upper part of the rankings thanks to Favre. He will be used in the deeper routes, getting you a lot of yardage. TDs will be an added bonus. He should produce the same numbers projected for Cotchery in 2008.

21) Marvin Harrison: This is a reach, even this low, but you still have to respect Harrison for what he has done in the past. If he is cleared from the shooting incident and he stays healthy, he will be a bona fide wide receiver.

Last season, he only had 247 yards and one touchdown in five games. Age may be a factor this season. He will be 36 when the season starts, so it is risky to take a chance on him. He’s good, but he may not be as good this season.

22) Hines Ward: Santonio Holmes often overshadowed him last year, but Ward makes his money as the No. 2 receiver. Though it can be argued he played the No. 1 spot last 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-45 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	Marques Colston
8	Chad Johnson
9	T.J. Houshmandzadeh
10	Wes Welker
11	Plaxico Burress
12	Torry Holt
13	Anquan Boldin
14	Steve Smith
15	Santonio Holmes
16	Greg Jennings
17	Roy Williams
18	Jerricho Cotchery
19	Brandon Marshall
20	Laveranues Coles
21	Marvin Harrison
22	Hines Ward
23	Dwayne Bowe
24	Calvin Johnson
25	Roddy White
26	Chris Chambers
27	Joey Galloway
28	Donald Driver
29	Lee Evans
30	Santana Moss
31	Reggie Brown
32	Bernard Berrian
33	Javon Walker
34	Patrick Crayton
35	Anthony Gonzalez
36	Derrick Mason
37	Nate Burleson
38	Bryant Johnson
39	Isaac Bruce
40	Donte' Stallworth
41	Justin Gage
42	Vincent Jackson
43	Ernest Wilford
44	David Patten
45	Marty Booker