NFL: 10 Receivers Who Are Locks for 1,000 Yard Seasons

There are not a lot of guarantees in football. In fact, there are none. 

You just can't predict events such as the Green Bay Packers winning the Super Bowl, Terrell Owens tearing his ACL during the offseason, or the Dallas Cowboys completely falling short of preseason expectations (oh wait, we can predict that).

But even though there are no 100% safe guarantees, there are some pretty safe bets to be made. 

While some receivers will have great seasons only if the circumstances cooperate, other receivers are bound to have success regardless.

Here are ten receivers that will have 1,000 yard seasons, regardless of circumstances, because they are player who can control their own destiny.  

Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers)

Greg Jennings just had 1,265 yards in 2010, which makes it the third consecutive 1,000 yard season for the 27-year-old. 

On top of that, he has an elite quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who will find a way to get Jennings the ball every single week. 

But it's more than just the Rodgers to Jennings chemistry. 

Donald Driver, who was second in team receptions in 2010 (51), is now 36 years old, so his contributions to the team could be limited due to his age. 

Also, James Jones, who was second on the team in receiving yards (679), is set to become a free agent as soon as the lockout ends. 

So if Driver's skills diminish, and if Jones signs with another team, that will make Jennings even more valuable, since the team will attempt to put the ball in his hands even more often if the other two receivers are no longer a factor. 

Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions)

Calvin Johnson is the most talented receiver in the NFL. 

If Johnson was catching balls from Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, then he'd be setting records at this point in his career. 

But unfortunately Johnson plays for the Detroit Lions, which certainly isn't as bad as it use to be given that they are an up-and-coming team, but there is still inconsistency at the quarterback position. 

Matthew Stafford, who was the No.1 overall pick by the Lions in the 2009 draft, has tons of physical ability, but he is one more injury away from officially being branded as an injury prone player. 

But the bottom line is that Johnson had 1,120 receiving yards while three different quarterbacks played musical chairs with the starting job. 

If the Lions have any consistency whatsoever in 2011 then it won't even be debatable, but even if they don't, Johnson will probably still obtain over 1,000 yards. 

Andre Johnson (Houston Texans)

Imagine if Calvin Johnson had a competent quarterback for at least ten games out of the season. That's basically what Andre Johnson is. 

Andre Johnson sets the standards and puts on a clinic that shows the up-and-coming elite receivers what they should look like on the field, as well as what kind of numbers they should produce.

Johnson doesn't have a top five quarterback in Matt Schaub, but the pair is synced enough to scare opposing secondaries.

The chemistry between Johnson and Schaub won't fade away in 2011, so expect Johnson the be one of the top three receivers in the NFL once again in 2011.     

Dwayne Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs)

Due to his four game drug suspension in 2009, combined with his solid but underwhelming performances prior to 2010, Dwayne Bowe— the 23rd overall pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007— was on the verge of being labeled a first round bust. 

But he came out gunning in 2010 and was as dangerous as any other receiver in the entire NFL. 

His 72 catches for 1,162 yards was nothing major, but his 6'2" 221 pound frame allowed him to pull in 15 touchdowns, which is a considerable contribution for any offensive player.

Quarterback Matt Cassel put together a productive year in 2010, which was his second season as the Chiefs starting quarterback, and he'll only get better.

If Cassel plays at an equal level (which he will), then Bowe is going to put up admirable numbers next season.  

DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles)

DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles stands in at only 5'10" and 175 pounds, but he makes every pound count, as there's not a better 175 pound player in the entire NFL.

Jackson barely broke the 1,000 yard receiving barrier in 2010 with only 1,056 yards, but he also missed two games due to injury.

He led all receivers in the NFL (with over 15 catches) in average with an impressive 22.5 yards a reception.

But Jackson not only broke the 1,000 yard barrier in just 14 games, he also did so on only 47 receptions. So if quarterback Michael Vick can put the ball in his hands, then it's a done deal.   

Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons)

Roddy White led the NFC in receiving yards in 2010 with 1,389, and it was his fourth consecutive 1,000 yard season. 

While he doesn't exactly tower over defensive backs at just an even six feet tall, his athletic ability makes him a one man show, and opposing teams wouldn't dare to put White into a man-on-man coverage situation.

Quarterback Matt Ryan is on the verge of becoming an elite NFL quarterback, which could happen as soon as next season, so there's no reason to believe that White's numbers won't improve. 

Mike Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

It shouldn't be overly surprising that Mike Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an accomplished rookie season. 

The former Syracuse wide receiver left the Orange in the middle of the 2009 season. It's speculated that the college was about to suspend him after he was involved in a car accident with several other teammates. 

When Williams left college early it really hurt his draft stock, as he wasn't drafted by Tampa Bay until the fourth round in 2010. But all off-the-field issue aside, Williams was always a first round prospect as a physical talent.

Williams had a great rookie season for the Buccaneers, catching 65 passes for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

With two rising stars in Williams and quarterback Josh Freeman, there's no excuse for the receiver to have less than 1,000 yards in 2011.  

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals)

The entire nation witnessed the dominance of receiver Larry Fitzgerald during the Arizona Cardinals playoff run in 2009.

Repeatedly, the entire audience saw Fitzgerald jump up and grab the ball at it's highest point, as if he was a man among children.

Fitzgerald had 90 receptions and 1,137 yards, even though Derek Anderson and the rookie Max Hall were splitting time at quarterback in 2010, so that should be all anyone needs to know when debating if Fitzgerald is an elite receiver.

If the Cardinals can sign Marc Bulger, or perhaps trade for Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton, then Fitzgerald will post elite numbers in 2011. 

Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts)

The Indianapolis Colts offense had a offensive down year with their decimated offensive line, as well as their lifeless running game. 

However, despite the recession, wide receiver Reggie Wayne was second in the NFL in receptions with 111 and had 1,355 yards. 

Even though the Colts had one of the weaker offenses of their recent history, Wayne was still able to produce his seventh straight 1,000 yard season, and quarterback Peyton Manning still had 4,700 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. 

Just imagine what Wayne can do once the Colts rebuild the offensive line and get Dallas Clark and Austin Collie back from injury. 

Miles Austin (Dallas Cowboys)

Miles Austin is yet another receiver that was able to produce despite an overall disappointing year for the surrounding offense. 

The Dallas Cowboys were thought to have all the offensive firepower necessary for a deep playoff run, but all it took was a season-ending injury to quarterback Tony Romo in Week 7 to kill those hopes completely. 

The Cowboys were forced to rely on 38-year-old John Kitna at quarterback, but Austin was still able to gain 1,041 yards. 

His 2010 season should put an end to any speculation that might suggest his 2009 season was a fluke. Austin is the real deal, and he'll get it done again in 2011. 

Close, but No Cigar

Brandon Lloyd (Denver Broncos): While Lloyd had a great season with 1,448 yards, it was the first 1,000 yard season of his eight year career. There is no guarantee involved with Lloyd, and if the Broncos are foolish enough to ignore Kyle Orton in favor of Tim Tebow, then he's definitely in trouble.

Mike Wallace (Pittsburgh Steelers): Mike Wallace has a great shot at having his second consecutive 1,000 yard season in 2011, but we haven't seen enough out of him yet, as 2010 was only the second season of his career. We've seen a lot of flukes throughout the history of the NFL, and there's really nothing that's truly elite about Wallace, just a lot of things that are solid.

Steve Johnson (Buffalo Bills): 2010 was Johnson's third NFL season and his first 1,000 yard season. Like Wallace, we haven't seen enough out of Johnson quite yet. Also, when playing for one of the worst teams in the NFL, nothing is a guarantee.

Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants): Nicks just barely broke the 1,000 yard barrier in 2010 with 1,052 yards. The Giants have other reliable receivers, such as Steve Smith and Mario Manningham, so it's possible that the offense could spread the ball around once teams stick more double coverage on Nicks.

Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints): Colston had only 1,023 yards in 2010 and 1,074 in 2009. Also, he's never started all 16 games in any season of his career. Is there a good chance he'll get 1,000 yards once again? Probably. But he could easily finish just short.