24 WRs Guaranteed to Break 1,000 Yards Receiving in 2012

In today's NFL, surpassing the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season isn't really a major accomplishment. Over the past four seasons, an average of 18.25 receivers have accomplished this feat. It is an important number to reach, but it isn't as big a deal as it was in the past.

This season, I predict that 24 receivers will top the 1,000-yard mark. I also have four sets of teammates reaching the mark. My number is slightly above the four-year average because of the high-powered offenses in the NFL. Last season, 26 of the league's 32 teams passed for over 3,000 yards.

I got each player's 2011 season stats from Pro-Football Reference.

Players Who Just Missed the Cut

Wes Welker, New England Patriots

The presence of Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd will draw targets away from Welker. It's also important not to rule out the issue of his contract situation. These things tend to distract players.

Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wallace and the Steelers have broken off talks. It appears unlikely that he shows up to training camp any time soon. As we have seen in the past with players like Chris Johnson, holdouts take a toll on a player's production.

Stevie Johnson, Buffalo Bills

Opposing defenses are aware of Johnson's play-making ability. The lack of a solid No. 2 option means those defenses will roll coverage to Johnson's side of the field. He's going to have a tough time finding openings in the defense.

Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are going to have a very balanced offense, if not an offense more focused on running the ball. This combined with the presence of Vincent Jackson will keep Williams from reaching the 1,000-yard mark.

Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys

Last season was a lost year due to injuries, and I'm not expecting a major turnaround this year. The Cowboys have to find a way to get Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten all involved in the offense. Of this group, I expect that Austin will get the least amount of targets.

Robert Meachem, San Diego Chargers

The Chargers and Philip Rivers are going to continue to pass the football. This means somebody needs to step up and replace Vincent Jackson. Meachem is a great deep threat, but his lack of consistency is what will keep him below the 1,000-yard mark.

Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III will increase the explosiveness of the Redskins' offense. His success will depend a lot on Garcon's ability to make plays. While Garcon has game-breaking ability, he doesn't have the consistency to have a 1,000-yard season.

The presence of Fred Davis, Santana Moss and Josh Morgan will also contribute to Garcon missing the mark.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

Thomas is going to be the Broncos' big-play threat, but that doesn't mean he'll reach a 1,000 yards. Peyton Manning is going to favor more of the underneath/timing routes over the deep ball, especially as he works his way back to full strength.

Eric Decker, Denver Broncos

2011 Stats: 44 receptions and 612 yards

Eric Decker showed last season that he's capable of making plays in the NFL. Despite dealing with the inconsistent Tim Tebow, Decker was able to haul in 44 passes. His production will significantly increase with Peyton Manning in town.

The reason I have Decker on this list, and not Demaryius Thomas, is because Decker has shown to be a more consistent player. He does a good job working the intermediate routes, creating in space and stretching the field.

His versatility will give Manning plenty of options in the passing game. Decker is also a hard worker, which is something that will help earn Manning's trust.

Eddie Royal, San Diego Chargers

2011 Stats: 19 receptions and 155 yards

Eddie Royal's production slipped last season because of the Denver Broncos' inconsistent quarterback play. Philip Rivers is a much better quarterback than Tim Tebow and will have no problem finding Royal. The San Diego Chargers made a strong push to bring him into the mix, and I'm sure they have a plan on how to best use his services.

It's been a long time since Rivers has had a solid slot receiver. Royal's presence will bring a reliable target to a receiving corps that has had to deal with a lot of players coming into of the lineup.

Look for Royal to play a role similar to Antonio Gates. He'll be asked to work the underneath routes and attack the middle of the field.

However, Royal isn't just a guy that will create in space. He also has the speed to attack the deep part of the field. The Chargers' additions of Royal and Robert Meachem will help increase the explosiveness of their offense.

Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2011 Stats: 60 receptions and 1,106 yards

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers committed a lot to bringing Vincent Jackson into the mix. They're hoping that he can help increase the explosiveness of their offense. Teaming Jackson with the strong-armed Josh Freeman will absolutely result in plenty of big plays.

Jackson excels at attacking the deep part of the field, averaging 17.5 yards per reception for his career. He uses his speed to outpace defensive backs and his size to gain the position needed to shield them from the ball. He's the type of player that will make his quarterback look good by making the tough catch in traffic.

Being the go-to guy for the San Diego Chargers means that he won't have issue handling the double-teams he's sure to face in Tampa. However, Mike Williams is a talented pass-catcher and will draw some attention away from Jackson's side of the field.

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans

2011 Stats: 33 receptions and 492 yards (seven games)

The only thing that will keep Andre Johnson from reaching the 1,000-yard mark is his durability issues. He's missed plenty of games throughout the course of his career with the Houston Texans, so remaining healthy isn't a guarantee.

However, there's no denying that Johnson's one of the top playmakers in the NFL. His combination of size, speed and strength makes him a tough matchup for any defensive back. Johnson is capable of making plays all over the field, especially when Matt Schaub is in the lineup.

Schaub's health will also play a role in Johnson's ability to tally 1,000 receiving yards. However, it's not as important as one might think. Johnson is talented enough to put up big numbers with any quarterback under center.

The presence of a strong running game really helps draw coverage away from Johnson. Arian Foster is a dominant player, which forces defenses to put extra defenders in the box. This takes them out of coverage, opening things up for Johnson.

Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles

2011 Stats: 63 receptions and 859 yards (13 games)

The Philadelphia Eagles have a ton of explosive weapons, and Jeremy Maclin might be the best of the bunch.

Last season, he was able to early reach 900 receiving yards despite only playing in 13 games. Maclin does a great job finding the holes in the defense and even brings the ability to stretch the field.

He benefits from playing alongside Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.

Opposing defenses must respect the playmaking ability of Jackson, which creates some one-on-one opportunities for Maclin. Vick's ability to extend plays forces defenders out of position, opening holes in the defense. McCoy is one of the better running backs in the league, and he requires extra men in the box to be shut down.

Of course, Maclin's chances depend a lot on his health and that of Vick. Maclin's chances of hitting the 1,000-yard mark become less promising with Mike Kafka or Nick Foles in the lineup.

Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers

2011 Stats: 67 receptions and 949 yards (13 games)

Aaron Rodgers threw for 4,643 yards last season. Those passes needed to go somewhere, and his most reliable target was Greg Jennings.

Despite the emergence of Jordy Nelson, Jennings is still Rodgers' most familiar target. The fact that Jennings nearly reached 1,000 yards last season while only playing in 13 games shows how good his chances are of reaching that mark this season.

Increasing Jennings' chances is the Green Bay Packers' lack of a running game. They are heading into the season with James Starks, Alex Green and Brandon Saine as the primary ball-carriers. None of these guys have shown the ability to be a consistent playmaker, so expect the Packers to continue their pass-heavy attack.

Playing against the secondaries in the NFC North will also contribute to Jennings reaching the 1,000-yard mark. All three defenses have major question marks surrounding their ability to stop the pass.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

2011 Stats: 54 receptions and 959 yards

Julio Jones was scratching the surface of his talent last season. This is an explosive playmaker who should have no problem surpassing 1,000 receiving yards this season. Jones isn't only a deep threat, as he's also capable catching the short passes and creating in space.

The Atlanta Falcons have several offensive weapons that make it tough for defenses to just focus on one guy. Roddy White is already an established player who caught 100 passes for 1,296 yards and eight touchdowns last season. His success creates a lot of one-on-one opportunities for Jones.

It's also important to recognize that Matt Ryan does a good job finding open targets. Having a consistent quarterback plays a major role in the success of a wide receiver.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts

2011 Stats: 75 receptions and 960 yards

Reggie Wayne was able to amass 960 receiving yards with the likes of Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky under center last season. As a rookie, Andrew Luck is already a far better quarterback than both Painter and Orlovsky. Having a consistent presence at quarterback means that Wayne will return to form.

I have no doubt that the Colts are aware of the importance Wayne has on Luck's development. Luck needs reliable targets to help him grow as a quarterback. This is likely one of the main reasons Indianapolis made a strong push to re-sign Wayne.

The other offensive additions make by the Indianapolis Colts will also help Wayne succeed. Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen and a healthy Austin Collie will make it tough for defenses to consistently double-team Wayne.

There's also the possibility that the defense plays at a much higher level this season. A more successful defense will mean more snaps for the offense.

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles

2011 Stats: 58 receptions and 961 yards

There's no doubt that DeSean Jackson let the status of his contract impact his play last season. It took a while, but the Philadelphia Eagles stepped up to the plate and gave Jackson some financial security. Because he can get back to fully focusing on football, Jackson will have a rebound season.

As I mentioned in the Jeremy Maclin slide, opposing defenses have a tough time developing game plans to shut down the Eagles' weapons. Maclin, Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy are all special players that command plenty of attention. All the weapons on this offense means that, on any given play, someone is bound to get a favorable matchup.

Of course, everything relies on the health of Michael Vick. It'll be hard for any of the Eagles' weapons to make a major impact with Mike Kafka or Nick Foles under center.

Brandon Lloyd, New England Patriots

2011 Stats: 70 receptions and 966 yards

Brandon Lloyd made a public declaration in the early part of free agency that he wanted to join Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. He was probably sick of having to deal with quarterbacks like Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford.

Despite dealing with those inconsistent quarterbacks, Lloyd was able to put up impressive numbers the past few seasons.

In New England, he'll have the opportunity to make a major impact. Opposing defenses will focus on shutting down Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker before turning their attention to Lloyd. This will provide him with plenty of one-on-one opportunities.

Of course, having Tom Brady throwing you passes always helps. I have little doubt that Lloyd will surpass the 1,000-yard mark.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oakland Raiders

2011 Stats: 64 receptions and 975 yards

Darrius Heyward-Bey's production has significant increased each year of his young career. The Oakland Raiders received a lot of criticism for overdrafting him, but it appears that they're going to get the last laugh. Heyward-Bey's improvements in route running and catching have him on the brink stardom.

The fact that he's had a full offseason with quarterback Carson Palmer also works in his favor. Having good chemistry between a quarterback and receiver is a key to success. They weren't able to build that relationship last season because Palmer didn't join the team until late in the year.

Heyward-Bey is such a tough matchup because of his speed. He can outpace nearly every defender that lines up across the field. As I mentioned, it's his improvements as a route-runner that increase his production.

A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

2011 Stats: 65 receptions and 1,057 yards

A.J. Green's success as a rookie showed that he has a very bright future in the NFL. His combination of size, length and quickness makes him such a tough player to defend. Green is the type of receiver that makes his quarterback look better because of how he can make the tough catch in traffic.

Green's rookie season was such a success because he built a strong bond with fellow rookie Andy Dalton.

A lot of Green's success this season depends on the development of Dalton. Opponents know that Green is Dalton's favorite target. This will result in defenses rolling coverage to Green's side of the field. Only complicating matters is the opening at the No. 2 wide receiver position.

Green has the talent to top 1,000 receiving yards, but he'll need either Mohamed Sanu or Armon Binns to produce.

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

2011 Stats: 69 receptions and 1,108 yards

Mike Wallace's holdout opens the door for Antonio Brown to become the top target for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, it can be argued that Brown has already surpassed Wallace as Ben Roethlisberger's favorite receiver. This holdout kept Wallace from working with his quarterback and building on their chemistry.

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is a bit of a mystery at this point. They brought in Todd Haley to run the offense, lost Rashard Mendenhall to injury and are dealing with the holdout of Wallace. The loss of Mendenhall has really hurt the talent at the running back position.

All this could increase the frequency with which Pittsburgh passes the ball, which will increase Brown's targets.

Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints

2011 Stats: 80 receptions and 1,143 yards

Drew Brees has topped the 4,000-yard mark in each of the past six seasons. This means that there's plenty of opportunities for New Orleans Saints wide receivers to compile a ton of yardage. Marques Colston has been Brees' most consistent and reliable target over the years and figures to have another terrific season.

The loss of Robert Meachem via free agency means that there could be more targets heading Colston's way. New Orleans is looking for Adrian Arrington or Nick Toon to step up and fill the void left by Meachem. However, both are unknowns at this point, which means the more likely scenario is that Colston will see increased targets.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs

2011 Stats: 81 receptions and 1,159 yards

Dwayne Bowe hasn't let the Kansas City Chiefs' inconsistent quarterback play stop him from surpassing the 1,000-yard mark three times in his career. He has emerged as one of the better young receivers in the entire NFL. His combination of good speed and physical play is what makes him so successful. 

Kansas City's offense has the most talent it's had in years. Bowe has Steve Breaston and Jon Baldwin to help draw coverage away from his side of the field. Peyton Hillis and Jamaal Charles are a great running back tandem that must be respected.

The height of Bowe's success depends on the development of Matt Cassel. He's been solid, but this year he needs to take his game to the next level. Further complicating things is Bowe's contract situation. As it stands, he has yet to report to training camp.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants

2011 Stats: 76 receptions and 1,192 yards

Hakeem Nicks is dealing with an injury, but that won't stop him from having another impact season. Nicks' size and incredible hands make him a very reliable target. Eli Manning knows that he doesn't have to deliver a perfect pass in order for Nicks to make a play.

Having Victor Cruz alongside him helps limit the amount of double-teams he faces. Cruz is an excellent deep threat that forces defenses to ensure they have enough coverage on his side of the field. This provides Nicks with some favorable matchups.

However, Nicks is more than capable of excelling despite facing extra coverage. His good size allows him to box defenders out and give Manning a good target. Nicks' excellent hands and long reach help him pluck the ball away from any pursuing defensive back.

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

2011 Stats: 81 receptions and 1,214 yards

Brandon Marshall has five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and the Chicago Bears are hoping he can continue that trend.

Teaming with Jay Cutler again is a strong reason to believe Marshall will continue his success. Cutler is far more talented than the recent quarterbacks he has had to deal with, like Matt Moore, Chad Henne and Kyle Orton.

Marshall uses his thick frame and good height to gain position over the defender. He's a physical player that doesn't shy away from contact. Defensive backs aren't use to dealing with a wide receiver with Marshall's strength and size.

Of course, a lot of attention must be paid to Marshall's mental status. He has a tendency to let his emotions get the best of him. There's a lot of pressure on him to perform, and hopefully he doesn't let that impact his play.

Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons

2011 Stats: 100 receptions and 1,296 yards

Roddy White has led the Atlanta Falcons in receiving yards in each of the past five seasons. He's proven to be an electrifying talent with the ability to attack all parts of the field. Despite the arrival of Julio Jones, White remains Matt Ryan's favorite target.

Because of the possibility of Michael Turner slowing down, I expect the Falcons to increase their passing attempts. Turner is 30 years old and has carried the ball 1,189 times over the past four seasons. This is a recipe for a down season.

Actually, their passing game has the potential to be one of the most explosive in the entire NFL. The combination of White, Jones and Tony Gonzalez creates a ton of matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

2011 Stats: 68 receptions and 1,263 yards

Jordy Nelson had a career season last year for the Green Bay Packers. He stepped up his game and surpassed Greg Jennings as the team's top receiving option. His ability to continue his success with Jennings out of the lineup shows he can handle extra attention.

Green Bay's pass-heavy attack ensures Nelson will have plenty of opportunities to surpass the 1,000-yard mark.

The presence of Aaron Rodgers is the main reason why Nelson has been so successful. Rodgers does a great job spreading the ball around and finding open targets. This makes Nelson's strong route-running ability a key.

Of the players on this list, Nelson is one that I don't feel completely comfortable including. Packers like Jennings, Jermichael Finley, James Jones and Randall Cobb, all of whom could take targets away from Nelson. However, their lack of a running game means Nelson will likely still thrive.

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers

2011 Stats: 79 receptions and 1,394 yards

Steve Smith is an explosive and dangerous playmaker. His ability to make plays quickly made him the favorite target of Cam Newton. The fact that Smith has the speed to stretch the field helped Newton utilize his powerful arm.

Smith has been dealing with double-teams for years, so don't expect his production to drop because of his spectacular 2011 season.

The development of Newton will play a major role in Smith's ability to remain productive. Everyone is expecting Newton to improve, but sometimes young quarterbacks regress. The best example is what happened to Sam Bradford. If Newton were to take a step back, the likelihood of Smith topping the 1,000-yard mark decreases.

However, the lack of other options at the wide receiver position means Smith will get the majority of targets. He'll see enough passes come his way to compile a good bit of receiving yards.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

2011 Stats: 79 receptions and 1,394 yards

Larry Fitzgerald has only failed to top the 1,000-yard mark twice in his eight-year career. The Arizona Cardinals offense heavily relies on his production, which is why he gets a ton of targets.

Arizona selected Michael Floyd in the first round of the draft in order to provide Fitzgerald with some help. The thought is that he'll draw some attention away from Fitzgerald.

The one thorn in Fitzgerald's side is the lack of consistency at the quarterback position. Neither Kevin Kolb nor John Skelton have been able to fully take advantage of Fitzgerald's talent. The constant upheaval at the position has limited the amount of chemistry developed between the two positions.

However, Fitzgerald has been dealing with these issues at quarterback since the 2010 season when Kurt Warner retired. Despite those issues, he's been able to top the 1,000-yard mark in each of those years.

Victor Cruz, New York Giants

2011 Stats: 82 receptions and 1,536 yards

One of the biggest questions facing the New York Giants is whether or not Victor Cruz can build off last season's success. His surprising success is one of the main reasons this team was able to make the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Because of the little sample size, nobody is really sure if he can sustain this type of production.

However, Cruz showed the quickness and route-running ability needed to have a long NFL career. He does a great job finding the open zones in the defense and quickly breaking off his route. This is one of the main reasons why he built such a quick relationship with Eli Manning.

As is the case with Hakeem Nicks, Cruz is surrounded by enough talent to force defenses to spread coverage.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

2011 Stats: 96 receptions and 1,681 yards

The only way Calvin Johnson fails to reach 1,000 receiving yards is if the Madden Curse is real. He's too talented of a player for defense to completely contain. Johnson's rare combination of size and speed make him a matchup nightmare. It also helps that he can outleap almost every defender that attempts to shut him down.

Over the past few years, the Detroit Lions have made moves to ensure their offense is one of the most explosive in the league. Matthew Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards last season and only appears to be getting better. The chemistry between Stafford and Johnson is undeniable and a major reason why both players are so successful.

The development of Titus Young and the presence of Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew make it tough for defenses to commit a lot of attention to Johnson's side of the field. Detroit is also hoping that the addition of Ryan Broyles will only make that task more difficult.