Fantasy Football Rankings 2012: Receivers with Best Value on Draft Day

When it comes to fantasy football, wide receiver is often the toughest position to predict coming into the season. However, there are always quality players still available as the draft progresses. 

While many fans will attempt to grab safe picks like Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, the better strategy is often waiting until later to select a receiver and get more value.

These players will not only be available in later rounds, but they are poised for huge seasons.

Note: Each player is listed with average draft position courtesy of ESPN.

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears (36.1)

Although Brandon Marshall is well known as a top receiver in the league, he has only been going in the fourth round of most fantasy drafts.

Marshall has been one of the most consistent targets over the past few years. He has totaled over 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past five seasons and has 32 touchdowns in that stretch. 

This year, he gets a big upgrade at quarterback in Jay Cutler. Each players' best career seasons were with each other in Denver and they will make a dangerous combination in Chicago.

Marshall has an opportunity to put together a great year statistically, all he has to do is keep being the same dominant he has been for years.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (56.3)

Bowe was one of the best fantasy receivers in the NFL in 2010, but last year he dropped his touchdown total from 15 to five. Still, he had almost identical receiving yards in the two years despite losing quarterback Matt Cassel for almost half of the season.

Once Cassel went down, no one on the Chiefs was able to reach the end zone with any consistency. 

With the starter back to begin the season, Bowe should get back to his old ways and light up the scoreboard.

Eric Decker, Denver Broncos (71.2)

Demaryius Thomas is an incredible athlete with great potential, but Peyton Manning likes throwing to the players that run the best routes. On the Broncos, that player is Eric Decker.

The thing that has made Manning so good over his career was his ability to trust a receiver and hit them with a pass at the perfect time. Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and even Austin Collie were able to understand that concept and had great seasons with Peyton at the helm.

Decker led the Broncos in receiving last season and added eight touchdowns with Tim Tebow throwing the football. Imagine what he can do with one of the best quarterbacks of all time throwing him the ball.

Malcolm Floyd, San Diego Chargers (95.6)

Vincent Jackson received 115 targets last season from quarterback Phillip Rivers. Now that he has left for Tampa Bay, someone will have to fill that void.

Floyd has the talent to be that guy and turn the opportunities into a great year. He led the league in yards per catch, but at 6'5" he has the size to be a threat in the end zone as well. The receiver scored in four of his last five games last season. 

Free-agent pickup Robert Meachem could be a threat for San Diego, but Rivers has usually liked taller receivers over the years. Floyd fits the profile, now he just needs to perform in the games.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oakland Raiders (126.8)

Heyward-Bey went from a potential draft bust to a legitimate receiver last season. His consistency left a lot to be desired, but he led his team with 975 receiving yards. Over the last four games, the receiver averaged 108 yards per game.

Still, Heyward-Bey is going undrafted in some leagues.

The Raiders do not have the best passing game in the NFL, but there is still a lot of talent in this receiving corps. Fantasy owners should grab Heyward-Bey while they can because he has the skill to score a lot of points this season. 

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