2009 NFL Position Battles: Wide Receivers Who Have Their Hands Full

With the NFL continually making the cornerbacks job more and more difficult, teams have begun to gravitate more to the passing game. In turn, this has led to an increase in value among wide receivers in the fantasy football world.

With that being the case, it is more important than ever to pay attention to the wide receiver position battles around the league. Bruno Boys Whooley does just that, tackling ten key wide receiver battles to watch this coming preseason.

 

CHICAGO BEARS—Rashied Davis vs. Earl Bennett

One would think that Davis would be the favorite to come out on top in this battle. After all, he was the team’s second best wide receiver in 2008, catching 35 balls for 445 yards and two touchdowns compared to Bennett’s zero receptions.

Had the Bears not been able to acquire quarterback Jay Cutler, that’s probably how the story would have played out. But, the Bears did acquire Cutler, which is excellent news for Bennett.

You see, Cutler was Bennett’s quarterback in the wide receiver’s first year at Vanderbilt, a year that saw Bennett haul in 79 passes for 876 yards and nine touchdowns. The rapport that already exists between Bennett and the Bears’ new quarterback, combined with his skills, should be enough to propel him to the number two slot for Chicago.

 

CLEVELAND BROWNS—David Patten vs. Brian Robiskie vs. Mohammed Massaquoi

The battle in Cleveland is a match-up of the veteran (Patten) versus the rookies (Robiskie and Massaquoi). Now, were the Browns a contender, Patten would be the front-runner in this competition as winning teams tend to lean on experience.

However, 2008 showed the Browns are nowhere close to being a Super Bowl caliber team, which means the advantage goes to the rookies. In 2009, Cleveland will be playing more for the future than the present, and it’s Robiskie and Massaquoi who will be the ones staying around for that future. Of the two, Robiskie currently holds the edge to start opposite Braylon Edwards.

 

DALLAS COWBOYS—Patrick Crayton vs. Miles Austin

Patrick Crayton has had a wild ride in the fantasy football world the last couple of years. Taking over the starting spot alongside Terrell Owens in place of Terry Glenn in 2007, he posted a respectable 697 receiving yards and seven touchdowns causing many fantasy owners to jump on his bandwagon for 2008.

However, during the 2008 season, the Cowboys decided to trade for Roy Williams, once again dropping Crayton to the third wide receiver slot and limiting his opportunities. Following the year, T.O. was let go, signing with the Buffalo Bills, apparently placing Crayton back in the starting lineup.

The catch now is that he has to hold off Miles Austin, who has the favor of owner Jerry Jones. As involved as Jones is for Dallas, Wade Phillips should have the final call in this battle and based on the good things the Cowboys’ coach has said this offseason about Crayton it looks like he’ll once again be occupying the WR2 slot.

 

DETROIT LIONS—Bryant Johnson vs. Dennis Northcut

This one’s not so much a battle, but a clarification. With the Lions trading for Northcut, many fantasy owners have assumed that the former Jaguar will be battling it out with perennial underachiever, Bryant Johnson, for the No. 2 wide receiver slot on the Lions.

This, though, is not the case. In fact, Northcut himself has gone on record stating that the Lions acquired him to play the slot between Calvin and Bryant Johnson, going on to say, “That [the slot] has been my biggest strength through my nine years of playing in the NFL.”

The No. 2 spot is safely B.Johnson’s and with Calvin on the other side of the field, he should find plenty of single coverage in which to work against. Is 2009 the year he finally puts it all together? Probably not, but a season of 600 yards and four touchdowns.

 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS—Sidney Rice vs. Percy Harvin

Standing at just 5’11”, many NFL team’s questioned whether Harvin has the size needed to be a wide receiver in the NFL, causing the wideout to drop all the way to the 22nd slot in this year’s draft, despite possessing what many call top-10 talent.

Vikings head coach Brad Childress, though, is well aware of the talent the wideout possesses. In fact, the Vikings’ coach has gone as far as comparing Harvin to Peterson.

“I think the first thing I thought about was really the same feelings the first time we handed Adrian Peterson the ball," Childress said. "When you see it with your own eyes ... the thing that came to mind right away was wow.”

With an endorsement like that from the man in charge, don’t be surprised to see Harvin supplant Rice as the starter opposite Bernard Berrian.

 

NEW YORK GIANTS—Domenik Hixon vs. Steve Smith vs. Mario Manningham vs. Sinorice Morris vs. Hakeem Nicks

Legal troubles led to the release of Plaxico Burress. Age caught up with Amani Toomer.

Now, the Giants are left with a wide receiving corp void of big names (of course, that’s assuming you don’t confuse the Giants’ Steve Smith with the Carolina Panthers’ stud).

This should lead to a fun preseason for Giants’ fans as each youngster will try to prove their worth and earn a starting spot. Right now, the front runners are Smith for the flanker position, the role Toomer occupied, and Hixon for the split end slot, which is where Plax lined up on the field.

These assignments though are not set in stone. Smith appears to have a bit more job security as his sure hands make him an excellent possession type receiver and have already helped him earn quarterback, Eli Manning’s trust.

On the other hand, Hixon has the speed for the deep play and game breaking ability, but his skill set is very similar to that of rookie. Hakeem Nicks. This means if Hixon stumbles out the gate, Nicks could be given a chance to shine early in his NFL career.

 

NEW YORK JETS—Chanis Stuckey vs. David Clowney vs. Brad Smith

Catching a touchdown in each of his first three games in 2008, Stuckey quickly got the attention of fantasy owners. He recorded 10, 10, and nine fantasy points those first three games.

But, with Jerricho Cotchery, Laveranues Coles, and Dustin Keller around, Stuckey’s opportunities were limited from there on out as the wideout managed just 21 fantasy points the rest of the year.

Now, though, with Coles off to Cincinnati, fantasy owners may be looking at Stuckey with renewed interest for the 2009 season. However, prior to using a late round flier on the wide out, be sure Stuckey secures the starting split end spot for the J-E-T-S!

While he currently occupies that spot on the depth chart, Clowney and Smith are not far behind. In fact, the job may simply go to the wide out that posts the best numbers during the team’s preseason.

 

OAKLAND RAIDERS—Johnnie Lee Higgins vs. Chaz Schillens vs. Darrius Heyward-Bey

With Al Davis and the Raiders taking Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick of this year’s NFL draft, making him the first wide receiver off the board. With this decision, you would think the rookie would be guaranteed a starting spot.

Perhaps that guaranteed starting spot did exist, but an injured hamstring suffered by Heyward-Bey during OTAs has made it no more. Not only is the injury a concern due to the fact that Heyward-Bey relies so heavily on his speed, but it also will cost the receiver valuable on-field time in which he could be learning the ins and outs of the Raiders’ offense.

No wonder Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schillens currently reside about Heyward-Bey on the Silver and Black’s depth chart.

 

ST. LOUIS RAMS—Keenan Burton vs. Laurent Robinson

Torry Holt’s release was done to clear the way for the next generation of Rams’ receivers, Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton. While everything is in place for Avery to become the team’s No. 1 wideout option, Burton’s role as the No. 2 is not as concrete.

Like Heyward-Bey, Burton has been hampered by a hamstring injury this offseason. Each day that Burton is forced to miss opens the door just a tad wider for Robinson, who joined St. Louis from the Atlanta Falcons, offers the team slightly more experience. Burton should be able to hold Robinson off.

However, that’s assuming the hammy doesn’t continue to act up during the preseason.

 

WASHINGTON—Antwaan Randle El vs. Devin Thomas

Selected in the second round of the 2008 draft, the Redskins assumed that Thomas would challenge veteran wideout Antwaan Randle El for the team’s No. 2 wide receiver slot last season.

A hamstring injury, though, got in the way of that (beginning to notice a trend?), leaving Thomas with just 15 catches for 120 yards in 2008.

With Thomas able to participate fully in the team’s June OTAs, the team is once again betting on Thomas to supplant Randle El, allowing the team to utilize the vet in the slot, a place in which he thrives.

Will they be able to carry out that plan of action? The answer lies in Thomas’ health, which the Redskins will be monitoring quite closely this preseason. Fantasy owners should do the same.

For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below...

Bruno Boys Fantasy Football