Week Seven Fantasy Rankings: Top 40 Wide Receivers

Let’s take an early look at how the wide receivers stack up for fantasy owners in Week Seven.  Who ranks higher, Wes Welker or Randy Moss?  Will this be the week Terrell Owens breaks out?  These will be updated throughout the week, so make sure to keep checking back for the latest:

1. Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts - at St. Louis
2. Vincent Jackson - San Diego Chargers - at Kansas City
3. Andre Johnson - Houston Texans - vs. San Francisco
4. Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals - at New York Giants
5. Roddy White - Atlanta Falcons - at Dallas
6. Marques Colston - New Orleans Saints - at Miami
7. Wes Welker - New England Patriots - at Tampa Bay
8. Randy Moss - New England Patriots - at Tampa Bay
9. Greg Jennings - Green Bay Packers - at Cleveland
10. Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs - vs. San Diego
11. Steve Smith - New York Giants - vs. Arizona
12. Hines Ward - Pittsburgh Steelers - vs. Minnesota
13. Donald Driver - Green Bay Packers - at Cleveland
14. Miles Austin - Dallas Cowboys - vs. Atlanta
15. Anquan Boldin - Arizona Cardinals - at New York Giants
16. Santonio Holmes - Pittsburgh Steelers - vs. Minnesota
17. Chad Ochocinco - Cincinnati Bengals - vs. Chicago
18. Braylon Edwards - New York Jets - at Oakland
19. Steve Smith - Carolina Panthers - vs. Buffalo
20. DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia Eagles - at Washington
21. Johnny Knox - Chicago Bears - at Cincinnati
22. Mario Manningham - New York Giants - vs. Arizona
23. Santana Moss - Washington Redskins - vs. Philadelphia
24. Kevin Walter - Houston Texans - vs. San Francisco
25. Jeremy Maclin - Philadelphia Eagles - at Washington
26. Bernard Berrian - Minnesota Vikings - at Pittsburgh
27. Devin Hester - Chicago Bears - at Cincinnati
28. Steve Breaston - Arizona Cardinals - at New York Giants
29. Antonio Bryant - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - vs. New England
30. Terrell Owens - Buffalo Bills - at Carolina
31. Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings - at Pittsburgh
32. Jericho Cotchery - New York Jets - at Oakland
33. Bobby Wade - Kansas City Chiefs - vs. San Diego
34. Lance Moore - New Orleans Saints - at Miami
35. Austin Collie - Indianapolis Colts - at St. Louis
36. Michael Jenkins - Atlanta Falcons - at Dallas
37. Hakeem Nicks - New York Giants - vs. Arizona
38. Laveranues Coles - Cincinnati Bengals - at Chicago
39. Roy Williams - Dallas Cowboys - vs. Atlanta
40. Sidney Rice - Minnesota Vikings - at Pittsburgh

• Larry Fitzgerald is the best wide receiver in the game, but going up against the Giants' passing defense is a daunting task, at least you would have thought.  I would think the Giants defense is going to come out with a renewed vigor, meaning Kurt Warner could be under constant pressure, Corey Webster has turned into one of the better defensive backs in the game.  So, I’m taking him down a few spots, at least in the early part of the week.
• Speaking of the Cardinals, while Anquan Boldin left Week Six early with an ankle sprain, early word is that the injury is minor.  That’s going to keep him up on the rankings, at least for now.  As the week progresses, I’ll have to adjust him depending on the news so stay tuned for that.
• When we speak of Steve Smith, the first thought should now be of the man who suits up for the Giants, not the Panthers.  He really has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the game and squaring off with the Cardinals, among the worst in the league in passing defense, should allow him to continue to shine.
• Austin Collie has certainly emerged as the No. 2 wide receiver in Indianapolis, but how will Anthony Gonzalez’s potential return to the lineup affect his value?  Keep that in mind before dubbing him among the best receivers in the upcoming week.
• Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes?  Who really is the Steelers best wide receiver this season?  At this point, you have to give Ward the nod, at least for now.
• Edwards was brought in to be the top receiver for the Jets, there’s no question about that.  With Jericho Cotchery hurting, he should get even more opportunities against a weak Oakland defense.  Of course, if Cotchery (on the rankings for now) proves healthy and is on the field, he is going to take a slight hit in the rankings, so stay tuned as the week progresses.
• Owens has to break out for a big game sooner or later, doesn’t he?  Right?  Anyone?
• The Cincinnati Bengals have allowed the most 20+ yard plays of any defense this season.  That could open the door for both Knox & Hester, receivers who normally would be borderline plays, to be solid options in most formats this week.  Both have the potential to be explosive.
• Donnie Avery had originally been on the rankings, but his injury is going to drop him off completely.  If we learn later in the week that he’s healthy enough to play, he’ll likely sneak back in.

What are your thoughts?  Who was left off the list?  Who should be higher?  Who should be lower?

Other Week Seven Rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs

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