Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Top 40 WR

With many of the top receiving threats battling injuries, you have to wonder how it affects the rankings for the coming week. Well, let’s take a look at how things currently stand, but as news comes out about players’ status, it surely will change:

1. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers: at New York Giants
2. Wes Welker, New England Patriots: vs. Miami
3. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts: vs. Houston
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: at Chicago
5. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles: vs. Dallas
6. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans: at Indianapolis
7. Randy Moss, New England Patriots: vs. Miami
8. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys: at Philadelphia
9. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons: vs. Washington
10. Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars: vs. Kansas City
11. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints: vs. Carolina
12. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions: at Seattle
13. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs: at Jacksonville
14. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers: at Tampa Bay
15. Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals: vs. Baltimore
16. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers: at Denver
17. Nate Burleson, Seattle Seahawks: vs. Detroit
18. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers: at New Orleans
19. Derrick Mason, Baltimore Ravens: at Cincinnati
20. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins: at Atlanta
21. Devin Hester, Chicago Bears: vs. Arizona
22. Steve Smith, New York Giants: vs. San Diego
23. Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers: at Tampa Bay
24. Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals: at Chicago
25. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers: vs. Tennessee
26. Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos: vs. Pittsburgh
27. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles: vs. Dallas
28. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seattle Seahawks: vs. Detroit
29. Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers: at Denver
30. Torry Holt, Jacksonville Jaguars: vs. Kansas City
31. Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts: vs. Houston
32. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants: vs. San Diego
33. Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals: at Chicago
34. Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears: vs. Arizona
35. Mark Clayton, Baltimore Ravens: at Cincinnati
36. Justin Gage, Tennessee Titans: at San Francisco
37. Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: vs. Green Bay
38. Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys: at Philadelphia
39. Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans: at San Francisco
40. Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos: vs. Pittsburgh

Thoughts

With how bad the Giants' defense has been the past three weeks, is there any doubt that Vincent Jackson is in position to make a statement? The chances of him finding the end zone are high.

Michael Sims-Walker has really emerged as one of the best receivers in the game, though he’s coming off a subpar performance. Look for him to try and bounce back in a big way against the lowly Chiefs.

With Owen Daniels' season unfortunately over due to injury, any shootout between the Texans and Colts is going to fall squarely on the shoulders of Andre Johnson. He hasn’t scored a TD since Week Five (and only has touchdowns in two games), so you have to feel like he’s due.

Miles Austin has scored touchdowns in three straight games. Anyone still not a believer?  He’s emerged as a WR1 at this point.

Nate Burleson or T.J. Houshmandzadeh: who is the No. 1 receiver in Seattle? Burleson was the better player in Week Eight, giving him the edge here for the upcoming week.

If Calvin Johnson is healthy and can play, he should be in line for a big game. After missing this past week’s game, however, we are going to have to wait and see.  Consider his ranking as tenuous at this point.

Was that the reemergence of Greg Jennings we saw? Fantasy owners certainly hope so, as he found the end zone for the first time since the first game of the season.

Michael Crabtree showed how much talent he has, catching six passes for 81 yards in Week Eight. Facing off with one of the worst passing defenses in the league, he should be considered a borderline WR2, but a definite WR3 for the upcoming week.

It has been a great three-week stretch for Devin Hester, catching 21 passes for 265 yards and one TD. Facing off against a bad passing defense like the Cardinals', he should be able to continue his strong play.

As much as I wanted to rank Santonio Holmes higher, he hasn’t scored a touchdown since opening day. He also has had less than 60 yards receiving in four of his last five games, so while he has to be used if you own him, he’s far from a top option at this point.

Even if Mario Manningham plays in Week Nine, I get the feeling that Hakeem Nicks is very close to overtaking him on the depth chart. Nicks is the better bet at this point.

Anquan Boldin aggravated his ankle injury on Sunday, so for now I have Breaston ranked well above him. We’ll have to see how the week goes as the two could easily flip spots.

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

Other Week Nine Rankings:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

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