Fantasy Football Rankings Week 3: Top 60 Wide Receivers

Injuries will play a potentially big role this week—not just to wide receivers but to cornerbacks as well.

Let’s take a look at how things currently stand (these will be updated later in the week if necessary):

1. Miles Austin - Dallas Cowboys - at Houston
2. Andre Johnson - Houston Texans - vs. Dallas
3. DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia Eagles - at Jacksonville
4. Randy Moss - New England Patriots - vs. Buffalo
5. Greg Jennings - Green Bay Packers - at Chicago
6. Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts - at Denver
7. Chad Ochocinco - Cincinnati Bengals - at Carolina
8. Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals - vs. Oakland
9. Roddy White - Atlanta Falcons - at New Orleans
10. Brandon Marshall - Miami Dolphins - vs. New York Jets
11. Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions - at Minnesota
12. Marques Colston - New Orleans Saints - vs. Atlanta
13. Anquan Boldin - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Cleveland
14. Hakeem Nicks - New York Giants - vs. Tennessee
15. Wes Welker - New England Patriots - vs. Buffalo
16. Steve Smith - Carolina Panthers - vs. Cincinnati
17. Terrell Owens - Cincinnati Bengals - at Carolina
18. Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs - vs. San Francisco
19. Santana Moss - Washington Redskins - at St. Louis
20. Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings - vs. Detroit
21. Donald Driver - Green Bay Packers - at Chicago
22. Hines Ward - Pittsburgh Steelers - at Tampa Bay
23. Pierre Garcon - Indianapolis Colts - at Denver
24. Jeremy Maclin - Philadelphia Eagles - at Jacksonville
25. Steve Smith - New York Giants - vs. Tennessee
26. Johnny Knox - Chicago Bears - vs. Green Bay
27. Malcom Floyd - San Diego Chargers - at Seattle
28. Demaryius Thomas - Denver Broncos - vs. Indianapolis
29. Bernard Berrian - Minnesota Vikings - vs. Detroit
30. Dez Bryant - Dallas Cowboys - at Houston
31. Mark Clayton - St. Louis Cardinals - vs. Washington
32. Michael Crabtree - San Francisco 49ers - at Kansas City
33. Legedu Naanee - San Diego Chargers - at Seattle
34. Mike Sims-Walker - Jacksonville Jaguars - vs. Philadelphia
35. Lee Evans - Buffalo Bills - at New England
36. Jerricho Cotchery - New York Jets - at Miami
37. Jacoby Jones - Houston Texans - vs. Dallas
38. Austin Collie - Indianapolis Colts - at Denver
39. Robert Meachem - New Orleans Saints - vs. Atlanta
40. Steve Breaston - Arizona Cardinals - vs. Oakland
41. Mike Wallace - Pittsburgh Steelers - at Tampa Bay
42. Mike Thomas - Jacksonville Jaguars - vs. Philadelphia
43. Louis Murphy - Oakland Raiders - at Arizona
44. Eddie Royal - Denver Broncos - vs. Indianapolis
45. Mario Manningham - New York Giants - vs. Tennessee
46. Devin Aromashodu - Chicago Bears - vs. Green Bay
47. Davone Bess - Miami Dolphins - vs. New York Jets
48. Derrick Mason - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Cleveland
49. Braylon Edwards - New York Jets - at Miami
50. Roy Williams - Dallas Cowboys - at Houston
51. Kevin Walter - Houston Texans - vs. Dallas
52. T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Baltimore Ravens - vs. Cleveland
53. Laurent Robinson - St. Louis Rams - vs. Washington
54. Devery Henderson - New Orleans Saints - vs. Atlanta
55. Mike Williams - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - vs. Pittsburgh
56. Nate Burleson - Detroit Lions - at Minnesota
57. Mohamed Massaquoi - Cleveland Browns - at Baltimore
58. Justin Gage - Tennessee Titans - at New York Giants
59. Chris Chambers - Kansas City Chiefs - vs. San Francisco
60. Devin Hester - Chicago Bears - vs. Green Bay

Thoughts

• The Texans have allowed a pair of 400-plus-yard passing performances already this season. Considering what Miles Austin has done over his last 14 regular season games (96 receptions, 1,527 yards, 11 TD), the matchup appears to scream for another big week.
• I know Antonio Cromartie looked good filling in for Darrelle Revis in the second half against Randy Moss, but it’s not going to be easy to replicate that performance. Brandon Marshall will likely be the benefactor; consider him a WR1 for the upcoming week.
• Speaking of Moss, after being held down in Week 2, is there any doubt that he’s going to come out with something to prove this week?
• With Minnesota’s ability to stifle the run, the Lions may opt to try to beat them by passing the ball. They’ll keep Jahvid Best involved, most likely, but Calvin Johnson is always going to be the main target. Of course, the quarterback play is going to influence just how good he could be. With just eight catches and under 100 yards through the first two weeks, it’s hard to get excited.
• At this point, there’s no questioning who the top receiver for the Giants is, and the answer isn’t Steve Smith (despite leading the team in receptions with nine). Hakeem Nicks already has four TDs on the season on only six receptions. It’s hard to overlook him.
• Demaryius Thomas showed just how good he is in his NFL debut. Unfortunately, he’s not likely to have a repeat performance in his second game. After the Giants tried to go with the pass and got blown out, look for the Broncos to utilize Knowshon Moreno and the run to try to stay in the game. Still, eventually, they are likely to have to go to the air to keep up.
• Champ Bailey’s ankle injury certainly affects the ranking of Reggie Wayne. If Bailey is out, Wayne is probably a Top Five choice. For now, we’ll put him just outside, but the news throughout the week will determine his ultimate value. If Bailey is out, it snowballs to Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. The cornerbacks each move up a spot, meaning the secondary receivers likely get even better matchups. Peyton Manning could pick them apart.
• If Percy Harvin was healthy, he’d likely be a top option for the coming week. Unfortunately, he’s a wild card, which means he’s going to start off as a WR2 with the potential for more depending on the news this week. Will he play or not? It’s impossible to tell, which makes it tough to get a good gauge of his potential value for the upcoming week. If he were healthy, he’d be a good play. Unfortunately, his spot in the rankings is tenuous at best.
• There’s no questioning the struggles of Bernard Berrian, but if Harvin is out, you would have to think he’d be in line for a solid performance.
• Santana Moss and Donovan McNabb have quickly gotten on the same page. Moss had 70 catches all of last season, only twice having more than six receptions. He already has 16 catches, including a 10-catch performance in Week 2. Throw in a favorable matchup with the Rams and he’s a solid WR2 this week.
• After being shut out in Week 1, Mike Sims-Walker exploded for 10 catches for 105 yards and one TD in Week 2. It’s hard to imagine him replicating those numbers, so I’d keep him as a WR3 this week.
• Is it time to panic regarding Michael Crabtree? Not yet, but you certainly would be justified in being a bit nervous. He’s shown absolutely nothing thus far, and while the Chiefs are among the worst passing defenses in the league (253 yards per game), it’s impossible to trust him as anything more then a WR3.
• Malcom Floyd is coming off a 95-yard, one-TD performance and draws the Seattle Seahawks (259 yards per game) in Week 2. They are tied for 10th in the league, having allowed six passing plays of 20-plus yards, so there appears to be opportunity for him to make a big play or two.
• There are quarterback questions in Pittsburgh, which makes you wonder what Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, and company are capable of this week. We’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out, but keep that in mind as you prepare your roster for the week.
• Will Braylon Edwards play after being arrested for DWI on Tuesday morning? Early word is he’ll dress but not start (at least). Jerricho Cotchery appears to be the safe bet among Jets wide receivers for the coming week, for whatever that means.

Make sure to check out the rest of our Week 3 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 20 Tight Ends (coming soon)
• Top 15 Kickers (coming soon)
• Top 15 Defenses (coming soon)

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