Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: Top 60 Wide Receivers

Let’s take a look at how I currently have the wide receivers ranked heading into Week 4.

These will be updated later in the week if news necessitates it:

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

Thoughts:

• The New England secondary is certainly a weakness. With Brandon Marshall and Chad Henne finally getting onto the same page against the Jets (without Darrelle Revis), he could be in store for another big game.  He is coming off a 10 catch, 166 yard, 1 TD day and the Patriots have allowed 7 TD through the air this season. The difference between him, Greg Jennings, and Reggie Wayne? He doesn’t have as much competition for catches.
• Would it surprise anyone to see the Giants and Bears game breakdown into a shootout? Hakeem Nicks had the big three touchdown game in Week 1, but has yet to post a 100 yard game. Steve Smith and Eli Manning finally looked like it was 2009 again, with a nine catch, 103 yard day. Sooner or later, he’s going to find the end zone. While Nicks remains the Giants top receiver, Smith is not far behind now.
• Miami may have allowed just 193.3 passing yards per game thus far, but they also faced the Bills and a struggling Vikings team the first two weeks. Against the Jets in Week 3, they allowed Mark Sanchez to throw for 256 yards and 3 TD. I wouldn’t downgrade Randy Moss or Wes Welker for the upcoming week due to the matchup. The fact that Moss has just nine catches is a different story, but at least he has three touchdowns.
• Will Derek Anderson ever get himself on track? He’s certainly the reason for Larry Fitzgerald currently not at the level we envisioned preseason.  Eventually, you have to think Fitzgerald is going to erupt, however.
• Can Calvin Johnson get open against Charles Woodson? It’s certainly tough to count on.
• If the Panthers had a QB we could count on, Steve Smith would be a WR1 this week against the Saints. Of course, it appears Jimmy Claussen will again be the starter. That means Smith is more of a WR2, but still a must use option.
• Anquan Boldin erupted for eight catches for 142 yards and 3 TD in Week 3 against the Browns. Unfortunately, it’s not Cleveland he’s going to be playing this week, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. That makes him more of a mid-range WR2.
• If Pierre Garcon dresses, Austin Collie could be moved down a few spots on the rankings. Still, he has four touchdown catches on the season, as well as a pair of games over 160 receiving yards. It’s hard not to consider him a high-level WR2 at this point, especially against the Jaguars, who have already allowed seven receiving touchdowns. If Garcon is healthy, he should considered a low-end WR3 this week. Still, with the play of Collie of late, it’s obvious Garcon is the third receiver on the team, fourth if you want to include Dallas Clark.
• Mark Sanchez has been highly impressive the past few weeks and the Jets have shown that they are not going to give Braylon Edwards a harsh punishment for his DUI. Against the Bills, Edwards becomes a potential WR2, but more of a high-level WR3.
• Johnny Knox has put up back-to-back solid performance, with eight catches for 180 yards and a touchdown. The Bears have apparently lost faith in Devin Aromashodu, scratching him for the Week 3 matchup with the Packers. That leaves Knox, Devin Hester, and Greg Olsen to be the big-time receiving threats. While the Giants passing defense has only allowed 169.3 yards per game, that’s only because they allowed the Colts to run wild against them and faced a Titans team geared towards the run. Knox appears to be a solid WR2 this week.
• With Steve Breaston out of action due to surgery on a torn meniscus, Stephen Williams will likely step into the #2 receiver role. He’s going to be a low-end option, more based on the unknown. He has the potential to erupt, however, so keep him in mind if you are desperate.
• While Mike Wallace had a big game in Week 3, the big play will be tougher to find against the Ravens—just keep that in mind.
• Mike Sims-Walker has been miss, hit, miss thus far this season. Can the trend continue? The Colts passing defense has allowed 12 plays of at least 20 yards, tied for sixth most in the league. I know David Garrard is not an elite QB, but I’d look for Sims-Walker to make a play or two this week and consider him a WR3.
• Demaryious Thomas or Brandon Lloyd? It’s too close to call, which makes them low-end WR3/FLEX options. Thomas has the higher upside, so he gets a slight edge in the rankings.
• Could Lance Moore be taking over the big play role of Reggie Bush while he’s out of action? His big game is enough to rank him above Robert Meachem (four catches, 38 yards over the first three games).

What are your thoughts on these rankings? Who’s too high? Who’s too low?

Make sure to check out the rest of our Week 4 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 20 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers
• Top 15 Defenses (coming soon)
•  Waiver Worthy For Week 4
• Sunday Sleepers (coming soon)
• Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em

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