Fantasy Football Week 16 Rankings: Top 60 Wide Receivers

Hakeem Nicks has returned from injury and Vincent Jackson has quickly rewarded fantasy owners who stashed him away through the first few weeks.  With those two back among the elite, let’s see how the wide receivers currently look as many owners battle for their fantasy title:

1. Andre Johnson — Houston Texans — at Denver
2. DeSean Jackson — Philadelphia Eagles — vs. Minnesota
3. Reggie Wayne — Indianapolis Colts — at Oakland
4. Marques Colston — New Orleans Saints — at Atlanta
5. Hakeem Nicks — New York Giants — at Green Bay
6. Vincent Jackson — San Diego Chargers — at Cincinnati
7. Calvin Johnson — Detroit Lions — at Miami
8. Anquan Boldin — Baltimore Ravens — at Cleveland
9. Roddy White — Atlanta Falcons — vs. New Orleans
10. Kenny Britt — Tennessee Titans — at Kansas City
11. Dwayne Bowe — Kansas City Chiefs — vs. Tennessee
12. Brandon Marshall — Miami Dolphins — vs. Detroit
13. Greg Jennings — Green Bay Packers — vs. New York Giants
14. Jeremy Maclin — Philadelphia Eagles — vs. Minnesota
15. Larry Fitzgerald — Arizona Cardinals — vs. Dallas
16. Wes Welker — New England Patriots — at Buffalo
17. Mike Williams — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — vs. Seattle
18. Stevie Johnson — Buffalo Bills — vs. New England
19. Mike Wallace — Pittsburgh Steelers — vs. Carolina
20. Pierre Garcon — Indianapolis Colts — at Oakland
21. Santana Moss — Washington Redskins — at Jacksonville
22. Deion Branch — New England Patriots — at Buffalo
23. Brandon Lloyd — Denver Broncos — vs. Houston
24. Mike Williams — Seattle Seahawks — at Tampa Bay
25. Mario Manningham — New York Giants — at Green Bay
26. Sidney Rice — Minnesota Vikings — at Philadelphia
27. Santonio Holmes — New York Jets — at Chicago
28. Malcolm Floyd — San Diego Chargers — at Cincinnati
29. Miles Austin — Dallas Cowboys — at Arizona
30. Steve Breaston — Arizona Cardinals — vs. Dallas
31. Mike Sims-Walker — Jacksonville Jaguars — vs. Washington
32. Lance Moore — New Orleans Saints — at Atlanta
33. Hines Ward — Pittsburgh Steelers — vs. Carolina
34. Davone Bess — Miami Dolphins — vs. Detroit
35. Percy Harvin — Minnesota Vikings — at Philadelphia
36. Anthony Armstrong — Washington Redskins — at Jacksonville
37. Danny Woodhead — New England Patriots — at Buffalo
38. Mike Thomas — Jacksonville Jaguars — vs. Washington
39. Derrick Mason — Baltimore Ravens — at Cleveland
40. Blair White — Indianapolis Colts — at Oakland
41. Michael Crabtree — San Francisco 49ers — at St. Louis
42. Chad Ochocinco — Cincinnati Bengals — vs. San Diego
43. Jabar Gaffney — Denver Broncos — vs. Houston
44. Josh Morgan — San Francisco 49ers — at St. Louis
45. Andre Caldwell — Cincinnati Bengals — vs. San Diego
46. Braylon Edwards — New York Jets — at Chicago
47. Joe Webb — Minnesota Vikings — at Philadelphia
48. Jacoby Ford — Oakland Raiders — vs. Indianapolis
49. Danny Amendola — St. Louis Rams — vs. San Francisco
50. Roy Williams — Dallas Cowboys — at Arizona
51. Robert Meachem — New Orleans Saints — at Atlanta
52. Steve Smith — Carolina Panthers — at Pittsburgh
53. Johnny Knox — Chicago Bears — vs. New York Jets
54. Donald Driver — Green Bay Packers — vs. New York Giants
55. Eddie Royal — Denver Broncos — vs. Houston
56. James Jones — Green Bay Packers — vs. New York Giants
57. Nate Burleson — Detroit Lions — at Miami
58. Mohamed Massaquoi — Cleveland Browns — vs. Baltimore
59. Earl Bennett — Chicago Bears — vs. New York Jets
60. Kevin Walter — Houston Texans — at Denver

Thoughts:

• Vincent Jackson certainly made some fantasy owners extremely happy in Week 15, didn’t he?  He had five receptions for 113 yards and three touchdowns and has immediately established himself as one of the better receiving options in the league.  He’s a big play receiver and the Bengals have allowed 10 receptions of at least 40 yards on the year. 
• Roddy White has been among the best receivers in the game, with 106 receptions for 1,284 yards and eight touchdowns.  Unfortunately, he draws a Saints defense allowing just 195.0 passing yards per game and a league low 10 passing touchdowns.  He’s still a WR1, but a low-end one.
• With a playoff berth in hand, will the New England Patriots go all out?  Maybe, maybe not, but you still have to like the chances of Wes Welker and Deion Branch contributing, especially against the Bills.  Downgrade them slightly, but don’t write them off.
• It hasn’t taken too much time for Hakeem Nicks to reestablish himself, has it?  Over the past two games he has 13 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Poor matchup or not, he’s a WR1.
• Does one big game from Brandon Marshall (11 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown) make us forget about all his struggles?  Of course not, especially when it came against the Bills.  He does have a favorable matchup with the Lions, but I wouldn’t consider him more than a WR2.
• Miles Austin hasn’t had more than 47 yards in a game since Week 11 and only twice since Week 6.  Do you really want to trust him with your fantasy title on the line?
• With Austin Collie’s season likely over, it appears that Pierre Garcon should remain a WR2 in all formats, with Blair White regaining some value.
• I want to believe that Chad Ochocinco will be a solid option with Terrell Owens’ season over, but I can’t do it.  Not only do they face the toughest passing defense in the league, but the Bengals are going to try and take a look at their other receivers in the process.  I’d consider Ochocinco no more than a WR3.

What are your thoughts on these rankings?  Whose too high?  Whose too low?

Make sure to check out the rest of our Week 16 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 20 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers
• Waiver Worthy

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