NFL: Early 2011 Fantasy Football WR Rankings

Ryan LesterJun 21, 2011

Still waiting for the lockout to end, but the show must go on. Here’s an early look at the 2011 wide receiver rankings:.

1. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans: 1,216 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games. Has averaged nearly 100 yards per game over his past 54 games.

2. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions: Recovered nicely from a down 2009 season with 1,120 yards and 12 scores. Now if only Matthew Stafford can stay healthy.

3. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants: Exploded for 1,052 yards and 11 scores in 13 games. The scary thing is, there is still room for growth.

4. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones will take some of his production, but Roddy has been a force for the past four years. I expect the Falcons to throw even more in 2011, which will offset Jones’ arrival somewhat.

5. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs: Conditioning could be a concern, but in a contract year I think he knows he has too much to lose.

6. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: The Cards were dysfunctional last year, but Fitz still managed 1,137 yards and six scores. I expect more stability out of the quarterback position.

7. Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers: Wallace broke out with 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns showing he’s more than a deep threat. Wallace is a solid WR1.

8. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts: Wayne may on the downside of his career, but after his 1,355 yards and six touchdowns, he still has something left in the tank.

9. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers: Jennings is nice, but when Jermichael Finley is healthy he doesn’t get as many looks. Still a solid WR1, though.

10. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers: Assuming he’s under contract or willing to play with the franchise tag, V-Jax should be nasty once again.

11. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles: Consistency can be an issue, but he can put your fantasy team on his back when he explodes.

12. Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After 964 yards and 11 scores as a rookie, he is a regression risk. I think the yardage will be up, the touchdowns down and Williams to be a low-end WR1.

13. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys: His maturity concerns me, but the ability is there.

14. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys: Austin and Dez are on equal footing (aside from maturity). I give Bryant a slight edge, but Miles is the safer choice.

15. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles: He’s not as explosive as DeSean, but he’s steadier.

16. Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans: So far, Teflon Kenny hasn’t slid out of criminal charges. If he can avoid Goodell’s wrath, he should put up huge numbers.

17. Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins: Marshall only scored three touchdowns, but showed some signs at the end of the year averaging 101.7 yards over the past three games.

18. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings: The migraines appear to be under control. The Vikings are committed to being more creative to get Percy the ball in space. If he can stay healthy he can be a dynamic threat.

19. Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos: I know he’s coming off a monster 1,448-yard, 11-touchdown season, but I feel the coaching change will be detrimental to Lloyd’s value.

20. Wes Welker, New England Patriots: What Welker did (848 yards, seven touchdowns) only a few months removed from a knee injury is staggering. Look for Brady to get him the ball early and often once again in 2011.