Fantasy Football 2011: The Top 25 Wide Receiver Projections

The last installment I had for you was the top 25 fantasy running backs. Today I have the top 25 fantasy wide receivers for your viewing.

All factors were taken into account when making this list.  I looked at who changed teams, who inherited a new quarterback and strength of schedule.

With that being said, let's get after it and take a look.

25. Dez Bryant

This kid is gifted athletically. There’s no question. Bryant put this all on display during his rookie season in 2010 tallying up eight total touchdowns.

The big thing that surrounds Dez Bryant is whether or not his head is in the right place.  He struggled with the playbook and ran poor routes.

There’s no doubt that Tony Romo is going to get him the ball, it’s just a matter of Bryant maturing and taking the next step as a professional.  

24. Percy Harvin

With the loss of Sidney Rice to the Seahawks, Percy Harvin becomes the clear number one receiver in Minnesota.

Harvin has shown flashes of greatness in his first two years with the Vikings, so it’s safe to say that year number three will be more of the same.

If Donovan McNabb can pick up the offense and gel with his new team, it should be no problem for Harvin to have a great year.

23. Marques Colston

It seems like every year there are Colston owners upset with how high they drafted him and the numbers he puts up. Yet, it seems like every year those same owners will draft him too high yet again.

The fact is that Drew Brees has way too many options at his disposal. That offense is predicated on spreading the ball around, which Brees does really well.

You would maybe think that trading away Reggie Bush would open the door to some more targets for Colston, but the addition of Darren Sproles slams that door shut.

22. Jeremy Maclin

With all the illness questions that surround Jeremy Maclin it’s hard to rank him higher than where I have him currently.

Maclin still hasn't returned to the team as he was having more tests done to hopefully find out exactly what the issue is.

If Maclin is cleared by doctors to play, he is a surefire 1,000 yd/10 TD guy you must have on your team.  Until then, draft late and put on your bench in hopes he comes back at 100 percent.

21. Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt is clearly the #1 receiver in Tennessee but he is nursing a hamstring injury.  Although he has started practicing, the Titans are sure to proceed with caution.

That being said, you should also proceed with caution in drafting him. 

He has the ability to put up some big numbers, but it could be a struggle early on with new quarterback Matt Hasselbeck learning a whole new offensive system.

20. Santonio Holmes

Holmes caught six scores last season, but still looked rusty after missing the first four games due to suspension.

Holmes is sure to be better as Mark Sanchez will be in his third season as the Jets starting quarterback.

With Plaxico Burress on the other side, defenses are not going to be able to focus on just one receiver.  

19. Wes Welker

Having Ochocinco in New England should allow Wes Welker do more of the things we were accustomed to seeing him do when Moss was there.

Also, Tom Brady quarterbacks the New England Patriots and that means plenty of targets for little Wes.

18. Austin Collie

Anyone that has Peyton Manning throwing them the ball is going to have fantasy value.  Austin Collie is no exception.

Collie hauled in six touchdowns through the first six games of last season.  Unfortunately he missed the vast majority of the rest of the season due to concussions.

He is not going to get you 1,000 receiving yards just because there are too many other options on this Colts team, but he should land you right around 10 touchdowns if he stays healthy.

17. Mario Manningham

Mario Manningham slides into that #2 receiver slot for the Giants with the loss of Steve Smith.

Manningham makes a better option for Eli Manning coming out of the slot, so we will have to wait and see how the Giants use him.  Still, expect to see at least the same kind of production that landed him nine touchdowns in 2010.

16. Chad Ochocinco

Guess what everyone? Ochocinco has Tom Brady throwing to him, and the last time I checked Tom Brady basically walks on water out on the football field.

Ochocinco should have a great year. I repeat, SHOULD have a great year.  However, the T.Ocho Show was pretty much the T.O. Show last year in Cincy, while the Ocho part of the show spent most of his time pouting on the sidelines.

If he can put the antics aside and play some serious football, he and Tom Terrific could be a terrific combo.

15. Stevie Johnson

Stevie Johnson had a breakout season in 2010 with 10 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards receiving.

We are about to find out what kind of effect Lee Evans had on Johnson’s production now that Evans has been traded to Baltimore.

He is sort of in that Wes Welker mold of receiver, going over the middle and making all the tough catches, so it will be interesting to see what kind of numbers he puts up as the Bills top receiver.

He should be able to produce enough to be a decent #2 and a great flex option for your team, but don't go blaming God on Twitter if he doesn't.

14. Brandon Lloyd

It took eight seasons for Brandon Lloyd to finally put up the kind of numbers we saw from him last year.

That tells me that his 2010 season may have been of the fluke variety.  Kyle Orton being named the starting quarterback does help Lloyd’s case for a repeat year, but remain cautious.

13. Miles Austin

Miles Austin is getting a healthy Tony Romo back this season. That alone will help Austin improve upon his 2010 season.

New Cowboys’ Head Coach Jason Garrett is also sure to find ways to get the ball in Miles Austin’s hands.

This combination could mean big things for Austin in 2011. 

12. Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne is entering his 11^th season and has not missed a game since his rookie year. That means when drafting him you can rest knowing that he will give you a full season.

You can also be sure that Wayne will pull down somewhere around 100 catches. What you cannot be sure about is how many touchdowns Wayne is going to score. 

Peyton Manning uses everyone that’s in the huddle and that hurt Wayne’s end zone production. With Dallas Clark and Austin Collie sure to accumulate plenty of targets, Wayne owners may wind up seeing another six touchdown season from one of the league’s best. 

11. Dwayne Bowe

It’s hard for me to predict the enigma that is Dwayne Bowe. Is he really the 15 touchdown receiver from 2010? Will he follow up last season with a similar performance in 2011? Or is he the under-performing receiver we came to know over the first three seasons of his career.

These are just a few of the questions that are circulating around Dwayne Bowe.

In taking a closer look at what Bowe did last year, I found that 13 of his 15 touchdowns came between weeks six and twelve.

So what does this tell me? It tells me that he is still a bit of a risk coming into this season. If you are stuck on drafting him, draft him knowing you could be in for a roller coaster ride.

10. Vincent Jackson

V-Jax had a season to forget in 2010.  A combination of being suspended, holding out and pulling a calf muscle were the main reasons for his disastrous season.

It looks like he has put those issues behind him and is looking forward to this season. 

What a better way to put the past behind you than catching deep balls from the league’s leader in passing yards in Philip Rivers, and who was also second in passer rating in 2010.

9. Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace has turned himself into more than just a deep threat.  He has become an all around receiver for Big Ben and the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

There is unlimited upside to this kid.  Don’t be surprised if he winds up a top five fantasy receiver at the end of this season.

8. DeSean Jackson

Jackson finally reported to camp and that’s a great thing for the Philadelphia Eagles organization. 

With the uncertainty of Jeremy Maclin’s health and newly acquired Steve Smith not expected to play until week three, Jackson will be the main focus in the passing game.

There is no doubt that DeSean Jackson is the most electrifying receiver in the league.  His ability to torch a defense for 50 plus yard touchdowns is unmatched by any other receiver.

He is also a major threat to score points in the return game, as the New York Giants found out last season.

7. Mike Williams (Tampa Bay)

How did this kid slip to the 4^th round of the 2010 draft?  More importantly, how did 13 other receivers get selected before him?

The former Syracuse standout had a great rookie campaign that ended with 11 touchdowns and almost 1,000 yards.

With an up and coming Buccaneer team and a stud quarterback in Josh Freeman throwing the ball, Williams is sure to exceed last year’s numbers.

Randy Moss was the last rookie receiver to top double-digit touchdowns back in 1998—I’m just throwing that out there.

6. Hakeem Nicks

Hakeem Nicks has quickly become Eli Manning’s favorite target. In only his second season, Nicks put up over 1,000 yards with 11 touchdowns in 13 games.

While Manning may not be smiling over the loss of Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, you can bet Hakeem Nicks is. He will garner more double coverage, but all the great ones do.

5. Larry Fitzgerald

What else can you say about this guy other than that he has been a model of consistency his whole career.

Despite what had to be a frustrating 2010 season, Fitzgerald still managed to haul in 90 catches and over 1,100 yards.

The addition of Kevin Kolb will no doubt have a positive effect on the stats of all the Cardinals skill position players, but especially the man they call Fitz. 

4. Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings has one of the league’s best quarterbacks throwing to him in Aaron Rodgers.

With the stable of receivers that Green Bay has you would think that Jennings fantasy value would suffer, but his 76 catches for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns suggest otherwise.   

2b. Roddy White

With four straight years of at least 83 catches and back to back double-digit touchdown seasons, including 115 catches and 10 touchdowns last year, there are no shortages of opportunities for this guy. 

Don’t expect Julio Jones to take away too much from White, as he is the clear #1 receiver for the Atlanta Falcons.

It would be hard to argue against drafting Roddy White ahead of even Andre Johnson, since they both are in that class.

2a. Andre Johnson

Most fantasy experts have Andre Johnson as their #1 fantasy receiver for they feel that he is the safest pick as far as receivers are concerned.

Consider yourself lucky to have him on your team, because he will pile on the yards. Just don’t be upset if he doesn’t get you double-digit touchdowns this season, as he has yet to achieve that mark in his career.

1. Calvin Johnson Jr.

Megatron has racked up 29 touchdowns over the past three seasons, which is second in the league over that span to Larry Fitzgerald. 

This kind of production has come with subpar quarterback play as well. With Matthew Stafford focusing on playing an injury-free season, expect Calvin Johnson to push and even exceed the 15 touchdown mark.

Interesting note: ESPN's Chris Carter doesn't have Calvin Johnson ranked in his top five receivers in the NFL, which does not make any sense to me at all.

So in the words that Carter himself so eloquently says, "C'MON MAN!" 

If you like this article, please check out my article on the Top 25 Fantasy Running Backs: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/797302-fantasy-football-2011-the-top-25-running-back-projections

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