NFL Predictions: 10 Early Favorites at WR to Lead the League in Scoring

NFL Week 6: Looking at the current list of top ten receivers in the NFL, you can see many of the usual suspects doing their thing like they do every season. Their place in the top 10 statistically is almost guaranteed every season.

However, in 2011 that could change, as a few new names are threatening to break the top 10. With totals in yards and touchdowns being so close amongst the top wide receivers in the NFL, it leaves it wide open for any player in striking distance.

Here are 10 wide receivers who are guaranteed to lead the league in scoring.

Victor Cruz

The New York Giants may have played their worst game by far this season last week, but that didn't stop rookie wide out Victor Cruz from having his third straight stellar performance.

Cruz caught eight balls for 161 yards and a touchdown. In his last three games alone, Cruz has 17 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns. His last three weeks alone have shot him into the top 15 in the league in both yards and touchdowns.

Cruz has quickly become a favorite target of Eli Manning this season and has a great chance to keep his pace of production. No doubt Cruz will have more opportunities to gain yards and have touchdown passes thrown his way.

Not to mention Eli Manning hasn't gotten off to a bad start either. The Giants quarterback is 4th in the league in yards and touchdowns.

The Giants have the 9th most yards/game average in the NFL and if the G-Men's bad offensive line doesn't get better this season, it will no doubt shutdown their running game and force Eli to throw the ball more.

Last but not least, it doesn't hurt having one of the better receivers in football, Hakeem Nicks, lining up across from you to take the majority of the attention.

Vincent Jackson

Being ranked 6th in the league in yards and having a perennial big yardage offense, the San Diego Chargers are certain to have plenty of chances in the endzone every Sunday.

Quarterback Phillip Rivers is 5th in the NFL in yards, and his biggest recipient of going down the field every week is Vincent Jackson.

Jackson is right in the middle of the pack in touchdowns and with such a high ranked passing offense, the Chargers will no doubt give their best receiver all the opportunities he will need to be at the top of the league in scoring.

After a top 10 finish in yards and touchdowns during the 2009 season, 2010 was an injury-filled year for Jackson, as he only played five games. With a healthy start to 2011, Jackson will no doubt find himself back in the top 10 this year in both categories.

Miles Austin

The Dallas Cowboys are averaging slightly over 24 points per game, which is good for 12th best in the NFL.

Their passing attack is 3rd best in the NFL, an attack that is headlined by quarterback Tony Romo and his top receiver, Miles Austin. You combine that good a passing attack with a terrible running game, ranked 26th, and you have yourself a pass-first team.

That being said, Romo will be looking to throw the ball into the end zone more often because of the Cowboys bad rushing attack and no doubt Miles Austin will be the biggest beneficiary of this.

Austin has four touchdowns already, which is the third highest total in the NFL. Despite a bad 2010 for Dallas, Austin still finished with seven scores, a number that should be improved upon with a better Cowboys team in 2011.

The Cowboys will score plenty of points this season and Miles Austin will be at the receiving end of most of them.

Jimmy Graham

After the injury to Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees needed to find a new favorite target to throw to, and that was none other than Jimmy Graham.

Not exactly a household name, but after 2011, that may change.

Graham is apart of an offense that puts up a ton of points and the 31 point average for the Saints is good for 5th best in the NFL. He has already caught three touchdown passes this season.

Being the favorite receiver of one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Graham will have plenty of opportunities to give his touchdown total a boost during the season.

He may not be a name you recognize, but Jimmy Graham will have a unique opportunity to put himself in the conversation as one of the best receivers in the game as a member of the Saints.

Greg Jennings

In my humble opinion, Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL, with obvious other play-callers viable for the debate.

That being said, Green Bay is averaging the most points and passing yards/game. The top ranked passing offense of the Packers will no doubt give Jennings a ton of chances to get into the red zone with a chance to score.

Jennings has four touchdowns this year, the third highest total in football.

Being on the best team and having the best quarterback in the league throwing to him, Jennings will have a damn good chance to lead the league in both yards and touchdowns in 2011.

Dwayne Bowe

Despite a horrid start offensively in 2010 for the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel and company have begun to wake up a bit in recent weeks with two wins in a row.

Through the Cheifs offensive struggles, Dwayne Bowe has broke the 100-yard mark in receiving yards three times this season,  has at least one touchdown in each of his last three games and had multiple scores in Week 5.

Bowe, who led the league in touchdowns last season, is starting to heat up alongside his team's offense, and is making his way towards the top of the league in 2011.

Being Cassel's No. 1 option by far, Bowe gets the most opportunities on his team to have the ball thrown his way in the red zone. There's no doubt that with the seeming revival of what was a dead offense for the Chiefs, their best receiver will find himself near the top of the league in touchdowns.

Wes Welker

When isn't Wes Welker at the forefront of discussion as one of the top wide receivers in this league? He has proven to be a consistent commodity when healthy and has no problems helping the New England Patriots put points on the board.

Not to mention, it doesn't hurt that he has one of the best quarterbacks ever to take the field throwing him the ball.

I think it's that guy, Brady.

Despite Welker not having the season he's capable of having in 2010, he still had seven touchdowns receptions for the Patroits. So far in 2011, Welker is a little over 100 yards away from his entire 2010 output and his five touchdowns are two off last year's total.

Welker is on pace to have his best season yet, and has scored at least one touchdown in 3 of 5 games this season, having scored two touchdowns in a single game twice.

The Patriots top-ranked passing offense will ensure Welker has plenty of opportunities to catch touchdown passes.

Steve Smith

The Carolina Panthers didn't expect rookie quarterback and No. 1 pick, Cam Newton, to be putting up sick numbers so far this season, but that is exactly what he is doing.

Steve Smith has been one of the best receivers in this league for most of his career, and with Newton taking snaps for Carolina, he may have the best quarterback he's ever played with.

Steve Smith has been flourishing with Newton behind center, catching three touchdown passes this season, and breaking the century mark in yards three times.

Looking down the road, the Panthers have a very favorable schedule filled with teams that have bad defenses. That bodes well for Cam Newton and his favorite receiver, Steve Smith.

I expect both to connect for several more touchdowns this season, which will catapult Smith to the top of the league.

Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace is certainly flying under the radar as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wallace has become Ben Roethlisberger's No. 1 target and is third in the league in receiving yards.

It appears Big Ben isn't afraid to air it out, as the Steelers quarterback is coming off a five-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans in Pittsburgh's 38-7 blowout win.

Wallace was on the other end of one of Roethlisberger's five touchdown throws.

With three touchdowns in five games, Wallace is on pace to score over 10 times during the 2011 season which would put him up near the top of the league. He should at least match his season total from a year ago.

Not to mention, as the Steelers continue to get their feet under them after a tough start to the season, Wallace should see more opportunities to get in the end zone.

Look for Wallace to have a career day as the Steelers should spank the Jaguars in Week 6 and he should boost his total.

Calvin Johnson

Ranked 4th in the NFL in points/game, the Detroit Lions offense is off to a sick start this season.

The biggest recipient of the Lions success? None other than Calvin Johnson.

Johnson caught two touchdowns in each of his first four games and continued his weekly ritual of entering the end zone in Week 5 with one score. He is four touchdowns ahead of the next closest receiver and his pace may be too much to overcome when the season is done.

The Lions look like an up-and-coming team when they throw the ball and have one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL in Matthew Stafford.

With his fast start and a surging Lions passing game, it's more than logical to assume that Calvin Johnson will cross the goal line more than any other receiver in the NFL.