Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: Top 50 Wide Receivers

There’s a lot of questions surrounding many of the top wide receiver options for the coming week.  Just keep that in mind when you view these rankings, because a lot of things are definitely in flux:

1. Hakeem Nicks – New York Giants – at New England
2. Greg Jennings – Green Bay Packers – at San Diego
3. Wes Welker – New England Patriots – vs. New York Giants
4. Roddy White – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
5. Dwayne Bowe – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Miami
6. Andre Johnson – Houston Texans – vs. Cleveland
7. Mike Wallace – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Baltimore
8. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals – vs. St. Louis
9. Marques Colston – New Orleans Saints – vs. Tampa Bay
10. Vincent Jackson – San Diego Chargers – vs. Green Bay
11. Jeremy Maclin – Philadelphia Eagles – vs. Chicago
12. Pierre Garcon – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Atlanta
13. A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals – at Tennessee
14. Miles Austin – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Seattle
15. Brandon Lloyd – St. Louis Rams – at Arizona
16. Mario Manningham – New York Giants – at New England
17. Brandon Marshall – Miami Dolphins – at Kansas City
18. DeSean Jackson – Philadelphia Eagles – vs. Chicago
19. Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Seattle
20. Anquan Boldin – Baltimore Ravens – at Pittsburgh
21. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
22. Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers – at San Diego
23. Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Baltimore
24. Santonio Holmes – New York Jets – at Buffalo
25. Sidney Rice – Seattle Seahawks – at Dallas
26. Reggie Wayne – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Atlanta
27. Mike Williams – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – at New Orleans
28. Stevie Johnson – Buffalo Bills – vs. New York Jets
29. Deion Branch – New England Patriots – vs. New York Giants
30. Lance Moore – New Orleans Saints – vs. Tampa Bay
31. Victor Cruz – New York Giants – at New England
32. Malcolm Floyd – San Diego Chargers – vs. Green Bay
33. Eric Decker – Denver Broncos – at Oakland
34. Michael Crabtree – San Francisco 49ers – at Washington
35. Jabar Gaffney – Washington Redskins – vs. San Francisco
36. Jon Baldwin – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Miami
37. Plaxico Burress – New York Jets – at Buffalo
38. Greg Little – Cleveland Browns – at Houston
39. Nate Washington – Tennessee Titans – vs. Cincinnati
40. James Jones – Green Bay Packers – at San Diego
41. Darrius Heyward-Bey – Oakland Raiders – vs. Denver
42. Jerome Simpson – Cincinnati Bengals – at Tennessee
43. David Nelson – Buffalo Bills – vs. New York Jets
44. Braylon Edwards – San Francisco 49ers – at Washington
45. Doug Baldwin – Seattle Seahawks – at Dallas
46. Early Doucet – Arizona Cardinals – vs. St. Louis
47. Steve Breaston – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Miami
48. Davone Bess – Miami Dolphins – at Kansas City
49. Johnny Knox – Chicago Bears – at Philadelphia
50. Torrey Smith – Baltimore Ravens – at Pittsburgh

Thoughts:

• After a great start to the season, Wes Welker has actually slowed in recent weeks, with 12 receptions for 84 yards and one TD over his past two games (with his longest reception being 13 yards).  Obviously no one is going to suggest staying away from him and he’s a clear WR1, but it’s hard to consider him the top option at the position.  There are just too many other players that need to be involved in the offense.
• The New England Patriots are allowing a league worst 29.16 points per game (according to nfl.com).  Assuming Hakeem Nicks is healthy, is there anyone you would rather have this week?
• Roddy White has been a big disappointment this season, surpassing 80 yards just once.  However, with touchdowns in two of his past three games and a stellar matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, maybe this could be the week that he breaks out?  They’ve seen big games from the likes of Mike Wallace (144 yards, one TD), Dwayne Bowe (128 yards, two TD) and Marques Colston (98 yards, two TD), among others.  Consider White a solid WR1 and one of the top options for the coming week.
• To go along with that thought, how do you like a returning Julio Jones for this week?  He’s proven to be well worth using and should make a splash (assuming he’s back in the lineup).  Monitor the news, but consider him a WR2.
• DeSean Jackson continues to be very hit or miss.  Over the past two weeks, he has a total of six receptions for 77 yards and has over 50 yards just three times on the season.  Jeremy Maclin has been the more consistent option and has more TD (4-to-2), making him the better choice at this point.
• The latest receiver to be stranded on Revis Island will be the Bills’ Stevie Johnson.  In two games against the Jets in 2010, he totaled eight receptions for 103 yards and one TD.  Unfortunately, he needs to be considered nothing more than a WR3 this week.  Revis has proven to be that good so far in 2011.
• In his first two games as a member of the Rams, Brandon Lloyd has 12 receptions for 127 yards and one TD.  Now, imagine what he can do if Sam Bradford were in the lineup?  Taking on a Cardinals defense that has allowed 277.6 passing yards/game, Lloyd is a solid play in all formats.
• For more on my thoughts of Jonathan Baldwin and why he’s a very good pickup, click here.
• Finally the Buccaneers’ Mike Williams is starting to show signs of turning things around.  He has six receptions in each of the past two games and has 59 yards or more in three of his past four.  Granted, he needs to start finding the end zone and maybe he’ll be able to do that against a Saints’ defense that has allowed 13 passing TDs.  You know New Orleans is going to be out to prove a point after getting torched in Week 8, so look for Tampa Bay to be forced to throw the ball to keep up.
• Even if healthy, Andre Johnson has a tough matchup against a Cleveland Browns defense that is among the best against the pass this season.  Still, is anyone betting against him?  Monitor the news and make sure he’s healthy, but he’ll be a must play if he’s in there.
• Will two weeks of practice help Carson Palmer and the Oakland Raiders’ passing attack?  You certainly would hope so.  Darrius Heyward-Bey is probably the receiver to watch, though it’s too early to put much faith in him.
• Does anyone trust Santonio Holmes and the Jets’ passing attack?  It’s really tough to put much faith in them, meaning Holmes has to be considered a low-end option.

Make sure to check out our other Week 9 articles:

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