Fantasy Football Week 10: Who's Hot, Who's Not at the WR Position?

Look for these hot and cold WR options in Fantasy Football Week 10.

So far in the 2011 fantasy season, many players have come as advertised. Wide receiver is one of the more unpredictable and inconsistent positions in fantasy football.

It's important you draft competent and reliable receivers in order to contend in any league format.

Just past the mid-way point to the 2011 season, here are the hot, and who's not, receivers around the league.

Hot: Vincent Jackson

San Diego Chargers' wide receiver Vincent Jackson is a phenomenal athlete. His large frame provides Phillip Rivers with an excellent down-field target.

The numbers Jackson has posted thus far, including six touchdowns, may be a little deceiving due to the roller-coaster season he is having.

However, Rivers has shown he will continue to feed Jackson the ball. Jackson rewarded Rivers with three solid touchdown grabs to rally the Chargers back against the defending champion Green Bay Packers last Sunday.

Jackson may not be the most consistent, but he has the tools—he's in the top ten in fantasy points on the season and he's coming off one of the best games of his career.

Hot: Mike Wallace

Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver Mike Wallace continues to improve following an explosive 2010 fantasy football season.

In Week 10, Wallace and the Steelers go up against the Cincinnati Bengals. While, at first glance, it may look like an unfavorable match-up for Wallace—think again.

No defense has proven they can stop Wallace. He is just too fast, too sure handed and too much a part of the Steeler's game-plan.

Memo to Bengals defense: The ball is going to Mike Wallace on Sunday.

Try and stop it.

Hot: Greg Jennings

Green Bay Packers' wide receiver Greg Jennings is a hot commodity going into Week 10 of the fantasy football season.

Jennings continues to prove he is the number one option in Green Bay following an impressive performance in Week 9 against the San Diego Chargers.  He may not have had a career day due to Aaron Rodgers' willingness to spread the ball around to other receivers.

But, there is PLENTY to go around in Green Bay Right now.  

Aaron Rodgers is in the middle of a prolific season in which he has completed 24 touchdown passes with only three interceptions.

Jennings continues to put up solid numbers and remains a top five receiving option.

Hot: Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson, or "Megatron" as he is commonly known as, is a big reason why the Detroit Lions have turned their franchise around. Heading into Week 10, following a bye, Johnson will be hungry and looking to build on his league-leading 11 touchdowns.

In Week 10, the Lions square off against the Chicago Bears in a rematch of Week 5.

"Megatron" torched the Bears' defense with five receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in their previous encounter.

If there was ever a "sure-thing" in fantasy football—Calvin Johnson is the closest thing to it.

Hot: Steve Smith

The Carolina Panthers must be loving the resurgence of their star WR Steve Smith. In Week 10, Smith and the Panthers head into Tennessee following their Week 9 bye.

Smith is not doing it on his own, though, as the emergence of rookie standout quarterback Cam Newton has surely revived the aging Smith's career.

With eight games still to play, Smith has a legitimate chance to break Jerry Rice's single season receiving yards record of 1,848 yards in a season.

Hot: Wes Welker

Wes Welker and the New England Patriots offense should be no secret to fantasy owners heading into Week 10 of the season.  They aren't a secret to opposing defenses either at this point.

Like Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings, Steve Smith, Mike Wallace and Vincent Jackson, though, teams know the ball is going to Wes Welker.

They just can't do anything to stop it.

Welker has recorded the most receptions thus far, by a long shot, with 66 on the season.

Hot: Julio Jones

The Atlanta Falcons nearly sold the farm to land wide receiver Julio Jones in the draft last April. Heading into Week 10 of the NFL season, Jones is emerging as the home-run threat they envisioned when they made that move for him.

Jones, though, has been hampered by inconsistency early on and a recent hamstring injury.

However, following his Week 9 performance in which he turned three catches into two touchdowns and 131 yards receiving, Jones is too big of a threat to not take a risk on.

In Week 10, Atlanta hosts the visiting New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome. It will likely be a high-scoring affair. Look for Jones to provide more additions to the highlight reel in Week 10.

Not: Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne's struggles should not be placed solely on his or the Indianapolis Colts' shoulders. The unfortunate loss of Peyton Manning has sent shock-waves throughout the organization and called for a power shift in the AFC South.

Wayne has, as a bright spot, recorded over 500 yards receiving but has only grabbed one touchdown pass thus far. The prospects for Wayne moving forward, especially heading into a Week 10 matchup with a stout Jacksonville pass defense, are not looking good.

Not: DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson is not producing as a top wide receiver heading into Week 10. The Philadelphia Eagles' struggles should not be blamed on Jackson, but you can blame him for your fantasy team's struggles.

However, he has still put up over 500 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

He's not a slouch in the NFL by any means.

But Jackson is far from the explosive deep threat from 2010 who had defenses panicking to keep up with him as he blew past their secondary on a whim.

His inconsistency is nothing new, though.  In 2010 he was oft-held in check for most of a game, but produced on amazing catch-and-runs and big plays to boost his value.

Hopefully he can rebound in the second half of the season with an explosion to make up for his less than spectacular start.

Not: Andre Johnson

Houston Texans' wide receiver Andre Johnson has been a disappointment thus far in 2011.  Heading into Week 10, Johnson has missed the last five games after having surgery to fix a hamstring injury.

Up until the injury, Johnson was looking great in the balanced and effective offensive attack of the Texans.

He may rebound back to his early season form, but at this point, he has been a disappointment.

Not: Mike Williams (TB)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams is the most targeted player on the Buccaneer offense.  Heading into Week 10, though, Williams is struggling to replicate his excellent 2010 performance.

Second year stand-out Preston Parker has similar numbers through the first nine weeks of the 2011 season.

Not: Darrius Heyward-Bey

With the Oakland Raiders' signing of Carson Palmer completed, all signs pointed to big things for the solid Darius Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey had just begun to turn a corner in the Raider passing game and then the unthinkable happened.

He didn't see the field in Week 9 against the Broncos.

Whether he is injured or has not developed a strong rapport with Carson Palmer yet, it is troubling to see his lack of production while other Raider receivers have shined with Palmer under center. 

Not: Robert Meachem

Robert Meachem was a popular waiver wire acquisition early on in 2011 after injuries sidelined the New Orleans Saints' number-one receiver Marques Colston.

Since Colston's return, however, Meachem, as well as Devery Henderson, have been ghosts in the Saints' passing game.

Saints' quarterback Drew Brees is known to spread the ball around on offense, he just isn't spreading it Meachem's way very often.

Not: Chad Ochocinco

If fantasy football leagues rewarded wide receivers with points for personality, Twitter and past accomplishments—Chad Ochocinco would be your guy.  However, the New England Patriots have seemingly not developed a prominent role in their passing attack for Ochocinco to fit into.

Unfortunately for Ochocinco, the hype surrounding his trade to New England has turned out to be just that—hype.

For all of you, including myself, who were hoping to see Ochocinco magically turn into Randy Moss once he teamed up with Randy Moss—we were wrong.