Wide Receiver Rankings

1	Randy Moss/WR/MIN	Moss believes that his current foot injury (plantar fascias) will be a nagging problem for most of the season. Moss may be one of the most underrated players in the NFL when it comes to toughness. While Moss does deserve criticism for his self proclaimed occasional laziness, no one can question his durability. He has never missed a game in his NFL career and has played through fairly serious back injuries in the past. To help lessen the discomfort in his left foot, Moss stayed idle during minicamps and will play this season with a special shoe. Moss is not expected to miss much time in training camp, and should continue to average around 5-7 receptions, 100 plus yards and a touchdown per contest. The best receiving bet to have that huge 200 yards receiving and multi-touchdown game on Sunday is Randy Moss.
2	Tory Holt/WR/STL	Holt waited until after the Pro Bowl to repair a minor cartilage tear in his knee. His surgery was successful and all is good in a Warner-less St. Louis. Holt is the man Bulger looks for in the passing game and last years numbers make that obvious. Holt had 1698 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns last season, numbers that won‘t be easy to duplicate but if anyone can do them Holt and the Rams offense can. Tory is no longer just a big play receiver, he has learned how to separate from defenders in the red-zone. His average touchdown catch last season of less than 10-yards tells you the most about his maturation process. Holt is now a dependable receiver in short yardage situations and this year could become the elite receiver in the National Football league. Watch out Randy, here comes Tory.
3	Terrell Owens/WR/PHI	While this ranking might surprise some it won’t be nearly high enough for T.O. It will not be a shock to see Owens have the best season of his NFL tenure under Reid and the Eagles West Coast offense this year. Expect 100 catches, 1500 yards and 16 touchdowns from the “Playmaker” in ‘04.
4	Marvin Harrison/WR/IND	Harrison is no longer that first round, first receiver selected he has been in the past. In most drafts if Randy Moss wasn‘t the first receiver taken, it has been Harrison. The growth of his side kick-receiving peers in Indy, the fact that Harrison will be 32 years young this season, and the minor injuries that plagued him last season indicate his elite receiving days are behind him. Albeit, if 94 catches, 1272 yards and ten touchdowns is a bad year, then most Fantasy owners will settle for those numbers and simply hope for more. Harrison is losing his hold on that ’Elite Receiver” status, but still remains one of the top producing wide-outs in the league
5	Santana Moss/WR/NYJ	Maybe the biggest compliment Moss received in his third NFL season were all the double teams he received after a mid-year stretch that saw him catch touchdown passes in seven straight games. With Cherbet out of the Jets lineup for the second-half of last season and Curtis Conway rarely a threat in the Hackett scheme opposing defenses cradled Moss defensively and held him without a touchdown in the final five weeks of the year. Moss is smaller than most of the receivers in the league but is a perfect combination of game-breaking speed and possession skills making him a top receiver. Moss is the number-one receiving option among the Jets wide-outs and the addition of Justin McCareins to the offensive scheme in New York will help Moss avoid double-teams and prevent opposing secondary personnel from rotating towards his side of the offensive formation in passing situations. At 5-10 and 185 pounds defenses attempt to play Moss physical but his ability to avoid and separate from contact off the line of scrimmage keeps most defensive backs honest. Moss is a big-play-threat in every route he runs and he should post even better numbers in his fourth NFL season. I have moved Moss up two slots in my pre-season receiver rankings dropping Plaxico Burress and Chad Johnson below the Jets wide-out. Currently Moss ranks fifth in the receiver category and number 24-overall. Moss could once again be undervalued in this year’s draft, but not to the degree he was last season. Santana could leak to the fourth round in many fantasy drafts making him the ultimate early season bargain.
6	Derrick Mason/WR/TEN	Outside of signal caller Steve McNair the Titans have little chance of getting a big play from their backfield this season and will look to throw the ball more than ever before in McNair’s Titans tenure. Head Coach Steve Fisher would like to reduce Mason’s return duties and increase his role in the offense. A role that resulted in 95 catches for over 1300 yards last season. Expect a huge season from Mason, a player that continues to improve his craft and is easily a top-10 wide-out in any Fantasy scoring format.
7	Hines Ward/WR/PIT	With new offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt calling plays from the press box this season Ward will be featured from different positions on the field. Whisenhunt will use Ward in the split, the slot and even from the backfield in the new offense. Ward will be Maddux’s number one option in the passing game and his good hands and ability to separate at the line of scrimmage is a perfect fit for the Whisenhunt scheme. Even with a run first philosophy in Pittsburgh this season Ward is a top-10 Fantasy option at wide receiver.
8	Chad Johnson/WR/CIN	Johnson is one of those rare deep threats in the league who has the ability to score every time he catches the ball. His ability to explode off the line of scrimmage using his strength to get separation makes him a nightmare for defensive backs. He only needs to be a more consistent blocker to become a top reality wide-out, in Fantasy football he should already be one of your top five or six receiver options on draft day.
9	Darrell Jackson/WR/SEA	Jackson recorded a 68-catch, nine end-zone reception, 1,137-yard season, and understand that Jackson dropped balls that could well have put him in elite receiver status last season. Jackson is a big play threat and continues to mature in this explosive Seahawk offense. Darrell belongs in the top-10 among receivers and should be in your lineup each week despite the team/player match-ups.
10	Joe Horn/WR/NO	Horn is the best wide receiver in Louisiana and is as tough and durable as they come at this position. Horn suffered a sub-par season in ‘03 after injuring his knee in pre-game routes before the first game of the season. The injury never fully healed and Horn was nagged by it all season. He expects to be 100 percent for the start of training camp in July making him a serious threat as a top-10 Fantasy wide-out.
11	Andre Johnson/WR/HOU	Considering the injury problems Houston had on offense last year, Johnson had a solid rookie season. Johnson has size, speed, and a strong desire to succeed. He needs to improve his technique just as any other second year receiver does, but he is going to be one of the elite receivers in the game, and very soon.
12	Eric Moulds/WR/BUF	Moulds is eligible for the comeback player of the year award after an injury riddled ‘03 campaign. Moulds is a big and physical with the great hands and can make the tough catches in traffic. If Lee Evans can use his speed to stretch the field this season Moulds could become a top-five Fantasy wide-out again.
13	Isaac Bruce/WR/STL	At age 31, Bruce runs the most efficient routes in the National Football league and even at 30-something still has great separation speed. He remains one of the game's best at getting in and out of breaks, and surprisingly demanded more double teams than teammate Tory Holt last season. That will change this season with Holt getting the doubles and Bruce finding opportunities to improve on his ‘03 numbers.
14	Steve Smith/WR/CAR	Smith is undersized but has proven he is durable and even physical off the line of scrimmage. The Panthers depend on Smith to go over the middle, stretch defenses and use his speed in wide receiver screens to lessen the pass rush on Delhomme. Smith and QB Jake Delhomme started developing good chemistry late last season and with Fox and his staff more comfortable with Jake in the pocket Smith’s numbers should improve.
15	Javon Walker/WR/GB	The Green Bay coaches and players have been more than pleased with Walker’s performance in the off-season workout program and his performance in the minis. If you trust your sources like I do mine, then know I am convinced Walker will improve on his last year numbers and be Brett Favre’s favorite target this season.
16	Peerless Price/WR/ATL	A healthy Mike Vick will improve Price and his disappointing numbers last year. Price's switch from wide-out to flanker will be the biggest off-season development for the Atlanta offense. Greg Knapp is a master at exploiting defenses and putting his personnel in a position to succeed. Expect Price to exceed 1000 yards receiving this season.
17	Laveranues Coles/WR/WAS	This pre-seasons number 45-overall ranking is a drop in Fantasy status for Coles. After all few receivers in the league can match Coles for talent, durability, work ethic and dedication on game-day, the new offense and the nagging injury Coles will be playing with this season make him a risky selection any higher than the fourth round. Coles has excellent speed, great hands, and runs some of the better routes in the league. The injured toe is a huge concern at PFS and choosing to avoid surgery in the off season might not have been the best decision. Watch Coles this training camp through the preseason and see if he is able to separate in his routes, this will be the true test on how much the injured toe will affect him during the year. This ranking could be horrible short of what Coles has the ability to do even in the Gibbs offense, but approach Coles with care in your league draft.
18	Koren Robinson/WR/SEA	The Seahawks have an advantageous schedule and a very explosive offense. What’s not to like about the second receiver in one of the better offenses in the league? Robinson will be overlooked in many redraft leagues and could slip as far as the fifth or sixth round. If you find him on the board in the sixth round of your 12-team league selection process don’t think twice, just Nike it.
19	Chris Chambers/WR/MIA	Chambers gets a new offensive coordinator and a new position (slot receiver) in the Miami offense. Chambers will get a chance to line up in the slot this season, a move that could be a double edged sword. Chambers doesn't have the typical quick-step evasiveness necessary to be a slot receiver, but this position could give him more receiving opportunities. See how Chambers adjusts in preseason this year and draft accordingly.
20	Larry Fitzgerald/WR/ARI	Fitzgerald gets a big boost in the rankings with the injury to Boldin. Bryant Johnson is coming out a stress fracture boot and Boldin will miss the first two-plus months of the season giving Fitzgerald every opportunity to succeed. This is a lot of pressure on a rookie, but Green will find a way to get him the ball.
21	Jimmy Smith/WR/JAC	Smith is no spring chicken, but his talents as a route runner, his soft hands, and his uncanny ability to beat younger corners deep make him a serious threat each Sunday afternoon. Smith has finally put his off-field issues behind him and has looked outstanding in off season workouts. Smith put up 805 yards last season in 12 games and is a receiver that can give you a monster Sunday on occasion. Smith should check in with close to 1000 yards and 6-8 touchdowns this season making him a number two Fantasy option.
22	Ashlie Lelie/WR/DEN	You will be hard pressed to find any Fantasy content site that has Lelie ranked this high. After all what has he done to deserve this Fantasy receiver status? Lelie struggled last year through the Plummer injury, but he has the speed to get deep and he can make the downfield catch. In their second season together, Jake Plummer and Lelie will become a more effective combination and 1000 yards this year for Lelie is a given. How many times Ashlie gets in the end zone will determine his overall Fantasy value, but yards and catches for Denver this season, Lelie will be impact wide-out.
23	A. Toomer/WR/NYG	Someone is going to have to catch some passes in this Giants offense, and Toomer looks to lead the group. Look for Toomer to throw up numbers relative to his three year average and be a number-two fantasy option in most scoring formats. The quarterback questions in New York, the suspect offensive line, and a new offense drop Toomer a notch or two, but he will help your Fantasy team.
24	Reggie Wayne/WR/IND	The sky is the limit for Reggie. It’s not a stretch to believe Wayne will be worthy of a number two Fantasy option this season. Manning continues to get more comfortable with the young receiver and teams are simply not going to let Marvin Harrison beat them. Wayne will do some damage this year, will he be doing it for you, or against you?
25	Marty Booker/WR/CHI	With Thomas Jones in the Chicago backfield and Terry Shea calling plays in the new offense, the Bears will put up better numbers both running and receiving. The only real question in Chicago is how consistent second year quarterback Rex Grossman will be. If Booker is healthy for 16 games, he is good for 1,000 yards and 6-8 scores.
26	Deion Branch/WR/NE	Last season Branch was slowed by ankle and finger injuries, but he showed dramatic improvement in the technicality of his routes. Deion finished with 57 catches for 803 yards and three scores. Look for the third year receiver to improve on those numbers making him a solid number two Fantasy option.
27	Plaxico Burress/WR/PIT	Burress is big, strong and one of the more dangerous deep threats in the league, but Pittsburgh’s line was a mess last year and couldn’t provide Maddox with enough time to find the big target in vertical passing plays. The Steelers must prove they can run the ball this year helping both Ward and Burress return to top-tier Fantasy options. If Burress can stay healthy and the Steelers offensive line can do a better job of protecting Tommy Gunn then Burress should return to a number-two Fantasy option in most leagues.
28	Charles Rogers/WR/DET	Rogers missed the final 11 games last year with a broken collarbone. Rogers looked good in off season workouts and this springs minicamps according to PFSi sources in Detroit. Rogers is quick on his feet and has terrific hands, but the knock on him is his physicality at the line of scrimmage. Rogers will attempt to improve his strength by working against veteran corner Dre Bly in camp this summer. Rogers was off to a fantastic start last season before he got injured, and if everything goes right this season he should be a solid Fantasy option playing in the defensively weak NFC North. Look for good things for Rogers as the season progresses.
29	Rod Gardner/WR/WASH	The injury to Lav-Coles in combination with the way Gardner has looked this summer moves him into the top 50 of wide outs. Gardner is big, fast and strong, and should find his way to a good season if he can stay healthy.
30	Justin McCariens/WR/NYJ	The only down side to McCareins this season is the question of whether he can learn the complex offense that Paul Hackett's runs in New York. In Tennessee, McCareins was used primarily in ‘Go-Routes‘, using his speed to outrun the defensive backs. His responsibilities will change in New York. Hackett will ask the young receiver to run more precise intermediate routes which is typical of West Coast schemes. McCariens will show you his learn-ability in the preseason and at that time his rankings will either rise or fall. We are betting on the young talent and recommend you find a spot on your roster for him. It isn’t a reach to expect Justin to push 1000 yards and double digit touchdowns this season making him a solid threat in all scoring formats.
31	Tyrone Calico/WR/TEN	Who does Tyrone Calico remind you of? He should remind you of a young Terrell Owens. Calico is large body with cornerback speed. Calico will be drafted like a bench receiver this year in most Fantasy drafts but could be producing starter-worthy numbers in no time. Calico was more consistent in his route running and catching the ball during spring minis and this was expected news from the raw rookie talent we saw perform last season. During the ’03 campaign Calico faded down the stretch dropping passes and varying from schemed routes. But with 4.35 speed, weighing in at 225 pounds, this is the type of talent that can take the slant pattern the distance. Calico is ready to turn his raw potential into real production this season. Without question the Titans have more expectations from Calico than from any of their rostered players. Calico, now in his second year, has been handed the number-three receiver spot with the trade of Justin McCareins. Just as soon as the Titans traded McCareins to the Jets--Calico should have made a big jump in your off-season receiver rankings. Talk to any defensive coordinator and they will tell you that Calico is already a feared match-up because of his size and speed and has to be game-planned as such. With Tennessee listing D. Mason and D. Bennett as their number one and two receivers on the depth chart you can expect Calico to be available in the middle to late rounds of your draft. Last season Justin McCareins started the season as the number-three Tennessee wide-out and although he didn’t start one contest for the Titans finished with 47 catches, 817 yards, and seven touchdowns. Expect this and more from Calico this season. The Titans and McNair could put the ball in the air 500 times and Calico will be the recipient of many of those throws.
32	Marcus Robinson/WR/MIN	If you have a spine connecting you head to your ass you will draft Marcus Robinson if he is still available in the middle to late rounds of your league selection process. In Baltimore, Robinson had to depend on Kyle Boller or Anthony Wright to make delivery on the spiral, and that is comparable to Bob Dylan actually carrying a tune. Culpepper not only has the ability to get the ball down field, he has one of the best deep balls in the game. Lets get something straight right now, if your favorite NFL squad is facing the Vikings on Sunday afternoon and has small corners with little pass rush you might consider some strong liquid refreshment before watching the mismatch. Robinson, at 6-3, isn’t the best route running wide-out in the NFL, but he can make the big play downfield. With Randy Moss, at 6-4, getting most of the attention on one side of the tundra on Sunday afternoons, well, it has to make Marcus smile every time he considers the possibilities. Who did the Vikings think they were benefiting when they signed Marcus Robinson to be their number two receiver? Did they think this would help Randy Moss? Did they assume Robinson would benefit from the Moss double teams? The Vikings had team in mind when they signed Robinson to be the number two receiver in their explosive offensive scheme, and this Vikings offense will now be able to spread the field like few teams in the NFL. Expect to see Daunte Culpepper rise to another level this season while calling plays for the most dangerous offense in the NFL. Robinson is in line for a career year, and 800-1000 yards and 7-9 touchdowns make him a seriously valuable weapon in the middle to late part of your draft.
33	Rod Smith/WR/DEN	Smith should only be ranked this high if your league rewards a point per reception. Smith is the best possession receiver on the Broncos roster but he’s lost the ability to gain yards after the catch. Smith has lost his hold as a Fantasy starter and is no longer go-to receiver in the red zone. Smith’s numbers will continue to digress, but he should be considered a third receiver in leagues that reward that all important point per reception.
34	Anquan Boldin/WR/ARI	Boldin will move from flanker to split-end this season in the new Dennis Green offense. Green admits it's a risk to change anything concerning Boldin, who caught 101 passes as a rookie, but thinks he'll get fewer double-teams at the new position. Boldin, last season's offensive rookie of the year, underwent arthroscopic surgery Wednesday to repair cartilage damage in his right knee. The team initially thought he had a slight tear, which would keep him out only a matter of weeks, but during the surgery, doctors uncovered a more significant tear, and Boldin will miss at least 25 percent of the season giving him the boot from fantasy option number one, to fantasy option number three or four. The season looks to be long in the Arizona desert this year.
35	Jerry Porter/WR/OAK	If there are questions in the Dallas offense, there are just as many in Oakland. Porter was injured for a large part of the last season helping the Raiders fall quickly out of contention in the AFC West. The Raiders did very little in the off-season offensively, and the fantasy options in Oakland are few and far between. If there was one player on this team you would want on your roster, it would be Porter.
36	Drew Bennett/WR/TEN	Bennett is considered by many to be the number two receiver in Tennessee this year, but don’t be surprised to see second year receiver Tyrone Calico get more looks on most Sunday afternoons. Bennett is a huge target that makes him a red-zone threat, but until he provides more consistency and shows the ability to stay healthy he resides behind both Calico and Mason on the Finn Factor list.
37	Joey Galloway/WR/TB	If Joey can put up over 600 yards in the Cowboys offense, then surely he can improve on his overall numbers in Jon Gruden’s system. Galloway is by far the best deep threat among the Bucs’ receivers, but the West Coast offense will lower his career numbers in yards per catch. So if you league rewards distance receptions don’t expect Joey to average 20-yards per grab like last year. Brad Johnson might be the best quarterback Galloway has played with in years and the Galloway stock will climb if McCardell doesn’t report to camp. This being said Galloway is a high risk/high reward player and should be drafted as such.
38	Keyshawn Johnson/WR/DAL	Honestly now, who really knows what to make of Me-shawn and Parcells from game to game and season to season. You don’t know what either are going to do from week to week, and the offensive situation in Dallas is just not talented or experienced enough to rank Johnson any more than a Fantasy reserve. Dallas is an offensive Fantasy team you want to avoid. If Johnson slips to the back side of your league draft consider him for your roster.
39	Peter Warrick/WR/CIN	Does Peter Warrick make Chad Johnson better, or does Johnson make Warrick a Fantasy threat? Warrick set career highs in receptions, yards and TDs last season, and took handoffs 18 times for 157 yards. However you answer the question posed, both receivers are going to depend on the development of a young Carson Palmer. So if Palmer succeeds this season, so should Warrick, Johnson and Johnson. A successful season could ink some endorsements for the Johnson and Johnson team, or they can form their own agency representing future NFL players. Johnson and Johnson, has a nice ring to it doesn‘t it?
40	Mushin Muhammad/WR/CAR	Carolina thought enough of this expensive free agent to bring him back to an offense that is run oriented. With Delhomme being in his second season of the John Fox offense expect better aerial numbers from all of the offensive personnel.
41	Terry Glenn/WR/DAL	I wish I could tell you I have confidence in this Dallas offense, but I can’t. That said Glenn is a reserve starter depending on weekly match-ups.
42	Donte Stallworth/WR/NO	Stallworth has the talent, speed, hands and the attitude to be a top tier Fantasy wide-out. The reality is that Stallworth is fragile and can’t keep his cleats on. He is just too risky to spend one of your early round selections on and should be left for other owners in your league to twist and turn about on Sunday mornings. If Stallworth slips to the second half of your draft he has value as a high risk/high reward player, but you will sleep better this season if he resides some other roster.
43	Keenan McCardell/WR/TB	Until McCardell signs up for the 2004 season he will not have top receiver status in these cheat sheet rankings. There is a very good chance that McCardell won’t be in Tampa uniform come September, and the best case scenario he will miss a good portion of training camp holding out for a new contract. . McCardell isn’t worthy of taking a risk on this season. He will be 34 years old, and has suffered significant injuries in the past few years that make him suspect to repeat his 2003 numbers. McCardell is a second tier receiver if he signs this summer, if he doesn’t then let another owner worry about his playing status.
44	Andre Davis/WR/CLE	The number of quality receivers in Cleveland make it difficult to figure out who to start on this roster on any given Sunday. Davis and the Browns receiving corps are reserves in this pre-season cheat sheet until they prove different. If you held a gun to my head and made me select the top receiver on this Browns roster for this season it would be Davis. Andre has the best chance to form a relationship with Garcia and find some success this season.
45	David Givens/WR/.NE	Givens could be ranked much higher on potential alone, but playing in a New England system that likes to spread the ball he can’t be projected to accumulate an abundance of yards this season. He can however be counted on in the red-zone for those of you in touchdown leagues. Givens is a strong sleeper candidate that should be a late round consideration.
46	Doug Gabriel/WR/OAK	Early summer-- PFS Phil Gentles and “The Dawg and Tony Show’s” DJ Boyer pointed out more than a few times that Gabriel is the player to watch in Oakland this year. Gabriel could actually lead the Raiders in receiving this season but then again Oakland will have 10-12 players catching balls every game. A sleeper candidate worth watching.
47	Kevin Johnson/WR/BAL	Johnson is a serious sleeper candidate this season and should be drafted if he is available late in your league selection process. Johnson won’t scare too many defensive backs, but runs solid routes and is a good complement to a number-one receiver. The problem in Baltimore is that Johnson this year will be the number one option. Kevin is loud and braggadocios, but can be a leader on this Baltimore offense if he chooses. Can Johnson resurrect his career now that he is the number one wide out in an NFL offense? He is a risk that is for sure, but could bring a high reward if he develops a relationship with Kyle Boller and company.
48	Bryant Johnson/WR/ARI	Johnson removed the boot from the foot that was suffering from a stress fracture this summer. With Bolding gone for more than 25 percent of the season Johnson has sleeper value as the deep threat in Coach Dennis Green's spread offense. How he responds to the stress fracture will weight his ranking entering into the regular season.
49	Brandon Lloyd/WR/SF	Lloyd showed promise at the end of last season albeit in limited action, and with the free agency loss of both Owens and Street there will be a lot expected of this young receiver. Lloyd has reliable hands but his size is the big question mark, especially lined up across from the leagues more physical corners. The Niners are going to be playing from behind this season so consider Lloyd a possible sleeper and a possible late round selection in your Fantasy draft.
50	Charles Lee/WR/TB	If McCardell doesn’t find his way to camp this summer, you can move Lee right up the receiver rankings. Lee topped 80 yards three times late last season and had 10 receptions in a game against Atlanta. A big receiver with good hands and better than average speed. Even if McCardell signs and plays in week one this year Lee will be the third receiver in many offensive sets. Don’t be surprised to see the Bucs relieve McCardell of his responsibilities in Tampa and go with Galloway, Lee and rookie Michael Clayton this season.