WR RANKINGS 33-48
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............10
By the end of the 2013 season, it became apparent that Patterson had become the future of the Vikings passing game. The man nicknamed "Flash" was the most productive fantasy wideout in the game over the final month of the season, averaging more than 16 points per contest. Now he'll have the chance to work with offensive guru Norv Turner -- who immediately began designing plays specifically for Patterson. While there are questions about who Minnesota's quarterback will be this season, there's little doubt that the offense will be focused on trying to get the ball into Patterson's hands as often as possible. He has sleeper written all over him.
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............4
We all learned in 2012 that not even Larry Fitzgerald was quarterback proof. The hope was that adding Carson Palmer would help the Cardinals star rebound in 2013. While Fitzgerald did work his way back into the top 20 among fantasy wideouts, it wasn't the resurrection many wished for. Part of that had do with the emergence of Andre Roberts and Michael Floyd as receiving threats. Roberts left for Washington in free agency this offseason, but Palmer is a year older and on the downhill side of his career. It's fair to wonder if the same can't be said of Fitzgerald as well. Even still, Fitz's decline shouldn't be enough to prevent him from being selected among the top 20 receivers in 2014 fantasy drafts.
Auction...............$20
Bye Week.............8
An Achilles tendon injury kept Crabtree out of action for the vast majority of the season. But once he returned, he was immediately a productive option on the field and in fantasy. Health has been an ongoing problem for the former Texas Tech star, but when he's available he is continually working his way up the rankings ladder. Hopefully he can remain ready to go for the start of the 2014 season where he has a solid rapport with quarterback Colin Kaepernick and should be the top option in San Francisco's passing game. Crabtree will enter the season as a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 selection.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............4
Few receivers in fantasy football personify risk/reward like Harvin. The dual-threat player missed nearly the entire 2013 campaign after offseason surgery, catching just one pass for 17 yards. While he can be electrifying with the football in his hands, it's understandable if fantasy owners are wary of a player who has appeared in just 10 combined games over the past two seasons. If you're drafting Harvin, make sure you find some more reliable receiving options to pair with him on your roster.
Auction...............$18
Bye Week.............10
Jackson packed up and headed south for Washington after being unceremoniously dumped by the Eagles. Alongside Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed, Jackson will add a tantalizing option for Washington's offense and quarterback Robert Griffin III. The issue is whether the move is good for Jackson's individual value. While with the Eagles, the speedy receiver was the top target for Nick Foles and had his best professional season, posting an 82/1,332/9 stat line. That was good enough to land Jackson in the top 10 among fantasy receivers. He'll be hard pressed to be the first option in Washington's passing game and could find himself slipping a couple of rounds in most drafts.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............4
In just his second season, Floyd took a big step forward. He finished the season second only to Larry Fitzgerald in catches on the Cardinals roster, while leading the team in receiving yards. In fact, at times it looked as though the Notre Dame product was the first option for Carson Palmer in the passing game. Until Fitzgerald moves on, it's likely that Floyd will continue to be the No. 2 on the depth chart, but he has shown an ability to be a playmaker in Arizona's passing game. Floyd has plenty of upside as a WR3 in most leagues and could end up being a sleeper in the middle of many fantasy drafts.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............9
Now that the Titans have moved on from Kenny Britt, there is no doubt that the mantle of Tennessee's No. 1 receiver has been passed to Wright. However much like Torrey Smith last season in Baltimore, does Wright have what it takes to succeed as a primary target? He scored fewer than 10 fantasy points in four of his final five games last season and he'll be learning a new offense under head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Jason Michael. There is also the issue of who will deliver the football. Jake Locker's injury issues have created a revolving door at the position. Wright has plenty of upside, but fantasy owners would do well not to reach too high in order to obtain it.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............4
With Mike Wallace out of the picture in Pittsburgh, Sanders moved up a rung on the receiving ladder and took full advantage of the chance. Playing alongside Antonio Brown, Sanders set career-bests in catches, yards and touchdowns. Now he moves to an offense that is even more productive through the air. However, that isn't all positive. With Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Julius Thomas still in the mix, Sanders will have to work hard to see the same level of targets he drew last season with the Steelers. Any Broncos WR will have upside, but projecting Sanders as more than a WR3 is risky.
Auction...............$21
Bye Week.............4
It's gotta be nice to be Wes Welker. You leave one future Hall of Fame quarterback (Tom Brady) and land with another (Peyton Manning). Nonetheless, Welker has proven to be a playmaker in his own right. Injuries hampered the talented slot receiver, limiting him to 13 games, yet he still set a career high with 10 touchdown receptions. With Eric Decker out of the mix in Denver, Welker could see a higher volume of targets -- which says a lot considering how much the Broncos will once again rely on their passing game in the 2014 season.
Auction...............$17
Bye Week.............5
Big things were expected of Mike Wallace after he signed a big free agent deal with the Dolphins prior to last season. Wallace didn't deliver. The speedster was one of the bigger fantasy busts last season, finishing 25th at the position. The silver lining was that things got better for Wallace as the season progressed. Over the final six weeks, he averaged better than 10 fantasy points per week (compared to just 6.1 points per game before that). If Wallace can build on that rapport with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, there is the potential for really good things in 2014. However, fantasy owners might be best served to consider Wallace as a second option at the receiver spot, rather than banking on a large progression from last season.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............10
After a fantastic rookie season, Hilton had big sleeper appeal entering the 2013 campaign. Things were going relatively well until Reggie Wayne was lost for the season with a knee injury. Not long after, Hilton began to struggle as teams rolled more coverages to his side of the field. It was apparent that the second-year wideout wasn't quite ready to pick up the slack for the productive veteran. The good news for Hilton is that Wayne should be back and ready to go for the start of the 2014 season. The bad news is that the Colts added Hakeem Nicks in free agency. That move could push Hilton down the depth chart to a No. 3 option for Andrew Luck. It's likely to depress his fantasy draft value as well.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............11
Before the 2013 season, questions abounded as to whether Smith was ready to be a No. 1 receiver. After the season, the results were mixed. Smith led the team in receptions and yards though he did little to convince many that he's among the NFL's top wideouts. Admittedly, some of that had to do with the Ravens' struggles on offense. Entering 2014, Smith will have help since Baltimore added veteran wideout Steve Smith in free agency. Hopefully the elder Smith can still draw attention from defenses to free up his younger counterpart. There's also the issue of Dennis Pitta attracting more targets over the middle of the field. Torrey Smith is far from being a bona fide WR1 in fantasy, but with some help, he could become a solid WR2.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............6
Fantasy owners who have drafted a Saints receiver in the past few seasons know that it's like playing roulette. Fortunately, Colston's number has come up more frequently than any other in New Orleans' receiving corps during that span. However the rise of Jimmy Graham has taken away from Colston's production. In 2013, the big man from Hofstra failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2008. He might also be looking over his shoulder as Kenny Stills grabs a larger share of targets. It will be worth keeping an eye on Jimmy Graham's contract situation, which could have an impact on Colston's role in the offense. If Graham is in the mix, Colston could fall out of the top 20 in some formats.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............11
Decker certainly benefitted from having Peyton Manning as his quarterback over the past couple of seasons. The wideout finished in the top 10 at his position in each of the past two seasons. But before you completely write him off as being a Manning created fantasy star, keep in mind that as a second-year player in 2011, Decker led the Broncos in receptions, yards and touchdowns ... with Tim Tebow as his quarterback. That's the history fantasy owners will have to lean on now that Decker has taken his act on the road to Broadway. Neither Michael Vick nor Geno Smith are going to make people forget about Peyton Manning, but Decker should get plenty of looks in the offense, regardless of who's under center. He might not be a top 10 receiver again in 2014, but he could rank as a quality second option for plenty of fantasy enthusiasts.
Auction...............$15
Bye Week.............6
In many ways, Cooks was overlooked amongst the 2014 wide receiver class, but landing as a slot option in an offense led by Drew Brees might be a dream come true. The sure-handed Oregon State product seems poised to thrive in the high-flying New Orleans aerial attack. The Saints have been known to spread the football around -- much to the chagrin of fantasy owners -- but with Lance Moore playing in Pittsburgh and Marques Colston starting to slow down, there's a chance for Cooks to be a playmaker.
Auction...............$16
Bye Week.............10
At the start of the 2013 season, most expected Danny Amendola to take over Wes Welker's role as the No. 1 passing target in the Patriots offense. After a few weeks, it became apparent that we were looking in the wrong direction. Edelman earned Tom Brady's trust and finished the season far and away as the Patriots leader in catches and yards. That was the good thing. The bad part for fantasy owners is that Edelman wasn't necessarily a big play threat and all of that production amounted to slightly more than 1,000 yards with six touchdowns. It barely landed Edelman in the top 20 and with the progressions of Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson -- as well as the hopeful healthy return of Rob Gronkowski -- Edleman could see a drop in production in 2014.
WR RANKINGS 33-48
