Fantasy Football Preview: Top Wide Receivers

Fantasy Football Preview: Top Wide Receivers

Finding a great wide receiver for your fantasy football league is a great way to potentially ensure that you will be making fantasy football money from your picks. Here are some tips on the top wide receivers to potentially help you win fantasy football money:

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

Johnson set a new single-season record with 1,964 yards receiving. His 122 receptions led the league.  Johnson also led in receiving yards in 2011.  Johnson had only five TDs in 2012 after scoring at least 12 TDs in three of the previous four seasons.

A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

Green had 97 receptions (seventh-highest in the league), 1,350 receiving yards (10th-highest) and 11 receiving TDs (tied for fourth-highest). Green bruised his knee in training camp but it did not appear to be an issue as of mid-August.

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Bryant had career highs of 1,382 receiving yards (sixth-highest in the league), 12 receiving TDs (third-highest) and 92 receptions (tied for tenth). In the second half of the season, Bryant had 50 receptions for 879 yards and 10 TDs.

Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

Marshall had career highs of 1,508 receiving yards (third-highest), 11 receiving TDs (tied for fourth-best) and 118 receptions (tied for second-best). Marshall had offseason hip surgery, but was expected to play in the second exhibition game.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Jones had 79 receptions for 1,198 yards and 10 TDs in his second season, finishing with four TDs in the final four games.  Jones made 11 catches for 182 yards and two TDs in Atlanta’s playoff loss to San Francisco. He missed the first exhibition game with a tight hamstring but was expected to be in the second exhibition game.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

Thomas took off in his third season with 1,434 yards (fourth-highest), 10 receiving TDs (tied for seventh) and 94 receptions (eighth).  Thomas had 18 more targets than fellow breakout Eric Decker and should continue to produce like a number one even with the addition of Wes Welker. Thomas, the first WR selected in the 2010 draft, went 22nd overall, two picks ahead of Dez Bryant.

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans

Johnson’s 1,598 receiving yards were second-best, a career high, and the fourth time in five seasons he finished in the top five. He had 112 receptions (fourth-highest) but only had four TDs. In ten seasons, Johnson has caught 56 TD passes, an average of fewer than six per season.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

After a stellar career featuring four 1,400-yard seasons, five seasons with at least 90 catches and four seasons with at least 10 TDs, Arizona’s quarterback mess left Fitzgerald with only 71 catches for 978 yards with four TDs. But the arrival of Carson Palmer and new coach Bruce Arians should enable to Fitzgerald to resume putting up his usual numbers.

Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons

White led the Falcons with 92 receptions and 1,351 receiving yards. He has six straight seasons of at least 80 catches and 1,150 yards. White scored seven TDs, his fifth straight season reaching that mark. White will turn 32 in November.

Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers

Cobb led the Packers with 80 catches and 954 receiving yards.  He had eight receiving TDs and scored a TD on a punt return.  In mid-August, Cobb was dealing with a biceps injury.

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Jon Lewin writes on a variety of fantasy sports topics.