FANTASY

Fantasy Player Projections

Wide Receivers

Rank	Team	Player	Projection	Opponent
1			Brandon Marshall 8 rec, 124 yards, 2 rec TDs After two relatively futile weeks, Marshall looked more like his old self Monday night, catching seven balls for 119 yards. Marshall is a great bet any week, and a weak Jacksonville secondary probably won't be terribly equipped to stop him. He could have a big day.	at
2			Victor Cruz 11 rec, 117 yards, 2 rec TDs Cruz has started to re-emerge as the incredibly versatile threat that he was last season, and this should be a big game for him. Both Cruz and Domenik Hixon are coming off of big games, but the Browns have struggled against big-play receivers all season. The Browns will have to choose between concentrating on Cruz or Hixon. With Hixon exploding in last week's loss, the Browns' creaky pass defense may be stretched too thin. That means a big day for Cruz.	vs
3			Torrey Smith 7 rec, 99 yards, 2 rec TDs Smith has been electric the past two weeks and Flacco will be looking for his top guy again. The Chiefs have surrendered 13 passing plays of 20 yards or more and two pass plays of more than 40 yards. Smith will probably be targeted downfield more than once and there is plenty of potential for him to have a huge day.	at
4			Jordy Nelson 8 rec, 82 yards, 2 rec TDs Outside of a disappearing act against Seattle, Nelson's output has been consistent and reliable. Expect a similar performance against the Colts. He'll be there in his favorite places -- in the flats and over the middle and grabbing a lot of first downs.	at
5			Randall Cobb 7 rec, 105 yards, rec TD This should be a big weekend for Cobb. With Greg Jennings likely limited by injury and an experienced Colts secondary across the line of scrimmage, the Packers may use their most versatile weapon in a litany of ways. This is an audacious prediction for Cobb (he does only have 162 yards receiving on the season), but the Packers used him creatively against the Saints and want the ball in his hands.	at
6			A.J. Green 7 rec, 105 yards, rec TD The sophomore superstar caught six passes for 117 yards and a touchdown at Jacksonville in Week 4. Green has 300 yards receiving in his past two games, with a touchdown catch in his past three. To little surprise, he currently leads the AFC in receiving with 428 yards.	vs
7			Mike Wallace 8 rec, 93 yards, rec TD Wallace finally appears to be in the shape that he was last season, and he annihilated an overmatched Oakland secondary in Week 3. Wallace will not be able to roam as freely against the Eagles as he did against the Raiders, but Ben Roethlisberger will be looking for his vertical threat.	vs
8			Reggie Wayne 8 rec, 90 yards, rec TD Wayne still manages to catch a ton of passes regardless of who the quarterback is. The veteran has emerged as Luck's favorite target, has caught at least six balls in every game and remains a dependable downfield threat. Wayne will probably be targeted often.	vs
9			Andre Johnson 5 rec, 85 yards, rec TD Johnson has only caught eight balls for 139 yards over his last three games after an eight-catch, 119-yard outburst to open the season against Miami. Johnson will probably see plenty of Antonio Cromartie Sunday since Darrelle Revis is out. Still, Johnson is sure to be heavily targeted and make catches.	at
10			Danny Amendola 8 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Amendola led the Rams in receiving once again, with six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown (on a fake field goal). That type of game will be more of the norm for Amendola than his crazy 15-catch, 160-yard Week 2.	vs
11			Julio Jones 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Jones was held to just one catch for 30 yards against the Panthers in Week 4, as Roddy White and Michael Turner did most of the damage for the Falcons offensively. Even so, Jones is a must-start against a horrible Redskins pass defense.	at
12			Brandon Lloyd 7 rec, 80 yards, rec TD The Patriots' No. 1 receiver had three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown at the Bills in Week 4. Despite few receptions, Lloyd remains a good WR2 in most leagues against Denver in Week 5. Tom Brady targeted him 25 times over the course of Weeks 2 and 3 before last Sunday's seven targets.	vs
13			Wes Welker 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Once again, Welker came through with a big fantasy day, crushing those who gave up and traded him early in the season. He caught nine passes for 129 yards and a score at Buffalo in Week 4, and he now has 366 receiving yards since Week 2.	vs
14			Marques Colston 6 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Finally, Colston's owners were happy to see his stat line in Week 4, when he caught nine passes for 153 yards and a touchdown at Green Bay. Further, he was targeted 13 times, compared to just eight times total in the previous two weeks.	vs
15			Nate Washington 3 rec, 77 yards, rec TD Washington has been the main downfield threat, and he will probably be Matt Hasselbeck's most targeted receiver in Hasselbeck's first full start. Hasselbeck did a nice job spreading the ball around when he came into the game last week, but Washington can break loose down the field and will be used to try and stretch the Vikings out.	at
16			Larry Fitzgerald 7 rec, 75 yards, rec TD The Cardinals' top playmaker caught eight passes for 64 yards and a touchdown against Miami in Week 4. He was targeted a team-high 15 times, though, and fantasy owners should remain excited about the rest of his season.	at
17			Brian Hartline 7 rec, 75 yards, rec TD Hartline broke the Dolphins' franchise record for receiving yards with 253 on 12 catches against the Cardinals in Week 4. One of those catches was for an 80-yard touchdown. It's doubtful he was starting in many leagues, however, since he caught just one pass in Week 3.	at
18			Roddy White 7 rec, 75 yards, rec TD White hauled in eight passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina in Week 4. In the past three weeks White has three touchdown grabs, which suggests Julio Jones has yet to overtake him as the Falcons' No. 1 receiver.	at
19			Steve Smith 6 rec, 75 yards, rec TD The Panthers' top wide receiver caught just three passes for 52 yards at St. Louis in Week 4. Despite the dip in production, he's still a decent WR2 against a relatively tough Seahawks pass defense.	vs
20			Demaryius Thomas 5 rec, 70 yards, rec TD Thomas caught five passes for 110 yards against Oakland, proving he doesn't need to have double digits in targets to get his fantasy owners some points. The Patriots have a tough time against strong passing teams, so Thomas remains a solid fantasy starter.	at
21			Michael Crabtree 7 rec, 70 yards, rec TD While Crabtree hasn't been scoring much, he has at least been making a lot of catches, saving his fantasy owners in PPR leagues. In Week 4, however, he caught just two passes for 15 yards at the Jets. He's a better WR3 than anything else right now.	vs
22			Malcom Floyd 6 rec, 65 yards, rec TD Floyd caught two passes for 23 yards against the Chiefs, and he was only thrown to three times. He has just five catches for 75 yards in the past two weeks but should see a boost in production in Week 5 at New Orleans.	at
23			Eric Decker 6 rec, 60 yards, rec TD Decker, who looked like he was going to be a great red-zone threat for Peyton Manning all preseason, finally caught his first touchdown pass of the year against the Raiders in Week 4. In his past two games, he has 15 catches for 215 yards.	at
24			Stevie Johnson 6 rec, 60 yards, rec TD After scoring in his first three games of the season, Johnson was held out of the end zone against the Patriots in Week 4, managing just two catches for 23 yards. The Niners are a tough defense, but Johnson is Ryan Fitzpatrick's favorite target.	at
25			Lance Moore 6 rec, 60 yards, rec TD While Moore didn't score in Week 4, he did catch seven passes for 67 yards at Green Bay. He was targeted a team-high 15 times, which bodes well for his fantasy owners. He'll face a Chargers team that has allowed seven touchdown passes in four games.	vs
26			Golden Tate 6 rec, 55 yards, rec TD After making a controversial game-winning catch against the Packers in Week 3, Tate followed up with just one catch for seven yards last Sunday. The Seahawks don't pass enough to make him a worthy fantasy starter on a weekly basis, but he could do well against the Panthers.	at
27			Domenik Hixon 7 rec, 107 yards Hixon showed he is the primary deep threat when he returned to action last weekend. Cleveland has had trouble covering multiple receiving threats, and last weekend that translated into being torched by both Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith.	vs
28			Andrew Hawkins 4 rec, 40 yards, rec TD Hawkins caught all three passes intended for him, but tallied only 39 yards at Jacksonville in Week 4. However: He had scored a touchdown catch in his two previous games, and he's going up against a weak Dolphins secondary in Week 5, making him a possible flex option.	vs
29			Jeremy Kerley 4 rec, 32 yards, rec TD If there is any silver lining for Jets' fans in the wake of Santonio Holmes' season-ending injury, it is that Kerley is getting more playing time. He's fast over the middle, so Mark Sanchez may try and get some quick screens and slants in his direction. His touchdown scamper against Miami is still fresh in people's minds and he has the potential to benefit the most from Holmes' injury.	vs
30			Antonio Brown 6 rec, 80 yards Brown has emerged as one of Ben Roethlisberger's most consistent threats this season, averaging six catches per game and more than 13 yards per catch. Brown will see plenty of throws in this game.	vs
31			Greg Little 7 rec, 79 yards The Browns' receiving corps is a total mess, but it appears Little has emerged as the top threat (not named Trent Richardson) … for now. Little broke off a big play in last week's game against the Ravens and looked like a stretch threat. Little will undoubtedly be targeted with Mohamed Massaquoi out and no other receivers likely to step up.	at
32			Percy Harvin 6 rec, 78 yards Harvin did most of his damage last week in the return game, but he remains a favorite target of Christian Ponder's. Last week's three-catch, 22-yard performance feels like an outlier. Expect more targets, especially given the Titans' struggles in pass coverage.	vs
33			DeSean Jackson 6 rec, 70 yards Jackson is a so-called "bright lights" performer, so it might be a big day if he can find room in the secondary. Much of Jackson's performance will probably depend on the health of Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. The Steelers' pass defense has been staunch this season, but Jackson might be the player to open it up.	at
34			Jon Baldwin 7 rec, 64 yards The Chiefs' depth at receiver is virtually non-existent, so Matt Cassel will need to seek out Baldwin, who hauled in four balls for 50 yards last week. If Dwayne Bowe's status changes before the end of the week, Baldwin will be the go-to receiver.	vs
35			Chaz Schilens 6 rec, 52 yards Schilens becomes the top target now that Santonio Holmes is down. It remains to be seen how well he can embrace this type of role, but Tony Sparano more or less does not have a choice at this point. Schilens will inevitably be targeted since he is one of the few capable receivers that can play wide.	vs
36			Dwayne Bowe 5 rec, 51 yards Bowe's groin is going be a big problem, if he even plays. Bowe had a fantastic game against the Chargers (seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown), but it's hard to expect those same numbers if his groin is bothering him.	vs
37			Ramses Barden 2 rec, 51 yards Domenik Hixon's return means Barden's numbers will probably stay low, but the Giants have found him for one completion of at least 20 yards in every game he has played. He's battling a concussion, but if he plays Eli Manning will find him.	vs
38			Alshon Jeffery 5 rec, 51 yards Jeffery will soon be a household name, but he hasn't been able to log more than five catches in a game yet, and his only real big play came in the Bears' first game. Jay Cutler will still be looking for Brandon Marshall first, but Jeffery should still get a few grabs.	at
39			Justin Blackmon 5 rec, 51 yards Last week Blackmon looked more like the top-flight receiver the Jags were supposed to be getting in the draft, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Blaine Gabbert lean on the rookie stud. The Jags will have their hands full with the Bears' secondary, though. Should be a fun test.	vs
40			Sidney Rice 4 rec, 50 yards Rice had one of his best games of the season in Week 4, but that isn't saying much: He caught four passes for 41 yards at St. Louis. The Seahawks are a run-first team, which makes Rice a flex fantasy player in Week 5 at best.	at
41			Anquan Boldin 5 rec, 46 yards The first three games of Boldin's season were a bit ominous, as he only caught 10 balls for 118 yards and wasn't being targeted late in the game. But he charged back onto the scene last week with a nine-catch, 131-yard outburst. If Flacco throws often, Boldin will be on the receiving end of several of his attempts. The Chiefs are near the bottom of the pile when it comes to yards per completion allowed, so Boldin may have some space to operate.	at
42			Andre Roberts 4 rec, 45 yards Roberts had a banner day against the Dolphins in Week 4, catching six passes for 118 yards and scoring twice, including a touchdown that sent the game into overtime. He was targeted nine times, and fantasy owners should consider him a WR3 in bye weeks with good matchups.	at
43			Davone Bess 4 rec, 45 yards Bess turned in his best performance of the season in Week 4, with seven catches for 123 yards. He was targeted a season-high 12 times, but fantasy owners should remain leery, as the Dolphins had to abandon the run in a high-scoring affair. Bess is still more of a WR4 in most fantasy formats.	at
44			Leonard Hankerson 4 rec, 45 yards Hankerson caught seven passes for 57 yards at Tampa Bay in Week 4. With Pierre Garcon (foot) hampered by injury, Hankerson saw a lot more attention in the passing game. As his role with this team grows, he's worth a look as a bye-week replacement in some leagues.	vs
45			Donald Jones 4 rec, 45 yards While Jones caught just two passes in Week 4, he certainly made them count. He scored on a 68-yard catch and had a non-scoring 22-yarder to go along with it. Despite this boost in production, he's not worth using outside of very large leagues against the 49ers.	at
46			Mario Manningham 4 rec, 45 yards The Niners' third receiver caught three passes for 47 yards at the Jets in Week 4. He also ran an end-around for another 28 yards. He's earning Alex Smith's trust across the middle, but he's not yet fantasy worthy.	vs
47			Donnie Avery 4 rec, 41 yards Avery has emerged as a dependable target for Andrew Luck, even if it looked like T.Y. Hilton was going to be that player early in the season. After Avery's nine-catch, 111-yard outburst against Minnesota, it appeared he would be an excellent complement to Reggie Wayne. That still may be the case, but Avery only had two catches in the Colts' Week 3 game against the Jaguars. He will get his catches, and if Luck has to throw often, Avery may see plenty of targets.	vs
48			Pierre Garcon 3 rec, 40 yards While Garcon didn't do much in the passing game (one catch for 20 yards) in his return from a toe injury, he did recover a teammate's fumble for a touchdown against Tampa Bay in Week 4. When healthy, he should be a solid WR2 in most leagues.	vs
49			Brandon LaFell 4 rec, 40 yards The third-year wide receiver was targeted just three times at St. Louis in Week 4, and the Rams held him without a catch. After a breakout start to the season, LaFell has been held to just one catch in the past two weeks.	vs
50			Robert Meachem 4 rec, 40 yards For the second time this young season, Meachem was held without a catch. He was thrown to just twice by Philip Rivers, but it's becoming apparent that no one is happy with him as Vincent Jackson's replacement so far. Meachem remains a very interesting flex start against his former team, however.	at
51			Kendall Wright 6 rec, 39 yards The rookie has been highly useful, and Matt Hasselbeck will probably want to use him and Craig Stevens in short-yardage situations and on first downs. Wright has excelled primarily on quick throws and short routes. If Minnesota tries to bring extra quarterback pressure, Wright and Chris Johnson will almost surely benefit off quick pass plays.	at
52			Brandon Gibson 3 rec, 35 yards Gibson played a supporting role in Week 4, with two catches for just 28 yards. He has yet to get more than four catches or 60 receiving yards in any game this season.	vs
53			Jordan Norwood 3 rec, 33 yards Norwood's receiving output is typically modest, but he emerged as Brandon Weeden's second receiving option ahead of the touted Josh Gordon last week. Norwood will probably see a couple of catches, but little more.	at
54			T.Y. Hilton 3 rec, 31 yards Andrew Luck established a good connection with Hilton in the preseason and he unleashed for 113 yards last week. Hilton will get looks; it will all depend on whether or not the Packers are able to effectively pressure Luck.	vs
55			Jerome Simpson 4 rec, 31 yards Simpson emerged last week with a big catch late in the game against Detroit, but it is difficult to tell where Simpson will fit in since last week was his first game of the season. We know that Simpson can effectively scurry around in the flats and that he has speed to burn. It's just hard to envision an explosive performance in his second game of the year.	vs
56			Santana Moss 3 rec, 25 yards The elder statesmen among Redskins receivers, Moss caught three passes for 33 yards at Tampa Bay. He's not the fantasy player he once was, so owners should look elsewhere for help.	vs
57			Randy Moss 3 rec, 25 yards The Jets held Moss without a catch in Week 4, and it's becoming clear that his fantasy value is too low to consider using him as anything but a spot starter.	vs
58			Jeremy Maclin 4 rec, 23 yards Maclin is listed as probable (his hip has been bothering him), but he remains one of the most difficult players to try to predict. That said, the Steelers had trouble containing the middle of the field against Raiders' receivers Denarius Moore and Derek Hagan. Maclin very well could blow up against Pittsburgh, but he has only two catches in the past two weeks.	at
59			Kenny Britt 4 rec, 22 yards Britt has had trouble staying healthy as well as avoiding fines and suspensions, but he practiced this week and should be good to go Sunday against the Vikings. Should Britt play, it will give Matt Hasselbeck a key weapon and should at least stretch the field.	at
60			James Jones 2 rec, 19 yards Jones has looked far more comfortable the past two weeks, and he is certainly another candidate to turn it up this weekend. The problem with Jones has always been consistency, and even if Greg Jennings is out, Randall Cobb feels like the more dynamic threat.	at
61			Kevin Walter 3 rec, 19 yards Walter's production has been down a bit this year, but he has gotten in the end zone once and broken off a 52-yard catch. There is nothing to indicate that Walter should do much differently.	at
62			Mike Thomas 2 rec, 14 yards The Jaguars just don't have receiver depth. It is unclear who will get receptions outside of Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Blackmon and Marcedes Lewis.	vs

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