FANTASY

Fantasy Player Projections

Wide Receivers

Rank	Team	Player	Projection	Opponent
1			Julio Jones 8 rec, 99 yards, rec TD Jones has five touchdowns and has caught a pass of 25 or more yards in all but one game this season. He made the Eagles' cornerbacks look foolish last week, so it's unlikely Dallas' talented defensive backs will scare the second-year star.	vs
2			Larry Fitzgerald 6 rec, 96 yards, rec TD Fitzgerald has been targeted 11 or more times in four of the Cardinals' last five games. He will likely line up across from Tramon Williams this week, a matchup that benefit the veteran receiver.	at
3			Brandon Marshall 8 rec, 94 yards, rec TD The best fantasy receiver of 2012 so far? Tough to say, but Marshall belongs in the conversation. He has gained 100 or more yards and scored a touchdown in each of his last two road games.	at
4			Calvin Johnson 6 rec, 94 yards, rec TD The knee injury may have affected Johnson more than he let on, but there is hardly reason for fantasy owners to panic. Johnson is still a top-five fantasy receiver in terms of yards, and the touchdowns will come now that Matthew Stafford has worked out of his funk.	at
5			Torrey Smith 7 rec, 92 yards, rec TD The numbers haven't necessarily been there for Smith in the past few games, but fantasy owners shouldn't be discouraged. In Baltimore's last game Smith caught four balls for 41 yards -- hardly earth-shattering, but good enough to lead the club. He was also targeted 13 times in that game, and bigger days are on the horizon.	at
6			Demaryius Thomas 6 rec, 90 yards, rec TD Thomas caught seven balls for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Saints in Week 8, and he has emerged as a top-12 fantasy wide receiver with Peyton Manning at quarterback. This week he faces a Bengals defense that is just average against the pass in 2012.	at
7			Andre Johnson 6 rec, 90 yards, rec TD While Johnson has just two touchdown catches this season, he does have 17 catches for 161 yards in his past two games. The Bills' defense is below-average against the pass these days, so Johnson should do well in Week 9.	vs
8			Mike Wallace 5 rec, 87 yards, rec TD Wallace is supposed to be the Steelers' speed receiver, right? It's hard to explain why he has managed less than 10 yards per catch in three of his last four outings. Wallace must hope he can get behind a Giants secondary giving up 8.3 yards per passing attempt.	at
9			A.J. Green 6 rec, 85 yards, rec TD Even after a bye week, Green remains one of the NFL's leaders in receiving yards and touchdowns. The Broncos are tough against the pass, but Green is a must-start whenever he's healthy. He has scored in each of his past six games.	vs
10			Reggie Wayne 7 rec, 85 yards, rec TD Wayne caught seven passes for 91 yards at Tennessee in Week 8. He has just two touchdowns this season, but he has 31 catches for 463 yards in his past four games. He remains a very good WR2 in most formats.	vs
11			Steve Smith 6 rec, 85 yards, rec TD Smith caught seven passes for the second straight week in compiling a season-high 118 yards receving against Chicago. Unfortunately, he still hasn't scored a touchdown this season. That should change in Week 9 against the worst pass defense in the NFL.	at
12			Jordy Nelson 5 rec, 82 yards, rec TD Nelson's hamstring didn't pass the test at game time last week, so the coaching staff held him out. This week he'll be on the field. The Cardinals have one of the league's stingiest pass defenses, but they couldn't keep San Francisco's No. 1 receiver, Michael Crabtree, out of the end zone. Arizona won't contain Nelson this week, either.	vs
13			Marques Colston 5 rec, 81 yards, rec TD Colston ranks among the top-12 wide receivers in touchdown catches and yards per game. Along with Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham, he can go in your lineup without reservation.	vs
14			Denarius Moore 5 rec, 80 yards, rec TD Moore caught a touchdown pass for the third week in a row, and the fourth time in five games, against the Chiefs in Week 8. The Buccaneers have the NFL's second-worst pass defense, which makes Moore a great start in Week 9. The Bucs' secondary has several issues.	vs
15			Titus Young 5 rec, 78 yards, rec TD Finally! Young's explosion in Week 8 has re-energized fantasy owners who predicted a breakout season for the second-year receiver. Last week Young was targeted more than Calvin Johnson and caught every single pass.	at
16			DeSean Jackson 5 rec, 72 yards, rec TD The Eagles have been creative in finding ways to get the ball in Jackson's hands; it just hasn't resulted in fantasy success (one touchdown, one 100-yard game). Maybe a date with the woeful Saints secondary will help.	at
17			Victor Cruz 4 rec, 70 yards, rec TD Despite a dismal performance in Week 8, Cruz remains tied for the league lead in touchdown catches, and ranks among the top five in receiving yards.	vs
18			Roddy White 5 rec, 67 yards, rec TD Last week was the only blemish of White's 2012 campaign. Although not as explosive as Julio Jones, he is far more consistent. Few fantasy receivers provide as much stability.	vs
19			Dwayne Bowe 5 rec, 65 yards, rec TD Bowe caught just three passes for 65 yards against the Raiders in Week 8. The Chiefs are having issues at both quarterback and running back, which doesn't bode well for this offense in general. Even so, Bowe is talented enough to keep in the lineup against the Chargers.	at
20			Eric Decker 5 rec, 65 yards, rec TD Decker caught four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns against the Saints in Week 8. He has five touchdown catches this season so far, and he has earned a solid WR2 spot in most fantasy lineups.	at
21			Stevie Johnson 6 rec, 65 yards, rec TD In seven games this season, Johnson has registered more than 50 receiving yards in each and has scored a touchdown in four of them. The Texans have allowed 13 touchdown passes, so use Johnson as a WR2.	at
22			Vincent Jackson 6 rec, 65 yards, rec TD After posting his biggest game of the season in Week 7, Jackson caught just two passes for 40 yards at Minnesota in Week 8. He should do well again as the Raiders host the Bucs in Week 9.	at
23			Darrius Heyward-Bey 4 rec, 65 yards, rec TD DHB's only catch in Week 8 was a 32-yard touchdown pass against the Chiefs. Tampa Bay's secondary has some problems off the field that are affecting the personnel on the field, so Heyward-Bey could catch another touchdown pass in Week 9.	vs
24			Percy Harvin 6 rec, 65 yards, rec TD Harvin has 30 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns in his past four games. While the Seahawks are certainly tough against the pass, Harvin is just too good to sit when he's healthy. He can score on any play.	at
25			James Jones 5 rec, 63 yards, rec TD With Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings on the sideline, Jones -- not Randall Cobb or Jermichael Finley -- became Aaron Rodgers' weapon of choice. Jones has become a solid No. 2 fantasy receiver, with good catch and yardage totals even when he's not scoring touchdowns.	vs
26			Dez Bryant 3 rec, 61 yards, rec TD Bryant was two fingers away from being a hero last week. Prior to his near game-winning score, he was not far from being the goat, failing to play on the same wavelength as Tony Romo for much of the afternoon. It's tough to predict how he'll do series-to-series, let alone week-to-week.	at
27			Sidney Rice 6 rec, 60 yards, rec TD Against the Lions in Week 8, Rice caught six passes for 55 yards and his second touchdown of the season. While the Vikings are pretty good against the pass, Rice should be a nice WR2/3 in Week 9.	vs
28			Justin Blackmon 4 rec, 58 yards, rec TD The Jaguars got Blackmon involved immediately last week and it resulted in 61 first-half yards. The rookie cooled in the second half, but it was a performance to build on. Expect to see more opportunities this week and the rest of the year.	vs
29			Miles Austin 4 rec, 58 yards, rec TD In Austin's last game against Atlanta, he averaged 28.5 yards per catch and scored twice. He has found the end zone in three of four road games this year, and has found success against pass defenses of all shapes and sizes.	at
30			Josh Gordon 3 rec, 57 yards, rec TD Gordon has been Cleveland's steadiest receiver as of late, and besides Trent Richardson he's the only Browns player worth putting in your fantasy lineup. Gordon doesn't see a ton of opportunities (just 41 targets this season), but as a receiver averaging 22.3 yards per reception, he only needs one or two deep balls to have a nice day.	vs
31			Anquan Boldin 4 rec, 56 yards, rec TD Fantasy owners may recall that when Baltimore hosted the Browns at the end of September, Boldin exploded for nine catches and 131 yards. The veteran receiver has been targeted an average of nine times over his last four games.	at
32			Malcom Floyd 5 rec, 55 yards, rec TD Floyd caught four passes for 43 yards against the Browns in Week 8, but he still hasn't caught a touchdown pass since Week 1. The Chargers' passing game is too inconsistent right now to rely on Floyd or quarterback Philip Rivers.	vs
33			Joshua Morgan 5 rec, 50 yards, rec TD While Morgan caught just five passes for 46 yards against the Steelers, he saw eight targets from quarterback Robert Griffin III. Morgan also threw the ball once and rushed once. Keep an eye on him in Week 9 against Carolina.	vs
34			Brian Hartline 3 rec, 42 yards, rec TD It's becoming clear that we were all duped by Hartline's franchise-record 253 receiving yards in Week 4. He caught four passes for 41 yards in Week 8, and he's a fantasy reserve in most weeks now.	at
35			Kendall Wright 4 rec, 39 yards, rec TD Look at the top-20 receivers in terms of catches, and Wright's name stands out like a sore thumb. He's the only rookie and the only player with less than 400 yards receiving. Still, fantasy owners can appreciate the body of work the first-year player is putting together.	vs
36			Domenik Hixon 3 rec, 39 yards, rec TD Hixon's biggest hurdle this week isn’t Pittsburgh's imposing secondary, but rather the rapid rise of fellow Giants receivers Rueben Randle and Ramses Barden. No one likes to share, certainly not a No. 3 receiver.	vs
37			Kevin Walter 3 rec, 35 yards, rec TD Walter has 10 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown in his past three games. He faces the Bills' relatively bad pass defense in Week 9, which makes him a decent WR3 or flex player.	vs
38			Antonio Brown 4 rec, 73 yards Brown's struggles in recent weeks shouldn't scare fantasy owners; he faces a New York secondary that gave up 100-yard games to three Cowboys receivers last week. This matchup should help Brown get his legs back.	at
39			Andre Roberts 5 rec, 67 yards Life isn't so bad when you start across from Larry Fitzgerald. Roberts is on pace to catch 72 balls for more than 900 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has been targeted an average of nine times over the last five games.	at
40			Lance Moore 5 rec, 64 yards Fantasy success comes in waves for Moore. One week he's got it, the next he doesn't. He's an attractive play this week simply because the Saints have more weapons than Philadelphia's talented secondary can contend with.	vs
41			Nate Washington 5 rec, 62 yards Washington is the only Tennessee receiver who has produced consistent results with Matt Hasselbeck under center. Unfortunately, those numbers barely make him a worthwhile flex option.	vs
42			Greg Little 4 rec, 55 yards Little was targeted 10 times when Cleveland played Baltimore in Week 4 and caught four balls for 77 yards. It was one of his most productive games this season, and yet that stat-line probably isn't good enough to get fantasy owners to act this week.	vs
43			Donnie Avery 4 rec, 55 yards Avery caught four passes against the Titans, and he now has 12 catches for 148 yards in his past three games. The Dolphins are not strong against the pass, but they don't allow many passing touchdowns either.	vs
44			Brandon LaFell 4 rec, 55 yards While LaFell only caught three passes against the Bears in Week 8, he did register 88 yards, which is the second-highest mark for him this season. The Redskins have a pretty bad pass defense, so LaFell could be a decent sleeper pick this week.	at
45			Mike Williams 5 rec, 55 yards The third-year wide receiver caught six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown at Minnesota in Week 8. He has two touchdowns in his past three games, and he's a great WR2/3 against the Raiders in Week 9.	at
46			Golden Tate 5 rec, 55 yards While Sidney Rice caught a touchdown pass in Week 8, Tate caught a team-high seven passes for 58 yards. Tate is inconsistent at this point in his career, but he's a talent worth tracking over the coming weeks.	vs
47			Jeremy Maclin 4 rec, 53 yards Concerns over an injured hip have gone away, but Maclin still is not meeting fantasy owners' expectations. Philadelphia has shown a commitment to getting its possession receiver jump started, though: He has been targeted 28 times over the last three weeks and could see double-digit looks in this contest.	at
48			Cecil Shorts 4 rec, 49 yards Shorts has become Blaine Gabbert's big-play weapon, having gained 195 yards receiving over the past two weeks. Perhaps more impressive, he was targeted 22 times in those games combined. For now Shorts is someone to consider as a flex option.	vs
49			Hakeem Nicks 3 rec, 49 yards At halftime last week, Tom Coughlin questioned why his receivers weren't winning one-on-one matchups. The fact is, Dallas' cornerbacks took Victor Cruz and Nicks out of the game. Pittsburgh has the same kind of reputation. Two weeks ago the Steelers shut down A.J. Green.	vs
50			Randall Cobb 4 rec, 46 yards Cobb will return to his role as the team's No. 3 receiver now that Jordy Nelson is back in the lineup. The "demotion" means very little -- Green Bay's third receiver is more productive than most team's No. 2.	vs
51			Kenny Britt 4 rec, 46 yards Injuries and Matt Hasselbeck have slowed Britt down since his return. He is expected to suit up this week (knee), but fantasy owners can expect his value to be limited until Jake Locker is back under center.	vs
52			Davone Bess 4 rec, 45 yards For the third week in a row, Bess' fantasy production has declined from the previous week. Cut him free if you still have him in non-PPR leagues. He still hasn't caught a touchdown pass in seven games.	at
53			Dexter McCluster 4 rec, 44 yards McCluster had his best game of the season against the Raiders, catching six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. He needs to put together some consistency before fantasy owners insert him into their lineups, though.	at
54			Santana Moss 3 rec, 40 yards Moss caught four passes for 21 yards and a short touchdown against the Steelers in Week 8. With four touchdown catches in the past four weeks, it's becoming clear that RGIII goes to Moss when he needs to. Consider Moss a nice WR3 in fantasy play.	vs
55			Robert Meachem 3 rec, 38 yards Meachem didn't have any catches in Week 8, despite three targets from Philip Rivers. Fantasy owners can start looking for help elsewhere.	vs
56			Andrew Hawkins 3 rec, 35 yards Hawkins has 12 catches for 99 yards in his past three games, but no touchdowns. He has his moments, but fantasy owners shouldn't be starting him for now.	vs
57			Earl Bennett 2 rec, 34 yards This could be Bennett's last week to show value, as Alshon Jeffery is expected to return to the lineup in Week 10. Bennett's best effort came in Week 1, when he had three catches for 50 yards. Yawn.	at
58			Leonard Hankerson 3 rec, 34 yards Hankerson continues to be problematic for both the Redskins and fantasy owners. He caught just one pass against the Steelers, but he dropped a couple others, including a sure touchdown. He has a ton of talent, but fantasy owners will have to wait for it to manifest consistently.	vs
59			Donald Jones 3 rec, 34 yards Jones is the Bills' second-leading receiver this season, with 20 catches, 241 yards and three touchdowns. The Texans are tough defensively despite their 13 touchdown passes allowed, making Jones someone to avoid this week.	at
60			Emmanuel Sanders 2 rec, 32 yards Sanders makes big plays, just not enough of them. He has caught at least one pass of 20 or more yards in four of Pittsburgh's last five games, yet hasn't caught more than four passes in any one game this season.	at
61			Jerome Simpson 3 rec, 30 yards While Simpson caught just two passes for 37 yards against the Bucs in Week 8, he was targeted a season-high seven times. Even so, you'll want to watch his progress from here on before making any moves on him.	at
62			Jacoby Jones 2 rec, 29 yards Jones was thrown to seven times in the first game against Cleveland, but caught just two balls for 17 yards -- not uncommon for the Ravens' No. 3 receiver.	at
63			Ryan Broyles 2 rec, 26 yards The loss of Nate Burleson has elevated Titus Young's stock, but it's also created an opportunity for Broyles, who has caught a touchdown in each of the past two weeks. Detroit's offense has yet to show it can support three fantasy receivers, but Broyles is worth keeping an eye on.	at
64			Devery Henderson 2 rec, 26 yards Prior to the start of the season, many wondered if Henderson would pick up the slack from Robert Meachem's absence. The answer has been a clear "no."	vs
65			Laurent Robinson 2 rec, 19 yards Robinson's return from a concussion has been delayed, and the coaching staff admits that even if he does go he will be limited in his first week back. Fantasy owners have no incentive to gamble on Robinson this week.	vs
66			Kevin Ogletree 2 rec, 19 yards Consider this: Last week, when Tony Romo passed for 437 yards, Ogletree didn't record a single catch. The Cowboys have several receivers on the roster, but lately only Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten have been catching balls.	at

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