Saturday, August 19, 2017

2017 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings

Less than three weeks to go until the start of the 2017 NFL season, we have updated our 2017 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings (standard scoring):

1. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Finishing as the top-scoring wide receiver in PPR formats for three consecutive seasons, Brown has finished as the WR1, WR1 and WR3 in standard-scoring formats, respectively. Averaging more than 100 receiving yards per game over the past four years, Brown has triple-digit receptions in each of those four seasons with double-digit touchdowns in past three. No receiver has a higher floor than Brown.

2. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

With 1,400-plus yards in each of the past three seasons, Jones has averaged more than 100 yards per game in four consecutive seasons. With good health, he's a clear-cut top-three fantasy wide receiver. The only concern with Jones is his relative lack of productivity in the red zone -- 40 career TDs on 497 receptions and 777 targets -- despite his elite combination of size and speed.

3. Odell Beckham, New York Giants

He may have frustrated fantasy owners, teammates and fans at times, but Beckham is now three-for-three in seasons with double-digit touchdowns and at least 90 catches and 1,300 yards. The only real concern with OBJ is the addition of Brandon Marshall. Only Tampa's Mike Evans (175) had more targets last season than Beckham (169), who could see perhaps 20 or so fewer targets in 2017.

4. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

Missing the entire 2015 NFL season, Nelson's 2016 campaign (97/1,257/14 on 152 targets and second-most fantasy points) was nearly identical to his 2014 season (98/1,519/13 on 151 targets and second-most fantasy points). Given his rapport with Aaron Rodgers and being another year removed from his torn ACL, Nelson should be in store for another elite season.

5. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

Missing six games last season due to a hamstring injury, Green failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his six-year career. That said, he still averaged a career-high 96.4 yards per game despite a goose egg in his 10th and final game played in 2016.

6. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No receiver scored more fantasy points in standard-scoring formats and only Antonio Brown and Jordy Nelson scored more in PPR formats last season. Setting career highs in receptions (96) and yards (1,321) with 12 touchdowns for the second time in his three NFL seasons, Evans also led the NFL in targets (175). The addition of DeSean Jackson will mean a few less targets for Evans but less defensive attention as well.

7. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Along with Brandin Cooks, Thomas was one of two top-10 fantasy wide receivers for the Saints in 2016. The former Buckeye had at least four catches and 40 yards in all 15 games played and finished the season with a 92/1,136/9 statistical line. With Cooks now in New England, there is plenty of room for growth in his sophomore campaign as the clear top target for Drew Brees.

8. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Even though no team called a pass on a lower percentage of their plays, Bryant is a dominant presence in the red zone. Dez has a league-high 52 receiving touchdowns (in 70 games) over the past five seasons.

9. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

Not only did Hilton record his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season, but he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,448) in 2016. Furthermore, Hilton set career highs in both receptions (91) and targets (155), but he has scored five to seven touchdowns (six last year) in all five of his NFL seasons.

10. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

Thomas set five-year lows across the board: 90 receptions, 1,083 yards and five touchdowns. Thomas battled a hip injury for much of last season (and is better now), but those are not bad numbers as "five-year lows." Before last season, he had averaged 100/1,447/10 in his previous four seasons. It's reasonable to expect an improvement over last year's numbers even if he doesn't return to a 100/1,400/10 level of production.

11. Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

While Baldwin scored half as many touchdowns (seven) in 2016, he set career highs in both receptions (94) and yards (1,128) and has now finished as a top-10 fantasy wide receiver in back-to-back seasons. Another top-10 season should be within reach in 2017.

12. Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

Overall his numbers were solid as Cooper set career highs in both receptions (83) and yards (1,153) in his sophomore campaign. That said, Cooper was much more productive in the first half (52/787/2) than the second half (31/366/3) of the season. Hopefully, he's able to put together a more consistent season from start to finish in his age-23 season.

13. Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles

A free-agency steal if he can stay on the field, Jeffery signed a one-year deal that should keep him motivated to parlay 2017 success into a large contract next offseason. While he has played only 21 games over the past two seasons combined, Jeffery has averaged 78.9 yards per game since 2013 and instantly becomes Carson Wentz's No. 1 wide receiver.

14. Terrelle Pryor, Washington Redskins

A full-time receiver for the first time, Pryor had 77 receptions for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns and added 21 rushing yards and another score despite Cleveland's quarterback issues. Getting a quarterback upgrade with Kirk Cousins on his one-year deal with Washington, Pryor should post better -- perhaps much better -- numbers in his second full season at receiver.

15. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

One year after a 1,500-yard season, Hopkins was drafted in the first round of most leagues, but poor quarterback play sabotaged his 2016 production (78/954/4). Finishing as fantasy's WR35 (WR27 in PPR), Hopkins should be better in 2017 but a bounce-back will be dependent upon an inexperienced starter.

16. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Over his past 16 games, Allen has racked up 116 catches for 1,217 yards and eight touchdowns. Of course, the bad news is that those 16 games span three separate seasons as Allen has played just nine games over the past two years. Even though durability is the obvious concern, that 16-game production would equate to 169.7 fantasy points and 285.7 PPR points, which would have ranked ninth- and fifth-most, respectively, had all 16 of those games occurred in 2016 only.

17. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

Adams just missed the 1,000-yard mark last season, but he shattered previous career highs with 75 catches for 997 yards and 12 touchdowns. Going into the 2017 season, he is clearly the No. 2 option for Aaron Rodgers behind Jordy Nelson in one of the league's most-explosive offenses.

18. Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders

Half of one of the NFL's top wide receiver duos, Crabtree has been highly productive in both of his seasons in Oakland. Crabtree has a minimum of 85 catches, 900 yards and eight touchdowns each season and is coming off his first 1,000-yard season since 2012.

19. Brandin Cooks, New England Patriots

Unhappy with his role in the Saints offense, Cooks goes from one (future) Hall-of-Fame quarterback (Drew Brees) to another (Tom Brady). A top-10 producer in both PPR and standard-scoring formats last season, it's possible that he does so again. That said, I'd expect even more volatility in his weekly production, which could be highly frustrating for his fantasy owners (and Cooks).

20. Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

As Blake Bortles and the passing offense regressed, Robinson finished with 73 catches for 880 yards and six touchdowns in his age-23 season following an 80/1,400/14 line in 2015. Based on his talent, I expect improvement from A-Rob, but the Jags should become more of a run-first team with Leonard Fournette added to the mix.

- Continue to Fantasy Wide Receivers: 21-40
- Continue to Fantasy Wide Receivers: 41-115


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Good luck in your 2017 fantasy football league(s)!