Top 10 Fantasy Football PPR Wide Receiver List

Wide receiver is a crucial position in PPR formats. With receptions being counted as points, fantasy owners will want to take a look at guys who get plenty of opportunities to catch the ball. My top 10 list will be graded off of the player’s offensive system, quarterback throwing the ball, last year statistics, team schedule, and the ability they have at the WR position(route running, catching, speed etc.).

1.  Antonio Brown- After back to back 100 catch seasons, Antonio Brown has proven to the league that he is one of the best WR’s out there. With excellent quickness and great hands, the only teams that could give Antonio Brown some issues are the Seahawks and Cardinals. But for the other 14 games, Antonio Brown has a great shot at being number 1 overall in points by the time the year ends in PPR formats. Big Ben will continue to look for his favorite target especially at the start of the season due to Le’Veon Bell’s suspension. Pittsburg Steelers have also been known to throw the ball plenty, so fantasy owners should be eyeing Antonio heading into this year’s fantasy drafts.

Draft Projection- Top 3 pick.

2.  Dez Bryant- Dez is a touchdown machine and a big play wideout. With the departure of Demarco Murray, look for Bryant to get plenty more chances. Yes, the cowboys will still look to establish a run game, but look for romo to do plenty of goal-line fades and back-shoulder passes to his favorite receiver. Dez has great hands(the refs may think differently) and also has excellent athleticism. Also with 6 of the 16 games being divisional games, Bryant should finish up as a top 3 fantasy wideout with the weak secondaries in the NFC East.

Draft Projection- Mid to Late 1st round pick.

3.  Demaryius Thomas- DT has had back to back seasons being a top 5 fantasy wideout now. With Peyton Manning returning, that should not change him being a top 5 WR once again. With excellent size and speed, Thomas is one of the best in the game. The only thing to watch out for is Gary Kubiak bringing in his running scheme and play action bootleg, but DT still should shine either way. Thomas will have to face a pretty tough schedule this upcoming season, but do not let that scare you away from this stud.

Draft Projection- Mid to Late 1st round pick.

4. Odell Beckham Jr.- Possibly the most athletic player in the whole NFL, Odell dominated all secondaries and had possibly the greatest catch in NFL history last season. Odell missed the first part of last year due to a hamstring injury, but still finished near the top overall in points. His production may drop a little with Victor Cruz returning, but Odell should still be able to be a nightmare for secondaries, especially in the NFC East. Eli Manning and Odell both seemed to have good chemistry last year, look for that to build even more once training camp starts. Beckham should not have a problem being in the top 5 of points for wideouts next year.

Draft Projection- Late 1st round pick.

5. Calvin Johnson- Arguably the best wideout in the game, skill and size has never been the issue with Calvin. The real question will be, can Calvin stay healthy and play every week? With constant knee and ankle issues, Calvin dropped in production last year after missing many games. Calvin will look to bounce back and get back to being the number 1 fantasy wideout. The Lions will look to continue to throw the ball plenty with Stafford at QB, so expect Calvin to have high value being the 5th best wideout on my board.

Draft Projection- Early 2nd round pick.

6. Jordy Nelson- Jordy could be the most underrated receiver in the league. With excellent route running and break away speed, Jordy should continue to destroy opposing secondaries. Did I mention Aaron Rodgers will be throwing him the ball once again? That could be the best combination in all of football and they will get to play plenty of weak secondaries being in the NFC North. The Green Bay Packers love airing the ball deep down the field, so expect Jordy to have another monster season. The only reason he is not in my top 5 is due to the fact that both Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy should see plenty of opportunities as well.

Draft Projection- Early 2nd round pick.

7. Julio Jones- Julio is a proven elite receiver in the NFL, but Julio does have some off games due to poor QB play from Matt Ryan at times. Also the Falcons never seem to give their number 1 target touchdown opportunities as well with him only finishing with 6 touchdowns. Most wideouts that finish up with just under 1,600 yards and over 100 catches usually have more than 6 touchdowns. If the touchdowns can get up to around 10 like the other elite receivers, Julio can make his way into the top 5 for receivers in points. We just have to wait and see if Julio can get into the endzone.

Draft Projection- Mid 2nd round pick.

8. AJ Green- Heading into last season, AJ was a 1st round fantasy pick. But due to a few injuries, he has dropped out of my top 5 for wideouts. Also with very inconsistent QB play by Andy Dalton and the Bengals looking to run the ball plenty with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Benard, that could take away from Green’s value. AJ should still finish in the top 10 in fantasy points for wideouts if he can stay on the field, but stay away from this stud in the 1st round. AJ will have great value outside the first round with his big play ability and touchdown opportunities.

Draft Projection- Mid to Late 2nd round pick.

9. Randall Cobb- I have another Green Bay Packer receiver in my top 10. Randall Cobb is the best slot receiver currently in the NFL, with a PPR format Cobb should continue to rack up the points with the amount of catches he gets. With great quickness and crafty route running, Cobb is almost impossible to cover in the slot. Oh, Aaron Rodgers will be throwing him the ball like I mentioned earlier. The Packers should be the best passing offense in the league next year, its nice to have a piece of a great offense like that during fantasy football. Randall has great value for where he should be going in fantasy drafts, all fantasy owners will have to keep an eye on the slot receiver.

Draft Projection- Late 2nd to Early 3rd round pick.

10. Alshon Jeffery- With the departure of Brandon Marshall, Alshon will be the number 1 target for Jay Cutler who will have something to prove this season. Kevin White was the 1st round pick for Chicago, but Alshon should still see the most chances especially once they get near the end zone. Being big and physical as well, Alshon should get plenty of touchdowns this season as well. We will see how the gun slinger Jay Cutler bounces back though. Alshon has a high ceiling but it will be up to how Jay Cutler performs as Quarterback. Adam Gase(former Broncos OC) has taken over as play caller as well, so we will see how much of an improvement it will be after Gase’s success with Peyton Manning. Alshon should be an elite fantasy option this upcoming season.

Draft Projection- Mid 3rd Round pick.

You can also follow Tyler Baddick on twitter @TBaddick for more fantasy football advice.