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Every football season, there are a variety of players that take the next step and become stars, not only in fantasy football but also in real life football. This year, at least at the wide receiver position, the player who has truly improved to an umpteenth degree is Denver Broncos pass-catcher Courtland Sutton.
Coming out of SMU, Sutton had a great collegiate resume, having scored 31 touchdowns over his last three years and going over 1,000 yards in each of his last two seasons. With solid size at 6-4, 215 and above-average speed after blazing a 4.54 forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Sutton was expected by many to be a mid-to-late first round pick. For whatever reason, be it because he came from a relatively small school or because of his lanky frame, Sutton fell to the 40th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and the Denver Broncos scooped him up.
In 16 games during his rookie season, Sutton racked up 704 yards on 42 catches and added four touchdowns. Through 10 games this season, with washed Joe Flacco and who-is-that Brandon Allen as his quarterbacks, Sutton has equaled his touchdown total from last season and accumulated 805 yards on 49 receptions. Sutton consistently makes highlight reel catches and is doing so with bottom-level play behind center. In the process, he has cemented himself as a top-12 fantasy option at WR.
WR Rankings - Week 12
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Opponent Rank vs. WRs | Previous Week Stats | Season to Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Opponent Rank vs. WRs | Previous Week Stats | Season to Date |
1 | Michael Thomas | NO | CAR | 8th-most points allowed | 8/114/1 on 11 targets | 94/1141/5 on 114 targets |
2 | Julio Jones | ATL | TB | Most points allowed | 6/91/0 on 8 targets | 59/882/4 on 91 targets |
3 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | IND | 14th-fewest points allowed | 7/80/0 on 12 targets | 75/745/4 on 104 targets |
4 | Mike Evans | TB | @ATL | 7th-most points allowed | 4/69/0 on 8 targets | 58/993/7 on 97 targets |
5 | Odell Beckham Jr. | CLE | MIA | 12th-most points allowed | 4/60/0 on 10 targets | 48/692/1 on 89 targets |
6 | Davante Adams | GB | @SF | 6th-fewest points allowed | Bye Week | 39/537/0 on 57 targets |
7 | Chris Godwin | TB | @ATL | 7th-most points allowed | 3/47/1 on 6 targets | 63/887/7 on 90 targets |
8 | Julian Edelman | NE | DAL | 3rd-fewest points allowed | 5/53/0 on 10 targets | 68/716/4 on 100 targets |
9 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | @PHI | 4th-most points allowed | Bye Week | 62/793/6 on 76 targets |
10 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | @BUF | 8th-fewest points allowed | 5/113/0 on 9 targets | 49/805/4 on 77 targets |
11 | Calvin Ridley | ATL | TB | Most points allowed | 8/143/1 on 8 targets | 44/614/5 on 64 targets |
12 | DJ Chark Jr. | JAX | @TEN | 15th-most points allowed | 8/104/2 on 15 targets | 51/796/8 on 85 targets |
13 | Jarvis Landry | CLE | MIA | 12th-most points allowed | 4/43/1 on 7 targets | 49/695/3 on 84 targets |
14 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | BAL | 15th-fewest points allowed | 3/53/0 on 3 targets | 61/845/5 on 94 targets |
15 | Kenny Golladay | DET | @WAS | 16th-most points allowed | 1/34/0 on 5 targets | 39/731/8 on 76 targets |
16 | Allen Robinson | CHI | NYG | 2nd-most points allowed | 4/15/0 on 6 targets | 57/633/3 on 86 targets |
17 | DK Metcalf | SEA | @PHI | 4th-most points allowed | Bye Week | 35/595/5 on 64 targets |
18 | Amari Cooper | DAL | @NE | Fewest points allowed | 3/38/0 on 8 targets | 56/886/7 on 79 targets |
19 | Jamison Crowder | NYJ | OAK | 9th-most points allowed | 5/76/1 on 8 targets | 53/562/3 on 73 targets |
20 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | @HOU | 6th-most points allowed | Out With Injury | 32/360/5 on 46 targets |
21 | Marvin Jones Jr. | DET | @WAS | 16th-most points allowed | 4/43/2 on 5 targets | 51/655/8 on 68 targets |
22 | Michael Gallup | DAL | @NE | Fewest points allowed | 9/148/0 on 13 targets | 42/678/3 on 69 targets |
23 | DJ Moore | CAR | @NO | 13th-most points allowed | 8/95/0 on 15 targets | 62/779/1 on 94 targets |
24 | John Brown | BUF | DEN | 4th-fewest points allowed | 9/137/2 on 14 targets | 56/817/4 on 85 targets |
25 | DeVante Parker | MIA | @CLE | 10th-fewest points allowed | 7/135/0 on 10 targets | 40/604/4 on 72 targets |
26 | Emmanuel Sanders | SF | GB | 9th-fewest points allowed | 3/33/0 on 5 targets | 46/561/4 on 67 targets |
27 | Tyrell Williams | OAK | @NYJ | 3rd-most points allowed | 4/82/0 on 4 targets | 30/462/5 on 43 targets |
28 | Robert Woods | LAR | BAL | 15th-fewest points allowed | Out (Personal) | 45/566/0 on 71 targets |
29 | Golden Tate | NYG | @CHI | 2nd-fewest points allowed | Bye Week | 33/417/3 on 50 targets |
30 | Deebo Samuel | SF | GB | 9th-fewest points allowed | 8/134/0 on 10 targets | 38/473/1 on 53 targets |
31 | Brandin Cooks | LAR | BAL | 15th-fewest points allowed | Out With Injury | 27/402/1 on 45 targets |
32 | Terry McLaurin | WAS | DET | 11th-most points allowed | 3/69/0 on 4 targets | 35/566/5 on 56 targets |
33 | Curtis Samuel | CAR | @NO | 13th-most points allowed | 4/25/0 on 7 targets | 38/467/4 on 75 targets |
34 | Mohamed Sanu | NE | @PHI | 3rd-fewest points allowed | 2/4/0 on 4 targets | 47/421/2 on 65 targets |
35 | Marquise Brown | BAL | @LAR | 11th-fewest points allowed | 2/23/0 on 4 targets | 30/477/4 on 51 targets |
36 | Hunter Renfrow | OAK | @NYJ | 3rd-most points allowed | 5/66/0 on 6 targets | 33/365/2 on 48 targets |
37 | Sterling Shepard | NYG | @CHI | 2nd-fewest points allowed | Bye Week | 25/267/1 on 34 targets |
38 | Tyler Boyd | CIN | PIT | 17th-most points allowed | 1/0/0 on 3 targets | 58/598/1 on 94 targets |
39 | Alshon Jeffery | PHI | SEA | 14th-most points allowed | Out With Injury | 34/353/3 on 55 targets |
40 | Robby Anderson | NYJ | OAK | 9th-most points allowed | 1/6/1 on 3 targets | 25/359/2 on 53 targets |
41 | A.J. Brown | TEN | JAX | 12th-fewest points allowed | Bye Week | 27/446/3 on 45 targets |
42 | Russell Gage | ATL | TB | Most points allowed | 2/32/0 on 4 targets | 17/157/0 on 26 targets |
43 | Randall Cobb | DAL | @NE | Fewest points allowed | 4/115/1 on 7 targets | 35/495/3 on 53 targets |
44 | Cole Beasley | BUF | DEN | 4th-fewest points allowed | 4/38/0 on 4 targets | 43/449/3 on 65 targets |
45 | Alex Erickson | CIN | PIT | 17th-most points allowed | 1/0/0 on 5 targets | 26/343/0 on 43 targets |
46 | James Washington | PIT | @CIN | 13th-fewest points allowed | 3/49/0 on 5 targets | 23/369/1 on 43 targets |
47 | Darius Slayton | NYG | @CHI | 2nd-fewest points allowed | Bye Week | 27/394/5 on 45 targets |
48 | Tim Patrick | DEN | @BUF | 8th-fewest points allowed | 4/77/0 on 8 targets | 4/77/0 on 8 targets |
49 | Nelson Agholor | PHI | SEA | 14th-most points allowed | 4/40/0 on 9 targets | 36/322/3 on 63 targets |
50 | Taylor Gabriel | CHI | NYG | 2nd-most points allowed | 7/57/0 on 14 targets | 28/334/4 on 45 targets |