Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Bye Weeks: Dallas, Kansas City, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, so that means Miles Austin, Roy Williams and Dez Bryant, Chris Chambers, Dwayne Bowe, and Dexter McCluster, Percy Harvin, Greg Lewis, Bernard Berrian and Greg Camarillo, Mike Williams and Sammie Stroughter are all benched.

Start 'Em:
Receivers Who Will Outperform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype

DeSean Jackson vs. WAS
Do you think Michael Vick and his WRs are licking their lips for this game? Washington gives up the most pass attempts and completions per game, the second most yards, the eighth most TDs, the fourth most big plays (20+ yards), and the seventh highest QB rating in the league. Since Vick took over the QB role Jackson is averaging 106 yards receiving per game. He leads the team in receptions (13), yards (318), average (24.5) and is second in TDs (2). DeAngelo Hall “wants” DeSean Jackson; well DeAngelo – be careful what you wish for. Washington gives up a first down on over half of their pass attempts (53%), is 31st in the league in pass defense and 32nd in the league in total defense. Enough said.

Mark Clayton vs. SEA
Seattle is giving up 316 yards per game and the second most “big plays” (20+ yards). They do OK with INTs and sacks but nothing special. They are 30th in the league in pass defense and face a St. Louis team with some confidence after a big win against the Redskins last week. Clayton has clearly established himself as Bradford’s favorite target and is 15th in the league in receptions and 18th in receiving yards. Look for Clayton to have another big receiving day and continue to build chemistry with Bradford.

Greg Jennings vs. DET
Jennings is off to a slow start in catches (10) and yards (136) but has 2 TDs which is encouraging because he only had 4 TDs all of last year. The Packers offense has to be fuming over the loss to Chicago last week and I expect them to take it out on the up-and-coming Lions and their 26th ranked pass defense. Detroit gives up 265 yards and nearly 2 TDs per game. They also give up chunks of yardage, including the eighth most “big plays” (20+ yards), and the longest TD pass of the year so far (89 yards). Look for Jennings and company to be behind the Lions secondary all day and rake in some big numbers.

Louis Murphy vs. HOU
For the third straight week the Houston Texans are the worst passing defense in the league, although they have shaved about 50 yards per game from their average in week one, so things are looking up. I’m still not sold on anything or anyone associated with the Oakland Raiders but Murphy has been impressive and against this defense (only defense to allow over 1,000 yards passing) he’s got a very good chance to continue surprising his owners and adding to his 15 catches, 238 yards and a 1 TD.

Nate Washington vs. DEN
The Broncos give up the third most “big plays” (20+ yards) in the league, only have two sacks in three games, and have given up a league leading 7 TDs. If Denver can’t pressure Vince Young it’s going to be a long day as he scrambles around looking for Kenny Britt, Justin Gage, Bo Scaife and first down specialist Nate Washington (8 of his 10 catches have resulted in first downs). This game could be an aerial shootout so you want to make sure you have Washington in your lineup.

Bench 'Em:
Receivers Who Will Under Perform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype

Calvin Johnson @ GB
This has less to do with Calvin Johnson and more to do with the QB and the defense he faces this week. Johnson’s numbers aren’t great – they don’t even lead his own team (he’s tied for second in receptions with two TEs, third in yardage and has just 1 TD). But he’s been playing with Shaun Hill instead of Matthew Stafford – and that will be the case again this week. He’ll get on track soon enough, it just won’t be this week (even though he’s played well the last three times against the Packers, scoring 5 TDs over that span). The Packers will take out their frustration out on someone after a sloppy loss to the Bears and Detroit will do just fine, thank you very much. The Packers pass defense is the third best in the league, giving up just 144 yards a game, only 2 TDs all year, haven’t allowed a pass longer than 35 yards, and have a league high 13 sacks. Shaun Hill will have difficulty getting the ball downfield to Johnson while running around for his life.

Mike Wallace vs. BAL
As mentioned during my “bench Charlie Batch” recommendation, the Ravens have the league’s best pass defense and give up just 117 yards per game and just 1 TD all year. They restrict “big plays” (20+ yards) and hold opposing QBs to a 55% pass completion (4th best in the league). Batch will have a long day and so will the Steelers passing game. Hines Ward has the toughness to do well in a game like this but I’m not sure Mike Wallace does. Last year Wallace had 3 catches for 83 yards and 0 TDs in two games against the Ravens.

Josh Cribbs vs. CIN
The return man extraordinaire has become the Browns’ best WR and leads all Cleveland wideouts with 10 catches for 143 yards (which also leads the team) and a TD. The Bengals are giving up just under 200 yards a game, have more INTs (6) than TDs allowed (5), lead the league in QB completion percentage (54%), and lead the league in lowest QB rating (63.6). It’s up in the air right who will get the QB start – Seneca Wallace or Jake Delhomme, but I don’t think it really matters. If you get return points from Cribbs as a WR then I’d play him, but if he’s a WR only in your league then I’d sit him this week.

Anquan Boldin @ PIT
Yeah, yeah, I know all about it. Boldin is seventh in the league in receptions (20) and yards (287) and is averaging a TD a game. But all three of his TDs came in last week’s game, as did nearly half of his catches (8) and total yardage (142). This week he travels into Pittsburgh for a huge divisional battle and I expect him to be blanketed all day long by the Steelers’ defense. Pittsburgh may be giving up 219 yards per game, which is average, but they’ve allowed just 1 TD (tied with Tennessee and Baltimore for best in the league), have 5 INTs, 10 sacks (4th in the league), allow a QB rating of just 68.1 (5th best in the league), plus they only allow 11 points per game, which is the best in the league. So expect the Steelers to keep everything in front of them and limit Boldin’s output.