Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Always start your studs: Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Larry Fitzgerald, Miles Austin, Roddy White, and Brandon Marshall. And, in honor of completely torching their opponents last week and making me look dumber than usual, I’m adding Malcom Floyd and Brandon Lloyd to this list.

Bye Weeks: Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, and the NY Jets, so that means Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, and Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Jerricho Cotchery are all benched.

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

Jeremy Maclin @ TEN
With DeSean Jackson very unlikely for this week (I can’t believe he’s not definitely out…as well as doubtful for next week), the main man will be the breakout WR of the year, Jeremy Maclin. He’ll have Kevin Kolb throwing to him again this week—not that the quarterback matters with this guy. Maclin takes his 25 catches, 416 yards, and 6 TDs to Tennessee, where the Titans 23rd-ranked pass defense is giving up 231 yards and 1 TD per game. Look for Maclin and Kolb to continue their hookups and score you lots of fantasy points yet again

Patrick Crayton vs. NE
Malcom Floyd would be the pick here but his hamstring injury has kept him out of practice Wednesday and Thursday. Joining him on the sidelines with a hamstring injury of his own is Legedu Naanee giving Crayton the opportunity to be a perfect bye week fill-in. While the Chargers are underperforming (again), the offense, particularly the passing game, is deadly, (who needs Vincent Jackson and all his baggage?). The Patriots are the league’s 29th-ranked pass defense, giving up 273 yards and more than 2 TDs per game. I expect this game to be a shootout, so make sure you have Crayton in there.

Larry Fitzgerald @ SEA
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Arizona lost its starting quarterback, cut its supposed signal caller of the future, and now has an undrafted rookie leading them. In addition to that, Fitzgerald lost his WR buddy Anquan Boldin, who had helped open things up for him the last few years. Fitzgerald is averaging just 60 yards per game and has 2 TDs and only 26 catches, all of which makes him a top 30 WR instead of a top 10 or a top 5 as he had been the last few years. Well this weekend he plays Seattle, the league’s 30th-ranked pass defense that is giving up 291 yards and a TD per game. They give up the third most big plays, and I look for Fitzgerald to have at least one big play and rack up some nice yards and a score.

Dwayne Bowe vs. JAX
The Chiefs passing game has been kind of wimpy this season. Bowe has only 15 catches, but his 260 yards and 3 TDs are decent. The problem is that most of those stats came last week (6 catches for 108 yards and 2 TDs) against the league’s worst pass defense, the Texans. But the good news is that he will once again face a horrible secondary, this time in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are 28th in the league and give up 264 yards per game while leading the league in big plays and TDs allowed. So take advantage of the matchup and start Bowe for the second week in a row.

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

Roy Williams vs. NYG
Roy Williams has been playing very well this year—maybe somebody should have picked up his dinner tab a long time ago. After struggling his first two weeks with a total of 7 catches for 74 yards with no TDs and a lost fumble, Williams has come on strong, reeling in 14 catches for 234 yards and 5 TDs. Even struggling last week against a very good Vikings pass defense (3 catches for 28 yards), he had 2 TDs, which makes up for the other low stats. The Giants have the league’s second best pass defense and are allowing just 172 yards and 1 TD per game. Their defense keeps QB completion percentages and ratings very low, they don’t give up many big plays, and they sack the quarterback like crazy. This game should be a tough battle and I don’t see Williams factoring into it much.

Deion Branch @ SD
In his four games with the Seahawks, Branch had 13 catches for 112 yards with 1 TD and 1 lost fumble. In one game with Tom Brady, Branch had 9 catches for 98 yards and 1 TD— and that was against a tough Ravens pass defense. This week Branch faces another tough pass defense—in fact, the league’s best. San Diego gives up 164 yards and less than a TD per game. They have the fifth lowest completion percentage allowed and the second lowest QB rating allowed. They don’t give up big plays, they sack the quarterback the second most times in the league, and they’re tied for sixth in INTs. Brady and the Patriots may mess up these nice Chargers statistics, but I don’t see Branch having a big day like he did last week.

Chansi Stuckey @ NO
The Cleveland Browns’ five best receiving threats includes two tight ends, a fullback, a return specialist, and Stuckey. Their quarterback is a rookie coming off his first NFL start, in which he played pretty darn well, especially considering the opponent and the atmosphere (although Pittsburgh’s pass defense is average at best this year). Stuckey is third in receptions and yards for Cleveland, has no TDs, and hasn’t been involved in a pass play over 25 yards all season. Clearly the Browns are not a vertical team (heck, they’re barely an NFL team at all), so playing any of their WRs is always a risk. This week seems to be even more of a risk, with both Cribbs and Massaquoi coming off head injuries and unclear statuses. Add to the mix the Saints’ seventh-ranked pass defense and it looks to be a long day for McCoy, Stuckey, and the Browns.

Steve Johnson @ BAL
After having 3 catches in each of the first 4 games this year, Steve Johnson “broke out” with a 5 catch performance for only 46 yards, but more importantly 2 TDs. Of course, it was against one of the worst pass defenses in the league in Jacksonville, so you have to consider that. This week Johnson takes his 17 catches for 214 yards and 4 TDs into Baltimore, where the Ravens have the league’s third best pass defense. Baltimore gives up an average of 175 yards and less than a TD per game—and only the Bears and Steelers have given up less passing TDs (3) than the Ravens (4). The Ravens defense is still underperforming statistically, but a home game against the Bills after a heartbreaking loss in OT to New England is not something you want your WR to be a part of.