With the 2016 NFL season soon to be started it’s now time that we take a look at NFL Fantasy Football. In our first week, we will pick the Top 10 WR’s who will be sure to bring you victory.
Amari Cooper (Oakland Raiders): 2015- 72 receptions, 1070 yards, 6 TD
Cooper will be on this list weekly. With the ground game hitting on all cylinders, Derek Carr should have plenty of time to find his number 1 target.
T.Y. Hilton (Indianapolis Colts): 69 receptions, 1124 yards, 5 TD
His numbers were not Pro Bowl caliber, but he was forced to play a large chunk of the season without his starting QB Andrew Luck. I fully expect a bounce back season for Hilton as he and Luck will be out to put the Colts offense back on the map.
Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals): 109 receptions, 1215 yards, 9 TD
Carson Palmer and Fitzgerald have a bond on the field; that is quite evident from last season numbers. While many thought their careers were on the decline, they continue to hush the doubters. The emergence of the ground game and WR John Brown will take opportunities away from Fitz but I still expect him to put up solid numbers.
Allen Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars): 80 receptions, 1400 yards 14 TD
Yes, there is a Jag on this list. 2015 was such a breakout for Robinson that he has easily earned his spot among the best. What’s better for him is that he and Blake Bortles were just working in their first year together coupled with a lack of a ground game. With Chris Ivory leading the backfield you can expect defenses to respect the run opening more passing lanes for Robinson.
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Brandon Marshall (New York Jets): 109 receptions, 1502 yards, 14 TD
Marshall showed that he still can get the job done when called upon. What made this special was that he was able to put up great numbers with Ryan Fitzpatrick behind center. With Fitz and the Jets still in a tug-o-war over contracts, there is no telling if Marshall will be able to duplicate those number next season. Plus you add Matt Forte to the offense with his pass catching skills and we are sure to see a drop on Marshall’s end.
A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals): 86 receptions, 1297 yards, 10 TD
Green is THE offense for the Bengals. The running game plays in spurts, so it’s usually Green vs. 11 defenders. If the Bengals can somehow get production from their other skill players, as I think, they will this season, you can expect a huge year from AJ.
Odell Beckham (New York Giants): 96 receptions, 1450 yards, 13 TD
What more can he do? Much like Green, Beckham is THE Giants offense, but yet he seems to be unstoppable. This year will be great as he gets to go against his new rival, Josh Norman twice. If Eli Manning and Beckham can get in a mid-season groove at the start of the season, then Beckham could be in store for a Jerry Rice like a year.
DeAndre Hopkins (Houston Texans): 111 receptions, 1521 yards, 11 TD
Hopkins has emerged as one of the best play-makers in the NFL. What’s surprising is that he has done it without a steady QB and for another season he will be catching passes from another unproven player in Brock Osweiler. The same goes for him as it does for Green and Beckham, if he were to have another skilled player take pressure off him, he could be in store for a historical season. Despite his team’s lack of offensive talent, I still expect him to rank among the league leaders.
Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons): 136 receptions, 1871 yards, 8 TD
Jones is the 2nd best receiver in the league who could easily be the first if he played in Pittsburgh, Denver or Carolina. I have respect for Matt Ryan, but he is one of the most inconsistent QB’s in the league. If the Falcons can get another receiver opposite Jones, he can easily rival the numbers of…
Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers): 136 receptions, 1834 yards 10 TD
To be fair I will ask the same question I asked on a few other of the receivers. What if Brown was the focal point of the Steelers offense like Beckham and Hopkins? Could you imagine what his numbers would look like then? There is not a defender that does not know when Ben Roethlisberger drops back that the ball is headed Brown’s way, but he still managed 137 catches on 193 targets. It’s safe to say we can expect more of the same in 2016.