Friday 28 August 2015 12:47, UK
The recent season-ending knee injury to Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson hurt three things: the Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl chances, Aaron Rodgers' MVP chances, and our Top 10 wide receiver Fantasy rankings...
Anyway, Alex Ferguson has had to move on with his rankings.
So here are your top 10 Fantasy choices…
10. AJ Green - Cincinnati Bengals
We've got Green lower than some because we can't trust Andy Dalton not to fumble/throw it into the crowd/ throw it to an opposition player. Green is an incredible wide receiver and only thing that stops him is a poor QB.
9. TY Hilton - Indianapolis Colts
If Hilton can repeat the 1,345-yard, seven-touchdown season that he had in 2014 Andrew Luck is going to be happy, and so will fantasy owners. There will be some who worry about the arrival of Andre Johnson and Frank Gore and whether that will reduce Hilton's production, we think he should be just fine.
8. Mike Evans - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Let's get this straight – Evans managed a 1,051-yard, 12-TD season despite playing with some poor quarterbacks. Now No 1 Draft pick Jameis Winston has arrived, expect Evans to really flourish.
7. Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions
Lions fans will be praying that Megatron's ankle is good to go. In fact, the NFL in general will be praying he's that awesome. And if he is fine, Matt Stafford is going to target him whenever he's available and he'll probably catch it. Prepare for his sixth straight 1,000 yard-plus season, folks.
6. Odell Beckham Jr - New York Giants
The New York Giants have a pretty good receiving 1-2-3 punch in Beckham Jr, Victor Cruz and Shane Vereen, so prepare for Beckham to have fewer wide receiving yards (1,305) than 2014. But that won't mean that he's going to be covered up all season long, and if he's used for kick returns – as he was at LSU – he could be an even more fun weapon.
5. Randall Cobb - Green Bay Packers
With the injury to Jordy Nelson, expect more throws to go to the brilliant Cobb from the super-accurate MVP Aaron Rodgers. Cobb should increase the 1,287-yard, 12-TD season he recorded 2014.
4. Julio Jones - Atlanta Falcons
A lot of people will scoff at the fact that I don't have Odell Beckham Jr higher, but wait! Jones is QB Matt Ryan's No 1 receiver and he's a damned good one. Although he's had a fair share of injury woes, he's a terrific performer and at times unstoppable. Green Bay Packers fans will agree with me.
3. Demaryius Thomas - Denver Broncos
Now he's signed a five-year, $70m contract with Denver, Thomas can go back to being Peyton Manning's top WR. If Manning is healthy – or if Manning's back-up QB can throw to him properly – Thomas could top his 1,619 yard, 11-TD season of 2014. He's also been consistent, going over 1,400 yards receiving for the last three seasons.
2. Dez Bryant - Dallas Cowboys
Some people love Dez Bryant so much that they had him at No 1. But I'm worried about his health, sorry. If he remains healthy he's Tony Romo's biggest weapon, and will be used that way, especially with the Cowboys running game now significantly worse after the departure of DeMarco Murray.
1. Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers
Not only does Antonio 'Downtown' Brown have one of the coolest nicknames in the NFL, but his filthy numbers for 2014 – which included 1,698 receiving yards, 13 TDs and 129 receptions – make him the top wide receiver for 2015. And with running back Le'Veon Bell suspended for two games and receiver Martavis Bryant facing suspension, he's going to get even more receptions and TD chances to start the year.
