RADIO
The deeper you dive into the NFC, the tougher it gets to rank each team based on their wide receivers. Of all the entries in this series, part two of the NFC was certainly the toughest one to figure out. There's a whole lot of nitpicking going on here which speaks to the depth of the conference as a whole. Considering this is the last piece before the full ranking of 1-32, it's kind of fitting that it came down to the wire.
Here's your weekly disclaimer: these rankings reflect each team's roster construction at the time of writing. With camp in full swing, August is a crazy time for football moves.
If you want to see the rest of this series, starting by division, click here to get caught up.
NFC Fantasy Receiving Corps Ranks
8. Atlanta Falcons
Notable Players: Julio Jones, Taylor Gabriel, Mohamed Sanu
Julio Jones is firmly locked into being a top-six pick in all formats for the 2017 season. He's had three consecutive seasons of at least 1,400 yards and six touchdowns, with some monstrous games along the way. Julio alone is enough to bump the Falcons all the way up into the top-10.
On the flip side, the Falcons simply don't have enough sustainable depth to get much higher than eighth. Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu are fine receivers who've shown flashes of usability. There are bound to be weeks where Sanu and/or Gabriel are worth a look on the waiver wire, probably even as a bye-week fill-in. Atlanta's offense is potent enough to warrant mentioning three names. There just isn't enough relevant data that suggests Sanu and Gabriel warrant anything more than a dart throw.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notable Players: Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson
The signing of DeSean Jackson has the potential to give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one of the best one-two combinations in football. Between the size of Mike Evans and Jackson's speed, Jameis Winston must be licking his chops at the possibilities. As far as fantasy goes, Evans had a spectacular 2016, bouncing back from a disappointing sophomore season the year prior. That was mostly due to a weird lack of touchdowns. Now that we know Evans is a legit top-five receiver, the Buccaneers are deserving of a high NFC ranking.
Jackson is the wild card, though. All throughout this series I've mentioned that the rankings reflect a balance between talent, depth, and fantasy scoring. That balance is what gives Tampa Bay the edge over Atlanta. Yes, the Falcons have Julio Jones, and yes, they have three names worth mentioning. The difference is that DeSean Jackson is a proven fantasy commodity. Quality trumps quantity here. Always a boom-or-bust playmaker who needs a big-time play to rack up fantasy points, Jackson will surely start as a WR3/flex for someone in every league.
6. Arizona Cardinals
Notable Players: Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson
If quality outweighs quantity for the Buccaneers, you could argue the opposite for the Arizona Cardinals. Larry Fitzgerald continues to be one of the most undervalued players in fantasy, especially in PPR formats. Last year's reception king, Fitzgerald should be viewed as a solid WR2 yet he's continuously ranked/drafted as if he's washed up. His 2016 stat line of 107 receptions, 1,023 yards, and six touchdowns is well within reach with the potential for more scores.
The most intriguing part of Arizona's receivers is that they really have two shots at producing a usable WR2. John Brown has always had considerable hype as a sleeper candidate, flirting with fantasy production along the way. Between complications from his sickle-cell trait and struggles on the field, 2016 was a lost season for Brown. The upside is still there, though.
J.J. Nelson complicates matters as a talented receiver with a ton of potential. He has enough talent to "steal" the No. 2 spot away from John Brown. I put steal in quotations because this is a receiver battle that is far from over. Besides, we've seen the Cardinals produce two-or-three fantasy relevant receivers in the past so there's reason to believe it can happen again. Having three receivers that should be owned in all leagues bumps the Cardinals up in the rankings considerably.
5. Washington Redskins
Notable Players: Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson
Terrelle Pryor managed to rack up 1,007 yards and four touchdowns with Snap, Crackle, and Pop under center in Cleveland. Now in Washington, Pryor has massive upside with Kirk Cousins throwing to him. The longer the summer rolls own, the more buzz Pryor seems to be getting and rightfully so. Along with Larry Fitzgerald, Pryor could be one of the most undervalued receivers heading into the new season.
Jamison Crowder benefited from an injured Josh Doctson last year. Still the team's No. 2 receiver, Crowder has himself a decent role as a PPR play. For as usable as Crowder was last year, there's a good chance he's being overdrafted thus far. Nevertheless, he has enough talent to be worth starting as a WR3/flex in most formats.
Josh Doctson's injury issues seem to behind him so expect him to push Crowder for the second spot in the depth chart. It's way too early to claim that Doctson is ready to steal the gig completely, but it's another one of those situations worth monitoring.
If this list were including tight ends, Jordan Reed would basically catapult the Redskins the top. Instead, fifth is where they lie.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Notable Players: Alshon Jeffery, Jordan Matthews, Torrey Smith
At last the Philadelphia Eagles have found themselves a true No. 1 receiver in Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery's move from Chicago to Philly works in his favor as well. With second-year QB Carson Wentz throwing to him, Alshon now has the best quarterback he's played with in quite a while, possibly the best one he's ever played with in the NFL. Provided he can stay healthy for at least 14 games, Alshon Jeffery should catapult right back up to being a low-end WR1/high-end WR2.
Having Jordan Matthews and Torrey Smith battle it out for your second receiver spot is not a bad problem to have. Both guys have respectable talent and are better suited as a team's secondary option rather than a No.1. Again, quality of depth accounts for a lot in these rankings so this is another combination that carries considerable weight. There are reasons to take a flier on each of them with Matthews getting the edge in PPR, Smith in standard. The Eagles are in great position to have an improved offense in 2017.
3. New Orleans Saints
Notable Players: Michael Thomas, Willie Snead, Ted Ginn
It seems like whenever the New Orleans Saints realize they can produce good receivers at will they decide they might as well ship one off elsewhere. That's what happened this off-season with Brandin Cooks being traded to New England. It doesn't hurt the Saints one iota as they can just rotate Willie Snead and new signee Ted Ginn into the fold. Michael Thomas is the team's primary weapon, though, and should have no issues contributing as a WR1. Even with Drew Brees spreading the ball around, Thomas can easily duplicate his 2016 line of 1,137 yards and nine scores on 92 receptions. In fact, he could even exceed it.
Willie Snead is a sneaky WR2 candidate who isn't being drafted as such. We've established that the Saints rotate receivers at will but they also manage to produce multiple fantasy relevant playmakers simultaneously. With two noteworthy seasons under his belt already, Wille Snead is in line for a sizable uptick in usage.
The only thing standing in Snead's way is the addition of Ted Ginn. Ginn was a thorn in fantasy's side the past two years. There were times where he wasn't even on anyone's radar yet he'd put up big games out of nowhere. Then when he actually did warrant attention, he'd turn back into a pumpkin. A lot of that has to do with being on an inconsistent Carolina offense, a factor that should change in New Orleans. Both Snead and Ginn should be owned in every league thanks to opportunity with Drew Brees at quarterback.
2. Green Bay Packers
Notable Players: Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, Randall Cobb
If Drew Brees is enough to net multiple fantasy wide receivers, Aaron Rodgers is that much better. Jordy Nelson is a fantasy superstar who is just barely a notch below the likes of Julio Jones and Mike Evans. A favorite target of Rodgers, Nelson is on track for another stellar season at wide receiver, earning him high-end WR1 status in every format. Expect well over 1,000 yards and a floor of eight touchdowns.
Davante Adams was a pleasant surprise last year albeit a year too late. Adams was talked up as a breakout candidate when Jordy Nelson tore his ACL in 2015, but he faced injury woes of his own and never produced to his potential. Fast forward to 2016 and Adams ended up with 997 yards and 12 TDs. Now an established contributor in the offense, Adams should be viewed as a low-end WR2.
The days of Randall Cobb as a significant fantasy asset are well behind us. That being said, the Packers are so good offensively that Cobb should absolutely be owned. If anything were to happen to Nelson or Adams, Cobb would automatically be worth a look as a starter. Besides, it's not like Green Bay can't produce three relevant receivers at the same time anyway. With Rodgers throwing to him, Cobb is worth a spot on your bench as a bye-week fill-in.
1. New York Giants
Notable Players: Odell Beckham Jr, Brandon Marshall, Sterling Shepard
The top spot in the NFC goes to the New York Giants, a team that has three different categories of wide receiver. First up is superstar Odell Beckham, another first-round WR1 who is as can't-miss as it gets. OBJ hasn't dipped below 1,300 yards or 10 touchdowns to date so scoop him up in the middle of round one whenever possible.
The addition of Brandon Marshall adds some serious versatility to the Giant offense. Marshall may not have the talent he had earlier in his career, but he's still a big body who can go up and grab a ball in the back of the end zone. That's where Marshall should do most of his damage this year; deep in the red-zone. Eli Manning should have no problem playing to Marshall's strengths, breathing new life into the 33-year old veteran. Forget his last year with the Jets. Brandon Marshall is poised for a big bounce-back season as a WR2/high-end WR3.
Adding Marshall means Sterling Shepard gets relegated to the team's No. 3 wideout. That is perfectly fine, though, as Shepard still has himself a bright future ahead. As far as 2017 is concerned, Shepard certainly deserves to be owned as another one of those bye-week fillers. There's also always the chance that Marshall doesn't pan out the way everyone assumes he will, opening the door for Shepard to fill the void. Not only do the Giants feature three receivers worth owning, but they have the best balance of talent and opportunity.
