2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers 41-60

These 2011 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2011 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2011 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2011 Fantasy Football Rankings - Wide Receivers (Sept. 5):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-60 | 61-80 | 81-100

Roy Williams, WR, Bears. Bye: 8.
AUG. 29 UPDATE: Roy Williams saw four targets against the Titans. He converted two of them for 33 yards. However, he was responsible for an interception when the ball went right through his hands on the first drive of the game. Williams is a bum, and if he continues to cost his team, he’ll be benched in favor of Johnny Knox.

AUG. 23 UPDATE: Roy Williams played like crap in the exhibition loss to the Giants. He was thrown to three times, but couldn’t come up with a single reception. He dropped a routine first-down conversion on the opening drive. It appears as though he wasn’t kidding when he told everyone that he’s out of shape.

AUG. 3 UPDATE: Mike Martz, obviously high on paint fumes, told the media that Roy Williams is an elite receiver who could catch 80 passes this year. Martz is insane, but he’s stubborn and crazy enough to do everything in his power to make his prediction come to fruition. I’m bumping up Williams a bit in my 2011 Fantasy Football Rankings.

Roy Williams was a huge disappointment in Dallas, but there’s a chance he could revitalize his career with the Bears. Williams had his best season under Mike Martz in Detroit, and he’ll likely be Jay Cutler’s preferred target in the red zone.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 58 catches. 760 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 112.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 168.
Danny Amendola, WR, Rams. Bye: 5.
Danny Amendola caught 85 balls last year. That number could rise into triple figures in 2011. Josh McDaniels turned Wes Welker into a PPR stud, and he may do the same thing with Amendola.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 95 catches. 830 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 107.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 202.
Mike Thomas, WR, Jaguars. Bye: 9.
SEPT. 7 UPDATE: David Garrard’s release is a clear indication that the Jaguars are going to have major problems this year. Like the 2010 Panthers, they’re going to quit on lame-duck coach Jack Del Rio.

AUG. 28 UPDATE: Mike Thomas caught five of the six passes thrown to him for 40 yards at Buffalo, with the sole exception being a poor David Garrard misfire on what should have been a 48-yard touchdown. Thomas is a very good PPR flex option.

AUG. 20 UPDATE: I thought Mike Thomas looked pretty solid in Jacksonville’s preseason victory against the Falcons. Thomas saw four targets, including one in the end zone. He ended up with two receptions for 31 yards. He’s a very good PPR flex option, but his potential will be limited by Jacksonville’s quarterback situation. David Garrard isn’t very good and could be replaced any week.

Mike Thomas is currently Jacksonville’s No. 1 receiver, so he holds some value, especially in PPR leagues. Having said that, I’m down on all Jaguars this season after they sent a message that they don’t care about the present in the wake of drafting Blaine Gabbert 10th overall this past April.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 68 catches. 820 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 106.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 174.
Robert Meachem, WR, Saints. Bye: 11.
AUG. 21 UPDATE: Robert Meachem saw just one target in a quarter and a half of action from Drew Brees in the exhibition defeat to the Texans. It’s disappointing that he hasn’t done anything in two preseason games with Marques Colston sidelined.

AUG. 14 UPDATE: Robert Meachem was targeted once in half a quarter by Drew Brees in the preseason opener against the 49ers. However, he didn’t take advantage of it, dropping what would have been a long conversion. Making things worse, Meachem hurt his back trying to make a block on the ensuing drive and left the game. It wasn’t a major injury, but it’s a reminder that Meachem is brittle and difficult to trust.

Robert Meachem saw his numbers fall from 45-722-9 in 2009 to 44-638-5 in 2010. He was a major disappointment, and fantasy owners will be reluctant to draft him this summer. Don’t fall into that trap. Meachem played through a really bad leg injury last year, which really affected his production. Now healthy, Meachem could be primed for a breakout 2011 campaign, especially with Marques Colston going through his own injury issues.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 49 catches. 760 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 106.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 155.
Plaxico Burress, WR, Jets. Bye: 8.
AUG. 30 UPDATE: I think the Jets should reconsider this whole Plaxico Burress experiment. Burress was targeted a team-high four times against the Giants, yet he couldn’t pull in a single reception. He doesn’t look anything close to the dominant receiver of a couple of years ago. The announcers noticed this as well, stating that Burress didn’t have his “legs under him” quite yet. Considering that he’s 34, it’s likely that he never will.

AUG. 22 UPDATE: Plaxico Burress was targeted a team-high six times (twice in the end zone) in the preseason win over the Bengals, catching three balls for 66 yards and a touchdown. The Jets made an effort to get the ball to Burress early and often, so I wouldn’t read too much into this. The takeaway, as many predicted, is that Burress will be a primary end-zone target for Mark Sanchez.

Plaxico Burress is going to start for the Jets for some reason. Though he’ll undoubtedly struggle, he’ll be somewhat of a fantasy factor as a Mark Sanchez end zone target.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 48 catches. 630 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 105.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 153.
Greg Little, WR, Browns. Bye: 5.
AUG. 22 UPDATE: Greg Little caught two of his three targets from Colt McCoy in the preseason loss to Detroit for 25 yards and a touchdown. Little is a beast; it’s just a matter of him getting into playing shape after being out of football the past two years. With McCoy showing tremendous improvement, Little is worth a late-round flier as Cleveland’s No. 1 receiver.

Greg Little is an unbelievably talented rookie receiver who slipped in the NFL Draft because of character concerns. Remind you of anyone? Little could be this year’s Mike Williams – as long as the lockout is resolved sometime soon. Still though, Little won’t have a difficult transition into Cleveland’s West Coast offense; he played in a similar scheme in North Carolina.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 55 catches. 730 receiving yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 103.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 158.
Steve Smith, WR, Panthers. Bye: 9.
Steve Smith had his worst season as a pro since his rookie campaign last year, catching just 46 balls for 554 yards and two touchdowns. Smith looked worn-down and slow, but he played through two separate leg injuries. Still though, Smith turned 32 this offseason, and may be playing with a new team in 2011. Non-elite receivers usually struggle when changing venues (see Boldin, Anquan), and Smith is definitely not anywhere near elite anymore. If Smith stays in Carolina, he’ll have to deal with either a raw rookie in Cam Newton, or his arch enemy, Jimmy Clausen.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 57 catches. 790 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 103.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 160.
Johnny Knox, WR, Bears. Bye: 8.
AUG. 8 UPDATE: Johnny Knox has officially been demoted. The Bears reportedly plan to start Roy Williams and Devin Hester at receiver, which is a very curious (and perhaps moronic) move because Knox is a much better wideout than Hester, who should be relegated to special teams work.

Johnny Knox showed improvement in his second season, falling just 40 yards short of the 1,000-yard mark on the year. He found the end zone only five times, though four of his scores came in Week 12 or later.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 43 catches. 780 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 102.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 145.
Andre Roberts, WR, Cardinals. Bye: 6.
AUG. 21 UPDATE: Andre Roberts figures to be Kevin Kolb’s third target behind Larry Fitzgerald and Todd Heap, who didn’t play in the preseason loss at Green Bay. Roberts caught both of his targets in a quarter and a half for 31 yards, impressively breaking a Sam Shields tackle on one of his receptions. Roberts is a decent late-round flier.

JULY 29 UPDATE: Things couldn’t get better for Andre Roberts this week. With Steve Breaston gone and Kevin Kolb under center, Roberts is a legitimate late-round fantasy sleeper. Roberts finished the 2010 campaign on a strong note, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he parlays that into a breakout sophomore campaign.

Andre Roberts has some upside. He caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the penultimate game of the 2010 season. He’ll probably be the No. 2 receiver in Arizona this year, so there’s potential if Kevin Kolb is the quarterback.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 57 catches. 775 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 101.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 158.
Davone Bess, WR, Dolphins. Bye: 5.
I love owning Davone Bess as a flex in PPR leagues. He catches a ton of passes, so he’s usually good for double-digit PPR fantasy points each week.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 75 catches. 775 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 101.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 176.
Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers. Bye: 7.
AUG. 5 UPDATE: The 49ers signed Braylon Edwards, relegating the troublesome and injured Michael Crabtree to Alex Smith’s third option behind Edwards and Vernon Davis.

JULY 29 UPDATE: Michael Crabtree is out 4-6 weeks with a foot injury. This is yet another reason to hate him this year, but it’ll undoubtedly cause his ADP to drop to the point where he might be a nice value.

Michael Crabtree, a popular sleeper pick in 2010, struggled and disappointed his fantasy owners. Crabtree caught 55 balls for 741 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers have to improve with Jim Harbaugh calling the shots. However, Crabtree and Alex Smith have poor chemistry; Crabtree has refused to work out with Smith this offseason in San Francisco, opting to remain in his hometown instead. In the once instance that Crabtree actually showed up to Smith’s practice, he completely threw his quarterback under the bus. Crabtree is an arrogant douche who will continue to underachieve.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 51 catches. 710 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 101.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 152.
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals. Bye: 7.
AUG. 22 UPDATE: A.J. Green was really disappointing in the preseason loss against the Jets. Though he was targeted a team-high five times by Andy Dalton, he caught only one ball for eight yards because he was guilty of three drops, one of which resulted in an interception. Green is a freak athlete and should post monstrous numbers with a good quarterback, but this lack of concentration has to be disheartening if you’re a Bengals fan. Stay away from him this year.

AUG. 14 UPDATE: A.J. Green caught four passes for 29 yards in one half of action during the Bengals’ preseason opener at Detroit. The good news is that Green was targeted five times, and since Andy Dalton seems content on attempting only short throws, he should get a boost in PPR formats. The bad news is that Dalton is extremely raw and won’t lead too many touchdown drives, thus limiting Green’s upside. Green will also have a pretty low receiving average.

I’m bearish on all rookies this year because of the lockout. A.J. Green is unbelievably talented, but you can’t trust him with a rookie quarterback under center in Cincinnati.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 56 catches. 700 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 100.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 156.
Hines Ward, WR, Steelers. Bye: 11.
JULY 12 UPDATE: I can’t believe it has happened, but Hines Ward has inexplicably morphed into Chad Ochocinco. Ward is focusing on his crappy $10 reality TV shows (Eating Cereal with the Stars) and getting into trouble off the field (DUI). If that’s not bad enough, Ward, 35, just had surgery on his knee. Avoid him at all cost.

Hines Ward has no upside. He has clearly fallen behind Mike Wallace as Ben Roethlisberger’s preferred target, and he doesn’t have much left at 35. Ward is a quality reserve in deep leagues, but that’s about it.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 54 catches. 690 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 99.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 153.
Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers. Bye: 8.
AUG. 21 UPDATE: For the second week in a row, Jordy Nelson failed to receive a single target from Aaron Rodgers. Nelson was on the field, but Rodgers opted to throw to Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley instead. He’s undraftable at the moment.

AUG. 14 UPDATE: Neither James Jones nor Jordy Nelson received a single target from Aaron Rodgers, playing behind Donald Driver in the preseason opener at Cleveland. This is obviously bad news for both wideouts. Driver probably won’t maintain his job the whole season, but Jones and Nelson will cancel each other out.

AUG. 1 UPDATE: I loved Jordy Nelson as a potential fantasy sleeper, but that’s no longer the case with James Jones back with the team. Jones will eat into Nelson’s targets, as the two figure to split time as Aaron Rodgers’ No. 2 receiver.

I love Jordy Nelson as a 2011 fantasy football sleeper. Donald Driver is pretty much done, while James Jones is a potential free agent with drop issues. Nelson quietly became Aaron Rodgers’ No. 2 option down the stretch. Just look at his playoff run beginning with the Atlanta game: 17 catches, 286 yards, two touchdowns.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 55 catches. 740 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 98.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 153.
Jerome Simpson, WR, Bengals. Bye: 7.
AUG. 14 UPDATE: Jerome Simpson hauled in two receptions for 17 yards in Cincinnati’s preseason opener at Detroit. Simpson nearly had a third catch and a touchdown, but he couldn’t get his feet inbounds in the end zone. Unlike A.J. Green, Simpson didn’t play the whole first half because suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit in the middle of the second quarter. He was down for a few seconds, but ran off the field on his own power. Simpson won’t have much of a fantasy upside with Andy Dalton learning on the job, but the encouraging thing is that his late-season surge doesn’t seem like it’s a fluke.

Now, why did Carson Palmer have to go and retire? Jerome Simpson dominated in the final two weeks of the season, catching 18 balls for 247 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers and Ravens. Unfortunately, Palmer won’t be back, so he’ll have to deal with Andy Dalton’s growing pains in 2011.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 54 catches. 680 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 98.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 152.
Mike Williams, WR, Seahawks. Bye: 6.
I thought the lockout would be the worst thing that happened to Mike Williams since the invention of the doughnut. Williams revitalized his career in 2010, catching 65 balls for 751 yards and two touchdowns. I figured Williams would get fat during the lockout, but that has hardly been the case. Williams has been working really hard and has stayed in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, his quarterback (Charlie Whitehurst) really sucks.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 55 catches. 680 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 98.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 153.
Derrick Mason, WR, Jets. Bye: 8.
AUG. 16 UPDATE: Derrick Mason led all Jets receivers in targets during the exhibition opener at Houston. Mason showed no signs that he’s slowing down, and if he keeps this up during the preseason, he should definitely be considered as a viable flex option in PPR formats.

AUG. 7 UPDATE: Non-elite receivers have a poor track record when switching teams. Derrick Mason could be completely finished at 37, and asking him to learn a new offense in such a short period of time could be pretty futile. He’s undraftable.

Despite the fact that he turned 37 in January, Derrick Mason remains Joe Flacco’s favorite receiver. Maybe that’s why Baltimore spent early draft picks on Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss. Mason should be able to post decent numbers early on, but Smith and Doss will eventually eat into his production.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 57 catches. 700 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 94.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 151.
Devin Hester, WR, Bears. Bye: 8.
Devin Hester is only worth a roster spot in leagues that factor in return yardage.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 50 catches. 700 yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 94.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 144.
Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins. Bye: 5.
Brian Hartline is a pretty consistent receiver. In six consecutive weeks last season, he caught either four or five passes for anywhere between 53 and 98 yards. Two problems though: Chad Henne sucks inside the red zone, so Hartline won’t score many touchdowns. Also, he’ll have to fend off speedy rookie Edmond Gates for the starting job across from Brandon Marshall.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 52 catches. 760 yards. 3 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 94.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 146.
Jacoby Jones, WR, Texans. Bye: 11.
AUG. 28 UPDATE: Jacoby Jones caught just one pass for 11 yards versus the 49ers. He now has five targets the entire preseason. Look elsewhere for a late-round sleeper.

AUG. 16 UPDATE: Jacoby Jones saw just one target from Matt Schaub in the preseason opener. Jones finished the 2010 season on a hot streak, so this was disappointing. Even Kevin Walter saw one more target. I’m not ready to give up on Jones as a late-round sleeper just yet, but I could drop him in my 2011 Fantasy Football Rankings if he continues to be ignored.

Here’s how Jacoby Jones is perceived: He’s a physically talented receiver who for some reason hasn’t been able to produce for the Texans despite playing across from Andre Johnson. Here’s the reality: In his final four games last year, Jones caught 22 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown. Maybe the light switch finally flipped on for Jones.

Projected 2011 Fantasy Stats: 50 catches. 630 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2011 Fantasy Points: 93.
Projected 2011 PPR Fantasy Points: 143.

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2011 Fantasy Football Rankings - Wide Receivers (Sept. 5):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-60 | 61-80 | 81-100

More 2011 Fantasy Football Articles:
2011 Fantasy Football: Home

2011 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 9/1 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/26 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Dynasty Rookie Rankings - 8/27 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 8/27 (Walt)

2011 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2011 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Traditional - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 PPR - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Touchdown - 9/8 (Walt)

2011 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Real League Draft - 8/31 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Fake Mock - 8/25 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Experts Draft - 8/25 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Forum 2-QB Mock - 7/21 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Mock Draft Scenarios - 7/17 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Auction: Mock PPR Auction - 7/14 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Forum PPR Mock - 7/7 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Forum Mock - 7/3 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Four-Man PPR Draft - 6/19 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Draft: Fox Sports - 5/5 (Walt)

2011 Fantasy Football Articles:
2011 Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 2 - 9/18 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Weekly Rankings: Week 2 - 9/18 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Week 2 Add/Drop - 9/13 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Training Camp Stock - 9/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em - 9/6 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Preseason Stock - 9/3 (Walt)
2011 Preseason Recap and Fantasy Football Notes - 9/3 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Preseason Targets - 9/3 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Late-Round Sleepers - 9/1 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Round-by-Round Strategy - 9/1 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Value Comparison - 9/1
2011 Fantasy Football: Must-Have Players - 8/24 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Busts, Players to Avoid - 7/25 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 7/24 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 7/23 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Various League Strategy - 7/18 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Three-Dimensional Running Backs - 7/16 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: ADP Analysis - 7/15 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: First-Round Bust History - 7/10 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 7/9 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 7/4 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Analysis - 7/1 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 6/18 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 6/12 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 6/5 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Stock Up (Draft) - 5/6 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Stock Down (Draft) - 5/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Buy Low - 4/8 (Walt)
2011 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 4/8 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/8 (Walt)

NFL Picks - Nov. 20

2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20

NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 19

Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4

Injured/injury risk	Potential bust	Potential sleeper
Rank higher in touchdown leagues	Rank lower in touchdown leagues
Rank higher in PPR (points per reception) leagues	Rank lower in PPR leagues