These 2013 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Rankings will be updated often throughout the spring and summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2013 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2013 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - Wide Receivers (Sept. 4):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-60 | 61-95 |
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Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants. Bye: 9. 
AUG. 25 UPDATE: Hakeem Nicks saw a team-high eight targets against the Jets, but managed to haul in a single (one-handed) pass for 34 yards. However, he gets a stock up because three of those targets resulted in pass interferences on Kyle Wilson (one declined). Nicks also saw three balls come his way in the end zone. He should’ve caught one, but he lost the ball in the lights.
AUG. 19 UPDATE: It’s ironic that Cruz was knocked out of the game with an injury because Hakeem Nicks didn’t get banged up in his preseason debut against the Colts. Nicks saw a team-high four targets and caught two of them for 40 yards. He’s always at risk to get hurt, but he appears to be fine for now.
JULY 24 UPDATE: The New York Daily News reported that Hakeem Nicks didn’t look like he was at full speed at training camp. It seems like he’s still getting over his leg injuries. This is definitely an issue because Nicks always seems to be banged up. Nicks should be avoided in the early rounds of your fantasy draft.
As someone who has owned Hakeem Nicks in various fantasy leagues over the years, I can tell you that having him as one of your wideouts is very frustrating. He can be a big producer if he’s healthy, but he’s always banged up. You can’t count on him. The time could be right to buy him low, however.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 72 catches. 1,020 yards. 8 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 155.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 227.
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Eric Decker, WR, Broncos. Bye: 9. 
Wes Welker was a great addition for the Broncos. Eric Decker’s fantasy owners won’t be so happy, however, as Welker will steal a large number of targets away from him. Decker is still a fantasy WR2, but he doesn’t have the same upside as before.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 76 catches. 1,000 yards. 9 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 154.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 230.
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Cecil Shorts, WR, Jaguars. Bye: 9.
Cecil Shorts is the real deal. Despite missing two games in his second season, Shorts caught 55 balls for 979 yards and seven touchdowns while catching passes from Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne. Shorts will be a strong WR2 when Jacksonville acquires a legitimate quarterback. For now, he’s a borderline WR2/WR3.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 70 catches. 1,110 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 153.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 223.
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Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens. Bye: 8.
Anquan Boldin is gone, so Joe Flacco will rely on Torrey Smith much more this season. Smith is a deep-play option, so he’ll always be hit or miss. It’s promising though that he had eight touchdowns in 2012 after logging seven the year before.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 58 catches. 960 yards. 9 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 150.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 208.
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Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs. Bye: 10. 
AUG. 18 UPDATE: Dwayne Bowe just saw one target go his way against the 49ers. He and Alex Smith just don’t seem to have any sort of chemistry thus far. Bowe has been way overdrafted in every fantasy mock draft I’ve participated in this summer.
Good news and bad news for Dwayne Bowe. The bad news is that he goes from one noodle-armed quarterback to another. The good news is that Andy Reid is the head coach, meaning the Chiefs will be throwing the ball more than ever. Bowe could be a solid PPR WR2 option for that reason.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 84 catches. 1,100 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 147.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 231.
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Josh Gordon, WR, Browns. Bye: 10.
AUG. 16 UPDATE: Josh Gordon is a stud. He saw more targets than any other Cleveland starter (4) against the Lions. He snagged three of those balls for 72 yards, as Brandon Weeden’s only misfire to Gordon resulted in a near-acrobatic, one-handed catch. Gordon will miss the first two games of the season, but he’ll serve as a potential WR2 the rest of the way.
JUNE 7 UPDATE: Josh Gordon will be suspended two games for Purple Drank, so he gets an obvious stock down. Having said that, the suspension will make him slide in fantasy drafts, so he could be available for better value.
Josh Gordon didn’t do much at the beginning of his rookie campaign, catching just nine balls in his first four games. However, he would end up finishing with 50 receptions for 805 yards and five touchdowns. Gordon is very talented and should be a solid WR3 option this year. It’s just a shame that he doesn’t have a better quarterback throwing to him.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 66 catches. 1,010 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 147.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 213.
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Miles Austin-Jones, WR, Cowboys. Bye: 11.
AUG. 26 UPDATE: Miles Austin-Jones struggled early with a drop in the third exhibition contest, but ultimately hauled in four grabs (off six targets) for 59 yards and a touchdown. Austin-Jones is going way too late in fantasy drafts, so he makes for a nice value pick.
Miles Austin-Jones is very frustrating to own because he’s always hurt. He tends to nurse hamstring injuries like there’s no tomorrow. He told the media he’s working on strengthening them this offseason, but we’ll see if that happens.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 73 catches. 1,040 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 146.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 219.
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Steve Smith, WR, Panthers. Bye: 4. 
Steve Smith killed his fantasy owners by not scoring until Week 9 this past season. That was no fluke; with Cam Newton and Mike Tolbert stealing touchdowns, there were hardly any remaining for Smith. It’s also a concern that Smith just turned 34. His skills will begin rapidly declining sometime soon.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 71 catches. 1,130 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 143.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 214.
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T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts. Bye: 8.
AUG. 11 UPDATE: Second-year wideout T.Y. Hilton saw just one target from Andrew Luck in his exhibition debut, but he snagged a 45-yard touchdown bomb when Matt Hasselbeck was under center. Hilton should be a decent WR3 this year.
T.Y. Hilton had 50 receptions for 861 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie last season despite doing virtually nothing in his first two games. With Donnie Avery gone, Hilton will be a bigger part of the offense in 2013.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 64 catches. 1,040 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 140.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 204.
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DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles. Bye: 12. 
AUG. 10 UPDATE: DeSean Jackson was targeted only once against New England, but the catch was a beauty. He torched top cornerback Aqib Talib and snagged a 46-yard bomb from QB Eagles No. 7. Jackson hasn’t done anything since 2010, but he looks reenergized in this offense.
DeSean Jackson suffered a monstrous hit in a Thursday night battle against the Texans during the 2010 season. Ever since then, he’s had only four games in which he’s eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a game. Aside from being very overrated, Jackson is way too brittle. Let someone else spend an early pick on him.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 58 catches. 1,090 yards. 5 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 139.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 197.
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Mike Wallace, WR, Dolphins. Bye: 6. 
AUG. 19 UPDATE: Mike Wallace and Ryan Tannehill finally got on the same page at Houston after struggling with chemistry earlier this summer. Wallace caught all three balls thrown to him for 58 yards and a touchdown, including a 33-yarder in which he beat Johnathan Joseph. His big-play ability will allow him to have some monstrous games, but he’ll be very inconsistent. He’s still being overdrafted.
Mike Wallace just went from Ben Roethlisberger to Ryan Tannehill. The latter has shown promise, but he’s not even close to Big Ben territory yet. Wallace’s numbers will take a dive in his new home.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 65 catches. 960 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 138.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 203.
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Kenbrell Thompkins, WR, Patriots. Bye: 10. 
AUG. 23 UPDATE: Kenbrell Thompkins saw at least double the targets (from Tom Brady) compared to any other Patriot receiver in the third preseason game. He opened this contest by beating Darius Slay for a 37-yard bomb in the first quarter. He ultimately finished with eight receptions for 116 yards. His only blemish was a dropped ball, but that can be ignored because he had so many positive moments throughout the evening. Thompkins, who couldn’t be jammed by any Lion corner, is shaping up to be a high-upside WR3 option.
AUG. 14 UPDATE: Kenbrell Thompkins is still taking first-team reps at training camp. Thompkins had a terrific preseason debut and can now be safely projected as the favorite to start at one of the receiver positions. I moved him to the No. 1 spot in my 2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers page.
Kenbrell Thompkins was the only Patriot receiver who had more than one target from Tom Brady against the Eagles. Thompkins, a rookie from Cincinnati, was thrown to four times. He hauled in all of those passes for 23 yards. It’s still way too early to determine if Thompkins can carry this over to the regular season, but he’s definitely worth a late-round fantasy flier.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 64 catches. 910 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 137.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 201.
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Lance Moore, WR, Saints. Bye: 7.
Lance Moore isn’t a particularly talented receiver, but there’s no denying that Drew Brees loves targeting him in the end zone. Excluding 2009 because he missed most of the year, Moore has 32 touchdowns in the past four seasons. Like all Saint players, he can be very hit-or-miss, but he’s a solid WR3 option.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 62 catches. 950 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 137.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 199.
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Stevie Johnson, WR, Bills. Bye: 12.
AUG. 2 UPDATE: Stevie Johnson has suffered a hamstring injury and will be out for the majority of the preseason. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, so this could leak into September.
Stevie Johnson goes from catching passes from a noodle-armed quarterback to a raw rookie signal-caller. This is a downgrade fantasy-wise, given that E.J. Manuel will run a bunch of touchdowns himself. Johnson’s fantasy numbers are bound to take a small hit.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 72 catches. 1,010 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 137.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 209.
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Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers. Bye: 5.
Mike Williams had a horrific sophomore campaign because he didn’t try very hard, but he put forth the effort in 2012 and consequently caught 63 balls for 996 yards and nine touchdowns. Draft him at your own risk though; his lethargy could easily resurface.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 64 catches. 940 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 136.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 200.
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Tavon Austin, WR, Rams. Bye: 11.
AUG. 18 UPDATE: Tavon Austin didn’t catch a single pass in his preseason debut, so the Rams made it their mission to get him involved early and often against the Packers. Austin, who played outside and in the slot, was targeted seven times, catching four balls for 28 yards. However, he dropped two balls and was whistled for a hold on a 9-yard run. On the bright side, he was open for a touchdown (Sam Bradford missed him) and later nearly scored again, but was tackled at the 1-yard line.
AUG. 9 UPDATE: Tavon Austin had a very disappointing debut. He was targeted just once, dropping the pass. Austin is being wildly overdrafted, so make sure to avoid him.
If any rookie wideout is going to produce, it’ll be Tavon Austin, who will be an instant starter as the slot receiver in St. Louis’ offense. Austin will play Danny Amendola’s role, and Amendola caught 63 passes for 666 yards in 11 games in 2012. Austin figures to be more durable than Amendola, so he’ll be a solid, late-round PPR option. Unfortunately, people are familiar with his name, so he’ll probably be overdrafted in your league. I’m always cautious with rookie receivers in fantasy.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 72 catches. 950 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 136.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 208.
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Kenny Britt, WR, Titans. Bye: 8.
AUG. 28 UPDATE: The Titans planned to use Kenny Britt in the preseason finale, but they’re opting to keep him sidelined because of swelling in his knee. Britt just can’t seem to get over his knee problems.
After showing promise by scoring nine touchdowns in 2010, Kenny Britt has been a huge disappointment. He played in just three games the following season and battled injuries last year. He also has some off-the-field stuff. He’s entering his contract season and will have to put forth his best effort. He’s finally healthy now, so it might be a good time to buy low.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 63 catches. 930 yards. 7 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 135.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 198.
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Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears. Bye: 8.
AUG. 24 UPDATE: Alshon Jeffery saw way more targets than any other Chicago starting wideout in the third preseason game. Eight balls came his way, and he managed to snag seven of them for 77 yards. His most memorable moment was when he caught a back-shoulder throw and made a juke move for a 22-yard gain. He nearly scored a touchdown as well, but had the misfortune of being tackled at the 1-yard line. Jeffery is in great shape this season and is shaping up to be a sound WR3. He’s one of my favorite 2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers.
AUG. 11 UPDATE: Alshon Jeffery saw two targets from Jay Cutler in the preseason opener, which tied the Bears’ team lead with Michael Bush. Jeffery has been working out hard this offseason, so it was nice to see his effort trickle into live game action. He has WR3 potential this year.
JULY 22 UPDATE: The knock on Alshon Jeffery in the past his been his effort, but he’s doing his best to quiet the critics. Jeffery has spent most of the offseason with Brandon Marshall, as the two trained together in Florida at the Fit Speed Athletic Performance facility. Jeffery is one of my favorite late-round fantasy sleepers.
Alshon Jeffery had his moments – a 3-80-1 line in the opener and a 4-76 outing in the finale – but didn’t do much in between because he suffered through two injuries. However, Jeffery has been working very hard this offseason, reportedly trimming down from 12-percent body fat to 8 percent. He’s a nice sleeper.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 66 catches. 980 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 134.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 200.
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Justin Blackmon, WR, Jaguars. Bye: 9.
AUG. 25 UPDATE: Chad Henne spent the majority of the opening drive of the third preseason tilt targeting Justin Blackmon, who had his way against Bradley Fletcher. Blackmon notched four receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown, though he dropped a pass from Matt Scott in the third quarter. Blackmon is out for the first four games of the season with a suspension, but he’s worth stashing because he can produce like a WR3 beginning in Week 5.
AUG. 18 UPDATE: Seeing his first action of the preseason, Justin Blackmon led all the starters in targets with four against the Jets. Blackmon will miss the first quarter of the season because of a suspension, but he’ll flirt with WR3 status upon his return, especially if Blaine Gabbert continues to show that he can be a functional quarterback. If you have dependable starting receivers, it might be worth it to take a gamble on Blackmon in Rounds 11-12 because you can use him in the event of an injury from Week 5 on.
JULY 20 UPDATE: Justin Blackmon underwent an operation on his groin, and it sounds like he’ll be limited during training camp. Considering that Blackmon will open the season with a suspension, it’s likely that he’ll have issues with his malady throughout his shortened season.
Justin Blackmon has been suspended for four games because he violated the substance abuse policy. Blackmon finished his rookie campaign on a very strong note – at least six receptions in his final four contests – but this was very discouraging. He’s still worth a pick in the Round 12 range though.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 59 catches. 820 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 133.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 192.
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Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers. Bye: 9.
Anquan Boldin registered 921 yards and four touchdowns last year. Nothing exciting. However, he exploded in the playoffs, catching 22 balls for 380 yards and four touchdowns in four contests. He was a beast. Is it a sign of things to come though? Probably not. Boldin should still be a decent fantasy option, but he’ll be 33 in October.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Stats: 67 catches. 930 yards. 6 total TDs.
Projected 2013 Fantasy Points: 129.
Projected 2013 PPR Fantasy Points: 196.
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - Wide Receivers (Sept. 4):
Top 10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-60 | 61-95 |
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More 2013 Fantasy Football Articles:
2013 Fantasy Football: Home
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/1 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: RUNNING BACKS - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/2 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/3 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/3 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/5 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 8/28 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Season Features:
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: PPR - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Reports - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Start Em, Sit Em - 12/26 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Add/Drop: Week 15 - 12/9 (Walt)
Week 14 Fantasy Football Start Em, Sit Em - 12/8 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Fan Duel Picks - 11/22 (Walt)
FanDuel FanDuel $15,000 Contest - 11/22
FanDuel Exclusive Offer to WalterFootball.com Readers - 8/24
FanDuel Week 1 $500 Freeroll - 8/24
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets (Printable Option):
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Traditional Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: PPR Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Touchdown Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: 2-QB Format - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/2 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, 3-WR, Flex - 9/2 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, PPR - 8/29 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, Standard - 8/22 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, Dynasty - 8/15 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 14-team, PPR - 8/8 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 3-WR - 8/1 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB - 7/26 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 14-teamer - 7/19 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/11 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 6/29 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Four-Man Mock - 6/13 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Articles:
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Quarterback Targets - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 8/28 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Busts - 8/28 (Walt)
2013 ESPN Fantasy Football Magazine: 10 Reasons Not to Buy It - 8/21 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football IDP Tips - 8/17 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy - 8/16 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Draft Boards for Sale - 6/13
2013 Fantasy Football All-Value Team - 6/9 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Hot Finishers - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Quarterbacks - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Running Backs - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Wide Receivers - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football: Overdrafted Players - 2/17 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football: First-Round Bust History - 2/17 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 2/17 (Walt)
2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 23
NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22
Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19
NFL Picks - Feb. 12
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Rank higher in PPR (points per reception) leagues
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Rank lower in PPR leagues
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