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Posted by Sean in Fantasy Advice, First Look, Rank, Ranks, Wide Receivers on Jan 10th 2010 (Print This)
Fitzgerald plays his best ball in the post season.
The NFL has changed into a passing league. More and more teams are turning to shot-gun, 3 wide receiver set formations. Minnesota, New Orleans, Indy and Zona are the four best spread offenses in the league. They are super saturated with play-makers and more frequently than not, line up in 3 WR sets. Play-maker saturation leads to target dilution, but none of these squads will be playing an overly imposing defense. Divisional week should be an aerial show. The Green Bay vs. Arizona battle was one of the best playoff games the league has ever seen. Expect continued fireworks in the Divisional Match-Ups.   Â
 New Orleans vs. Arizona:
We expect little defense in this one. New Orleans has done well all season in keeping opposing passer’s stats down, but they will have much difficulty with Kurt Warner. If you blitz him, he’ll make you pay. Anquan Boldin’s absence was made irrelevant by the play of Steve Breaston and Early Doucet. Both players made FFB’s Playoff Sleeper List and did not disappoint. Warner is at home in the post season. He continues to pad his stats and add to his resume for an eventual Hall of Fame application. Beanie Wells has added another dimension to this team. The run game will only help open up the passing lanes. Drew Brees and the Saints had perfection in their sites, but since their first defeat to the Cowboys, they’ve looked like mere mortals. Coming into the playoffs cold does not bode well for any team. The Saints are coming off three straight losses, two to clearly inferior teams. Sean Payton has implemented a committee approach at every specialty position. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are both fantastic receiving backs. Jeremy Shockey and Dave Thomas will both see playing time this weekend, leaving the wide-outs will fewer targets to be divided. Colston is Brees’ clear go-to-guy. Robert Meachem has leap-frogged Devery Henderson as Brees’ secondary receiver. He has home run speed and always makes the most of his touches. He’s only had one 100-plus yard game this season, but has found the end-zone 9 times.
Wayne will take advantage of a banged up Baltimore secondary.
Baltimore vs. Indy:
Baltimore was able to effectively shut down Tom Brady and the Patriots aerial assault, but their secondary remains banged up. Ed Reed is the best safety in the league, but he’s only one man. The Colts are at full strength. Pierre Garcon has been dealing with a hand injury, but appears ready to go. Rookie Austin Collie has been a quick study, and has made early sense of the notoriously complicated Indy playbook. Dallas Clark will command the middle of the field, allowing Indy’s supporting cast to take advantage of inferior coverages. Joe Flacco completed a measly 4 passes for 34 yards and 1 INT vs. the Pats. The Ravens got off to an early lead and could afford to lean soley on their ground game. They will not have that luxury vs. the Colts. Derrick Mason remains their only true receiving threat. Todd Heap has stepped up down the stretch, but exited the Wild Card match-up with a 4th quarter injury. If he is unable to play, Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams will be forced to step up. We’re not openly optimistic about their contributions. Ray Rice continues to be the team’s second leading receiver. He’ll have to make contributions on the ground and in the air for the Ravens to have a shot.
1) Larry Fitzgerald – ARI – WRÂ He lives for post season play.
2) Reggie Wayne – IND – WRÂ Will be facing a vulnerable Baltimore secondary.
3) Miles Austin – DAL – WRÂ Has emerged as one of the most complete wide-outs in the game.
4) Marques Colston – NOR – WRÂ New Orleans’ best red-zone option.
5) Sidney Rice – MIN – WRÂ Favre’s favorite target.
6) Steve Breaston – ARI – WRÂ Ranked as if Boldin is out.
7) Vincent Jackson – SDC – WRÂ The Revis Effect.
8) Robert Meachem – NOR – WRÂ 9 TDs this season. Should find pay-dirt again.
9) Percy Harvin – MIN – WRÂ Rookie of the Year will show why in potential shoot out.
10) Derrick Mason – BAL – WRÂ The only bright spot in the Raven’s passing attack.
11) Early Doucet – ARI – WRÂ Ranked as if Boldin is out.
12) Austin Collie – IND – WRÂ Peyton has shown confidence in the rook.
13) Roy E. Williams – DAL – WRÂ Better suited in the WR2 role.
14) Pierre Garcon – IND – WRÂ Should be back in starting line-up after struggling with hand injury.
15) Jerricho Cotchery – NYJ – WRÂ The best option on a run-first team.
16) Bernard Berrian – MIN – WRÂ Has yet to get on same page with Favre.
17) Devery Henderson – NOR – WRÂ Fallen behind Meachem.
18) Braylon Edwards – NYJ – WRÂ Continues to drop balls.
19) Malcom Floyd – SDC – WRÂ Needs to step up if VJack struggles.
20) Mark Clayton – BAL – WRÂ Will have to step up if Baltimore falls behind.
21) Patrick Crayton – DAL – WRÂ Has shown potential in part-time duty, but limited snaps lower his rank.
22) Brad Smith – NYJ – WRÂ Specialty man to see more snaps.
23) Legedu Naanee – SDC – WRÂ If Revis deletes VJack from relevance, the Chargers will look for another play-maker.
24) Demetrius Williams – BAL – WRÂ Should remain on fantasy benches.
25) Jerheme Urban – ARI – WRÂ Lost spot to Early Doucet.
26) Anquan Boldin – ARI – WRÂ Status in question.
27) Lance Moore – NOR – WRÂ Expected Out.
Dallas vs. Minnesota:
Rice will have to step up for the Vikes to keep pace with the red-hot Cowboys.
Minnesota has an imposing front four, but their secondary is susceptible. Tony Romo is playing the best ball of his career. Dallas is the arguably the hottest team heading into divisional week. Miles Austin has turned into a premiere play-maker. He has the prototypical body that makes him a red-zone threat, but also has the toughness and possession skills to go underneath and over the middle. He’s a top 5 WR heading into 2010. He had his way with Asante Samuel last week. Minny has no one near the caliber of Samuel at corner. Austin’s emergence has allowed Roy Williams to slide into the WR2 spot. He lacks the talent and is too inconsistent to be a WR1, but appears to be finding his groove in the supporting role.  Brett Favre has allowed the Vikings to become two dimensional. Adrian Peterson will open up the play-action pass. The veteran has made super stars out of the young an inexperience talents of Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. Harvin has been on and off the injury report all season with “illness”. He has been reported to be suffering from bulging discs and recurring migraines, but is fully expected to participate in this week’s action. When Favre signed with the Vikes, fantasy owners salivated over the combination of Bernard Berrian’s deep speed, with Favre’s big arm. But injuries and inconsistencies has prohibited the two from developing growing relationship. Sidney Rice has emerged as Favre’s primary target. He has the prototypical size, has displayed excellent concentration and ball skills this season. He’s made the leap into week-in and week-out production.
San Diego vs. New York Jets:
The Main Event: Vincent Jackson vs. Darrelle Revis.
The New York Jets appear to be the only dominant defense left in the playoffs. Sanchez has experienced growing pains, but the Jets are not like any other team left standing. They are the only old-school style of team that relies heavily on a run-first approach and strong, smash-mouth defense. Darrelle Revis is the real deal. He continues to completely delete opposing team’s primary pass-catcher. Vincent Jackson has the challenge of facing the leagues best shutdown corner. This will be the most intriguing corner vs.wide-out battle of the week. Don’t expect much from the Jet receivers as the offense will continue to revolve around the two-headed monster of Tommy Jones and Shonn Greene. Brad Smith will continue to see added time in specialty situations. Cotchery is the teams most consistent wide-out but too many factors lower his ceiling. Braylon’s handle problems have followed him from Cleveland. He dropped yet another sure-fire TD in last week’s win over the Bengals. His labile production warrants concern. Malcom Floyd has struggled despite his size and stature providing him with mis-matches on paper. With Jackson drawing Revis, he’ll be forced to step up. Legedu Naanee is a name that may be mentioned if San Diego’s aerial attack suffers, but he’s too much of a long shot to be depended upon.
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