Tiered Wide Receiver Rankings: Top 20 in Fantasy Football

As you begin your initial preparation for the upcoming fantasy football season and your draft strategy, I present you with my 2014 wide receiver rankings, starting with numbers 1-20. Although of these rankings projections are for non-PPR leagues, players with a PPR boost will be noted.

I would also like to note, the rankings tiers are generally more important than the ranking numbers themselves. The tiers separate a distinct gap in value between players. For example, the first five wide receivers are what I consider to be the absolute best of the best at the position for fantasy football. In tier two you will find NFL players that I consider elite, but I would not group them along with the very best in the game. Tier three goes on to include NFL wide receivers with a little more risk or uncertainty, and a little less talent, and so on.

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Tier 1 Wide Receiver Rankings

1. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions

6'5”, 236 lbs
2013 Stats: 84 Rec - 1,492 yards - 12 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach – Jim Caldwell, Offensive Coordinator – Joe Lombardi

Nothing has changed at the top. Any receptions that Golden Tate may take away from Calvin Johnson should be countered by the fact that the Lions actually have a solid No. 2 that opposing defenses will need to cover. Megatron does have the occasional drop but besides that he really is the perfect WR.

There is a new head coach in Detroit this season but it's safe to say Johnson will remain the focal point of this offense. New head coach Jim Caldwell was previously the head coach in Indianapolis and most recently the offensive coordinator in Baltimore. Baltimore's offense actually struggled as a whole last season, but even if Detroit takes a step back I have no worries about Johnson.

2. A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals

6'4”, 207 lbs
2013 Stats: 98 Rec - 1,426 yards - 11 TD
Coaching Change: Offensive Coordinator – Hue Jackson

A.J. Green continues to get better and better. Unfortunately I think until he gets a better quarterback (if ever) his production has probably plateaued. The combination of Green and QB Andy Dalton can get shut down by teams with elite corners like the Browns (they held Green to nine receptions, 58 yards in both games combined last season). Against lesser teams the huge numbers will make up for it. It's worth noting that Green's new offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson, favored the run while he was the offensive coordinator and later the head coach in Oakland. He also never had a receiver nearly as talented as Green, who will be fine.

3. Brandon Marshall – Chicago Bears

6'4”, 230 lbs
2013 Stats: 100 Rec - 1,295 yards - 12 TD
Coaching Change: None

Some people will probably prefer Alshon Jeffery to Brandon Marshall in the preseason this year. Jeffery is good, but Marshall is clearly the preferred option in this offense. He had more targets, was more consistent, and was the go-to guy in the red zone. Both guys should be great again, but Marshall should be exceptional. Marshall has had 100 receptions or more in five of the last seven years making him a great PPR target. The two seasons in which he had under 100 catches were his two years in Miami.

4. Demaryius Thomas – Denver Broncos

6'3”, 229 lbs
2013 Stats: 92 Rec - 1,430 yards - 14 TD
Coaching Change: None

Breaking news: Elite QB + Elite WR = Elite production. Demaryius Thomas is in his prime and should continue to put up great numbers. The Broncos lost Eric Decker but gained Emmanuel Sanders and rookie Cody Latimer, which could cut into Thomas' targets a bit. Its hard to envision the Broncos offense and Thomas doing any better than last year, but expect greatness yet again.

5. Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys

6'2”, 222 lbs
2013 Stats: 93 Rec - 1,233 yards - 13 TD
Coaching Change: Passing Game Coordinator – Scott Linehan

Always a good sign: even when Tony Romo missed the last game of the season, it was business as usual for Dez - 8 catches on 13 targets for 99 yards and a TD. Without much experience below him on the depth chart, Dez will get lots of attention from defenders but lots of looks from Romo as well. New coordinator Scott Linehan previously served as offensive coordinator for the Lions in one of the most pass-happy offenses. That certainly bodes well for Bryant.

Tier 2 Wide Receiver Rankings

6. Alshon Jeffery – Chicago Bears

6'3”, 216 lbs
2013 Stats: 89 Rec - 1,421 yards - 7 TD
Coaching Change: None

As I said before, he is clearly the number two receiver for the Bears. He put up huge numbers last year but also lacked consistency. I would prefer more 100 yard games even if he doesn't give you the huge 200 yard performances.

A little more consistency and a few more TD's sounds like a reasonable projection for Jeffery, who is still developing at just 24 years old.

7. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons

6'3”, 220 lbs
2013 Stats: 41 Rec - 580 yards - 2 TD
Coaching Change: None

The Falcons found out very quickly just how important Julio Jones was to this team. The whole offense struggled without him. When Jones was healthy last year he didn't have a single bad game. He was on his way to a phenomenal season before the foot injury. There is a real concern that the after effects of that foot injury could linger into this season. With a talent like Jones, you have to take the risk because the reward is worth it. It's no guarantee going forward, but he was establishing himself as a great PPR player before the injury so keep that in mind on draft day.

8. Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers

6'3”, 217 lbs
85 Rec - 1,314 yards - 8 TD
Coaching Change: None

Last year Jordy Nelson saw an increase in production with career highs in receptions and yards. Without Rodgers throwing, Nelson had a harder time getting to the end zone. Seven of his eight TD's were with Rodgers as his QB. If Rodgers can stay healthy it should be a great season. At the same time, the Packers drafted three WRs. Along with the emergence of Jarrett Boykin,  Nelson may see a decrease in targets.

9. Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers

5'10”, 186 lbs
110 Rec - 1,499 yards - 8 TD
Coaching Change: None

Antonio Brown is pretty unique among the best at the wide receiver position because he is considerably smaller than the rest of the group. The diminutive Brown really took it to the next level last year without Mike Wallace, becoming the go-to target for Ben Roethlisberger and in-turn establishing himself as a top-level PPR player. He is a great possession guy who racks up yards after the catch. He's never been a big TD guy but if he can continue to get 100+ catches, he will find his way into the end zone.

10. Randall Cobb – Green Bay Packers

5'10”, 192 lbs
31 Rec - 433 yards - 4 TD
Coaching Change: None

Before fracturing his fibula, Randall Cobb was well on his way to a fantastic season with over 90 receptions and well over 1,000 yards. When he came back he was only used sparingly but showed he was healthy with two touchdowns in week 17. Despite the addition of three receivers in the draft and the emergence of Jarrett Boykin, Cobb will remain a top fantasy option opposite Jordy Nelson. One interesting stat: Cobb caught the highest percentage of targets out of any receiver last year. Should he stay healthy this year he will set career highs in every category with definite upside in PPR leagues.

11. Pierre Garcon – Washington Redskins

6'0”, 212 lbs
2013 Stats: 113 Rec - 1,346 yards - 5 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach – Jay Gruden, Offensive Coordinator – Sean McVay

Pierre Garcon is pretty similar to Brown in play style and actually led the NFL in receptions last year. He also finished second in yards after the catch. The Redskins now have DeSean Jackson, but he's always been more of a burner. The two should mix nicely without affecting much of Garcon's production.

Garcon had 174 targets last year which was second in the league. Under new head coach Jay Gruden's Bengal offense last year, A.J. Green was one of just three receivers to see more than 160 targets which is reason to believe Garcon should continue to see plenty of action. In PPR leagues, I wouldn't pay for 110+ catches again but he will still provide extra value.

12. Victor Cruz – New York Giants

6'0”, 204 lbs
2013 Stats: 73 Rec - 998 yards - 4 TD
Coaching Change: Offensive Coordinator – Ben McAdoo

After a great start to the season,  Victor Cruz ended up having the worst year in his brief career. A lot of things went wrong for the Giants. Cruz wasn't really to blame and I can't see Eli Manning having such a bad season again. Cruz should be a main benefactor if Manning regains his old form. Think of it this way: last year was pretty much a worst-case scenario for the Giants offense, so (assuming health) the 2013 numbers were as bad as it gets and it wasn't all that bad. Ben McAdoo is a first time offensive coordinator, having previously worked as a positional coach in the passing offenses of Green Bay.

13. DeSean Jackson – Washington Redskins

5'10”, 175 lbs
2013 Stats: 82 Rec - 1,332 yards - 9 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach – Jay Gruden, Offensive Coordinator – Sean McVay

DeSean Jackson is a bit of a wildcard. After having a career year in Chip Kelly's offense in Philadelphia things fell apart this off-season. A quick release resulted in Jackson playing for a main rival. In a new offense I would tend to expect numbers similar to his years prior to 2013. That is still a very good receiver. New coach Jay Gruden loves to pass and there should be plenty of yards to go around for both Garcon and Jackson. There are risks here including Jackson's potential personal issues and the health of his QB, but he is a phenomenal talent.

14. Vincent Jackson – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6'5”, 230 lbs
2013 Stats: 78 Rec - 1,224 yards - 7 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach – Lovie Smith, Offensive Coordinator – Jeff Tedford

Jackson has been an incredibly talented and dependable receiver for several seasons now. The only season he missed more than one game was due to a contract dispute, and not for health reasons. New head coach Lovie Smith is a defensive-minded coach, while offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford has never coached at the NFL level. Tedford has produced several talented receivers at the pro level, including DeSean Jackson and Keenan Allen. Working with Jackson should be no problem.

15. Andre Johnson – Houston Texans

6'3”, 230 lbs
109 Rec - 1,407 yards - 5 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator – Bill O'Brien

Andre Johnson finds himself in a less than ideal situation. His best case scenario as a Texan is having Ryan Fitzpatrick as his QB. There is a chance he could end up being traded, but for now he is the main component of the Texan's offense. He will see a lot of double coverage but in the last five seasons in which he played 16 games, he has recorded 100+ receptions in all of them, a nice bonus for PPR leagues. Whichever QB ends up starting for the Texans, he will lean on Johnson. He also has had just 11 TD in the past three seasons combined and has never hit double digits. New head coach and coordinator Bill O'Brien also called the plays during some of Tom Brady's most successful years. Even without a great quarterback situation, O'Brien should be able to make the most out of it.

Tier 3 Wide Receiver Rankings

16. Michael Crabtree – San Francisco 49ers

6'1”, 214 lbs
2013 Stats: 19 Rec - 284 yards - 1 TD
Coaching Change: None

While Anquan Boldin was very good at times last year, Michael Crabtree was sorely missed and is undoubtedly the best receiver on this team. When Crabtree came back from his torn achilles tendon at the start December, he looked a little slow.

He appeared to improve markedly over his last few regular season games and then torched Green Bay in the first round of the playoffs. I expect a lot more of that in 2014 when he starts the season fully healthy.

17. Keenan Allen – San Diego Chargers

6'2”, 211 lbs
2013 Stats: 71 Rec - 1,046 Yards - 8 TD
Coaching Change: OC – Frank Reich

In the first three games of the season Keenan Allen totaled three catches for 31 yards and was well off the fantasy radar. From week four onward, Allen was one of the best fantasy receivers in the game with 1,012 yards and eight TD's in the final 13 games. Should he continue at that pace or even make further progress he has a great chance to establish himself the same way that Alshon Jeffery did in year two. The Chargers new offensive coordinator Frank Reich has never been more than a position coach, so I'll be trusting Mike McCoy to make sure the offense doesn't change too much from last year.

18. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals 

6'3”, 218 lbs
2013 Stats: 82 Rec – 954 Yards – 10 TD
Coaching Change: None

After a frustrating 2012 season,  Larry Fitzgerald rebounded nicely last year. His 10 touchdowns were the most since the Kurt Warner days. The impressive stat you may not know: he had just one dropped pass on 129 targets. No one else in the top 40 in targets had fewer than three dropped passes. One other reason to be optimistic about the passing game as a whole: the Cardinals will be getting back 2013 first round pick Jonathan Cooper who missed his entire rookie season with an injury, and they also signed Jared Veldheer both of whom should provide major upgrades to an offensive line that struggled last season.

19. Torrey Smith – Baltimore Ravens

6'0”, 205 lbs
2013 Stats: 65 Rec – 1,128 Yards – 4 TD
Coaching Change: Offensive Coordinator – Gary Kubiak

Torrey Smith was one guy I was really excited about early on in the season. Through five games his lowest yardage total was 85 and he also torched the Bills for 166 yards and a TD in week four. After week five he would exceed 85 yards just once as the Ravens offense struggled as a whole. New offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak should be a big positive for the passing game. Yes the Texans were atrocious this past year, but they had been very good in the years prior. I also like the fact that the Ravens will have a reliable receiver with a veteran presence opposite Torrey Smith in Steve Smith. These factors combine to make me fairly optimistic that Torrey Smith will have a nice year in 2014.

20. Kendall Wright – Tennessee Titans

5'10”, 191 lbs
2013 Stats: 94 Rec – 1,079 yards - 2 TD
Coaching Change: Head Coach – Ken Whisenhunt, Offensive Coordinator – Jason Michael

Kendall Wright had an excellent sophomore season and really took a big step forward showing why he was a first round draft pick. Despite lacking a great QB, Wright finished seventh in receptions as well as eleventh in percentage of targets caught. He had only two touchdowns but if he gets to 1,000 yards again, he will find himself in the end zone more often. One big reason I am optimistic about Wright is the addition of Ken Whisenhunt as offensive coordinator. He revitalized Philip Rivers' career and turned San Diego into a great passing offense. If he can do the same in Tennessee, Wright has a great shot to beat his ranking here, especially in PPR leagues where he could eclipse 100 receptions.

Stay tuned for more analysis on NFL wide receivers, fantasy football rankings & all sorts of analysis to prepare for the 2014 fantasy football season.