May 23, 2017

RotoBaller's Frankie Soler continues ranking every NFL team's wide receivers for 2017 based on their fantasy value with a look at the AFC North.

We continue our ranking of every NFL team's receiving corps with a focus on the AFC North. If you're keeping track, each piece dives into one division at a time followed by a conference ranking before ultimately settling on a full #1-32.

This week's edition will be very top-heavy with the #1 spot going to an obvious favorite. Still, there are some other fantasy options to be had albeit to a much smaller degree. Since we're still in May, expect the usual pre-season changes to cause some fluctuation as we get closer to September. Let's keep it going.

Keep tabs on Rotoballer's NFL page for the latest reaction and analysis to free agent moves in order to stay ahead of the game.

AFC North Receiver Ranks

4. Cleveland Browns

1) Corey Coleman
2) Kenny Britt
3) Rashard Higgins
4) Ricardo Louis

Oh boy, do the Cleveland Browns have an undesirable situation at wide receiver. You can effectively throw out the bottom two here with Rishard Higgins and Ricardo Louis. The odds of either of them stepping up into any sort of meaningful fantasy role in 2017 are beyond a long shot. It's safe to just move right along to Corey Coleman and Kenny Britt.

Not only is this the Browns we're talking about, one of the more unpredictable teams to begin with, but the combo of Coleman and Britt is a tough one to figure out. On one hand you have Coleman, the presumed incumbent No. 1 receiver due to team seniority. On the other, recent signee Kenny Britt has the tools to overtake the top spot as early as week one. In fact, Britt was actually a very underrated fantasy asset in 2016. He put up WR3/flex worthy numbers on a Rams team that was absolutely dreadful on all offensive fronts. The unfortunate truth here is that this is one of those situations that is pretty much impossible to foresee.

Coleman only played in 10 games last year with a low total of 413 yards with three touchdowns. Britt matched that TD total in Los Angeles but racked up 701 yards in the process. The best bet is to avoid this situation altogether but if you really want some deep, deep fantasy value, look to the more proven and underrated Britt for possible flex value.

3. Baltimore Ravens

1) Mike Wallace
2) Breshad Perriman
3) Chris Moore
4) Chris Matthews

Once again we find ourselves in a situation where the lower half of the depth chart is simply useless for fantasy purposes. Chris Moore and Chris Matthews combined for a grand total of 100 yards in 2016. Nothing else to see here.

Breshad Perriman had some potential as a 2016 rookie but never really broke through. He only managed 499 yards and three scores on 33 receptions. It was a far cry from useful fantasy production by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, some newfound holes in the offense might open up some new opportunities for Perriman. The No. 2 receiver by default, Perriman is going to have to produce in terms of real life NFL football if the Ravens want to make any sort of noise on offense. You won't want to draft Perriman too early in redraft leagues but definitely keep your eye on him later on as he could make a great value pick.

Mike Wallace has himself a clear path to being a useful WR2 for fantasy in 2017. In fact, he actually put up WR2 numbers this past season even with Steve Smith on the field. Wallace has always been a boom-or-bust player with blazing speed hampered by hands of stone. Think of him as a poor man's DeSean Jackson with better health. Wallace is definitely worthy of a mid-to-late round selection in most leagues although he does have the potential to be over drafted. There's a good chance an owner might outsmart himself by thinking Mike Wallace is poised for a huge year since he's locked into the top spot on a desperate offense. The more likely scenario, however, is that the Ravens continue to struggle on that side of the ball with Wallace being moderately useful.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

1) A.J. Green
2) Brandon LaFell
3) John Ross
4) Tyler Boyd

Finally we find ourselves in a situation to talk about some more significant fantasy weapons. Despite an injury plagued 2016, A.J. Green is still locked in as a WR1 for the upcoming fantasy season. The correct approach in analyzing Green's outlook is to look at his previous few years when he was able to stay on the field. In 2015, Green had a line of 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns on 86 receptions. Outside of last year, Green has never dipped lower than 1,000 receiving yards or six touchdowns. There's no worries about his 2017 outlook.

Brandon LaFell might be listed as No. 2 on the depth chart but John Ross is the name you want to shift your attention to. LaFell has shown some flashes of productivity but he's never really maintained consistent fantasy value. LaFell had upside in Carolina and New England before ending up in Cincinnati. Wherever he's gone, however, he's been a far cry from reliable. Rookie John Ross has a big opportunity to be a legit option for Andy Dalton, locking them into a solid one-two punch for NFL purposes. As far as fantasy is concerned, Ross is going to have to exceed rookie expectations in order to make your lineup. He's more of a dynasty league prospect who deserves a deep look in redraft leagues.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

1) Antonio Brown
2) Martavis Bryant
3) JuJu Smith-Schuster
4) Sammie Coates

A surprise to no one, the Pittsburgh Steelers claim the top spot in the AFC North's wide receiver analysis. The Steelers have the luxury of having one of the most talented receivers in the NFL on their roster in Antonio Brown. I don't need to tell you that Antonio could easily be the first receiver off the board in every format. He was top-five in every receiving category that matters with only Larry Fitzgerald ahead of him in terms of total receptions. There really isn't much else that needs to be said about Brown.

Martavis Bryant returns from a year-long suspension where he slides back into the No. 2 role. Bryant will have to keep himself out of trouble to be a factor in fantasy, but obviously we'll have to assume he does so. Prior to his suspension, Bryant had a knack for finding the end zone with 14 touchdowns over the course of 21 games. Always a candidate for being over-drafted, Bryant should be viewed as a high-end WR3/flex play with considerable upside. Outside of the chance for more drug issues, Bryant is poised for a big year.

Technically speaking, Bryant does have some competition from JuJu Smith-Schuster as far as target share is concerned, JuJu could even challenge Bryant for second on the depth chart should Bryant run into some rust. The more likely scenario, though, is JuJu putting up good enough numbers to be useful in fantasy even in his rookie year. It's rare that a team has the potential to boast three receivers who can contribute in fantasy but the Steelers definitely have an opportunity to do so. Sammie Coates is likely to be the odd man out barring an injury to one of the top three and Eli Rogers will see time in the slot, but isn't a big threat. Overall, expect some massive firepower from the Pittsburgh offense in 2017.

Be sure to keep up with the rest of this series to see how our rankings shake out, starting with the AFC East.