Top 10 WR’s, by John Congemi:
#10) Dwayne Bowe: The 6’2 Bowe had an outstanding 2010 season, finishing with a career best 15 touchdowns and 19 plays of 20 yards or better. He was the big play receiver that Kansas City needed in their offense and totaled 1,162 receiving yards last year. Dwayne has the ability to make plays in traffic and turn jump balls into receptions.
#9) Hakeem Nicks: What I like about Hakeem is his athleticism. He came on strong in this second season with 79 receptions for 1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns. His big play ability helped the Giants stay in playoff contention down the stretch and 20 receptions over twenty yards makes him a dangerous receiver. He’s young and still learning just how good he can be!
#8) Mike Wallace: Wallace can change the entire momentum of a game with one reception. His 10 touchdowns lead all Steelers wide receivers and his big play ability makes it easy for Big Ben to sit in the pocket and deliver. His speed can get behind defenders and if you miss a tackle in single coverage, it’s six points! Wallace had 26 plus 20 yard gains this season and his 1,257 yards helped this offense move the football.
#7) Brandon Marshall: It was easy to see what a real #1 wide receiver can add to an offense. Marshall’s numbers were close to expectations (86 receptions for 1,014 yards) but the big plays and touchdowns (only three) were definitely missing! There were too many drops and not enough run after catch plays to put Brandon any higher on this list. Consistent quarterback play will only add to his 2011 production.
#6) Calvin Johnson: At 6’5 and 235 pounds, Johnson has the ability to take the football away from smaller defensive backs in the league. The fourth year wide receiver from Georgia Tech matched his career high with 12 touchdowns (2008) last season, and had a season long 87 yard score that showed how Calvin can stretch the field. A big target with great hands and on a team that is trending upwards.
#5) Greg Jennings: Some may say that number five is too high for Jennings, but I love Greg’s toughness and his dependability in making the difficult reception. A modest 76 receptions in 2010 for 1,265 yards, but add the 16.6 yard average, and you can see why I believe he’s so valuable to the Packers. Twelve touchdowns and 21 receptions for 20 plus yards, and six that went for over 40 yards in 2010.
#4) Roddy White: White has set the bar very high in Atlanta. Four straight 1,000 receiving yard seasons (1,389 yards in 2010) and a career best 115 receptions makes Roddy one of the most exciting players in the NFL. His explosiveness and ability to catch the ball over the middle makes Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan look his way quite often. This young combination is one that’s only going to get better over time.
#3) Larry Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald arguably has the most dependable pair of hands in the league. It’s hard to believe that 2010 marked his seventh season in the NFL. 90 receptions last year for 1,137 yards keeps pace with most of the upper echelon, and Larry has been able to keep his yardage numbers up (over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons, and five of last seven seasons) despite losing quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement. If the ball is close, it’s usually going to land in his grasp!
#2) Reggie Wayne: The best way to describe Reggie Wayne is dependable. Every time that you see the ball thrown in his direction, Colts fans are 100% confident he will make the play. Reggie had 111 receptions last season for 1,355 yards, and 13 plays of over 20-plus yards. His yardage production was the most since Indy’s 2007 run to capture the Vince Lombardi trophy. It’s also the fourth straight season that Reggie has eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark in receiving yards.
#1) Andre Johnson: He’s simply the best in my opinion and there’s not a close second! In 13 games last season, Johnson caught 86 passes for 1,216 yards and 8 touchdowns. Andre stretched the field 18 times for over 20 yards and five times for over 40! Size, speed, toughness and durability make him an easy choice to top my list. He’s a game changer and loves to use his big frame to overpower defensive backs. There’s not anything that the all-time greats did that Johnson can’t do on the football field.
