Today's NFL is much more like a 7 on 7 competition than a 3 yards and a cloud of dust kind of football game. Most of the teams in the NFL if not all of them throw the ball quite a bit more than they run it and with all the rules protecting the quarterbacks and wide receivers, who could blame them.
Last year's wide receiver class showed that rookie wide receivers can come in and be very effective. There were 6 rookie wide receivers that had over 65 catches. New Oreleans' Brandin Cooks would have made it 7 if he would not have gotten injured and miss 6 games. In 10 games last season Cooks caught 53 passes and was on pace to catch around 80 passes.
This year's wide receiver class has 5 guys that should be on everybody's fantasy draft radar. They have the potential to be as good as the 2014 draft class.
2015 Rookie WR Top 5
- Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland
- Quarterback: Derek Carr 58.1%, 599 attempts
- WR Depth Chart: Penciled in as a starting wide receiver opposite Michael Crabtree, who the Raiders signed during the offseason.
- 2015 Predicted Stats of Top 3 receivers:
- Michael Crabtree: 75 catches
- Amari Cooper: 60+ catches
- TE Mychal Rivera: 48 catches
- Analysis: Amari Cooper is used to being the go to guy at Alabama and he will eventually become the go to guy in Oakland. He might be their go to guy this season. His production at Alabama was top notch. Cooper and Carr should be a great combo for many years to come.
- Nelson Agholor, WR, Philadelphia
Nelson Agholor looks to have a big rookie season in Philadelphia. - Quarterback: Sam Bradford 58.6%
- WR Depth Chart: Agholor is penciled in as a starting receiver, quite possibly their #1 receiver along with 2nd year receiver Jordan Matthews.
- 2015 Predicted Stats of Top 3 receivers
- Nelson Agholor: 65 catches
- Jordan Matthews: 70 catches
- TE Zach Ertz: 50 catches
- Analysis: With the departure of Jeremy Maclin there are a lot of catches to be made in this offense and Nelson Agholor is penciled in to be one of the starting wide receivers along with Jordan Matthews. Maclin caught 85 passes last season and Jordan Matthews caught 67 as a rookie. So Agholor should catch somewhere between 65-80 passes at least. The main problem in Philadelphia is the quarterback position. Head coach Chip Kelly tried to move up to get Marcus Mariota, so that tells you he isn't totally happy with the quaterbacks he has, but in his offense Agholor should get plenty of looks and have a very good year. Agholor is also a very good punt returner, averaging just over 10 yards per return at USC, but at this time Darren Sproles is penciled in as the starting punt returner.
- DeVante Parker, WR, Miami
Miami hopes that Parker will make a great receiver duo with Jarvis Landry - Quarterback: Ryan Tannehill, 66.4 completion percentage, 590 attempts
- WR Depth Chart: Newly acquired Kenny Stills is penciled in as the Dolphins #1 receiver, DeVante Parker is listed as the #2, and Jarvis Landry is listed as the 3rd receiver or slot receiver.
- 2015 Predicted Stats of Top 3 receivers
- Kenny Stills: 60-70 catches
- Jarvis Landry: 75-90 catches
- DeVante Parker: 60-70 catches
- Analysis: Two of the top three Dolphins leading receivers last season left during the offseason. Mike Wallace the team's leading receiver went to Minnesota, and tight end Charles Clay went to Buffalo. The Dolphins signed wide receiver Kenny Stills from the New Orleans Saints, tight end Jordan Cameron from the Cleveland Browns, and they drafted wide receiver DeVante Parker. Tannehill and Jarvis Landry already have a good rapport with each other and it will be interesting to see whether Stills or Parker become the 2nd leading receiver for the Dolphins. Tannehill is very accurate and he attempted 590 passes last season which ranked him 9th in the NFL.
- Breshad Perriman, WR, Baltimore
Perriman gives the Ravens offense more firepower with his great speed and play making ability. - Quarterback: Joe Flacco, 62% completion percentage, 341 attempts
- WR Depth Chart: Steve Smith Sr. is listed as the #1 wide receiver with Breshad Perriman listed as the #2 receiver.
- 2015 Predicted Stats of Top 3 receivers
- Steve Smith Sr.: 70+ catches
- Breshad Perriman: 60-70 catches
- Justin Forsett or tight end Crockett Gillmore: 40+
- Analysis: The Ravens lost two of their top three leading receivers last season in Torrey Smith to the 49ers and tight end Owen Daniels to the Broncos. Crockett Gillmore is expected to step in for Daniels, but he only caught 10 passes last season, so you wouldn't think he would catch as many passes as Daniels caught so that could open up more targets for Perriman. Perriman averaged 20 yards per catch last season in college, so he is a threat to make a big play every time he touches the ball.
- Kevin White, WR, Chicago
White will fill the void left by Brandon Marshall and help reenergize the Bears offense. - Quarterback: Jay Cutler, 66% completion percentage, 295 attempts
- WR Depth Chart: Alshon Jeffery will start the season off at the #1 spot and Kevin White will be the #2 wide receiver.
- 2015 Predicted Stats of Top 3 receivers
- Alshon Jeffery: 87 catches
- Matt Forte: 73 catches
- Kevin White: 60-70 catches
- Analysis: The Chicago Bears return their top 3 receivers from last season in running back Matt Forte, who led the team in receptions. Tight end Martellus Bennett was the second leading receiver and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was third on the team in receptions. Martellus Bennett is wanting a new contract this season and I think that will cause him to get upset if he doesn't get it which will open up some more catches for Kevin White to get. In the NFL your starting running back should not be your leading receiver I don't care who it is. I look for the Bears to make a more concerted effort to get the ball down the field to Jeffery and White.
What do you think??