2006 WR rankings

Here are the 2006 keeper league WR rankings as of the middle of March... rookies are not included in the rankings until after the NFL draft. The number after the player's name indicates his age for a majority of the 2006 season. There will be updates as the offseason continues...

1. Larry Fitzgerald -- 23 -- evolved into the best young WR in the league... if Warner stays healthy, the addition of Edgerrin James only increases his value -- this is the #1 WR in fantasy
2. Steve Smith -- 27 -- I don't like Steve Smith. He's too small, he plays on a team with no #2 WR, and he has already lost a season to injury. That being said, he's a stud... a lock to be a top-10 fantasy WR
3. Chad Johnson -- 28 -- he's the #1 WR in the NFL, but with the injury to Carson Palmer, he falls a few spots... Johnson has already proven that it doesn't matter who throws him the ball, but he rose to elite status with Palmer calling the shots.
4. Terrell Owens -- 32 -- This Eagle landed in Dallas, and into a fantastic situation. The Cowboys needed a true #1 WR to complement Terry Glenn, and with the strong-armed Drew Bledsoe firing darts, TO should have two or three more elite years left... or he'll mentally implode and find himself delivering pizza by November.
5. Anquan Boldin -- 26 -- he'd probably be the #1 fantasy WR if he didn't have Larry Fitzgerald on the other side of the line... has racked up 259 catches in 40 career games. At that pace, he'll break Jerry Rice's career reception record by the time he's 35. Don't bet on 100 catches again, but 85-1300-12 is within reach.
6. Torry Holt -- 30 -- If Marc Bulger could stay healthy for a full season, Holt would be in the top tier of fantasy WR. He's been one of the most productive WR in the NFL over the last six years, and he is entering the career point where the speed diminishes, but the possession skills improve. Look for less catches, more TD this season, and beyond...
7. Reggie Wayne -- 27 -- He actually led the Colts in receptions with 83, but Marvin Harrison is still getting the looks in the red zone. That changes this season. The Colts invested big bucks into Wayne, and he'll respond with huge numbers. The loss of Edgerrin James will actually help the WR numbers in Indy...
8. Chris Chambers -- 28 -- already has good career numbers, and now has a franchise QB throwing to him... Chambers might not be a top-10 fantasy WR in 2006 because of Daunte Culpepper's injury, but he'll be among the elite in 2007 and afterward. Buy him cheap and hang on...
9. Hines Ward -- 30 -- The Steelers will always be a running team, but with the fantasy emergence of Ben Roethlisberger, Ward will continue to improve. He's quick enough to go the distance, and is a phenomenal possession receiver. He's in the middle of the prime years as a WR, so don't ask him for five more elite seasons, but expect three...
10. Randy Moss -- 29 -- He's still the most dangerous player on the field, but who will be throwing to him? If Joey Harrington lands in Oakland, Moss might move down 10 spots. Bid cautiously... huge upside if the Raiders sign a decent QB.
11. Andre Johnson -- 25 -- phenomenal talent, but was plagued by hamstring and leg injuries for almost all of 2005... if he stays healthy in 2006 and the Texans grab Reggie Bush in the draft, Johnson could be a top-5 WR. Johnson is a major sleeper in 2006... you'll never get him cheaper.
12. Roy Williams -- 24 -- This might be a little too high for him, but all Williams does is catch touchdowns in bunches. Now that he's going to have a decent QB throwing to him, he could join the elite. Having Charles Rogers and Mike Williams at his side doesn't help, but as long as the Lions look to him in the red zone, Roy's owners will be happy.
13. Marvin Harrison -- 34 -- He'll be the #2 target in Indianapolis in 2006, but he's racked up 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns for seven consecutive seasons... are you going to bet against him doing it again?
14. Plaxico Burress -- 29 -- Burress had an awful second half of the season, but his first half was good enough to make his overall numbers look decent. He developed a nice rapport with budding superstar QB Eli Manning, and Burress should be good for 80-1200-10 for the next few seasons.
15. Santana Moss -- 27 -- the poor man's Steve Smith, except the man wasn't so poor if he rode Moss's hot streak last season... odds are against Moss doing it again, but he's versatile enough to be a top-20 WR for several years. Mark Brunell's stats are sure to decline, and he will take Moss with him.
16. Javon Walker -- 28 -- coming off major knee surgery, I'm wondering if I have him ranked too high... if Brett Favre retires, Walker won't be a top-20 fantasy WR. He might not be anyways, at least not until 2007.
17. Darrell Jackson -- 27 -- it seems like he's been around forever, but he's only entering his 7th season... Jackson is always a health issue, but if he can stay on the field, you won't be disappointed in him 15 receivers into the draft. He was on pace for 101 catches last year, but expect 80-1200-9 in 2006 and you'll be happy...
18. Deion Branch -- 27 -- played a complete season for the first time in his career... barely missed 1000 yards on his 78 catches. He is due for a statistical increase, and I can see him moving into Santana Moss territory, with 85-1200-8 this year. If the injury bug comes back, jump ship.
19. Donte Stallworth -- 25 -- finally showed some skill after two disappointing seasons following a promising rookie year... Stallworth is one of the fastest WR in the NFL, and if he gets along with Drew Brees, the pair could put up gaudy numbers. Joe Horn will take a backseat to Stallworth in 2006, and Donte could jump up into tier 2 of fantasy WR.
20. Lee Evans -- 25 -- it all rests on the arm of JP Losman... if the two build rapport, Evans could score 20 touchdowns. Of his 96 career catches, 16 are touchdowns. He doesn't have a great presence inside the red zone because he's only 5'9", but he's a threat to score from anywhere.
21. Braylon Edwards -- 23 -- i know this is high, but once this kid recovers from a torn ACL, he could take the league by storm... Edwards is a 6'3" beast, who has the speed and vision to become a top WR in the NFL. Browns QB Charlie Frye will realize that Edwards should be a red zone terror. Watch the knee and bid accordingly...
22. Laveranues Coles -- 28 -- Coles actually put up decent numbers despite a season-long foot injury and playing with a terrible offense. The health of Chad Pennington will tell the tale on the 2006 season of Coles... keep in mind, he's caught 73 or more passes in four consecutive seasons.
23. Reggie Brown -- 26 -- he's young, he's agile and he's the new #1 target of Donovan McNabb... that makes him automatically a top-25 pick. Brown could surprise a lot of owners, depending on who lines up with him. With the Eagles RB catching so many passes out of the backfield, Brown should have room to test secondaries in 2006.
24. TJ Houshmandzadeh -- 29 -- be honest -- how many of you didn't draft him because you couldn't say his name? Housh's season rides on Carson Palmer's knee. Unlike Chad Johnson, who will catch 90 passes if I'm throwing the ball, Housh erupted once Palmer became the full time starter. If the knee is healed, mispronounce his name at the draft and laugh all season...
25. Donald Driver -- 30 -- Driver's touchdown total was cut in half after the injury to Javon Walker. While this isn't a good sign, it proves that he's a natural #2 receiver, but falters as the star. Even at that, if you can get a guy 25 WR into the draft that has gone 170-2429-14 in the last two seasons, that's acceptable...
26. Drew Bennett -- 28 -- since his explosion over the last five weeks of 2004, Bennett has been mediocre... he missed a few games to injury, but didn't come close to maintaining his pace from the season before. He's still a 6'5" receiver and should be the #1 target for whoever the Titans trot out at QB.
27. Derrick Mason -- 32 -- if Mason could find the end zone, he'd be a top-5 WR... he's averaged 86-1136 over the last five seasons, but has only scored 32 touchdowns, including three in 2005. Mason will continue to produce, as long as he can catch balls over the middle and turn the corner. Expect a season of 75-1000-5 and you won't get burned.
28. Rod Smith -- 36 -- his AARP application is in the mail, but he's still producing... Smith had his best season since 2001 last year, and who's to say he can't do it again? Over his nine years as a starter, he's averaged 86-1165. It says here that he has two more good seasons left.
29. Joe Horn -- 34 -- he's only one year removed from 94-1399-11 but he looked awful when healthy last year... It will be interesting to see how Horn's numbers will change with the arrival of Drew Brees. He's only been a starter for six years in the NFL, so he has a few more miles left on his legs.
30. Joey Galloway -- 34 -- he'll be 35 on November 20, so this might be too high for him... He revived his career in 2005 by posting 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns for the first time since 1998. If health stays on his side, there is no reason he can't do it again.
31. Nate Burleson -- 25 -- just terrible last year after a promising 2004... Burleson is still young, and seemed to become more interested once Brad Johnson took over the QB duties late in the year. A great sleeper pick 30 WR into your draft, because he could return to 2004 form.
32. Antonio Bryant -- 25 -- It pained me to see him sign with the 49ers, because I think he's a phenomenal talent who hasn't been given a chance to shine yet. Unless Alex Smith has a breakout season, it will be at least two years until Bryant is a major fantasy contributor.
33. Terry Glenn -- 32 -- could benefit greatly from the signing of TO... Glenn looked like the next big thing during his rookie campaign in 1996. The bad news is that 1996 was his best season. Don't expect a repeat of 1996, but his 2005 numbers of 62-1136-7 could be close.
34. Mike Williams -- 22 -- huge talent, bad system... Williams is an enigma. He's the physical clone to Terrell Owens, but his situation might prohibit him from becoming a star. With three 1st-round draft picks at WR, whoever throws for Detroit should single Williams out as the main red zone threat.
35. Jerry Porter -- 28 -- can't get over the 1000 yard hurdle, although he did catch 76 passes last year... Porter would benefit from a healthy Randy Moss and a decent replacement for Kerry Collins. He's still young enough to blow by defensive backs, but without a diversion, he's just an average receiver.
36. Ernest Wilford -- 27 -- rising star showed his nose for the end zone with seven touchdowns in only 41 catches... Wilford could take over as the #1 option for Byron Leftwich in 2006, and he will have several other weapons around him. He's another great sleeper pick this deep into the draft. Look for a minimum of 65-900-8 and you won't be disappointed.
37. Troy Williamson -- 24 -- I just like his size and his speed, and that's the only reason he's ranked this high. The Vikings had to see something in him when they passed on Mike Williams to grab him in the 2005 draft. I see it too, but he needs a chance... he'll be a star by 2008.
38. Kevin Curtis -- 28 -- I don't honestly know what Curtis is worth. If Isaac Bruce stays healthy and Curtis goes back to being #3, he could be completely worthless. Since that probably won't happen, he has value. Reminds me a little of ex-Bear Tom Waddle...
39. Mark Clayton -- 24 -- had a great December, but otherwise a rookie season to forget... Clayton has a chance to be a very good NFL WR, but he won't give too much in the fantasy world because of the system he plays in. He could catch 70-80 passes in 2006, but I'd be surprised to see more than five touchdowns.
40. Michael Clayton -- 24 -- a complete bust after a great rookie season... Clayton should be ranked higher, but I can't trust him to show up. If he's on, a return to 2004 numbers is attainable. If not, he'll drive you crazy again...
41. David Givens -- 26 -- he's still young, but he didn't do anything in New England to make me think he'll become a star... Givens is an average-sized, average-speed WR who might just need a starting job to produce. Or he might need a new profession.
42. Ashley Lelie -- 26 -- took a giant step back after a nice 2004 campaign... Lelie is still a deep threat, averaging 17.9 yards per catch, but he fell out of favor with Broncos coach Mike Shanahan early and never recovered. Look for him to bounce back, but proceed with caution.
43. Charles Rogers -- 25 -- Rogers has been called the most talented of the "big three" in Detroit, but he's played a total of 15 games in three seasons with the Lions. Let someone else take the chance that 2006 is the year he stays off IR.
44. Muhsin Muhammad -- 33 -- wow... what a difference a system can make. Went from 93-1405-16 in 2004 with Carolina to 64-750-4 in 2005 with Chicago. 2006 won't be much better, as the Bears will look to develop young WR talent. Avoid Muhammad and you'll be happy later.
45. Michael Jenkins -- 24 -- Andre the Giant could play WR for the Falcons and Michael Vick still couldn't hit him... Jenkins is 6'4" and has good hands, but he seems to be the victim of a bad passing QB system. If he were to pop up on another squad, he could be a top-25 WR. Until then, avoid all WR from Atlanta.
46. Brandon Lloyd -- 25 -- bad attitude preventing him from becoming a very good NFL player... The Redskins will have to tame Lloyd, and convince him that he'll play second fiddle to Santana Moss. If he responds well, he could put up nice numbers.
47. Matt Jones -- 23 -- I thought the Jaguars blew their first round pick, but it turns out Jones can play. He would probably be best suited as a TE on passing downs, and a WR otherwise, but Jacksonville wants to use him as a decoy. That's fine by me, as long as he scores.
48. Eric Moulds -- 33 -- The good: caught 494 passes in the last six years. The bad: he's 33 years old and Buffalo doesn't seem to want him. He still has some gas in the tank, but he'd be better suited as a possession receiver and red zone threat.
49. Cedrick Wilson -- 27 -- not what the Steelers thought they were getting... Wilson is an undersized WR with a huge contract, so Pittsburgh will try to mold him into a #2 WR opposite Hines Ward. Wilson doesn't block very well, so the experiment might fail.
50. Keyshawn Johnson -- 34 -- Recent rumors have him back in New York, but the charismatic WR isn't elite anymore. It'd be a bad idea for anyone to "give him the damn ball" in 2006.
51. Justin McCareins -- 27 -- now has two disappointing seasons under his belt in New York. McCareins was closer in 2005 to the deep threat that the Jets thought they had; 12 of his 43 catches went for more than 20 yards. If the Jets solve their QB woes, McCareins could finally have a 1000 yard season. Don't bet the farm on it, though...
52. Brandon Stokley -- 30 -- When the Colts offense tripped out of the gates, so did Stokley, and he never recovered. He didn't score until week 10, and then not again the rest of the season. He's the #3 option in Indy, and you can expect something between his 2004 and 2005 numbers. 53. Koren Robinson -- 26 -- Robinson made a great comeback from alcoholism and went to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner. That doesn't do squat for you in your fantasy league, but if the Vikes ever decide to use him as a #3 receiver, he could post nice digits. Still young enough to gamble on... but not while drinking....
54. Isaac Bruce -- 33 -- He's had a great career as a Ram, including seven seasons with more than 1000 yards. 2006 won't be his eighth, so avoid him like the plague.
55. Jabar Gaffney -- 25 -- Probably will start the season as the #3 WR in Philly, but could produce numbers as a deep threat. Gaffney had four eerily similar seasons in Houston, so I'm looking for a mild improvement.
56. Mark Bradley -- 24 -- Bradley missed a good chunk of his rookie year with an ACL injury. The Bears second round pick in the 2005 draft is a phenomenal athlete, who could flourish if Rex Grossman stays healthy. This could be a sleeper for 2007.
57. Tyrone Calico -- 25 -- I gushed over Calico's size and speed after the 2003 NFL draft, but he's produced nothing in three seasons. Injuries and lack of a starting spot have inhibited his progress. If he can stay on the field, he could be the bounce back player of the year.
58. Chris Henry -- 23 -- Henry had six touchdowns in his rookie season and gave Carson Palmer a big target as a #3 WR. He will continue to improve and force the Bengals to use more three receiver sets. If Palmer is 100%, Henry could give you 55-600-7 or better. A good gamble for the future.
59. Samie Parker -- 25 -- disappointing season after all of the preseason hype... Parker was bothered by leg injuries for part of the season. The Chiefs passing offense wasn't up to the levels of the previous three years, and don't look for an immediate rebound.
60. Roddy White -- 24 -- see #45 Michael Jenkins... except White is 6'0" and faster than Jenkins. Otherwise, same situation...
61. Eddie Kennison -- 33 -- still gets behind the defenders, even at 33... Kennison has back-to-back seasons of 1000+ yards, and he's averaged more than 15 yards per carry each of the last five years. Even with those numbers, avoid him. It won't continue.
62. Amani Toomer -- 32 -- had a nice run between 1999-2003, and his seven touchdowns will tease people, but this Toomer has burst... look younger for your #4 or #5 fantasy WR.
63. Bryant Johnson -- 25 -- the third wheel on a two-wheel bicycle... Johnson has a ton of talent, but the two WR in front of him aren't bad either. If he gets into the lineup somehow, he'll be a top-30 WR. If not, just more of the same.
64. Joe Jurevicius -- 31 -- Cleveland? He's going to Cleveland? Jurevicius finally had a monster season in 2005, scoring 10 touchdowns and providing the Seahawks with a much needed red zone target. So he signs with Cleveland. Check, please...
65. Robert Ferguson -- 26 -- Watch Ferguson closely. He is Javon Walker, circa 2003. All he needs is a chance to play, and he could erupt into a superstar. Ferguson has put up consisent, unspectacular numbers as a #3 WR for the last four seasons. Is this his year?
66. Jimmy Smith -- 37 -- another great career along the lines of Rod Smith, coming to an end... Smith is hanging on for dear life now, but his final numbers of 70-1023-6 don't look too bad. The Jaguars have several options waiting in the wings to take over the #1 spot, and I'd be surprised if Smith is any better than #3 by the time the 2006 season ends.
67. Reche Caldwell -- 27 -- another receiver that I've been singing praise for over the last three years, yet he's amounted to nothing... The only reason he cracks the top-70 is that Tom Brady throws to everyone, so he could catch five touchdowns on accident.
68. Arnaz Battle -- 26 -- Battle is nothing special, especially playing for the 49ers. He's another tall Notre Dame WR that hasn't amounted to much in the NFL yet. 2006 shouldn't be any different.
69. Antwaan Randle El -- 27 -- The Redskins gave him a giant contract, so you'd be inclined to think they'll use him. With Santana Moss, he'll be part of the shortest starting WR unit in the NFL. He's valuable on punt returns, but that doesn't get you far...
70. Marty Booker -- 30 -- scored two touchdowns in the last three weeks to save an otherwise miserable season... The addition of Daunte Culpepper can't hurt him.