Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Training camp positional battles: Wide receivers

August 12, 2008 @ 16:36:40

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Herija C. Green and Cory J. Bonini

With training camps around the league underway, dozens of battles are already being fought for the right to playing time when the real games begin in September. Each of these battles is unique and varies in its fantasy impact. We have highlighted some of the important competitions taking place in August with a brief analysis giving our take on the situation.

Wide receivers

Arizona Cardinals: Steve Breaston vs. Early Doucet vs. Jerheme Urban vs. Sean Morey

The speedy Breaston is the early leader in this battle for the No. 3 job in Arizona, leading the team with 50 receiving yards in their preseason opener. Doucet (hamstring) was a third-round pick this year and looked good early in the camp. However, a hamstring injury has hampered him recently, and he did not play in the team's first preseason game. Urban experienced a decent 2007 season, though it was nowhere near productive for fantasy purposes (329 yards, two touchdowns). Morey, a special teams maven, has managed to hang around the NFL despite catching only 11 passes in seven years. Look for Breaston to win the job, though Doucet could give him a run for his money. The winner has value as weak No. 5 receiver.

Projected Winner: Steve Breaston

Atlanta Falcons: Laurent Robinson vs. Michael Jenkins vs. Joe Horn

Robinson appears to have pulled ahead of Jenkins and Horn for the No. 2 job in Atlanta. He has a big body and has been catching everything early in practice. With receiver Roddy White on the other side, Robinson could face a lot of single coverage and appears to have the speed to burn defenders. However, quarterback issues mean Robinson isn't anything more than a solid No. 5 receiver with modest upside.

Projected Winner: Laurent Robinson

Baltimore Ravens: Demetrius Williams vs. Mark Clayton

New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron likes to utilize big receivers in his offense, which seems to favor Williams (Achilles'). Williams (6-foot-2, 197 pounds) has been bothered by an Achilles' tendon injury early in camp, which could slow down his development in a new offense. He has flashed some potential - 160 yards, two touchdowns in the final three games of 2006 - but is unproven and injury-prone at this point. Clayton disappointed in 2007 after accounting for 939 yards and five touchdowns in 2006, though he was hampered by injury and personal problems. We expect the winner of this job has value solely as a decent No. 5 receiver.

Projected Winner: Demetrius Williams

Buffalo Bills: James Hardy vs. Josh Reed

With the smallest receiving corps in the league last season, the Bills needed to add size this offseason. Rookie receiver Hardy provides great size at 6-foot-5, 212 pounds, and he could be an intriguing red zone target. His competition, Reed, turned in a decent season last year (51 receptions, 578 yards), but he failed to score and has done little to suggest he deserves to be drafted in fantasy leagues. Look for Hardy to start, but he will likely share some snaps with Reed until he picks up the offense. Hardy could prove to be a waiver wire pickup during the season. We expect Reed to win the job, but Hardy should see increased playing time as the season wears on.

Projected Winner: Josh Reed

Carolina Panthers: Muhsin Muhammad vs. D.J. Hackett

Muhammad returns to the Panthers after a three-year stint with the Chicago Bears. His best days are likely well behind him, but he should help the offense in other ways. He is a great blocker who has experience with head coach John Fox's offense. Fox is aiming to feature a power-running game, which increases the value of Muhammad's blocking. In addition, Muhammad is familiar with quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow). Hackett was productive when on the field for the Seattle Seahawks, but he appeared in only 33 of a possible 48 games over the last three years. Yet, including the playoffs, he had a six-game stretch (interrupted by an injury) where he caught 37 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns. Expect Muhammad to win the starting job, but look for Hackett to return similar value as low-end No. 5 receivers.

Projected Winner: Muhsin Muhammad

Chicago Bears: Marty Booker vs. Brandon Lloyd vs. Mark Bradley vs. Devin Hester

With both of their top receivers from 2007 playing elsewhere, the Bears are staging an open competition at wide receiver. Booker is a possession guy in a similar mold to receiver Muhsin Muhammad (Carolina Panthers) and has by far the most experience. Hester appears like a favorite for a starting spot as the dangerous return man provides a home run threat every time he touches the ball. Lloyd has not scored a touchdown since 2005 and disappointed with only 25 catches in two years with the Washington Redskins. Bradley (knees) has four touchdowns in limited time the last two years but injuries have derailed his young career to this point. The starters don't matter; don't count on anything more than No. 5 fantasy numbers. Lloyd should start opposite Booker, but Hester is the real wildcard here.

Projected Winners: Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd

Cincinnati Bengals: Jerome Simpson vs. Andre Caldwell vs. Antonio Chatman vs. Marcus Maxwell

The two rookie receivers, Simpson and Caldwell, were brought in with the short-term goal of helping to replace wide receiver Chris Henry. However, Simpson, their second-round pick, has struggled early in camp while Caldwell, a third-rounder, may be brought along more slowly. This means Chatman or Maxwell will likely have the best shot at the No. 3 job early in the season. No one in this group is a fantasy threat just yet, and they should therefore be considered only as potential waiver wire pickups. Chatman figures to be the early winner, but the moment another wideout steps up at all likely is the moment Chatman is benched.

Projected Winner: Antonio Chatman

Dallas Cowboys: Sam Hurd vs. Miles Austin

Third-year receivers Hurd and Austin are battling to be the third receiver in Dallas. Austin had an impressive offseason and is a more complete route runner with higher top-end speed. Hurd, on the other hand, is more consistent and has better hands. With receiver Terry Glenn released, Austin could be the speed threat the Cowboys were looking for last year. Austin has received some work with the first team and looks to be ahead of Hurd following his 64-yard performance during their first preseason contest. Whoever wins this job could be an intriguing name to follow on the waiver wire. Hurd is expected to be the victor, but you can expect to see Austin to receive work as a deep threat.

Projected Winner: Sam Hurd

Denver Broncos: Keary Colbert vs. Darrell Jackson vs. Eddie Royal

Colbert was a disappointment during his last three years with the Carolina Panthers after he caught 47 passes for 754 yards and five touchdowns during his rookie year (2004). Jackson, meanwhile, is just one season removed from catching 63 passes for 956 yards and 10 touchdowns. His poor 2007 numbers could have been because of the San Francisco 49ers' weak passing game. Both players should receive a short-term boost with receiver Brandon Marshall suspended for at least two games to begin the season. Royal is another player who has inserted himself into this battle with some strong play in camp, but he lacks experience. Look for Jackson to remain the starter once Marshall returns, and as such Jackson has value as a No. 5 receiver. Early on, Colbert has the leg up on Jackson, but we like Jackson to emerge early in the season.

Projected Winner: Darrell Jackson

Jacksonville Jaguars: Reggie Williams vs. Troy Williamson

Williams (knee) likely has the edge after he turned in a surprising performance in 2007 with 629 yards and 10 touchdowns. Williamson was acquired after disappointing during his time with the Minnesota Vikings. He is a speedy receiver that suffers from concentration problems and dropped balls. With Williams missing time due to a knee injury, Williamson has received some time with the first team offense in camp. Williams should still win out and is a high-end No. 5 receiver with some upside. Williamson could be a waiver-wire pickup later in the season depending on how well he responds to the much-needed change of scenery.

Projected Winner: Reggie Williams

Kansas City Chiefs: Devard Darling vs. Jeff Webb vs. Will Franklin

Darling has received the starting gig early in camp, though he has not done enough to separate himself from Webb or Franklin. Darling is bigger and faster than Webb, though Webb has better hands. This could mean Webb is better suited as a fourth receiver, where the team appears to prefer him. Franklin is a rookie who has been used as the slot receiver when the Chiefs spread out in their three-wide formation. With Franklin inexperienced, it appears as though Darling is the favorite to win the No. 2 job across from receiver Dwayne Bowe. View Darling as a late-round flier in deep leagues if he is named the starter.

Projected Winner: Devard Darling

New England Patriots: Jabar Gaffney, Chad Jackson vs. Kelley Washington

With the departure of receiver Donte' Stallworth (Cleveland Browns), the Patriots have opened up the competition for the No. 2 spot in their offense - receiver Wes Welker generally works out of the slot. Gaffney showed a marked improvement during his second year in New England. He established a rapport with quarterback Tom Brady as the season developed, scoring in four of his last six games as well as surpassing 80 yards three times during that stretch. Jackson and Washington did not catch a pass for the Patriots last year, though they could be waiver-wire pickups later in the season given how prolific New England's passing game can be. Assuming Gaffney wins the job, view him as a No. 5 receiver with mild upside.

Projected Winner: Jabar Gaffney

San Francisco 49ers: Arnaz Battle vs. Ashley Lelie vs. Jason Hill

Receivers Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson appear to have the top two spots locked up, opening a three-way battle for the No. 3 job. With offensive coordinator Mike Martz in town, whoever wins the job could receive a substantial amount of targets. Battle has the most experience of the three. He has registered 1,286 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns in 32 games (30 starts) over the last two seasons. Former first-round pick Lelie caught just 10 passes for 115 yards last year, while Hill has just one career reception. Battle is likely the early favorite with Hill and Lelie working as the fourth and fifth receivers, respectively. However, Battle is still a No. 6 receiver, at best.

Projected Winner: Arnaz Battle

Seattle Seahawks: Ben Obomanu vs. Courtney Taylor vs. Logan Payne vs. Jordan Kent

With receiver Deion Branch (knee) expected to miss the beginning of the season recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, these four receivers are competing to see who will replace him early on. However, the loss of wideout Bobby Engram (shoulder) for six to eight weeks blows this battle wide open. Obomanu is entering his third season with the club while the other three joined Seattle last year, though only Taylor appeared in a game. As expected, Obomanu and Taylor have the inside track on the job. Don't discount Payne or Kent, though. Payne has good size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) and great hands, while Kent is 6-foot-4 and has world class speed. However, Kent is a bit raw as he only started playing football during his senior year at the University of Oregon. Regardless of how this turns out, none of these players should be considered anything more than marginal No. 5 options. View Taylor as the expected starter at flanker while Engram is out, and the return of Branch will shuffle this situation again.

Projected Winner: Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Michael Clayton vs. Maurice Stovall vs. Ike Hilliard vs. Antonio Bryant

The Buccaneers are looking for one of these four receivers to step up to take pressure off of No. 1 receiver Joey Galloway. Stovall boasts great size (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) and leaping ability, and the third-year wideout could become a solid red zone target. Bryant, a former 1,000-yard receiver, is an intriguing option. He had a very good offseason program and is returning to the NFL after not playing in 2007. This should be Clayton's last chance after failing to do much since his productive rookie campaign back in 2004. Hilliard is a steady veteran, but he lacks speed and is almost exclusively a possession receiver. Consider whoever wins this job to a decent No. 5 receiver with Bryant and Clayton holding the most potential upside of the group.

Projected Winner: Michael Clayton

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Author Bio

Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.