When going through my wide receiver rankings, one important thing to do is review the fantasy points allowed by position. This can be found on several sites including the Ask the Commish website.
This site aggregates, by team, the fantasy points allowed by position. For example, in the link provided, I have sorted the Points (WR) column by best defense to the worst defenses against WR. In other words, it is sorted by teams with the best defenses against wide receivers to the worst. So, the New Orleans Saints had the worst defense against opposing WRs in 2012. Next in line was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins, and so on.
Here is a quick look at the worst team defenses against opposing WR in 2012 based on fantasy points allowed:
1. New Orleans Saints - gave up 445.6 fantasy points to opposing WRs in 2012, or an average of 27.85 points per game.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - gave up 433.1 fantasy points to opposing WRs in 2012, or an average of 27.07 points per game.
3. Washington Redskins - 415.61 fantasy points, or 25.98 points per game
4. Cleveland Browns - 398.39 fantasy points, or 24.90 points per game
5. New York Giants - 397.59 fantasy points, or 24.85 points per game
In fact, a total of 22 teams gave up an average of 20 fantasy points per week to WRs last season. Keep in mind, these are averages, so some games they give up more, some games they gave up less.
Which teams gave up less than 20 fantasy points per game to WRs last season? Here you go:
1. Seattle Seahawks - 267.29 fantasy points, or 16.71 points per game
2. Cincinnati Bengals - 278.4 fantasy points, or 17.4 points per game
3. New York Jets - 281.81 fantasy points, or 17.6 points per game
4. Denver Broncos - 283.19 fantasy points, or 17.7 points per game
5. Pittsburgh Steelers - 286.70 fantasy points, or 17.9 points per game
6. San Francisco 49ers - 288.89 fantasy points, or 18.1 points per game
7. Carolina Panthers - 292.49 fantasy points, or 18.3 points per game
8. Atlanta Falcons - 299.71 fantasy points, or 18.7 points per game
9. St. Louis Rams - 304.10 fantasy points, or 19.0 points per game
10. Jacksonville Jaguars - 318.3 fantasy points, or 19.9 points per game
Using this data, here are my Week 1 WR Rankings:
Standard Leagues |
PPR Leagues |
|
Rank |
Player |
Player |
1 |
Calvin Johnson, DET |
Calvin Johnson, DET |
2 |
Dez Bryant, DAL |
Dez Bryant, DAL |
3 |
Julio Jones, ATL |
Julio Jones, ATL |
4 |
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI |
A.J. Green, CIN |
5 |
Demaryius Thomas, DEN |
Reggie Wayne, IND |
6 |
Roddy White, ATL |
Wes Welker, DEN |
7 |
A.J. Green, CIN |
Demaryius Thomas, DEN |
8 |
Victor Cruz, NYG |
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI |
9 |
Brandon Marshall, CHI |
Roddy White, ATL |
10 |
Reggie Wayne, IND |
Randall Cobb, GB |
11 |
Andre Johnson, HOU |
Andre Johnson, HOU |
12 |
Vincent Jackson, TB |
Brandon Marshall, CHI |
13 |
Marques Colston, NO |
Danny Amendola, NE |
14 |
Pierre Garcon, WAS |
Victor Cruz, NYG |
15 |
Randall Cobb, GB |
Marques Colston, NO |
16 |
Dwayne Bowe, KC |
Antonio Brown, PIT |
17 |
Wes Welker, DEN |
Pierre Garcon, WAS |
18 |
Danny Amendola, NE |
Vincent Jackson, TB |
19 |
Antonio Brown, PIT |
Steve Smith, CAR |
20 |
Mike Wallace, MIA |
Eric Decker, DEN |
21 |
Jordy Nelson, GB |
Hakeem Nicks, NYG |
22 |
Hakeem Nicks, NYG |
DeSean Jackson, PHI |
23 |
DeSean Jackson, PHI |
Jordy Nelson, GB |
24 |
T.Y. Hilton, IND |
Dwayne Bowe, KC |
25 |
Miles Austin, DAL |
T.Y. Hilton, IND |
26 |
Steve Smith, CAR |
Cecil Shorts, JAC |
27 |
Cecil Shorts, JAC |
Steve Johnson, BUF |
28 |
Eric Decker, DEN |
Miles Austin, DAL |
29 |
Steve Johnson, BUF |
Anquan Boldin, SF |
30 |
James Jones, GB |
Mike Wallace, MIA |
31 |
Torrey Smith, BAL |
Kenbrell Thompkins, NE |
32 |
Kenbrell Thompkins, NE |
Josh Gordon, CLE |
33 |
Josh Gordon, CLE |
Torrey Smith, BAL |
34 |
Anquan Boldin, SF |
Brian Hartline, MIA |
35 |
Golden Tate, SEA |
Lance Moore, NO |
36 |
Greg Jennings, MIN |
Mike Williams, TB |
37 |
Tavon Austin, STL |
James Jones, GB |
38 |
Lance Moore, NO |
Tavon Austin, STL |
39 |
Mike Williams, TB |
Chris Givens, STL |
40 |
Michael Floyd, ARI |
Greg Jennings, MIN |
41 |
Brian Hartline, MIA |
Kenny Britt, TEN |
42 |
Andre Roberts, ARI |
Emmanuel Sanders, PIT |
43 |
Emmanuel Sanders, PIT |
Andre Roberts, ARI |
44 |
Chris Givens, STL |
Michael Floyd, ARI |
45 |
Vincent Brown, SD |
Sidney Rice, SEA |
46 |
Sidney Rice, SEA |
Golden Tate, SEA |
47 |
Kenny Britt, TEN |
Ryan Broyles, DET |
48 |
Ryan Broyles, DET |
Kendall Wright, TEN |
49 |
Kendall Wright, TEN |
Alshon Jeffery, CHI |
50 |
Alshon Jeffery, CHI |
Vincent Brown, SD |
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