The beginning of the season is always the best because you don't have to deal with too many injuries and there aren't any bye weeks. The wide receiver position has made it through the preseason pretty much unscathed by the injury bug. A few here and there had to deal with some routine issues but nothing too serious. The bigger issue has been suspensions and none bigger than the yearlong suspension that Josh Gordon will be serving.
Looking at our consensus rankings we see the usual suspects in the top 10, with Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas leading the way. A name that surprised me though was Michael Crabtree. I have nothing against him and actually own him in a league this season (for the first time ever). His opening week matchup is favorable, as he faces the Cowboys. As we move further into the top 25, we see that a favorite of many fantasy drafters, Cordarrelle Patterson, comes in at No. 23. He definitely has the tools and skills to put up quality numbers. I hope he has a nice opening game against the Rams. The Rams' defense is excellent at pressuring the quarterback, but look for the running game to open the play action for Patterson.
One injury we were going to mention was Wes Welker's concussion recovery. Since he has now been suspended for the first four games, we won't have to worry about that issue. Welker was receiving cautious fantasy draft status to begin the preseason. When he went out with a concussion in Denver's third preseason game, many owners immediately red-flagged him. His suspension doesn't really change things fantasy-wise for Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas, but Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer will probably see a boost in targets and fantasy points. If you're in a deeper league and Latimer is sitting on the waiver wire, move fast and grab him.
Consensus Writer Rankings (Standard)
| Rank | Consensus | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson | Detroit | NY Giants |
| 2 | Demaryius Thomas | Denver | Indianapolis |
| 3 | Dez Bryant | Dallas | San Francisco |
| 4 | Brandon Marshall | Chicago | Buffalo |
| 5 | A.J. Green | Cincinnati | at Baltimore |
| 6 | Julio Jones | Atlanta | New Orleans |
| 7 | Alshon Jeffery | Chicago | Buffalo |
| 8 | Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | Cleveland |
| 9 | Michael Crabtree | San Francisco | at Dallas |
| 10 | Jordy Nelson | Green Bay | at Seattle |
| 11 | Andre Johnson | Houston | Washington |
| 12 | Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | San Diego |
| 13 | Victor Cruz | NY Giants | at Detroit |
| 14 | Roddy White | Atlanta | New Orleans |
| 15 | Keenan Allen | San Diego | at Arizona |
| 16 | Michael Floyd | Arizona | San Diego |
| 17 | Vincent Jackson | Tampa Bay | Carolina |
| 18 | Randall Cobb | Green Bay | at Seattle |
| 19 | Percy Harvin | Seattle | Green Bay |
| 20 | Marques Colston | New Orleans | at Atlanta |
| 21 | Pierre Garcon | Washington | at Houston |
| 22 | T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis | at Denver |
| 23 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Minnesota | at St. Louis |
| 24 | Emmanuel Sanders | Denver | Indianapolis |
| 25 | Torrey Smith | Baltimore | Cincinnati |
| 26 | DeSean Jackson | Washington | at Houston |
| 27 | Eric Decker | NY Jets | Oakland |
| 28 | Julian Edelman | New England | at Miami |
| 29 | Kendall Wright | Tennessee | at Kansas City |
| 30 | Jeremy Maclin | Philadelphia | Jacksonville |
| 31 | Cecil Shorts | Jacksonville | at Philadelphia |
| 32 | DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | Washington |
| 33 | Reggie Wayne | Indianapolis | at Denver |
| 34 | Golden Tate | Detroit | NY Giants |
| 35 | Mike Wallace | Miami | New England |
| 36 | Justin Hunter | Tennessee | at Kansas City |
| 37 | Brandin Cooks | New Orleans | at Atlanta |
| 38 | Kelvin Benjamin | Carolina | at Tampa Bay |
| 39 | Anquan Boldin | San Francisco | at Dallas |
| 40 | Rueben Randle | NY Giants | at Detroit |
| 41 | Terrance Williams | Dallas | San Francisco |
| 42 | Greg Jennings | Minnesota | at St. Louis |
| 43 | Brian Hartline | Miami | New England |
| 44 | Mike Evans | Tampa Bay | Carolina |
| 45 | Danny Amendola | New England | at Miami |
| 46 | Sammy Watkins | Buffalo | at Chicago |
| 47 | Brian Quick | St. Louis | Minnesota |
| 48 | Denarius Moore | Oakland | at NY Jets |
| 49 | Riley Cooper | Philadelphia | Jacksonville |
| 50 | Miles Austin | Cleveland | at Pittsburgh |
Consensus Writer Rankings (PPR)
| Rank | Consensus | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson | Detroit | NY Giants |
| 2 | Demaryius Thomas | Denver | Indianapolis |
| 3 | Dez Bryant | Dallas | San Francisco |
| 4 | Brandon Marshall | Chicago | Buffalo |
| 5 | A.J. Green | Cincinnati | at Baltimore |
| 6 | Julio Jones | Atlanta | New Orleans |
| 7 | Alshon Jeffery | Chicago | Buffalo |
| 8 | Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | Cleveland |
| 9 | Michael Crabtree | San Francisco | at Dallas |
| 10 | Jordy Nelson | Green Bay | at Seattle |
| 11 | Roddy White | Atlanta | New Orleans |
| 12 | Victor Cruz | NY Giants | at Detroit |
| 13 | Andre Johnson | Houston | Washington |
| 14 | Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | San Diego |
| 15 | Michael Floyd | Arizona | San Diego |
| 16 | Randall Cobb | Green Bay | at Seattle |
| 17 | Pierre Garcon | Washington | at Houston |
| 18 | Keenan Allen | San Diego | at Arizona |
| 19 | Vincent Jackson | Tampa Bay | Carolina |
| 20 | Marques Colston | New Orleans | at Atlanta |
| 21 | Percy Harvin | Seattle | Green Bay |
| 22 | T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis | at Denver |
| 23 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Minnesota | at St. Louis |
| 24 | Emmanuel Sanders | Denver | Indianapolis |
| 25 | Torrey Smith | Baltimore | Cincinnati |
| 26 | Eric Decker | NY Jets | Oakland |
| 27 | Julian Edelman | New England | at Miami |
| 28 | Kendall Wright | Tennessee | at Kansas City |
| 29 | DeSean Jackson | Washington | at Houston |
| 30 | Jeremy Maclin | Philadelphia | Jacksonville |
| 31 | DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | Washington |
| 32 | Reggie Wayne | Indianapolis | at Denver |
| 33 | Cecil Shorts | Jacksonville | at Philadelphia |
| 34 | Justin Hunter | Tennessee | at Kansas City |
| 35 | Golden Tate | Detroit | NY Giants |
| 36 | Mike Wallace | Miami | New England |
| 37 | Anquan Boldin | San Francisco | at Dallas |
| 38 | Brandin Cooks | New Orleans | at Atlanta |
| 39 | Kelvin Benjamin | Carolina | at Tampa Bay |
| 40 | Rueben Randle | NY Giants | at Detroit |
| 41 | Terrance Williams | Dallas | San Francisco |
| 42 | Danny Amendola | New England | at Miami |
| 43 | Brian Hartline | Miami | New England |
| 44 | Greg Jennings | Minnesota | at St. Louis |
| 45 | Andrew Hawkins | Cleveland | at Pittsburgh |
| 46 | Brian Quick | St. Louis | Minnesota |
| 47 | Mike Evans | Tampa Bay | Carolina |
| 48 | Markus Wheaton | Pittsburgh | Cleveland |
| 49 | Denarius Moore | Oakland | at NY Jets |
| 50 | Riley Cooper | Philadelphia | Jacksonville |
Individual Writer Rankings (Standard)
| Rank | Daniel Kelley | Dan Ciarrocchi | John Daigle | Scott Kaliska |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson | Calvin Johnson | Demaryius Thomas | Calvin Johnson |
| 2 | Demaryius Thomas | Demaryius Thomas | Calvin Johnson | DeMaryius Thomas |
| 3 | A.J. Green | Brandon Marshall | Dez Bryant | Dez Bryant |
| 4 | Dez Bryant | Dez Bryant | Brandon Marshall | Brandon Marshall |
| 5 | Brandon Marshall | A.J. Green | Michael Crabtree | A.J. Green |
| 6 | Andre Johnson | Julio Jones | A.J. Green | Julio Jones |
| 7 | Julio Jones | Antonio Brown | Roddy White | Alshon Jeffery |
| 8 | Alshon Jeffery | Alshon Jeffery | Marques Colston | Antonio Brown |
| 9 | Antonio Brown | Andre Johnson | Alshon Jeffery | Jordy Nelson |
| 10 | Michael Crabtree | Jordy Nelson | Julio Jones | Andre Johnson |
| 11 | Keenan Allen | Larry Fitzgerald | Antonio Brown | Larry Fitzgerald |
| 12 | Jordy Nelson | Randall Cobb | Michael Floyd | Randall Cobb |
| 13 | Larry Fitzgerald | Victor Cruz | Emmanuel Sanders | Victor Cruz |
| 14 | Victor Cruz | Michael Crabtree | Cordarrelle Patterson | Vincent Jackson |
| 15 | T.Y. Hilton | Vincent Jackson | Jordy Nelson | Keenan Allen |
| 16 | Percy Harvin | Roddy White | Victor Cruz | Michael Crabtree |
| 17 | DeSean Jackson | Cordarrelle Patterson | T.Y. Hilton | Roddy White |
| 18 | Roddy White | Keenan Allen | Larry Fitzgerald | Pierre Garcon |
| 19 | Michael Floyd | Michael Floyd | Percy Harvin | Michael Floyd |
| 20 | Randall Cobb | Percy Harvin | DeAndre Hopkins | Percy Harvin |
| 21 | Vincent Jackson | Pierre Garcon | Vincent Jackson | Cordarrelle Patterson |
| 22 | Pierre Garcon | Torrey Smith | Justin Hunter | Torrey Smith |
| 23 | Eric Decker | Julian Edelman | Pierre Garcon | DeSean Jackson |
| 24 | Marques Colston | Eric Decker | Torrey Smith | Eric Decker |
| 25 | Reggie Wayne | Marques Colston | Keenan Allen | T.Y. Hilton |
| 26 | Emmanuel Sanders | Kendall Wright | Cecil Shorts | Marques Colston |
| 27 | Danny Amendola | Emmanuel Sanders | Andre Johnson | Julian Edelman |
| 28 | Torrey Smith | DeSean Jackson | Randall Cobb | Mike Wallace |
| 29 | Cecil Shorts | Mike Wallace | Jeremy Maclin | Emmanuel Sanders |
| 30 | Julian Edelman | TY Hilton | Kendall Wright | Kendall Wright |
| 31 | DeAndre Hopkins | Golden Tate | Greg Jennings | Jeremy Maclin |
| 32 | Golden Tate | Jeremy Maclin | Brian Quick | Golden Tate |
| 33 | Kendall Wright | Reggie Wayne | Brandin Cooks | Reggie Wayne |
| 34 | Anquan Boldin | Kelvin Benjamin | Julian Edelman | Terrance Williams |
| 35 | Jeremy Maclin | Terrance Williams | Anquan Boldin | Rueben Randle |
| 36 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Rueben Randle | Denarius Moore | Brandin Cooks |
| 37 | Kelvin Benjamin | Cecil Shorts | Eric Decker | Cecil Shorts |
| 38 | Mike Evans | Justin Hunter | DeSean Jackson | Kelvin Benjamin |
| 39 | Mike Wallace | Brandin Cooks | Brian Hartline | Sammy Watkins |
| 40 | Brandin Cooks | DeAndre Hopkins | Rueben Randle | DeAndre Hopkins |
| 41 | Miles Austin | Anquan Boldin | Reggie Wayne | Justin Hunter |
| 42 | Justin Hunter | Sammy Watkins | Kelvin Benjamin | Anquan Boldin |
| 43 | Terrance Williams | Brian Hartline | Golden Tate | Riley Cooper |
| 44 | Aaron Dobson | Riley Cooper | Andrew Hawkins | Mike Evans |
| 45 | Rueben Randle | James Jones | Mike Williams | Brian Hartline |
| 46 | Andrew Hawkins | Greg Jennings | Mike Wallace | Markus Wheaton |
| 47 | Jerricho Cotchery | Mike Evans | Mike Evans | Greg Jennings |
| 48 | Brian Hartline | Markus Wheaton | Terrance Williams | James Jones |
| 49 | Jerrel Jernigan | Hakeem Nicks | Miles Austin | Hakeem Nicks |
| 50 | James Jones | Jarrett Boykin | Sammy Watkins | Kenny Britt |
Individual Writer Rankings (PPR)
| Rank | Daniel Kelley | Dan Ciarrocchi | John Daigle | Scott Kaliska |
| 1 | Calvin Johnson | Calvin Johnson | Demaryius Thomas | Calvin Johnson |
| 2 | Demaryius Thomas | Demaryius Thomas | Calvin Johnson | Demaryius Thomas |
| 3 | A.J. Green | Julio Jones | Dez Bryant | Dez Bryant |
| 4 | Dez Bryant | Brandon Marshall | Brandon Marshall | Brandon Marshall |
| 5 | Julio Jones | Dez Bryant | Michael Crabtree | A.J. Green |
| 6 | Brandon Marshall | A.J. Green | Roddy White | Julio Jones |
| 7 | Andre Johnson | Antonio Brown | A.J. Green | Antonio Brown |
| 8 | Alshon Jeffery | Alshon Jeffery | Marques Colston | Andre Johnson |
| 9 | Antonio Brown | Jordy Nelson | Alshon Jeffery | Alshon Jeffery |
| 10 | Michael Crabtree | Michael Crabtree | Julio Jones | Jordy Nelson |
| 11 | Keenan Allen | Andre Johnson | Emmanuel Sanders | Victor Cruz |
| 12 | Jordy Nelson | Victor Cruz | Michael Floyd | Larry Fitzgerald |
| 13 | Larry Fitzgerald | Roddy White | Cordarrelle Patterson | Pierre Garcon |
| 14 | Victor Cruz | Vincent Jackson | Antonio Brown | Randall Cobb |
| 15 | Michael Floyd | Randall Cobb | Jordy Nelson | Michael Crabtree |
| 16 | T.Y. Hilton | Larry Fitzgerald | Victor Cruz | Roddy White |
| 17 | Roddy White | Cordarrelle Patterson | T.Y. Hilton | Vincent Jackson |
| 18 | Randall Cobb | Michael Floyd | Percy Harvin | Keenan Allen |
| 19 | DeSean Jackson | Torrey Smith | Pierre Garcon | Michael Floyd |
| 20 | Eric Decker | Percy Harvin | Larry Fitzgerald | Julian Edelman |
| 21 | Pierre Garcon | Keenan Allen | DeAndre Hopkins | Percy Harvin |
| 22 | Percy Harvin | Pierre Garcon | Vincent Jackson | Kendall Wright |
| 23 | Danny Amendola | Marques Colston | Justin Hunter | Cordarrelle Patterson |
| 24 | Marques Colston | Emmanuel Sanders | Torrey Smith | Torrey Smith |
| 25 | Vincent Jackson | DeSean Jackson | Kendall Wright | Eric Decker |
| 26 | Reggie Wayne | Eric Decker | Keenan Allen | Marques Colston |
| 27 | Cecil Shorts | Julian Edelman | Randall Cobb | T.Y. Hilton |
| 28 | Julian Edelman | Golden Tate | Jeremy Maclin | Mike Wallace |
| 29 | DeAndre Hopkins | TY Hilton | Brandin Cooks | Emmanuel Sanders |
| 30 | Torrey Smith | Jeremy Maclin | Andre Johnson | DeSean Jackson |
| 31 | Jeremy Maclin | Kendall Wright | Brian Quick | Reggie Wayne |
| 32 | Emmanuel Sanders | Mike Wallace | Cecil Shorts | Jeremy Maclin |
| 33 | Kendall Wright | Kelvin Benjamin | Julian Edelman | Golden Tate |
| 34 | Anquan Boldin | Reggie Wayne | Greg Jennings | Terrance Williams |
| 35 | Golden Tate | Justin Hunter | Anquan Boldin | Cecil Shorts |
| 36 | Kelvin Benjamin | Terrance Williams | Denarius Moore | DeAndre Hopkins |
| 37 | Miles Austin | Rueben Randle | Eric Decker | Rueben Randle |
| 38 | Mike Wallace | Cecil Shorts | Brian Hartline | Brian Hartline |
| 39 | Justin Hunter | Anquan Boldin | DeSean Jackson | Anquan Boldin |
| 40 | Andrew Hawkins | Brandin Cooks | Rueben Randle | Brandin Cooks |
| 41 | Rueben Randle | DeAndre Hopkins | Reggie Wayne | Kelvin Benjamin |
| 42 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Markus Wheaton | Andrew Hawkins | Justin Hunter |
| 43 | Mike Evans | Sammy Watkins | Golden Tate | Riley Cooper |
| 44 | Brian Hartline | Riley Cooper | Kelvin Benjamin | Markus Wheaton |
| 45 | Brandin Cooks | Mike Evans | Mike Williams | Sammy Watkins |
| 46 | Terrance Williams | Andrew Hawkins | Terrance Williams | Greg Jennings |
| 47 | Jerricho Cotchery | Greg Jennings | Mike Wallace | Danny Amendola |
| 48 | James Jones | Jarret Boykin | Mike Evans | Mike Evans |
| 49 | Jerrel Jernigan | Hakeem Nicks | Danny Amendola | James Jones |
| 50 | Aaron Dobson | Mohamed Sanu | Sammy Watkins | Doug Baldwin |