30. Breshad Perriman, Baltimore Ravens
Perriman is the only 2015 rookie to make my top 30 because he'll be plugged into the Ravens' offensive scheme immediately. The Ravens did a great job of drafting a talented pass-catcher that'll immediately fill the void caused by the departure of Torrey Smith to the San Francisco 49ers. Perriman can easily draw comparisons to Smith and will be an instant threat to opposing defenses. Steve Smith will draw a lot of attention, allowing Perriman to get a lot of potential targets in 2015.
29. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints
Colston is the returning leading receiver in New Orleans after the departure of most of the Saints' receiving corps to trades/free agency. Colston comes into week one of 2015 healthy, and he's a steady downfield weapon for one of the game's elite quarterbacks, Drew Brees.
28. Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins
Stills will be playing his first season in a Miami Dolphins' uniform in 2015, and he adds another threat to young gunslinger Ryan Tannehill's arsenal. Stills turned in a very productive season with New Orleans last year, despite having to share targets with Jimmy Graham, Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston.
27. Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints
Speaking of Cooks, he returns healthy after suffering an early end to his first season with an injury. Cooks and Colston will be the primary targets for Drew Brees, and I think the Saints will try to rush the football more after extending Mark Ingram's contract and adding speedster C.J. Spiller. Cooks would be my guess to finish 2015 as the top receiver for the Saints.
26. Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles
Matthews shined as the rookie the Eagles hoped he would be in 2014, and I expect bigger things for him in 2015 now that he's acclimated to the NFL. He finished with 67 receptions for 872 yards and eight touchdowns, and I fully expect those numbers to increase in 2015. Him and Jeremy Maclin should see a heavy amount of targets and have some of the pressure released with the addition of draftee Nelson Agholor.
25. Mike Wallace, Minnesota Vikings
Wallace caught 67 passes for 862 yards last season, which is a productive year for a NFL receiver. What makes him the number 25 player on this list was his ability to find the end zone, something he did 10 times in 2014 with the Miami Dolphins. Wallace shines as a deep-ball threat, and with the return of running back Adrian Peterson, that's something the Vikings will be able to do even better in 2015.
24. Eric Decker, New York Jets
Decker returns for his second year in a Jets' uniform. One thing that hurts Decker's productivity as receiver is the fact that New York has yet to find a sustainable quarterback. That being said, Decker still hauled in 74 catches for 962 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games. The addition of Brandon Marshall will help Decker avoid double coverages and produce perhaps even more in 2015.
23. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
White turned in 80 catches for 921 yards and 7 touchdowns in 14 games for the Falcons last season. He'll be the secondary threat behind Julio Jones heading into 2015, but his production won't decline much with a healthy Matt Ryan. Look for White to be a positive impact for the Falcons' offense in 2015.
22. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
Hopkins showed some polarity in 2014 for fantasy owners. There were weeks where opposing defenses couldn't stop him, and then there were weeks where he wasn't even a minimal factor on fantasy rosters. Hopkins' 2014 season was far from being unproductive, as he caught 76 passes for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns. Look for him to be the go-to man for the Texans in 2015, especially with the departure of veteran Andre Johnson.
21. Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens
Steve Smith's departure from the Carolina Panthers was a nasty break-up, but the veteran wideout has found more than a place to call home with the Baltimore Ravens. He's a great deep ball receiver, and Joe Flacco's arm throws one of the best in the NFL. Year two will prove to be just as good for Smith's fantasy owners, if the the veteran can keep himself healthy.
20. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Green turned in a 1,000 yard receiving campaign in 2014, despite missing three games for the Bengals with an injury. He returns this season healthy, and I have him ranked this far back because the Bengals will be running the ball more with second-year running back Jeremy Hill in 2015. This doesn't mean that Green should be avoided, as he's Andy Dalton's favorite target and has some of the best hands and body-control in the NFL.
19. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles
Maclin was the top receiver for the Eagles in 2014, hauling in 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. One thing's for sure: the Eagles are going to find a way to get Maclin the ball, and he's one of the most explosive receivers in the game after the catch. It wouldn't be farfetched to see Maclin crack the top 10 in fantasy points scored by receiver by the end of the 2015 season.
18. Julian Edelman, New England Patriot
With everybody waiting to hear the result of Tom Brady's appeal, it's uncertain who'll be playing quarterback for the Patriots in week one. One thing that is for sure though is that Edelman will find his targets with teams putting their focus on Rob Gronkowski. Edelman's toughness and tenacity put him as my top receiver that works solely from the slot.
17. Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills
Watkins turned in a great rookie season for the Bills, who traded up in the 2014 draft to grab him in the first round. Watkins is set to have another fantastic year, and I look for the Bills' offense to be vastly improved in 2015. He led the Bills' receiving corps in 2014 with 128 targets, and it's likely that number will increase in 2015.
16. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Hilton returns as the leading pass-catcher for the Colts, catching 82 passes for 1,345 yards with seven touchdowns. He was the only 1,000+ yards receiver for the Colts last year, and his 131 targets made him easily Andrew Luck's favorite target downfield. I don't expect Hilton to see as many targets in 2015 with the addition of veteran Andre Johnson, but the addition of Johnson could ease the coverage that opposing defenses use to account for Hilton.
15. Golden Tate, Detroit Lions
Tate renewed his value in his first year away from the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. He was a great second option for Matthew Stafford, as opposing defenses swarmed Calvin Johnson last season. Tate actually led the Lions' receivers last season with 99 catches for 1,331 yards and four touchdowns. He filled a void during the three games Calvin Johnson missed due to injury and will still make for a reliable choice for fantasy owners in 2015.
14. DeSean Jackson, Washington Redskins
Jackson stands out to me as the best vertical receiver in the NFL, regardless of whoever ends up playing quarterback for the Redskins in 2015. Jackson's 20.9 yards per reception was the most among all the receivers in the NFL in 2014, and he placed second among Redskins' receivers in targets in 2014. Jackson's ability to create explosive plays makes him one of the top choices for fantasy owners going into 2015.
13. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans was one of the most exciting rookies in the NFL during the 2014 season, and I highly anticipate him to be even better in 2015. Evans is a big target, standing at 6'5" and weighing over 230 pounds. He was targeted 122 times in 2014 and caught 68 passes for 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games. It will be interesting to see how Evans acclimates and meshes with first round pick Jameis Winston, and the Bucs are hoping that this combination will help them be much more competitive in the NFC South in 2015. If Evans can see the same or more targets and be able to catch close to 90+ passes, we'll be talking about him as an elite receiver after the 2015 season.
12. Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
The first Packers' player on our list is Randall Cobb. Cobb's 91 receptions for 1,287 yards and 12 scores easily puts him high on fantasy owners' draft boards. Cobb will need to take care of the football better than he did in 2014, where he coughed the ball up four times. Cobb possesses a lot of versatility and can beat opposing defenses both catching and running the ball.
11. Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos
Sanders is the first player on my list that caught over 100 passes in 2014. His 101 catches for 1,404 yielded the Broncos nine touchdowns. Sanders' agility and explosiveness allows Peyton Manning to spread the ball and gives fantasy owners an option that can score every time he touches the ball.
10. Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers
Benjamin learned the ropes of the Panther's system quickly last year, and he was targeted 145 times in his rookie season, which ranked him the seventh-most targeted receiver in the NFL last season. The addition of second-round pick Devin Funchess will likely earn Benjamin more targets than he received in 2014, where he caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. The 6'5" 240-pound Benjamin will shine as a top fantasy receiver in 2015.
9. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears
Jeffery is set to debut in his first year as the Bears' undoubted number one receiver, after the departure of Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets. He was very efficient in 2014, hauling in 85 catches for 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns. He proved to be a very durable receiver and was effective even dealing with some nagging injuries in 2014. Jeffery will have to step his game up in 2015, however, as he will be a player that defenses will scheme against in 2015. Another concern for Jeffery will be the play of quarterback Jay Cutler, as he tied for first among quarterbacks in 2014 with 18 interceptions.
8. Andre Johnson, Indianapolis Colts
Okay, okay. I know you're sitting there wondering how Johnson makes it so far up this list. Let me be clear here, if Johnson slips during your fantasy draft, you'll want to snag him. He only caught three touchdowns in 2014, which was his lowest total since 2011 when he only played in seven games for the Texans. There's a couple reasons why I think we'll see the resurgence of this veteran receiver in 2015. First, he goes to Indianapolis where there's an established quarterback in Andrew Luck, and the word "established" doesn't give Luck much justice, as he plays the position among the best arms and minds the NFL has to offer. Secondly, I think Johnson will flourish as a red zone target for Luck, as he's flourished there for much less-talented quarterbacks that have played for the Texans. I see Johnson as a far more candidate to be a "boom" rather than a "bust" in 2015.
7. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones, at just 25 years-old, was the third-most targeted receiver in 2014, with 163 passes thrown his way. He was able to catch 104 of those passes for 1,593 yards with six touchdowns. His 106.2 receiving yards per game was the second-best among all receivers in the NFL, and Matt Ryan will make it his top priority to see that Jones gets even more touches in 2015. The one concern I have for Jones is his ability to stay healthy, as he's yet to start in all 16 games once in his four seasons in the NFL.
6. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Let's face it, "Megatron" was easily the game's best receiver in past seasons. Like Julio Jones, Johnson's health issues have caused him to miss games the last two seasons. Johnson comes into the 2015 at age 29 and turns 30 on September 25. If Johnson can stay healthy in 2015 and continue to get adequate help from Golden Tate, we'll see "Megatron" look like himself to try to re-obtain his elite status as one of the game's best receivers. He'll be a must-pick if he slips to your draft's late-second or third round.
5. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson is one of the game's most under-valued receivers, yet he continues to put up numbers year-in and year-out. Last season, Nelson caught 98 passes for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was Aaron Rodger's favorite target last season and was targeted 151 times. Nelson has proven himself as a safe fantasy pick with sustainable value each season, and I don't see that trend coming to an end in 2015.
4. Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
The Giants' new west coast scheme on offense was met with criticism, as it definitely showed some kinks in its first year. It did, however, provide us with the unexpected best rookie receiver of the 2014 season in Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns last season at just age 22. He provided us with the most spectacular catch of 2014 among others that blew fan's minds and frustrated helpless defenders in his wake. One can only help but wonder if Beckham can improve in 2015, and if he does, he can easily be the best fantasy receiver this season.
3. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Bryant now has his deal signed, which has caused a ruckus this offseason. Dallas keeps their top-notch receiver, who has an uncanny connection with Tony Romo. Bryant caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdown catches. I rank Bryant as third-best receiver option going into 2015 because of his ability to find the ball in traffic, specifically in the red zone.
2. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas turned in another phenomenal year in 2014, catching 111 passes from Peyton Manning for 1,619 yards and 11 touchdowns. Week-in and week-out, Thomas was one of the most consistent fantasy receivers, averaging 101.2 yards per game. Thomas is fresh off of signing a new deal with the Broncos and looks to be another top five receiver yet again in 2015.
1. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Brown led the NFL with 129 catches for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's perhaps the most explosive player in the game every time he touches the football, whether it's catching it, running it or returning kicks. He's a constant threat to opposing defenses, and the sixth round pick from Central Michigan in 2010 is easily Ben Roethlisberger's favorite target. Brown will make his fantasy owners happy in 2015 and will be a constant worry to those playing against him in fantasy with his ability to score massive amounts of points on any given week.
Thanks for reading! Agree/disagree with me? Let me know on Twitter @griffaldo.
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