1. Mike Wallace – Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers decision to part ways with WR Santonio Holmes makes 2nd year WR Mike Wallace an enticing fantasy sleeper entering 2010. He led all receivers in his rookie year with 19.4 yards per catch and reeled in 6 TDs mostly playing in the slot. His deep speed is the best on the team and his adeptness to create space in the secondary means he will be their primary down field threat and big play receiver this season.
While the Steelers might rely on the running game until QB Ben Roethlisberger is back, expect Wallace to see his number called frequently and he will be a major factor down the fantasy football playoff stretch.
2. Hakeem Nicks – New York Giants
Nicks burst onto the scene and showed great potential in his rookie season. After inuring his foot in the opener vs Washington, he came back three weeks later and caught TDs in four straight games. Overall, he finished with six TDs and a 16.8 YPC in 2009 and became the Giants big play threat on the outside.
He should take a huge step forward in his second year. WR Steve Smith, who emerged as the No. 1 and caught 107 passes in 2009, will see his totals drop as balls begin to shift towards Nicks.
Expect Nicks to top 1,000 yards with eight TDs in 2010.
3. Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys
Bryant, selected by the Cowboys in the 1st round out of Oklahoma State, could make a big impact in his rookie season. The talented wide out, who scouts say could be better than last year’s top rated receiver, WR Michael Crabtree, will see a majority of one-on-one coverage thanks to the presence of WR Miles Austin and TE Jason Witten.
While historically, rookie receivers rarely make the sort of 1st year impact that rookie running backs do, this has changed in recent years. Bryant will begin the season as the No. 3 but it shouldn’t be long before he supplants the highly overrated WR Roy Williams from his starting role. And once he does, expect this 2010 fantasy football sleeper to emerge as the team’s deep threat and haul in some 50+ yard TDs.
Pro Football 101» 2010 Fantasy Football WR: Risers and Fallers
August 12th, 2010 at 07:49
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[...] won’t pan out so nicely this year. While plenty of balls will still be thrown his way, both Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham will figure prominently in the passing game throughout. Look for Smith to be a [...]