OTHER POSITIONS:  Quarterbacks  |  Running Backs  |  Receivers

Wide Receiver Totals by Year

With the proliferation of the passing game at the pro level it comes as no surprise that wide receivers set benchmarks in completions and yardage and were within shouting distance of all-time highs in targets and receiving touchdowns as well. Coaches have also resumed capitalizing on the athleticism of wide receivers, running them more frequently than at any tim in the past four years—resulting in the most WR rushing touchdowns we’ve seen since 2008. In a nutshell, wide receivers across the board are becoming more productive—and their fantasy value continues to increase as well.

Top Ten Wide Receiver Totals

The elite get… eliter? Wide receivers continue to punch their way into the upper rounds of fantasy drafts for a reason; last year top-10 wideouts set position highs in completions, receiving yards, touchdowns and fantasy points. Certainly the high tide of passing game production floats all boats, but the top end of the position is rising at a rate that makes those elite players even more valuable fantasy commodities.

Tight End Totals by Year

Tight end production remains high, though the pace has fallen off from the record levels of the past two seasons. Surprisingly, targets dipped to a six-year low—perhaps due to more productive WR3s and WR4s, or at least more multiple receiver formations that reduce opportunities for the tight end. The good news is that tight end touchdowns remain high as last year’s 216 was the second most posted by the position.

Top Ten Tight End Totals

Numbers were off slightly for the top tier of tight ends, though touchdowns and fantasy points remained extremely high in the aftermath of last season’s record levels. You can tie the decline in targets, catches and yards to the overall drop in production—and with top scorers Jimmy Graham and Julius Thomas changing uniforms this year plus a weak rookie class entering the league, that decline is likely to continue.

Breakdown of all receptions

Another testament to the escalating value of wide receivers, as the position claimed its largest portion of catches in recent memory, as well as benchwater marks in catches and yardage. Running back receiving yards climbed as well, while tight ends were off only slightly from last year’s record mark. In short, the bigger passing numbers are being spread around; receivers continue to see the biggest jump, but backs and tight ends are by no means being left out of the party.

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The tables below show the split between all passes thrown to either a tight end or a wide receiver and what their respective percentages are. Their ranks are from their fantasy rank that year for the position against all NFL teams.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald was the king, Michael Floyd is the new king, and John Brown is the third man in… except Brown had almost as many targets as Fitz last year (and more than Floyd) while Fitz led the team in receptions. So it’s not a clear hierarchy, and while that’s good for Carson Palmer it makes it tricky to bank on any one Cardinals wideout. Even with the arrival of tight end Jermaine Gresham, the position is put on the backburner with wideouts claiming 80 percent of Palmer’s downfield looks. Bottom Line: Brown is the value pick, but the entire corps is banking on Carson Palmer staying healthy.

Atlanta Falcons

Last year only Packers wide receivers scored more fantasy points at the position than Atlanta’s wideouts—but what happens now that Kyle Shanahan is calling the plays? Wideouts seeing a league-high 90 percent of the downfield attention will likely change given Shanahan’s affection for the tight end position, and the departure of third receiver Harry Douglas will take a toll as well. The torch has passed from Roddy White to Julio Jones, who is going off the board as a top-five fantasy receiver this year, but there’s an opening in the Douglas role—which had value when White and/or Jones missed time due to injury. Leonard Hankerson, who is familiar with Shanahan’s offense from their days together in Washington, and rookie Justin Hardy are the primary candidates. Devin Hester isn’t just a return man in Atlanta, but there’s a definite ceiling to his value. Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki will battle Levine Toilolo, but even with Shanahan’s influence this still doesn’t look to be a source of fantasy help. Bottom Line: Jones is looking at a potential breakout season; value shoppers will be watching to see if one tight end can emerge to capitalize on Shanahan’s offense.

Baltimore Ravens

(Camp Watch)