X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Ranking the Top Fantasy Receiving Corps - AFC East

RotoBaller's Frankie Soler takes on the task of ranking every NFL team's wide receivers for 2017 based on their fantasy value, beginning with a look at the AFC East.

This season RotoBaller will be starting a new series that ranks all 32 NFL teams by their wide receiver corps. Here's the skinny on how this is going to work: we'll start by going division by division before moving over to conferences, then ultimately a straight one through 32. The idea is to simply rank each team's wide receiver depth chart with a fantasy slant. It doesn't get much more complicated than that.

The AFC East will be our starting point, a division that has a surprising amount of depth. We'll go backwards from four to one for some added dramatic effect.

These rankings may shift throughout the offseason depending on injuries or additional free agency moves, but now that the NFL Draft is over, we have a much clearer picture of how things will look heading into 2017. Let's hop to it.

AFC East Receiver Ranks

4. Buffalo Bills

Depth Chart:
1) Sammy Watkins
2) Zay Jones
3) Andre Holmes
4) Corey Brown

The Buffalo Bills don't exactly have a scary batch of wide receivers, but it's not as bad as it looks on paper. Sammy Watkins' fantasy value is directly tied to his ability to stay healthy. Watkins played all 16 games his rookie year before missing three outings in year two, and eight in year three. Surprisingly, his best fantasy year was his sophomore season with 1,047 and nine touchdowns. He's a great player who had his 2016 campaign marred by injury. He'll most likely be undervalued heading into the upcoming season. Unfortunately, he's still a risky player who might have quarterback woes should Tyrod Taylor struggle.

One of the most underrated rookie prospects is Zay Jones, wide receiver out of East Carolina. Given the aforementioned Watkins' injury history, there's a chance Jones could see a big opportunity open up in 2017. That said, you're not going to hitch your wagon to an unproven rookie in re-draft leagues. He's more of a dynasty league investment with upside for the immediate future. Look for Jones to be a trendy name as we get closer to August.

That leaves Andre Holmes and Corey Brown, two veterans who don't really hold any individual value. Having said that, they too could end up benefiting from an injured Sammy Watkins. Holmes is the more interesting name since he managed to string together a decent amount of solid performances in Oakland. Still, you won't be looking at either of these guys for fantasy.

Buffalo isn't a fantasy wasteland at wide receiver, they just need a couple little things to break their way. The division is just too top heavy for them to be ranked any higher.

3. New York Jets

Depth Chart
1) Eric Decker
2) Quincy Enunwa
3) Robby Anderson
4) Charone Peake

I know, I know, the New York Jets are a bad football team with more problems than I could even list. That said, this is a moderately talented group that will suffer from major quarterback questions. The reason for ranking them ahead of Buffalo is simply depth. The Jets can run three deep if they can somehow manage decent quarterback play. Besides, Buffalo's Zay Jones, the number two receiver, is a rookie. We have no idea what to expect from him outside of talking upside. The trio of Eric Decker, Quincy Enunwa, and Robby Anderson have at least shown they can produce when their QB isn't throwing the ball into the dirt or air-mailing it.

Decker, if healthy for the start of camp, will be the only wide receiver worth drafting. Enunwa and Anderson aren't starters yet they could benefit from the addition of Josh McCown. McCown is no pro-bowler but he's still an improvement over what the Jets have had recently. Perhaps the most overlooked part of the Jets offense is that they don't utilize the tight end at all. Rookie TE Jordan Leggett will need to see a change in philosophy in order to eat into Enunwa and Anderson's targets.

It's not pretty but the Jets are a teeny tiny bit ahead of the Bills due to having one more warm body who can produce.

2. Miami Dolphins

Depth Chart:
1) Jarvis Landry
2) DeVante Parker
3) Kenny Stills
4) Leonte Carroo

Now it starts to get meatier. Jarvis Landry has always been a PPR machine who will obviously have his value increased in that format. He still holds solid value in standard leagues as well. A mid-range WR2 in standard scoring last season, Landry is always going to be locked into lineups on a week-to-week basis. DeVante Parker, on the other hand, needs to step up in 2017 for him to be a fantasy contributor. We're already hearing talk about Parker having a big year in 2017 but most mini-camp talk is just that, talk. His 744 yards and four touchdowns aren't going to get it done from a fantasy standpoint. He's certainly worthy of a bench stash, just be prepared for the possibility that he's no more than a bye-week fill-in. Parker has a wide range of outcomes for 2017.

Kenny Stills actually had a better year than Parker due to a higher touchdown total at nine. Still, Parker gets the nod as the No. 2 in Miami. Stills will either need an injury or a massive drop in performance from those ahead of him in order to be worthy of a significant look in fantasy. Nevertheless, this trio of wide receivers gives the Dolphins legitimate depth for fantasy purposes, netting them the second best unit in the AFC East.

1. New England Patriots

Depth Chart:
1) Julian Edelman
2) Brandin Cooks
3) Chris Hogan
4) Malcolm Mitchell

Coming off of a year where he was third in targets and fourth in receptions, Julian Edelman remains atop the depth chart in New England. The trade for Brandin Cooks doesn't change that whatsoever. Unfortunately, Edelman's low touchdown total of three scores crushed his fantasy value. Even with that in mind, Edelman has been and always will be worthy of a high-end WR2 selection with added value in PPR formats.

Brandin Cooks is going to be a hot name during the off-season due to New England's potent offense. The thing is, this is a better real-life move than it is a fantasy one. Cooks was already struggling to find significant targets on the Saints, a team that spreads the ball around considerably. That isn't all that much different than the Patriots. Cooks will still be a rock solid WR2 in any format but don't expect some massive increase in fantasy production now that he's on a better team. It makes the Patriots more difficult to scheme for, but that doesn't automatically translate to an uptick in fantasy. There's a great chance Cooks will be overvalued this year.

That leaves us with Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell. Technically speaking, the Patriots actually go five deep at wide receiver with Danny Amendola showing flashes of fantasy relevance. New England is the only team in this division who can justifiably produce five WRs worthy of owning in fantasy. Hogan and Mitchell could end up touchdown dependent while Amendola needs to maintain decent volume to get a look at a start. The point here is that the Patriots are as potent as it gets at the position, locking them into the top spot in their division.

There you have it: Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots in that order. All four have fantasy relevant wide receivers and all four will net you value at one point or another. Check back soon for more divisional analysis ahead of the full rankings. It won't always be so positive.


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Christian Vázquez18 mins ago

Christian Vazquez Moves Past Hand Injury
Willi Castro26 mins ago

Remains Sidelined With Oblique Injury
Austin Wells37 mins ago

Back In Action On Saturday
Gabriel Arias46 mins ago

Lane Thomas Sitting On Saturday
Josh Smith59 mins ago

Back In Action On Saturday
Martín Pérez1 hour ago

Martin Perez Hits 15-Day Injured List
Jordan Beck1 hour ago

Recalled From Triple-A
Ezequiel Tovar1 hour ago

Placed On 10-Day Injured List
Vaughn Grissom2 hours ago

Swinging A Hot Bat At Triple-A
Pedro Pagés2 hours ago

Jordan Walker, Pedro Pages Sitting On Saturday
A.J. Puk2 hours ago

Hits 15-Day Injured List
Brandon Marsh2 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Saturday
Ryan Mountcastle2 hours ago

Not In Saturday's Lineup
Chandler Simpson2 hours ago

Batting Leadoff In MLB Debut
John Brebbia3 hours ago

Placed On 15-Day Injured List
Julio Rodríguez3 hours ago

Julio Rodriguez Sitting On Saturday
Irv Smith3 hours ago

Houston Re-Signs Irv Smith Jr.
George Soriano3 hours ago

Patrick Monteverde Promoted To Major Leagues, George Soriano Optioned
MJ Melendez3 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Mark Canha3 hours ago

Activated Off Injured List
Jake Cronenworth7 hours ago

Targeting Earlier Return
Liam Hendriks7 hours ago

Set To Return On Saturday
Ja Morant18 hours ago

Cleared To Play Friday
Brandon Williams18 hours ago

Available Against Grizzlies
Anthony Davis18 hours ago

Will Play Friday Night
Gary Trent Jr.19 hours ago

Available For Game 1 Against Pacers
Taurean Prince19 hours ago

Returns To Bucks Lineup Saturday
NFL19 hours ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Waived With Non-Football Injury
Isaiah Stewart19 hours ago

To Return For Game 1
Ausar Thompson19 hours ago

Available For Game 1
Rui Hachimura19 hours ago

On Track To Play Saturday
Austin Reaves19 hours ago

Ready To Go For Game 1
NFL19 hours ago

Bills Release Armani Rogers, Branson Deen
Luka Dončić19 hours ago

Luka Doncic Removed From Injury Report
LeBron James19 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Game 1
Ben Sheppard19 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Game 1
NFL20 hours ago

Kolton Miller Absent From Raiders' Voluntary Offseason Program
Kevin Durant20 hours ago

To Houston Already Losing Steam
Lauri Markkanen20 hours ago

Wants To Stay With The Jazz
NFL20 hours ago

Ross Blacklock Let Go By New York
Bennedict Mathurin20 hours ago

Expected To Play In Game 1 Saturday
Pascal Siakam20 hours ago

Available For Playoff Opener
Tyrese Haliburton20 hours ago

Returning From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Cade Cunningham20 hours ago

Available For Game 1 Against Knicks
Josh Hart21 hours ago

Back In Knicks Lineup Saturday
OG Anunoby21 hours ago

Good To Go For Game 1
Jalen Brunson21 hours ago

Available For Saturday's Game 1
NFL21 hours ago

Raiders Considering Drafting A Quarterback
Irv Smith21 hours ago

Sticking With Texans
Ryan Lindgren22 hours ago

Set To Return Saturday
NFL22 hours ago

Texans Expected To Draft Wide Receivers
Greg Dortch22 hours ago

Returning To Cardinals
Josh Manson22 hours ago

Available For Game 1
Mark Andrews22 hours ago

Could Be Traded Soon
Ondrej Palat22 hours ago

To Return For Start Of Playoffs
David Savard22 hours ago

Will Retire After Playoffs
NFL22 hours ago

Raiders, Falcons Could Have Interest In Jalen Ramsey
Robert Thomas22 hours ago

Good To Go Saturday
Matthew Tkachuk22 hours ago

Expected To Return For Game 1
22 hours ago

Raiders Are High On Ashton Jeanty
Jason Robertson22 hours ago

Considered Week-To-Week
Rome Odunze23 hours ago

To Hopefully Get More Involved
NFL23 hours ago

Dolphins Could Draft A Quarterback
James Cook23 hours ago

Could Stay Away From Voluntary Workouts
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Wins First Rocket Richard Trophy
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Bags Third Art Ross Trophy
Bryan Rust1 day ago

Scores Twice In Season-Ending Win
Igor Shesterkin1 day ago

Shuts Out Lightning With 27 Saves
Dylan Cozens1 day ago

Picks Up Three Points In Regular-Season Finale
Matvei Michkov1 day ago

Caps Off Rookie Campaign With Three-Point Effort
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Makes Early Exit For Precautionary Reasons
Jake Tonges2 days ago

Signs Exclusive-Rights Tender
Denver Broncos2 days ago

Broncos To Focus On RB Position In Next Week's Draft
Drew Lock2 days ago

Sam Howell, Drew Lock Expected To Compete For Backup Job
New York Giants2 days ago

Giants Leaning Toward Taking Best Player Available At No. 3
New Orleans Saints2 days ago

Ryan Ramczyk Announces His Retirement
Buffalo Bills2 days ago

Tre'Davious White Reunites With Buffalo
Jakob Chychrun2 days ago

Returns Against Penguins
Rasmus Andersson2 days ago

Out Against Kings
Jonathan Huberdeau2 days ago

Sits Out Regular-Season Finale
Ryan Pulock2 days ago

Out On Thursday
Jake Sanderson2 days ago

Back In Action Thursday
Thomas Chabot2 days ago

To Be Rested Against Hurricanes
Claude Giroux2 days ago

Active On Thursday
Lucas Glover3 days ago

Looks To Rebound After Poor Performance
Daniel Berger3 days ago

Looking To Continue Solid Play At RBC
Sepp Straka3 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At RBC
Justin Thomas3 days ago

Looking To Shake Off Poor Masters At RBC Heritage
Xander Schauffele3 days ago

Still Looking For Year's First Win At RBC Heritage
Maverick McNealy3 days ago

Is An Intriguing Play At RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry3 days ago

Looks To Shake Off Poor Masters Sunday At RBC Heritage
Will Zalatoris3 days ago

Eyes A Bounce-Back At RBC Heritage
Gary Woodland3 days ago

Could Add Some Surprise At Hilton Head
Sam Burns3 days ago

Hoping For Better Times At RBC Heritage
Sahith Theegala3 days ago

Still Trying To Put It All Together
Aaron Rai3 days ago

Might Be That Guy For Hilton Head
Robert MacIntyre3 days ago

All Or Nothing At RBC Heritage
Tom Hoge3 days ago

Still Playing Solid Heading To Hilton Head
Nick Dunlap3 days ago

Continues To Have Rough Stretch
Keegan Bradley3 days ago

Looks To Move On From Masters Performance
Matt Fitzpatrick4 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Option At RBC Heritage
Patrick Cantlay4 days ago

A Strong Play At RBC Heritage
Jordan Spieth4 days ago

Targets Another Strong RBC Heritage Showing
Collin Morikawa4 days ago

Eyeing Victory At RBC Heritage
Max Homa4 days ago

Breaks Through At The Masters
Alexander Volkanovski4 days ago

Reclaims Featherweight Title
Diego Lopes4 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 314
Paddy Pimblett4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Michael Chandler4 days ago

Suffers TKO Loss
MMA4 days ago

Patricio Freire Gets Dominated In His UFC Debut
Yair Rodriguez4 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bryce Mitchell4 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 314
Jean Silva4 days ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC 314
Dominick Reyes4 days ago

Wins Third Fight In A Row
5 days ago

Austin Dillon Nabs His First Top-10 Finish Of The 2025 Season At Bristol
5 days ago

Ryan Blaney's Bold Strategies Fall Flat, Still Musters A Top-Five Finish At Bristol
5 days ago

Christopher Bell Finishes In The Top 10 After Falling Back Midway At Bristol
5 days ago

Ty Gibbs Earns His First Top-Five Finish Of The 2025 Season At Bristol
5 days ago

Chase Briscoe Quietly Scores First Career Top-Five Finish At Bristol
5 days ago

Denny Hamlin Cuts Into William Byron's Points Lead
5 days ago

William Byron Makes Best Of His Mediocre Qualifying Run With Sixth-Place Finish
5 days ago

Despite Engine Failure, Alex Bowman's Improved Speed Looks Promising
NASCAR5 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Enters Playoff Picture With Surprise Bristol Top-10 Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF