Empty the Bench

Ranks Preview by Andrew Thell

We felt obligated to rank Austin Collie ahead of Pierre Garcon given his larger production the last few weeks, and Collie is an excellent play this week against a questionable Houston defense. He’s the better, safer play. However, this matchup just screams big game for Garcon. We made a call on Vernon Davis against this D a few weeks ago for many of the same reasons we like Garcon here: they’re susceptible deep and up the seams and have trouble with explosive, straight-line speed in the secondary. It worked out pretty well for Davis: 7 receptions, 93 yards and 3 TDs. Now, Pierre Garcon is no Vernon Davis, but he’s worth taking a gamble on this week as your WR3 or flex option.

The Michael Crabtree Debutant Tour continues this week as the Tennessee Titans roll into Candlestick Park (yes, Candlestick Park). The rookie has been ridiculously impressive in his first two games as a pro, and this week he draws the absolute worst pass defense in all of football. The Titans have given up NFL highs in passing yards at 282 per game and receiving touchdowns at 19. 19! Start the kid with confidence.

Marques Colston is in beast mode right now. He’s just too big, too strong, too physical and too aggressive for opposing corners to deal with. Unfortunately, he faces the NFL’s toughest secondary this week. You should still start him, of course, but that’s what allowed Chad Ochocinco to edge him out in the ranks below. Ochocinco’s least valuable line of the season? 5 receptions for 54 yards. Over the four weeks since that “stinker”, 85 has dropped 25 receptions for 339 yards and 4 TDs. He and Carson Palmer are in sync and this week Chad should once again be simply too much for the overmatched Ravens corners to handle.

Feels kinda good to start your second-round pick and finally be confident about it, eh Greg Jennings owners?

Houston’s offense is a huge, huge fantasy entity and this has been an eventful week for the Texans. We discussed the Slaton-Moats headache in the RB ranks and the season-ending injury to emerging star Owen Daniels in the TE ranks. The news here is a little more pleasant for owners: Kevin Walter is in line for a big second half. The Texans passing game isn’t going to stop as long as Schaub is upright, and Texans beat writers expect Walter to pick up a lot of the slack from the loss of Daniels. He’s got good hands, goes over the middle well, has decent speed, and runs good routes.

Anquan Boldin wants to play, but we don’t expect him to be effective even if he does so. He’s ranked as low as you’re going to see the guy. If Boldin is out, bump Steve Breaston up a few notches.

See also:
- Week 9 QB Rankings
- Week 9 RB Rankings
- Week 9 TE Rankings
- Week 9 DEF Rankings

1. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
2. Randy Moss, New England Patriots vs. MIA
3. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers @ NYG
4. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans @ IND
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals @ CHI
6. Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals vs. BAL
7. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints vs. CAR
8. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers @ TB
9. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons vs. WAS
10. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
11. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys @ PHI
12. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions @ SEA (Check Status)
13. Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers @ TB
14. Wes Welker, New England Patriots vs. MIA
15. Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos vs. PIT
16. Dwyane Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs @ JAC

WR rankings 17 through 42, after the jump…

17. Steve Smith, New York Giants vs. SD
18. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers @ DEN
19. Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. KC
20. Devin Hester, Chicago Bears vs. ARZ
21. Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers @ DEN
22. Derrick Mason, Baltimore Ravens @ CIN
23. Nate Burleson, Seattle Seahawks vs. DET
24. Stevonne Smith, Carolina Panthers @ NO
25. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants vs. SD
26. TJ Houshmandzadeh, Seattle Seahawks vs. DET
27. Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
28. Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
29. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers vs. TEN
30. Kevin Walter, Houston Texans @ IND
31. Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals @ CHI (Check Status)
32. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
33. Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals @ CHI
34. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins @ ATL
35. Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay Bucs vs. GB
36. Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears vs. ARZ
37. Earl Bennett, Chicago Bears vs. ARZ
38. Torry Holt, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. KC
39. Patrick Crayton, Dallas Cowboys @ PHI
40. James Jones, Green Bay Packers @ TB
41. Kelley Washington, Baltimore Ravens @ CIN
42. Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos vs. PIT

See also:
- Week 9 QB Rankings
- Week 9 RB Rankings
- Week 9 TE Rankings
- Week 9 DEF Rankings