I've been gearing up for my own fantasy football draft, which is a week from Saturday. Since I've been slightly obsessed with position rankings and all manner of fantasy football questions, let's start a series of fantasy articles with this one on position rankings. We'll run through the receivers on the Texans roster and see which are viable fantasy-wise, where they fall, etc.
Andre Johnson - Dre is pretty much the consensus top wideout in this season's draft. He's going to rack up points through yards and touchdowns as the main target in an explosive Houston offense. It's the second straight season Johnson has been recognized as the top receiver and this year, he beats out Atlanta's Roddy White and Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald for the honor. His average draft positions right now is No. 8, but if you're in a PPR league, his value skyrockets even further.
Jacoby Jones - It's a pretty steep fall from AJ to the next Texans receiver. Jones fits that description, but his ranking goes all the way down to the 67th best wideout. That means he's barely a starting option in three-receiver leagues and isnt' close in flex leagues. That's assuming he doesn't build on some of the momentum he had last season, which is why Jones makes a nice sleeper option as a fourth or fifth wideout on your team.
Kevin Walter - The days of Walter being a fantasy sleeper are probably past. Most likely, Walter will not get drafted, even if he should continue to see solid playing time for his blocking and route running. Walter has had trouble getting the same separation he did in the past, which is why his production has slipped. But, with a healthy AJ, Walter may see a slight uptick in his numbers.
Dorrin Dickerson - Talk about your deep, deep sleeper. Realistically, Dickerson is a year away from being a viable fantasy option, but he could have a little value as depth on a bye week, much like David Anderson was in recent years.
Jeff Maehl/Lestar Jean - If three of the players above get injured AND one of these guys makes the team, there might be a place for them. Whichever receiver earns that fifth spot on the roster may get one catch a game, but don't expect much. Just keep them in mind for a year or two down the road.