Fantasy Football: Early top-70 listing of PPR wide receivers

With NFL free agency and the draft in the rear-view mirror, it's time for 11Alive Sports to dip into the realm of fantasy football.

Today's listing features the top 70 wide receivers for Points Per Reception leagues.

To view the early quarterback rankings, click here.

And to ponder the early running back rankings, click here.

TOP 70 PPR WIDE RECEIVERS
1-20
1. Antonio Brown, Steelers
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
3. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
4. Michael Thomas, Saints
5. Mike Evans, Buccaneers
6. Keenan Allen, Chargers
7. A.J. Green, Bengals
8. Julio Jones, Falcons
9. Davante Adams, Packers
10. T.Y. Hilton, Colts
11. Jarvis Landry, Browns
12. Adam Thielen, Vikings
13. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
14. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
15. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
16. Golden Tate, Lions
17. Brandin Cooks, Rams
18. Amari Cooper, Raiders
19. Alshon Jeffery, Eagles
20. Stefon Diggs, Vikings

BREAKDOWN
a) Since 2013, Brown boasts a five-year average of 116 catches, 1,570 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Steelers.

Putting that into perspective ... only two receivers in NFL history have posted multiple seasons of 116 or more receptions (Wes Welker, Cris Carter).

In the PPR universe, Brown remains the undisputed No. 1 choice among wideouts.

b) Hopkins rolled for 96 catches, 1,378 yards and an NFL-best 13 touchdowns last year, even though transformative rookie Deshaun Watson started only six games.

Here's a fun stat from 2017: Hopkins notched double-digit targets and/or one touchdown 15 times. Just like Antonio Brown, Hopkins doesn't have much competition for his spot in this countdown.

c) At full strength, the Giants are loaded with big-time playmakers: Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, tight end Evan Engram and rookie tailback Saquon Barkley, who could experience an Ezekiel Elliott-esque impact in Year 1.

So, what does that mean for Beckham, who's also playing for a market-setting contract extension? I'll buy the notion of double-digit touchdowns, if healthy; but 90 catches and/or 1,300 yards could be a stretch, given New York's likely penchant for spreading the wealth on offense.

Come draft day, at best, Beckham should only be a late consideration for Round 1.

d) Is Michael Thomas (two-year average: 98 catches, 1,191 yards, 7 TDs) the fourth-best PPR receiver by a long shot? Uh, probably not.

But right now, I'll take his bankable consistency over Mike Evans (only one year of 80-plus catches), Keenan Allen (Chargers have too many 'upside' playmakers) and Julio Jones (skittish with touchdowns).

It also helps that the Saints don't have an obvious go-to mark at the WR2 slot.

e) Is Davante Adams (two-year average: 74 catches, 941 yards, 11 TDs) ready to take the next big leap in PPR circles, in terms of eclipsing 85 catches and 1,100 yards? Hard to say.

Even with quarterback Aaron Rodgers logging roughly half the starts last season, Adams still posted six games of seven or fewer targets. I also count five outings of four or less receptions. Ugh.

f) Last year, Julio Jones owned top-10 rankings with targets (7th), catches (9th), receiving yards (2nd) and 20-plus-yard receptions (3rd). The only true downer involved the three touchdowns.

However, even with a marginal uptick in TDs, Jones should have no trouble justifying a top-8 ranking by season's end. He's still in his relative PPR prime.

21-40
21. Allen Robinson, Bears
22. Devin Funchess, Panthers
23. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos
24. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers
25. Julian Edelman, Patriots
26. Corey Davis, Titans
27. Sterling Shepard, Giants
28. Robert Woods, Rams
29. Josh Gordon, Browns
30. Michael Crabtree, Ravens
31. Marvin Jones, Lions
32. Kelvin Benjamin, Bills
33. Pierre Garcon, 49ers
34. Marqise Lee, Jaguars
35. Cooper Kupp, Rams
36. Jamison Crowder, Redskins
37. Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
38. Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
39. DeVante Parker, Dolphins
40. Robby Anderson, Jets

BREAKDOWN

a) The Bears are seemingly in great hands with new head coach Matt Nagy, who recently directed the Chiefs offense. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has the talent and experience to take a big leap forward in Year 2, a la Jared Goff in 2017.

Trubisky also has a bankable target at the WR1 slot in Allen Robinson.

Of Robinson's last 31 complete games with the Jaguars, he owned strong averages of five catches, 73 yards and 0.7 touchdowns; and during that span, A-Rob racked up nine or more targets 21 times.

b) Devin Funchess enjoyed a decent Year 3 breakout with the Panthers, accounting for 63 catches, 111 targets, 840 yards and eight touchdowns; but is that enough to project him into the top 20?

My heart wants to say yes, but the reality is this: The Panthers are loaded with playmakers (Christian McCaffrey, C.J. Anderson, Greg Olsen, Funchess, Torrey Smith, D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel); so why would Funchess be a lock for 120-plus targets?

c) Demaryius Thomas's production with targets and receptions has declined in each of the last three years. Also, he's apparently no longer a threat for double-digit touchdowns.

In other words, the days of confidently listing Thomas in the top 15 are likely gone, barring some kind of sustained revival from quarterback Case Keenum (3,547 yards passing, 22 TDs with the Vikings last year).

d) Josh Gordon (only two outings of double-digit targets last season) represents the ultimate PPR wild card somewhere in Round 4 or 5. There's no pressure on him to be The Man in Cleveland, thanks to the arrival of Jarvis Landry.

In fact, Gordon might be no higher than the Browns' fourth- or fifth-best offensive option in the red zone, when factoring in Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson, Landry and tight end David Njoku.

My turnoff: I'm generally not a fan of wideouts who cannot snag at least 50 percent of their targets; and last year, Gordon caught just 43 percent of targeted balls.