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Fantasy Football: Post-free agency look at the top 60 wide receivers for 2019

Davante Adams, Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins all posted top-7 numbers last season, among wideouts, with catches, targets, yards and TDs.

11Alive Sports' Jay Clemons offers a fresh look at the Top 60 PPR wide receivers, now that NFL free agency has gobbled up the vast majority of available receiving talents.

Clemons, the 2008 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and 2015 Cynopsis Media award winner for "Sports Blog Of The Year," has previously served as the lead fantasy analyst for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports South, Bleacher Report and Fanball.com.

It's worth noting: You won't see a single Redskins wideout on this listing ... because neither Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jeehu Chesson, Michael Floyd nor Darvin Kidsy are middling locks for 50-plus catches or four touchdowns.

So, why even waste time speculating on this anemic corps? Perhaps the Redskins will draft better receivers next month ... even though it's been a franchise blind spot for many years.

TOP 60 PPR WIDEOUTS RIGHT NOW
1-20
1. Davante Adams, Packers
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
3. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers
4. Julio Jones, Falcons
5. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
6. Michael Thomas, Saints
7. Antonio Brown, Raiders
8. Odell Beckham Jr., Browns
9. Adam Thielen, Vikings
10. T.Y. Hilton, Colts
11. Keenan Allen, Chargers
12. A.J. Green, Bengals
13. Stefon Diggs, Vikings
14. Amari Cooper, Cowboys
15. Kenny Golladay, Lions
16. Brandin Cooks, Rams
17. Mike Evans, Buccaneers
18. Mike Williams, Chargers
19. Jarvis Landry, Browns
20. Calvin Ridley, Falcons

BREAKDOWN

1. No one could ever supplant Antonio Brown – as a Steeler – at the top of this prospective countdown. 

However, all bets are off in the interim, now that Brown has forced a trade to the often-erratic Raiders.

Which brings us to this ... Davante Adams (111 catches, 169 targets, 1,386 yards, 13 TDs last year) and DeAndre Hopkins (115 catches, 163 targets, 1,572 yards, 11 TDs) posted Brown-like numbers last season, ranking in the top seven for receptions, targets, receiving yards and touchdowns.

As mere placeholders until Draft Weekend, Adams and Hopkins make the most sense at 1 and 2, respectively.

2. Everyone's entitled to a rough patch here and there. And yet, last season, Smith-Schuster endured only three games of less than 50 yards receiving and zero touchdowns.

If this baseline figure repeats itself in 2019, Smith-Schuster would be a great candidate for 115 catches, 1,400 yards and double-digit scores.

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3. Adam Thielen had one of the greatest first halves in fantasy history last year, racking up eight straight outings of 100-plus receiving yards and six touchdowns during this prolific stretch.

On the flip side ... Thielen's sagging second-half numbers would have barely qualified him for the top 40.

Here's hoping for better balance in 2019.

4. Two weeks ago with the Giants, I would have tabbed Odell Beckham Jr. for Round 4 or 5 in 12-team PPR drafts.

Does Beckham's perception change in the fantasy realm, now that he's property of the Browns?

For me, it's a simple rationalization:

a) With the Browns' star-laden playmaking cast of Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry, David Njoku, Duke Johhson (for now) and Antonio Callaway, it's hard to imagine Beckham matching his two-year average of 163 targets from 2015-16.

b) I'll buy Beckham for 8-9 touchdowns in Year 1 with the Browns; but anything beyond that seems like a stretch, given the red-zone upside of Chubb (10 TDs as a rookie) and Njoku (easy breakout candidate for Year 3).

c) No one can predict injuries, of course. But here's something to make it interesting: 

What should be the over-under wager for Beckham games played this season – if the bettors' line had a hook of 13.5?

21-40
21. Julian Edelman, Patriots
22. Robert Woods, Bengals
23. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
24. Alshon Jeffery, Eagles
25. Allen Robinson, Bears
26. Tyler Boyd, Bengals
27. D.J. Moore, Panthers
28. Cooper Kupp, Rams
29. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
30. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos
31. Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
32. Corey Davis, Titans
33. Zay Jones, Bills
34. Robbie Anderson, Jets
35. Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
36. Robert Foster, Bills
37. Christian Kirk, Cardinals
38. Dante Pettis, 49ers
39. Sterling Shepard, Giants
40. Courtland Sutton, Broncos

BREAKDOWN

1. With a simple extrapolation of Edelman's 12-game numbers from last year, the Patriots wideout would have been in the neighborhood of 96 catches, 144 targets, 1,083 yards and eight touchdowns over 16 games.

Edelman's numbers from 2017: 98 catches, 159 targets, 1,106 yards and three TDs.

Bottom line: This is the kind of bedrock consistency that fantasy owners crave low in Round 4 ... or high in Round 5.

2. Don't fall asleep on the Jets' Robbie Anderson.

For Weeks 13-17 last year, Anderson notched top-8 numbers with targets, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. 

Strong tallies, especially when paired with a rookie quarterback (Sam Darnold).

3. Here's an early message for those in summertime drafts: Prioritize the QB-WR handcuff of Josh Allen and Zay Jones in the latter rounds (10-14)

Allen averaged 292 total yards and 2.2 touchdowns in his final five games last season; and Jones was a late-season stud as well, accounting for five touchdowns and five outings of nine-plus targets after Week 10.

41-60
41. Will Fuller, Texans
42. Marvin Jones, Lions
43. Chris Godwin, Buccaneers
44. Golden Tate, Giants
45. Geronimo Allison, Packers
46. Jamison Crowder, Jets
47. Adam Humphries, Titans
48. Anthony Miller, Bears
49. Devin Funchess, Colts
50. DeVante Parker, Dolphins
51. Cole Beasley, Bills
52. Tre'Quan Smith, Saints
53. Willie Snead, Ravens
54. Keke Coutee, Texans
55. Marques Valdes-Scantling, Packers
56. DaeSean Hamilton, Broncos
57. James Washington, Steelers
58. Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
59. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
60. Albert Wilson, Dolphins
60b. Curtis Samuel, Panthers
60c. Michael Gallup, Cowboys

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