With the fantasy season drawing to a close, its safe to say that this was the year of the rookie wide receiver. Leading the way was Odell Beckham Jr., and he finished atop the list of fantasy receivers in Week 16. If he had played the entire season and not missed the first four games, he could have led all receivers in fantasy points. Needless to say that he'll be one of the first receivers off the board in 2015 drafts, if not the first receiver drafted. Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans did not disappoint either. If Evans can get a better quarterback throwing to him, his production can reach even higher levels. I think Kelvin Benjamin has just scratched the surface of what he can accomplish. I believe that he'll score even more fantasy points in 2015, just because of having more experience.
Fantasy football rankings, Week 17: Wide receivers for standard, PPR leagues
Rookie receivers have been lighting up the fantasy football scoreboards this season. Check out our Week 17 wide receiver rankings for our thoughts on the top rookies, along with injury help and teams that might sit their starting wide receivers.
Dwayne Bowe sprained his shoulder on Sunday and is probably day to day right now. Julian Edelman didn't make it back from his concussion to play in Week 16 and could be held out this week with nothing really to gain from playing. Bruce Ellington scored twice against the Chargers but also suffered a hamstring injury. I wouldn't expect him to produce this week even if he does play. Percy Harvin is really getting nicked to end the season. He was forced from Sunday's game with a rib injury to add to his sore ankle.
T.Y. Hilton was held out of the game against the Cowboys by the team's training staff. He's dealing with a hamstring issue, but the team is optimistic that he'll play in Week 17. Calvin Johnson had an ankle issue on Sunday but returned to the game. Charles Johnson looked limited by a hamstring issue against Miami. Both Johnson's should play in Week 17, but watch their practice status. Julio Jones played against the Saints despite being less than a hundred percent. With even more on the line for the Falcons, it would take a lot to keep Jones from playing in Week 17.
There's a few teams that might rest their starters in Week 17 because of not having much to play for. Arizona, Dallas, Indianapolis and New England could put your fantasy team at risk. Receivers that you should think twice about are: Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John Brown, Dez Bryant and T.Y. Hilton.
We're still scraping the bottom of the barrel in regards to the waiver wire. Looking at one game specifically though, it could provide two sneaky PPR plays. On Saturday night, former CFLer Dontrelle Inman caught seven passes for 79 yards. The Chargers were playing from behind, so that might have been the real reason for his production. I think Inman will have another good game and makes for a sleeper flex play. Albert Wilson has three straight 50+ yard games for the Chiefs. No, the receiver hasn't reached the end zone for Kansas City yet, but Wilson should break that streak in the season finale.
Wide receiver rankings (standard), Week 17
(DK: Daniel Kelley; DC: Dan Ciarrocchi; JD: John Daigle; SK: Scott Kaliska)
| Rank | Consensus | Team | Opponent | DK | DC | JD | SK |
| 1 | Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | PHI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Antonio Brown | PIT | CIN | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Jordy Nelson | GB | DET | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 4 | Julio Jones | ATL | CAR | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 5 | Calvin Johnson | DET | @GB | 4 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | @MIN | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
| 7 | Randall Cobb | GB | DET | 8 | 12 | 8 | 12 |
| 8 | Jeremy Maclin | PHI | @NYG | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 |
| 9 | A.J. Green | CIN | @PIT | 13 | 13 | 6 | 11 |
| 10 | Mike Evans | TB | NO | 17 | 8 | 11 | 9 |
| 11 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | @ATL | 14 | 11 | 9 | 13 |
| 12 | Dez Bryant | DAL | @WAS | 7 | 7 | 34 | 2 |
| 13 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | OAK | 6 | 2 | 42 | 3 |
| 14 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | OAK | 12 | 14 | 20 | 14 |
| 15 | Roddy White | ATL | CAR | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 |
| 16 | Mike Wallace | MIA | NYJ | 11 | 19 | 15 | 18 |
| 17 | DeSean Jackson | WAS | DAL | 18 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| 18 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | @TEN | 16 | 21 | 7 | 25 |
| 19 | Golden Tate | DET | @GB | 28 | 17 | 19 | 17 |
| 20 | Vincent Jackson | TB | NO | 27 | 22 | 18 | 22 |
| 21 | Kenny Stills | NO | @TB | 25 | 20 | 23 | 23 |
| 22 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | JAC | 19 | 18 | 39 | 19 |
| 23 | Andre Johnson | HOU | JAC | 29 | 23 | 24 | 20 |
| 24 | Torrey Smith | BAL | CLE | 22 | 26 | 22 | 27 |
| 25 | Marques Colston | NO | @TB | 23 | 29 | 17 | 29 |
| 26 | Sammy Watkins | BUF | @NE | 33 | 25 | 21 | 26 |
| 27 | Jarvis Landry | MIA | NYJ | 36 | 24 | 31 | 24 |
| 28 | Julian Edelman | NE | BUF | 26 | 38 | 14 | 38 |
| 29 | Eddie Royal | SD | @KC | 24 | 33 | 27 | 33 |
| 30 | Brandon LaFell | NE | BUF | 31 | 27 | 32 | 28 |
| 31 | Josh Gordon | CLE | @BAL | 40 | 30 | 29 | 21 |
| 32 | Malcom Floyd | SD | @KC | 20 | 36 | 33 | 36 |
| 33 | Jordan Matthews | PHI | @NYG | 44 | 28 | 25 | 30 |
| 34 | Charles Johnson | MIN | CHI | 50 | 31 | 26 | 31 |
| 35 | Greg Jennings | MIN | CHI | 21 | 44 | 35 | 44 |
| 36 | Steve Smith Sr. | BAL | CLE | 45 | 32 | 38 | 32 |
| 37 | Martavis Bryant | PIT | CIN | -- | 34 | 30 | 37 |
| 38 | Anquan Boldin | SF | ARI | 38 | 35 | 45 | 35 |
| 39 | Donte Moncrief | IND | @TEN | -- | 37 | 36 | 34 |
| 40 | Eric Decker | NYJ | @MIA | 30 | 46 | 40 | 46 |
| 41 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | STL | 34 | 43 | -- | 39 |
| 42 | Terrance Williams | DAL | @WAS | -- | 39 | 41 | 43 |
| 43 | Marqise Lee | JAC | @HOU | 47 | 41 | 46 | 40 |
| 44 | Kendall Wright | TEN | IND | 32 | 49 | 50 | 48 |
| 45 | Marquess Wilson | CHI | @MIN | -- | 50 | 28 | -- |
| 46 | Kenny Britt | STL | @SEA | 35 | -- | 44 | -- |
| 47 | James Jones | OAK | @DEN | 37 | -- | 43 | -- |
| 48 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | DAL | -- | 40 | -- | 41 |
| 49 | Rueben Randle | NYG | PHI | -- | 42 | 47 | 47 |
| 50 | Wes Welker | DEN | OAK | -- | -- | 37 | -- |
| -- | Jarius Wright | MIN | CHI | 39 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Nate Washington | TEN | IND | -- | 45 | -- | 45 |
| -- | Stedman Bailey | STL | @SEA | 42 | -- | 49 | -- |
| -- | Robert Woods | BUF | @NE | 41 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | @SF | -- | -- | -- | 42 |
| -- | Andre Holmes | OAK | @DEN | 43 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Albert Wilson | KC | SD | 46 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Cole Beasley | DAL | @WAS | -- | 47 | -- | 50 |
| -- | Mohamed Sanu | CIN | @PIT | -- | 48 | -- | 49 |
| -- | Hakeem Nicks | IND | @TEN | 48 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Michael Floyd | ARI | @SF | -- | -- | 48 | -- |
| -- | Dwayne Bowe | KC | SD | 49 | -- | -- | -- |
Wide receiver rankings (PPR), Week 17
(DK: Daniel Kelley; DC: Dan Ciarrocchi; JD: John Daigle; SK: Scott Kaliska)
| Rank | Consensus | Team | Opponent | DK | DC | JD | SK |
| 1 | Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | PHI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Antonio Brown | PIT | CIN | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Julio Jones | ATL | CAR | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Jordy Nelson | GB | DET | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 5 | Calvin Johnson | DET | @GB | 5 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | @MIN | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| 7 | Randall Cobb | GB | DET | 9 | 8 | 6 | 13 |
| 8 | A.J. Green | CIN | @PIT | 13 | 13 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Jeremy Maclin | PHI | @NYG | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| 10 | Mike Evans | TB | NO | 16 | 10 | 14 | 11 |
| 11 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | @ATL | 14 | 14 | 10 | 14 |
| 12 | Dez Bryant | DAL | @WAS | 6 | 7 | 36 | 5 |
| 13 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | OAK | 7 | 3 | 43 | 3 |
| 14 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | OAK | 11 | 11 | 20 | 15 |
| 15 | Roddy White | ATL | CAR | 17 | 16 | 12 | 17 |
| 16 | Golden Tate | DET | @GB | 22 | 15 | 21 | 12 |
| 17 | Mike Wallace | MIA | NYJ | 12 | 21 | 16 | 23 |
| 18 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | @TEN | 15 | 19 | 9 | 32 |
| 19 | DeSean Jackson | WAS | DAL | 24 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| 20 | Vincent Jackson | TB | NO | 21 | 28 | 17 | 22 |
| 21 | Andre Johnson | HOU | JAC | 25 | 23 | 24 | 21 |
| 22 | Kenny Stills | NO | @TB | 32 | 20 | 23 | 20 |
| 23 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | JAC | 18 | 17 | 40 | 24 |
| 24 | Marques Colston | NO | @TB | 20 | 30 | 15 | 36 |
| 25 | Julian Edelman | NE | BUF | 27 | 34 | 13 | 28 |
| 26 | Jarvis Landry | MIA | NYJ | 37 | 24 | 26 | 16 |
| 27 | Sammy Watkins | BUF | @NE | 33 | 22 | 27 | 26 |
| 28 | Eddie Royal | SD | @KC | 23 | 33 | 19 | 37 |
| 29 | Brandon LaFell | NE | BUF | 30 | 25 | 32 | 29 |
| 30 | Torrey Smith | BAL | CLE | 26 | 26 | 28 | 39 |
| 31 | Josh Gordon | CLE | @BAL | 43 | 29 | 31 | 19 |
| 32 | Jordan Matthews | PHI | @NYG | 41 | 27 | 29 | 25 |
| 33 | Malcom Floyd | SD | @KC | 19 | 36 | 35 | 40 |
| 34 | Steve Smith Sr. | BAL | CLE | 40 | 31 | 37 | 27 |
| 35 | Charles Johnson | MIN | CHI | -- | 32 | 25 | 34 |
| 36 | Anquan Boldin | SF | ARI | 35 | 35 | 44 | 30 |
| 37 | Greg Jennings | MIN | CHI | 28 | 44 | 34 | -- |
| 38 | Eric Decker | NYJ | @MIA | 29 | 43 | 38 | 47 |
| 39 | Martavis Bryant | PIT | CIN | -- | 38 | 30 | 43 |
| 40 | Donte Moncrief | IND | @TEN | -- | 40 | 39 | 33 |
| 41 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | STL | 34 | 46 | -- | 38 |
| 42 | Marqise Lee | JAC | @HOU | 46 | 42 | 47 | 35 |
| 43 | Marquess Wilson | CHI | @MIN | 50 | -- | 22 | 48 |
| 44 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | DAL | -- | 39 | -- | 31 |
| 45 | Kendall Wright | TEN | IND | 31 | 49 | 48 | 45 |
| 46 | James Jones | OAK | @DEN | 36 | -- | 41 | -- |
| 47 | Terrance Williams | DAL | @WAS | -- | 37 | 42 | -- |
| 48 | Rueben Randle | NYG | PHI | 44 | 41 | 45 | -- |
| 49 | Wes Welker | DEN | OAK | -- | -- | 33 | -- |
| 50 | Kenny Britt | STL | @SEA | 38 | -- | 46 | -- |
| -- | Robert Woods | BUF | @NE | 39 | 50 | -- | 49 |
| -- | Nate Washington | TEN | IND | -- | 45 | -- | 46 |
| -- | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | CAR | -- | -- | -- | 41 |
| -- | Andre Holmes | OAK | @DEN | 42 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Harry Douglas | ATL | CAR | -- | -- | -- | 42 |
| -- | Cecil Shorts III | JAC | @HOU | -- | -- | 50 | 44 |
| -- | Jarius Wright | MIN | CHI | 45 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Albert Wilson | KC | SD | 47 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Mohamed Sanu | CIN | @PIT | -- | 47 | -- | -- |
| -- | Cole Beasley | DAL | @WAS | -- | 48 | -- | 50 |
| -- | Stedman Bailey | STL | @SEA | 48 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Dwayne Bowe | KC | SD | 49 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Percy Harvin | NYJ | @MIA | -- | -- | 49 | -- |
★★★
