AFC Wide Receivers (4)
Easy Picks: Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Lee Evans
Leads the league in yards and receptions. Top in the AFC in DYAR and catching 68% off passes intended for him. Reggie Wayne is the only other WR in the top 5 in the AFC in yards and DYAR.
Really? Vincent Jackson
Jackson is second in the AFC in DVOA, 3rd in DYAR, 6th in yards. His 54% catch rate is sub-par until you notice that he's averaging just under 20 yards per reception (19.3). Jackson has been the league's top deep threat. Among AFC receivers only Lee Evans and the stone handed Braylon Edwards have at least 30 receptions with a yards per reception over 14.5
But, but, but Brandon Marshall, Wes Welker
Welker is catching a lot of passes and a great % of the passes thrown at him, but this year they aren't going for much. Only the Bengals WR dou and Maurice Jones Drew have 40 catches with a lower yards per reception. After finishing 4th in DYAR last year Welker ranks 28th in the league behind Ike Hillard, Issac Bruce, Antonio Bryant, Hank Basket and Kevin Walters. Marshall is just being force fed targets. He leads the league despite missing time with a suspention. 72 receptions for 942 yards and 4 TDs is significantly less impressive when it comes on 134 targets. Marshall is even further down the DYAR list sitting between Justin Gage and Patrick Crayton at 58th. Marshall is far better than the 58th best WR in the league, but somewhere around the 11th or 12th time per game the Broncos throw the ball at him they are just wasting plays.
NFC Receivers
Easy Picks: Roddy White, Larry Fitzgerrald, Greg Jennings
Yards and DYAR agree on 3 of the NFC's top 4. White is first in the league in DYAR, DVOA and yards. Fitzgerrald comes in at 2nd in DYAR, receptions and yards. Jennings is 3rd in yards and 4th in DYAR.
Worthy, but have to catch the ball better for my vote: Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Steve Smith
Both have very good numbers, but my pick for #4 has totals that are nearly as good and did it while catching 70% of the passes thrown at him, compared to 51% and 55%.
My 4th: Anquan Boldin
Boldin leads the NFC in receptions, is 3rd in DYAR, 6th in DVOA (4th with at least 40 catches), 7th in yards and 1st in TDs despite taking a hit that literally broke his face mid-season.