by Juan Leer

Created on: February 09, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

It's never too early to prepare for fantasy football, a game that many Americans like to partake in. It's important to have proper rankings for each position, as the draft goes a long way towards determining how successful you will be as a fantasy football owner. There is a deep crop of Wide Receivers, but it can be one of the most difficult positions to pick. Here are my rankings headed into the season:

(1) Terrell Owens - Like him or not, he is still a top-flight WR, especially if he can get more and more comfortable with Tony Romo. He dropped a lot of balls last season, but the yards and TD numbers were still as good as ever. He is one of the most athletic and physically imposing receivers in the NFL, making him great after the catch. His speed and physicality can lead to a lot of long pass plays. For all of these reasons, TO is my #1 fantasy WR.

(2) Larry Fitzgerald - Fitzgerald is the best up-and-coming WR every year, and just keeps getting better and better. He is great at using his body to get open, and then going to get the ball at its highest point. With his height and great hands, he is one of the best redzone threats in the NFL.

(3) Steve Smith - Last year wasn't quite as good as his previous year, but Smith is still a great playmaker. He's great after the catch, great at getting open, and a threat even when defenses are honing in on him. The only concern here is his QB, but he's talented enough to make things work.

(4) Marvin Harrison - Mr. Reliable at WR. He's getting older, but there's not much to dislike here. He still has the best QB in the NFL throwing him the ball in Peyton Manning. Due to Harrison's style of play, he doesn't take many hits, which makes him less of an injury risk. He's also the best route runner in the NFL, which means he's open a lot.

(5) Chad Johnson - He's sort of the combination of TO (in that he has great athletic skills and talks the talk) and Marvin Harrison (in that he has a great QB), and that's why he ranks up there at #5. He's fast, big, and has good hands, which makes him a threat from anywhere on the field.

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