Fantasy: Good receivers sometimes come in pairs

By Kelly May  |   Thursday, August 14, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Fantasy Football
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Drafting or picking up the running back who splits time with the starter you already own has become commonplace for fantasy football owners. The logic behind the concept may not be statistically sound, but there is a comforting feeling in knowing that no matter what happens, you’re bound to get production from your running back position.

Regardless of the rationale of handcuffing running backs, does the same hold true for receivers? Before you dismiss the idea entirely, here are some facts to think over.

How many teams actually have two receivers worth drafting? How many of said teams have a third threat, whether it be a running back or tight end who can make plays in the passing game? To be honest, not many.

If you think about it, more fantasy rosters will have two quality running backs than a couple strong receivers. For a position that requires anywhere from five to six roster spots on an NFL team, why aren’t there more elite fantasy receivers?

It’s a simple numbers game. Generally, the top receiver on a team is going to get between three and 10 catches per game; that’s out of about 25 completions per contest for an entire club. That means the rest of the passes are spread among other targets, mostly the tight ends and runners.

The key is to find teams that have two wideouts who complement each other. That almost always means a possession receiver and a big-play threat. The best examples may be the Bengals' Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh or the Steelers' Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward. All four receivers will earn their fair share of points each week without taking anything away from their teammate.

The best tandem, however, might be in Arizona with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Both are elite playmakers with the ability to make tough catches. Because of that, both are valuable fantasy receivers who feed off one another and put up strong numbers for the Cardinals.

In truth, the premier WR tandems should actually earn you more points than some of the best backfield duos. Jacksonville's Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew’s total points last year came up less than Boldin and Fitzgerald’s amount. It's likely that Jones-Drew will be drafted early and Taylor a round or two later. Fitzgerald and Boldin, meanwhile, will likely be drafted near each other, so a trade may be the only way to get your hands on both.

The most attainable receiver pairing could be New England's twosome of Randy Moss and Wes Welker. If you happen to land Moss in the first round, you should have a shot at Welker in the third or fourth, depending on your league size.

Why focus so much on receivers? Let’s say you land Adrian Peterson with the second pick. You then sweat it out until the third round and pick up Chester Taylor. Are you better off than the guy who took Moss and Welker? Here’s some food for thought: Taylor and Peterson totaled 346 fantasy points last year, while Moss and Welker combined for 342.

Fantasy Playbook: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!
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