If this group of receivers were free agents after the 2009 season, they'd be the talk of free agency: Seven of our top 20 graded wideouts from 2009 have their contracts expiring this year.
But a year has passed, and many of those players faced injuries or suspension and just didn't get it done in 2010. Players like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens who have drawn interest in the past and could be in the Hall of Fame in the next decade have been regressing and didn’t make this list; Vincent Jackson got the franchise tag.
But there are plenty of good young receivers on the market (click here for a master list of all the free agents) as well as some veterans who had a resurgence in 2010, leaving a top 10 list of very attractive targets.
1. Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings
Age as of 1st September 2011: 25
2010 Grade: +0.1
Key Stat: His +22.0 pass rating was the highest of any wide receiver in 2009.
Behind The Numbers: Although he didn’t do much when he came back from injury in 2010, Rice did enough in 2009 to convince us that he’s capable of being one of the best receivers in football. He showed he could make explosive plays, and caught balls all over the field from Favre. He needs a quarterback capable of getting the ball to him, and with that Rice can be a game -changer.
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2. Santonio Holmes, New York Jets
Age as of 1st September 2011: 27
2010 Grade: +4.7 (+9.3 pass grade)
Key Stat: Holmes has been in the top 15 graded WRs for pass catching two years running.
Behind The Numbers: Holmes has shown he can be a consistent player, first with the Steelers and then the Jets. He hasn’t much of a deep threat, but is very capable of making plays in the middle of the field. He’s had character issues in the past which could detour teams, but handled returning from the suspension well so he may have matured. With the Jets using the franchise tag on David Harris, Holmes could find himself another new team to make big plays for.
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3. Malcom Floyd, San Diego Chargers
Age as of 1st September 2011: 29
2010 Grade: +8.2
Key Stat: Fourth for wide receivers in yards per reception with 19.4
Behind The Numbers: Another player who missed time in 2010, Floyd is a play maker. He probably isn’t a No. 1 receiver, and will only get four or five catches a game, but those plays are big enough that defenses have to watch out for Floyd. In the right situation he could be part of a very good one-two receiving punch.
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4. Lance Moore, New Orleans Saints
Age as of 1st September 2011: 28
2010 Grade: +8.7
Key Stat: Had a catch percentage of 71.7%; ninth best for receivers in 2010.
Behind The Numbers: Over the past few years Moore has developed into a very dependable player for the Saints. He usually isn’t going to wow you with big plays, but he is very dependable on short passes to get the chains moving. He was able to come up with 763 yards despite the rotation of receivers on the Saints. Like Floyd, he’s not a No. 1 receiver, but he can be a solid contributor to any team he joins if he leaves New Orleans.
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5. Steve Smith, New York Giants
Age as of 1st September 2011: 26
2010 Grade: +2.8
Key Stat: Played nearly as much in the slot (258 snaps) as out wide (268 snaps)
Behind The Numbers: This is yet another guy who looked very good in 2009, but saw his 2010 season shortened due to injury. When healthy he typically was targeted roughly eight times a game, mostly making short catches over the middle as he lined up in the slot on three-receiver sets. While quarterbacks have a high completion percentage throwing his way, he doesn’t have high yards after the catch. The injury that ended his season could deter teams.
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6. Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age as of 1st September 2011: 26
2010 Grade: +3.5
Key Stat: 47 of 99 targets and five of seven touchdowns were in the middle of the field.
Behind The Numbers: Sims-Walker has shown potential to be very good, but in other games has been a non-factor. In Week 8 against Dallas, he had eight catches for 153 yards with 47 yards coming after the catch, but also had six games with two catches or fewer. He is still a young receiver, and if he can become more dependable he is capable of being one of the better ones in the league. He doesn’t usually make the huge plays; he has made a number of very big plays moving the ball a bit past the first down marker.
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7. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
Age as of 1st September 2011: 32
2010 Grade: +5.3
Key Stat: His 501 yards after the catch led the league in 2010
Behind The Numbers: Moss saw a resurgence of his career as the clear top target in Washington. He was catching passes all over the field and making plays after he got his hands on the ball forcing 13 missed tackles during the year. The problem with Moss is age and inconsistency, but he'll surely have his share of suitors.
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8. Braylon Edwards, New York Jets
Age as of 1st September 2011: 28
2010 Grade: -4.7
Key Stat: Went from 19 dropped passes in 2008 to six in 2009 and four in 2010
Behind The Numbers: A strong last month-and-a-half of the season was enough for Edwards to make this list. He has yet to live up to the season he has in 2007, but has at times shown he can still make plays. He has yet to play with an above average quarterback in his career, and with the right passer Edwards could blossom into a much more noteworthy receiver.
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9. Brandon Stokley, Seattle Seahawks
Age as of 1st September 2011: 35
2010 Grade: +8.1
Key Stat: His 75.4 completion percentage when thrown at was second for receivers
Behind The Numbers: After a quiet 2009 in Denver, Stokley started seeing playing time in Week 4 with the Seahawks and became a very dependable slot receiver. This is the first time since his play in Indianapolis that it looked like Stokley had some good play left in him. By no means should he be anything more than a number three receiver at his age, but if a team is looking to win now and is in need of a slot receiver, Stokley is more than capable of filling that role.
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10. Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals
Age as of 1st September 2011: 28
2010 Grade: -5.9
Key Stat: 302 of his 718 yards came from long passes (passes thrown more than 20 yards)
Behind The Numbers: This is another player that could be a very strong No. 3 receiver. This past year in Arizona he struggled as the No. 2 with no consistency at quarterback, but in 2009 he was part of a great three-man receiving attack. In 2010 he made a number of big plays despite the problems at QB, and could be used as more of a deep threat in 2011.
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