The wide receiver position has become more important than ever around the world of fantasy football. In a league that throws the football more often than ever, and in some cases gears its rules toward helping the passing game, these athletic, swift and talented players are seeing more opportunities to produce in the stat sheets. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone who owned Antonio Brown or Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014.
That's why it's imperative to know how wideouts are likely to be used next season, from the big-name superstars all the way down to the players you might not know too well, but could still come in and make an impact. How many of us were talking about OBJ or Jeremy Maclin in the 2014 preseason? To make good predictions, you need to know how offenses and coordinators operate, along with any trends that surround their style of calling plays.
Below is a list of all 32 teams, including projections (targets/catches) for their top wide receivers. I've also included team pass percentages from 2014 in the case of teams with incumbent coordinators, with data on how new coordinators have handled wideouts in previous stints at the pro or college level. You'll also find a FPPT, or fantasy points per touch average from 2014, which can help you do your own fantasy point projections based on the prognosticated receptions.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals threw the football 60 percent of the time last season and completed 320 passes, 194 of which went to wide receivers (60.6 percent). The team leader in targets at the position wasn't much of a surprise (Larry Fitzgerald - 104), but guess who ranked second? It wasn't Michael Floyd, it was John Brown. He's a major fantasy sleeper in the late rounds of your 2015 drafts. Once a fantasy star, Fitzgerald has seen his targets decrease in each of the last three seasons. ... Bruce Arians was either a head coach or coordinator in six consecutive years before taking over in Arizona. During those years, his system produced at least one top-20 fantasy wide receiver. However, Mike Wallace (2010-2011) is the lone wideout to finish better than 15th. In the last two seasons with the Cardinals, however, Arians' offense has failed to produce a single top 20 fantasy receiver.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons threw the football on 64.1 percent of their offensive plays under former coordinator Dirk Koetter last season, which ranked as the third-most in the league. No NFL team had more wide receiver targets (435), catches (284) and yards (3,687) either. Of their 418 completions, 68 percent went to a wideout. ... New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan ran the football a ton with the Cleveland Browns last season, but that was because of a lack of personnel. In his seven seasons as a coordinator, his receivers have finished in the top 20 in fantasy points five times. That includes Pierre Garcon (13th, 2013) and Andre Johnson, who ranked second in 2008 and first in 2009. That's good news for Julio Jones, who figures to thrive in the "X" position. ... As for Roddy White, Shanahan hasn't had two fantasy wideouts finish in the top 20 in the same season since 2008 (Johnson, Kevin Walter).
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens recorded a 56.1 pass percentage in their one season under former coordinator Gary Kubiak (2014). To compare, new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman threw the football 64.7 percent of the time as the coach of the Chicago Bears. Of the team's 396 pass completions, however, his wide receivers accounted for less than half (48 percent). Remember, running back Matt Forte had 102 catches alone last season. ... On a positive note, Trestman did have two wideouts finish in the top 10 in fantasy points in 2013 (Brandon Marshall - fifth, Alshon Jeffery - eighth). Jeffery ranked 11th last season, while Marshall fell down to 34th due at least in part to the fact that he missed three games with injuries. ... The Ravens don't have the same level of talent at the position, as Steve Smith Sr. is now 36 and entering his 15th NFL campaign. Rookie Breshad Perriman is the favorite to start opposite him.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills threw the football 60.6 percent of the time in 2014, but that figures to decline under new coordinator Greg Roman. His offense in San Francisco had a pass percentage of 53.4 percent last season, which ranked 26th. In his previous three years, Roman's offenses never finished better than 30th in pass percentage. Furthermore, he never had a top 10 fantasy wide receiver in his time with the Niners. The highest a wideout ever finished was Michael Crabtree (14th) in 2012. Anquan Boldin finished 15th in 2013 but fell down to 21st last season. ... Roman's leading fantasy option at the position finished 20.7 on average (2011-2014), which doesn't bode well for Sammy Watkins. He's not likely to have a true breakout campaign in this offense. Roman's No. 2 fantasy wideout had finished no better than 52nd with the Niners, which is bad news for both Percy Harvin and Robert Woods.
Carolina Panthers
Kelvin Benjamin posted a solid rookie campaign, but Panthers wideouts didn't fare well overall under coordinator Mike Shula. In fact, the team ranked 20th in wide receiver targets (320), 25th in catches (176) and 25th in yards (2,236). Their touchdown production (14) ranked 17th at the position. ... Benjamin accounted for 45 percent of Carolina's targets and yardage at the position. He also scored nine of the team's 14 wideout touchdowns, which is why is loss is so huge both on the field and in fantasy leagues. ... Panthers quarterbacks completed 327 passes, and 54 percent of them went to receivers. Greg Olsen led the squad in overall targets (84) and tied Benjamin with a team-high 1,008 yards. ... Rookie Devin Funchess, who is expected to start, is the best fantasy option on a roster thin at the position.
Chicago Bears
The Bears threw the football 64.7 percent of the time under Trestman last season, but that number is destined to decrease under new coordinator Adam Gase. Even with Peyton Manning under center in Denver, Gase's offense still ranked 19th in pass percentage (58.4) in 2014. Of the team's 399 completions, 67 percent went to wide receivers. That had much to do with the fact that Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker were on the roster. Thomas, the team's top fantasy wideout, averaged 163 targets with Gase at the helm. That figures to be good news for Jeffery, who should see a spike in the 145 targets he had last season. ... Gase had two top-10 fantasy wideouts in each of his two campaigns in Denver. Keep in mind that Jay Cutler is a major downgrade from Manning at the quarterback position, so expect a decline in pass attempts. ... Eddie Royal has sleeper appeal with Kevin White out.
Cincinnati Bengals
In his first season as the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, Hue Jackson threw the ball on 51.7 percent of the team's snaps and finished fourth to last in pass percentage. The Bengals ranked a mere 27th in wide receiver targets (283), 29th in catches (162) and 24th in yards (2,289). Cincinnati wideouts also finished with a mere 12 touchdowns. ... In Jackson's three previous stints running an NFL offense (2003, 2007, 2010), he had two receivers finish in the top 14 in fantasy points. They were Laveranues Coles (2003) in Washington and Roddy White (2007) in Atlanta. ... Jackson's top wideout in 2014, A.J. Green, averaged nine targets per contest and finished just 23rd in fantasy points at his position. That was down from 11.1 targets the previous campaign, but keep in mind that Green missed three games and dealt with injuries even when he was active in 2014. He's a prime draft value.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland's offense ranked 11th in wide receiver targets (350), 19th in catches (188) and 11th in yards (2,630) under Shanahan last season. New coordinator John DeFilippo figures to run the football a ton in 2015, much like Shanahan, so don't expect much production from Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline. DeFilippo, who has never been an offensive coordinator at the pro level, served in that role at San Jose State in 2011. That season, their leading wideout, Noel Grigsby, caught an impressive 89 passes and averaged 73.8 yards in 12 games. Unfortunately, he scored just twice. ... Over the last 10 years, the Browns have had just two wideouts (Josh Gordon - 2013, Braylon Edwards - 2007) finish in the top 25 in fantasy points at the position. The team's top fantasy wideout finished, on average, 22nd in fantasy points in that time. In two of those seasons (2010, 2011), the team didn't have a top-50 receiver.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys threw the football just 49.9 percent of the time last season, which isn't a surprise when you consider the success of the ground game. With DeMarco Murray out of the mix, however, that number figures to rise in 2015. ... Scott Linehan will now handle all duties of the coordinator. In five seasons as the offensive coordinator in Detroit, Linehan's squad never threw the ball fewer than 59.6 percent of the time. That includes four seasons with a pass percentage of 60.6 or more. From 2010-2013, Calvin Johnson finished in the top six in fantasy points among wideouts under Linehan, including two No. 1 finishes. That's good news for the stock of Dez Bryant. ... Interestingly, Linehan's second-best fantasy wideout never finished higher than 41st while he was in Detroit. In 2014, Terrance Williams was Dallas' second-best option at the position. He ranked 40th in fantasy points.
Denver Broncos
During Kubiak's four years (2010-2013) as the head man in Houston and with Rick Dennison as his offensive coordinator, the Texans threw the ball more than 60 percent of the time once. Their top receiver, Andre Johnson, finished no worse than 12th in fantasy points in his three full seasons under their watch. That includes a pair of top eight finishes. However, A.J. wasn't much of a red-zone force ... he scored a combined 17 touchdowns in those three full campaigns. One interesting note from the Kubiak and Dennison era in Houston ... aside from Johnson, no other wideout finished better than 47th in fantasy points. Of course, the coaching duo never had a quarterback like Peyton Manning or a pair of wideouts like Thomas and Sanders. ... In Dennison's three seasons as Denver's offensive (without Kubiak), Javon Walker ranked eighth (2006) while Marshall finished 9th (2007) and 12th (2008).
Detroit Lions
In his first season as the offensive coordinator in Detroit, Joe Lombardi had his troops throw the football 62.1 percent of the time. Out of their 365 completions, 57 percent of them went to wideouts. The team's targets leader was Golden Tate (144), but Calvin Johnson was the main man in targets per contest (9.8). Remember, Megatron missed three games due to injuries. If you project his fantasy points over a full campaign, he would have finished 10th among wideouts. ... Tate, who finished one spot ahead of Johnson based on fantasy points, recorded a combined 24 catches, 349 yards and two touchdowns in the three games Megatron missed. The 46.9 points he recorded in those three games accounted for almost 30 percent of his fantasy production for the entire season. Keep that in mind before you draft the Golden Domer as much more than a high-end No. 3 fantasy wideout in 2015.
Green Bay Packers
Want an insane stat? The Packers offense completed 349 passes last season, 67 percent of which went to the wide receivers. That's what happens when you have the likes of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams on the roster. Green Bay ranked fifth in wideout catches (233), third in yards (3,295) and tied for No. 1 in touchdowns (28). Nelson led the team with 151 targets (though he will miss 2015 with an ACL tear), while Cobb was second with 127. Running backs had 65 catches out of the backfield, while tight ends accounted for just 51 receptions. ... Want another odd statistic? Despite the success of Aaron Rodgers and his wideouts from a fantasy perspective, the Packers ranked in the bottom half of the league (22nd) in pass percentage (56.5) last season. So when newly minted play-caller Tom Clements dials up his pass plays, Rodgers and his receivers make them count.
Houston Texans
George Godsey, who served as the Texans quarterbacks coach last season, will serve as the offensive coordinator in 2015. The scheme won't change with coach Bill O'Brien at the helm, though, so let's take a look at the 2014 totals. Texans wide receivers ranked 16th in targets (336), 15th in catches (199), 16th in yards (2,585) and scored 10 touchdowns. Only five NFL teams had fewer scores from their wideouts. ... On a positive note, the 147 targets that Andre Johnson (now with the Colts) complied last season are now up for grabs. DeAndre Hopkins (127 targets) figures to see a spike in that total in 2015, making him a prime candidate to finish as a top-15 fantasy wideout. ... The rest of the targets will be spread out among Cecil Shorts, Nate Washington and rookie Jaelen Strong, but none of this trio will be selected until the late rounds (at best) in most re-draft formats.
Indianapolis Colts
To the surprise of no one, the Colts threw the football 62.4 percent of the time last season. That ranked as the sixth-highest mark in the NFL. Their wideouts benefitted, as the team ranked sixth in targets (368), eighth in catches (219) and sixth in yards (3,004) at the position. While Andrew Luck threw 40 touchdown passes, his wideouts accounted for less than half (16) of those scoring strikes. ... T.Y. Hilton (131 targets) figures to lead the team in that category once again, but Andre Johnson should push him for opportunities. In fact, he'll eat up most of the 116 targets that Reggie Wayne left in the offensive basket and could be a decent draft bargain with Luck throwing him the football. ... Rookie Phillip Dorsett will likely make a bigger impact on the field than in fantasy circles, as he'll have to compete with Donte Moncrief for the rest of the wide receiver targets.
Jacksonville Jaguars
You might be shocked, but Jaguars wideouts were targeted 379 times a season ago under former coordinator Jedd Fisch. That ranked fourth in the NFL. Unfortunately their receivers didn't do a lot with those targets, finishing 14th in catches (202) and 20th in yards (2,347) while producing just 10 touchdowns. ... Jacksonville does have some good, young talent at the position, as Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns all look to make an impact as NFL sophomores. ... New offensive coordinator Greg Olson failed to produce a top 30 fantasy wideout in two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, but don't count that against him. When Olson had some talent in St. Louis (2006-2007), he helped Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce find success in the stat sheets. In fact, his 2006 offense ranked sixth in the NFL and produced a 4,000-yard passer in Marc Bulger. Holt and Bruce also had 1,000 yards that season.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs ranked 23rd in pass percentage (56.3) last season, and that rate isn't likely to increase significantly (if at all) with Jeremy Maclin in the mix. The team ranked dead last in wideout targets (249), yards (1,744) and touchdowns (zero). Kansas City was also next to last in wideout catches (152). ... Fantasy fans should keep in mind that in coach Andy Reid's 14 campaigns as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, his top wide receiver (in terms of receiving yards) had fewer than 1,000 yards nine times. Furthermore, only one wideout ever reached 1,200 yards in a season under Reid's watch, and that was Terrell Owens. And before you mention DeSean Jackson, remember that he put up fewer than 1,000 yards in three of his five seasons under Reid. Furthermore, one of Jackson's three best fantasy seasons (2014) came in Washington and without Reid.
Miami Dolphins
In Bill Lazor's first season as the offensive coordinator, the Dolphins threw the football on 61.6 percent of their offensive plays. As a result, fantasy fans shouldn't be surprised that the team finished in the top 10 in wide receiver targets (364), catches (233) and touchdowns (20). Oddly, Miami's wideouts ranked a middle of the road 18th in yardage (2,552). ... The team's targets leader was Mike Wallace (115), who is now in Minnesota, so there are opportunities to be had. As a result, Jarvis Landry (112 targets) should see more chances and is the best bet for fantasy production among Miami wideouts. Rookie DeVante Parker should also see his share of the targets, though he's coming off a foot operation and will open camp on the active/PUP list. He's worth a late-round look. ... Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings are also in the mix, but only Stills has late-round appeal.
Minnesota Vikings
Vikings wide receivers didn't help fantasy fans a whole lot last season, ranking 25th in targets (293), 26th in catches (173) and 21st in yards (2,326). Not a single member of their receiving corps had 100 targets either, as Jennings led the team with 92. Fantasy bust Cordarrelle Patterson was second with 67. Most of Jennings' vacated targets will go to Wallace, who joins Minnesota after a short stint in Miami. Keep this in mind though ... in Norv Turner's last six seasons as a coordinator, he hasn't produced multiple top 50 fantasy wideouts. Here's the list: Jennings (39th, 2014), Josh Gordon (first, 2013), Antonio Bryant (43rd, 2006), Chris Chambers (12th, 2003), Chambers (47th, 2002) and Curtis Conway (12th, 2001). If this trend continues, just one of Minnesota's wideouts will emerge as a somewhat reliable option. Wallace is the one wideout to target, but that trend doesn't bode too well.
New England Patriots
The Patriots threw the football 59.2 percent of the time last season, which was the highest rate the team has had since offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels re-joined the team (2012). However, the team's wideouts finished just 18th in targets (322) and 22nd in yards (2,298) while scoring 13 touchdowns. These stats can't be a surprise in an offense whose top pass catcher is Rob Gronkowski, a tight end. ... On a positive note, McDaniels has produced four top-20 fantasy wideouts in his last five seasons as either a coordinator or head coach. That includes Brandon Lloyd (first, 2010) and Brandon Marshall (ninth, 2009). He's also failed to have two top 50 wideouts just once in that time (2013). ... Last season, Julian Edelman led the Patriots with 134 targets and 92 catches. However, Brandon LaFell (119 targets) was the better fantasy option based on his 953 yards and seven scores.
New Orleans Saints
The trades of Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills has fantasy folks asking, "will the Saints throw the football less in 2015?" Last season, the team ranked 24th in wideout targets (306), 13th in catches (204), ninth in yards (2,811) and scored 12 times. Those totals should rise at least somewhat with Graham no longer in the mix, however. ... Pete Carmichael has been the coordinator since 2009. During those six seasons, the Saints have produced 15 top 50 fantasy wideouts. The best a New Orleans wideout has finished in that time is Marques Colston (11th, 2012). Over the last two seasons, however, Carmichael's offense hasn't had a top 25 fantasy receiver. That should change this season, though, as Brandin Cooks figures to see a major spike in targets and opportunities as the new top option in the pass attack for Drew Brees. Between Graham and Stills, the Saints lost 208 targets from 2014.
New York Giants
The Giants ran one of the wideout-friendliest offenses in the NFL last season, finishing third in targets (380), fourth in yards (3,140) and tied for ninth in touchdowns (19). In fact, 62 percent of the team's 383 completions went to a wide receiver. Odell Beckham Jr. led the G-Men with 130 targets, which is a ridiculous total when you consider he played just 12 games. Over a full slate, he would have been projected to see 173 targets. That would have been the third-most at the position. OBJ figures to be drafted with one of the first 20 overall picks in re-drafts. ... Before injuring his knee, Victor Cruz was on pace to post 109 targets, or 18 fewer than Rueben Randle.
New York Jets
In 2014, the Jets finished no better than 26th in any of the following categories: wide receiver targets (292), catches (164), yards (2,098) and touchdowns (eight). The Jets do have two former top-10 fantasy wideouts in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but neither is likely to reach that level in 2015 under the guidance of new coordinator Chan Gailey. In his last six seasons as either an offensive coordinator or head coach, Gailey's offenses have produced just one top-10 wide receiver (Steve Johnson, 2010). In four of those campaigns, his top fantasy wideout ranked out of the top 20 at the position. Gailey has also failed to produce an 1,100-yard wide receiver in any of those years.
Oakland Raiders
No team in the league threw the football more than the Raiders last season, as they finished with a 66.1 pass percentage. Despite the high pass rate, Oakland's wideouts still ranked a middle of the road 15th in targets (343), 18th in catches (189), 27th in yards (2,165) and scored an unimpressive 12 touchdowns. Their best fantasy receiver, James Jones, ranked 44th at the position. He's no longer on the roster. ... New coordinator Bill Musgrave has not had a ton of success with wideouts in his last five seasons. In fact, he's coached just one top-10 fantasy player (Percy Harvin, 2011). Furthermore, just two receivers (Harvin, Jimmy Smith - 2004) have finished in the top 20. ... On a positive note, rookie Amari Cooper is a massive talent who will eat up the 112 targets Jones left behind (and then some). He's in the WR2 conversation. Don't expect the same from Michael Crabtree.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 2014, the Eagles had a pass percentage of 57.9, which was up from the 52.6 percent clip the previous season. Their wideouts ranked seventh in targets (366) and catches (221), eighth in yards (2,922) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (21). Maclin, who left for Kansas City, was their most targeted wideout (143), but rookie Jordan Matthews was also involved (103 targets). He now figures to see an increase in his opportunities, making him a potential breakout candidate. ... In four seasons as either an NFL coordinator or head coach, Pat Shurmur's best fantasy receiver was Josh Gordon (38th, 2012). Since joining the staff of coach Chip Kelly, however, Shurmur has helped produce a pair of top 25 fantasy wideouts in each of the last two years. That includes two top-10 players (Maclin - 2014, DeSean Jackson - 2013). These stats bode well for both Matthews and rookie Nelson Agholor.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers figure to throw the football a ton in 2015, making their top wideouts attractive in fantasy circles. In fact, Pittsburgh finished fifth in targets (378), third in catches (244), fourth in yards (3,239) and third in touchdowns (25) at the position. ... Antonio Brown led the team with 181 targets and posted career bests across the board in 2014, so he'll be the top fantasy wideout in most 2015 drafts. ... Todd Haley has had a ton of success as a coordinator or head coach, helping Brown (2013, 2014), Dwayne Bowe (2010) and Larry Fitzgerald (2007, 2008) finish in the top seven among fantasy wideouts. Brown, Bowe and Fitzgerald have all finished first or second in their time under Haley. He's also led an Arizona offense that had two top-20 fantasy wideouts (Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin) in back to back seasons, so Martavis Bryant should see more than his share of targets too.
San Diego Chargers
The Chargers threw the football 60.6 percent of the time in their first season under coordinator Frank Reich, but their wide receivers didn't post good numbers for fantasy fans. Despite finishing with good totals among wideouts in catches (11th) and yards (12th), San Diego's best wideout (Malcom Floyd) finished a mediocre 30th in fantasy points. Keenan Allen, who was a fantasy darling after a solid rookie year, was fewer than 4.5 points from finishing outside of the top 50. That was odd not only because of his talent, but because of the fact that Allen saw more targets (121, 8.6 PG) than he did as a rookie (105, 7.0 PG). With Antonio Gates (suspension) out four games, however, Allen should eat up some additional targets. He's also slated to see some time in the slot, so a bounce-back campaign is possible. ... The duo of Floyd and Steve Johnson warrant only late-round consideration.
San Francisco 49ers
In 2014, the 49ers ranked 13th in wideout targets (345), 10th in catches (209), 13th in yards (2,595) and scored 15 touchdowns. Still, their best receiver (Boldin) ranked just 21st in fantasy points at the position. ... New coordinator Geep Chryst, who spent his first four years as the Niners quarterbacks coach, hasn't been an offensive coordinator at the pro level since 1999-2000 (San Diego). In those two seasons, the Bolts did not have a 1,000-yard wideout. Jeff Graham (968 yards) came close, but his two touchdowns made him a mediocre fantasy option. He also led the team in wideout yards the following year with 907, but Graham had a mere four scores. ... The addition of Torrey Smith, who will start opposite Boldin, helps the vertical pass attack. However, neither should be drafted as more than a No. 4 fantasy wideout. Of Smith's 142.70 fantasy points in 2014, 46 percent came on touchdown catches.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks are a perennial powerhouse in real football, but their wideouts leave a lot to be desire in the world of fantasy football. In fact, the position ranked 29th in targets (273), 22nd in catches (181), 29th in yards (2,120) and next to last in touchdowns (seven) last season. ... In the last three years under coordinator Darrell Bevell, Seattle hasn't had a wideout finish better than 28th in fantasy points. That was Golden Tate in 2013. He's now with the Lions. ... Doug Baldwin was the team's best fantasy receiver in 2014, and he finished just 44th. Jermaine Kearse was 77th. ... This trend isn't likely to end either, as the team added Graham and his 124 targets at tight end and will continue to lean on the run with Marshawn Lynch. Furthermore, there's a good chance that not a single Seahawks wide receiver will even be picked in a standard 10-team draft this summer.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams were anything put productive at the wide receiver position last season, ranking no better than 28th in targets (251), catches (157), yards (2,077) and touchdowns (nine). As a result, it should come as a surprise to no one that the team didn't have a single wideout with more than 84 targets (Kenny Britt). ... New coordinator Frank Cignetti, who had served as the team's quarterbacks coach, has never held the offensive coordinator position at the pro level. His last run came at Rutgers (2011), where he directed an offense that featured current Bengals wideout Mohamed Sanu. Under Cignetti, Sanu finished with an impressive 115 catches, 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games. ... On the flip side, his corps of wideouts heading into 2015 has never had a 1,000-yard campaign. In fact, the trio of Britt, Brian Quick and Stedman Baileycombined for 1,425 yards last season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers recorded a pass percentage of 62.3 last season, which ranked seventh among NFL teams. Of the team's 301 completions, 61 percent of them went to wide receivers. The team leader in targets, Vincent Jackson (142), finished 38th in fantasy points at the position. Mike Evans, who finished second in team targets (123), ranked 10th among wideouts. His targets totals are destined to increase in 2015. ... New coordinator Dirk Koetter didn't have much success in Jacksonville when it came to wideouts (2007-2011), as his top fantasy receiver never finished higher than 25th in those five years. When he had the duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White, however, Koetter's system looked a lot more attractive to fantasy fans. With another solid pair of wideouts under his guidance, don't be surprised to see Evans emerge into an elite option and Jackson rebound after a poor 2014 campaign.
Tennessee Titans
In their first season under new coordinator Jason Michael, the Titans offense threw the football on 61.3 percent of their offensive snaps. This unit also finished near the bottom of the league in wideout targets (28th), catches (31st) and yards (26th) while scoring just 12 touchdowns. The team leader in targets was Kendall Wright (93) ... that was 46 fewer than he received in 2013. Tennessee lost 72 targets at the position in the absence of Nate Washington and could lose more if Justin Hunter (67) faces league discipline for an off-the-field issue. ... Wright and Harry Douglas appear to be the favorites to open camp atop the depth chart, but fantasy fans should keep tabs on Dorial Green-Beckham. The 6-foot-5 rookie has more upside than any other wideout on Tennessee's roster. ... The Titans also added Hakeem Nicks in the offseason, but he's not a draftable option in fantasy land.
Washington Redskins
In their first season under coach Jay Gruden and coordinator Sean McVay, the Redskins threw the football 60.1 percent of the time. The team's wideouts finished in the bottom half of the league in targets (23rd), catches (24th) and yards (17th), while scoring a mere 11 touchdowns. Pierre Garcon led the team with 105 targets, but he finished an awful 54th in fantasy points at the position. DeSean Jackson, who had 95 targets, ranked a much more impressive 16th. ... In his last four seasons as either a coordinator or head coach, Gruden's offensive attack has produced four top-16 fantasy wideouts. That includes A.J. Green, who ranked fourth twice (2012, 2013). Jackson is Washington's best bet for fantasy production, so consider him a low-end No. 2 wideout who can be had in the middle rounds as a third option. ... Garcon, who was a bust in 2014, shouldn't be picked until the late rounds.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
