1          Andre Johnson HOU   (BYE: 7)

Johnson has posted 100+ receptions along with 1500+ yards and at least 8 TDs over the past 2 years.  Sure, we’d like to see him in the end zone a little more often, but you can’t deny the overall production.  Just like all the receivers listed below, a great deal of his success depends on his quarterback.  We are all aware of Matt Schaub’s injury history, but we also saw the magic that can happen when everyone is on the field in Houston.

2          Randy Moss NE   (BYE: 5)

Old Man Moss sure has gone through a lot of ups and downs over his 12 seasons, but his time in New England has been something special.  Three straight years of at least 11 touchdowns and 1000+ receiving yards provide owners with the consistent production they can count on.  Entering 2010, he still looks like he has something left in the tank to warrant a top-5 receiver selection.

3          Larry Fitzgerald ARI   (BYE: 6)

Arizona’s quarterback situation makes fantasy owners awfully nervous.  So far, Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson appear to be in a dead heat for starting duties, but both are, well….. lacking.  That’s the concern – something that has nothing to do with Fitzgerald - but with his supporting cast.  Add in Arizona’s movement to present a more balanced attack and, like we said, it just makes you a little nervous.  Those are the negatives because there’s nothing bad about Fitz’s ability to score (double digit TDs 4 out of the past 6 years) or ability to catch the ball (97-reception average over the past 3 years).  Let’s just hope he has a QB that can take advantage of his talents.

4          Calvin Johnson DET   (BYE: 7)

After hauling in 1330 total yards and 12 TDs in 2008, Mega-Tron let owners down last year by failing to crack the 1000-yard mark while only catching 5 touchdowns.  Various injuries seemed to linger through last year and he also had the additional challenge of working with a rookie quarterback – not necessarily the best recipe for success.  This season will again depend greatly on staying healthy and Matt Stafford’s development, but we think they’re on the right track.

5          Miles Austin DAL   (BYE: 4)

Many owners will look back to week 5 last year as a turning point in their season.  After amassing a total of only 4 catches for 82 yards through the first 4 games, Austin busted out in week 5 catching 10 passes for 250 yards and 2 TDs.  And the waiver claims ensued.  Would he be for real?  He was for real and rewarded owners with 11 total touchdowns and 1320 receiving yards.  Don’t worry too much about Dez Bryant, Tony Romo will always look to his comfort zones with Austin and Jason Witten.

6          Roddy White ATL   (BYE: 8)

After a slow start, White turned in a very solid season finding the end zone 11 times while hauling in 85 passes for 1153 yards.  He did throw in a couple of stinkers (5 games with 40 yards or less) but you could certainly shift some of that blame onto a developing and gimpy Matt Ryan.  Both players’ futures are dependent on one another, so if they keep improving like they have been, you’ll a have a potent combination.

7          Reggie Wayne IND   (BYE: 7)

Although Wayne’s touchdown totals have fluctuated, he always gets his yards.  He’s still the number one option but the Colts appear to have a healthy receiving corps, so some of the youngsters (Garcon, Gonzalez, Collie) may take some of the opportunities.  Remember when the Colts started phasing out Marvin Harrison for a younger, more athletic Wayne?  We won’t say that’s happening this year, but it will happen eventually.  Despite any future plans he’s still a solid number 1 fantasy receiver due to the strength of the offense and his quarterback’s consistency.

8          Brandon Marshall MIA   (BYE: 5)

After an incessant amount of complaining, Marshall finally got his wish and a one-way ticket out of town.  He lands in Miami giving the Dolphins the much needed wide receiver threat that they have lacked since Chris Chambers scored 11 touchdowns in 2005.  Despite all of his on and off the field problems, Marshall has turned in extraordinary numbers breaking the 100-reception mark three years in a row while averaging 1236 yards over the same time span.  Chad Henne is still green and the rest of the division rolls out some formidable defenses, so Marshall will face several significant challenges.  But, we think the hard lined Miami coaching staff will keep a muzzle on him and he’ll produce some fine statistics.

9          DeSean Jackson PHI   (BYE: 8)

Of course, DeSean Jackson’s transition to a new quarterback may appear to resemble the Arizona situation, but there’s better news in Philly.  In the 2 games that Kevin Kolb started last year, Jackson caught 10 total passes for 250 yards and 2 TDs.  Feel free to exhale.  He’s a big play threat, so he has some extra value in leagues that reward long touchdowns. Add in some scoring potential on special teams and you have a legitimate top-10 fantasy receiver.

10            Marques Colston NO   (BYE: 10)

Marques Colston is your prototypical risk/reward fantasy pick.  Playing in New Orleans provides him with ample opportunity to rack up large numbers in a pass-first offense.  But he also comes along with a spotty injury track record having missed time in each of his 4 professional seasons.  Staying on the field for 16 games will produce top-5 numbers, but, at this point, you have to expect some injury to pop up in the season.