Prisco: Top 10 WR's in NFL

[82CardsGrad]

you betcha! Wasn't there a thread in the last two years where you said you would rather have the Texans' roster than the Cards?

Oh sure. I think I head W say that first, and then I used it...

 

[Mulli]

Oh sure. I think I head W say that first, and then I used it...

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Rugby do you have me on ignore? I said the EXACT same thing

I guess I answered my own question

 

[82CardsGrad]

Oops... hold on... I need to go grab some coffee...

 

[Mulli]

Oops... hold on... I need to go grab some coffee...

:82:

 

[silverslugger]

That list is a joke bahaha. Wes Welker ROFL...come on, seriously???

 

[TJ]

2008 Stats

Wes Welker - 111 Catches - 1,165 yards - 3 TDs - 10.5 YPC
Steve Smith - 78 Catches - 1,421 yards - 6 TDs - 18.1 YPC

Outside of height, the two are apples and oranges.

As for the list, it's not a well-kept secret that Prisco is a moron who probably doesn't watch football.

You are forgetting that both Smith and Welker started off as returners and were able to make conversions to NFL receivers because of hands and speed.

I also prefaced my statement that Welker is a poor mans version of Smith. Both are small and quick (Welker runs a 4.45 40, for the person who challenged me on his speed, per Sports Illustrated) But Smith runs better routes, leaps better and is a red zone threat. Welker runs a good drag route....and that's about it.

 

[TJ]

Wes Welker fast? I certainly wouldn't call his 4.6 40 time blazing by any stretch.

4.45 actually per Sports Illustrated

 

[Shane]

4.45 actually per Sports Illustrated

http://texastech.scout.com/2/564503.html 4.6 per this.

http://www.e-sports.com/articles/1537/1/Mike-Williams-lack-of-speed-or-desire/Page1.html 4.6 per this.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2007-11-23-sw-wes-welker_N.htm 4.63 per this.

 

[TJ]

http://texastech.scout.com/2/564503.html 4.6 per this.

http://www.e-sports.com/articles/1537/1/Mike-Williams-lack-of-speed-or-desire/Page1.html 4.6 per this.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2007-11-23-sw-wes-welker_N.htm 4.63 per this.

I'll take SI over any of your references. I don't know how many NE games you've seen but he is quick; otherwise, he would not be much of a receiver in this league because of his small stature. If you truly believe he is as slow as you describe, he certainly does not display it on the field. Remember the snow came against us??

Irrespective, he is not a top 10 WR in this league. He barely cracks my top 20.

 

[Shane]

I'll take SI over any of your references. I don't know how many NE games you've seen but he is quick; otherwise, he would not be much of a receiver in this league because of his small stature. If you truly believe he is as slow as you describe, he certainly does not display it on the field. Remember the snow came against us??

Irrespective, he is not a top 10 WR in this league. He barely cracks my top 20.

I watch a ton of NE games. I agree he is quick/shifty. But he is not fast. There is a huge difference between the two.

USA today and his own colleges website I would think are pretty damned reliable FYI but thats JMHO.

 

[RavensSuck1989]

I'm laughing hysterically right now.

Calvin Johnson is better than Wes Welker, Brandon Marshall, Roddy White, and even Reggie Wayne if you ask me... Reggie would be just another receiver without Peyton.

The dude on the right had much better rankings.


P.S. Andre Johnson shouldn't be #1... not sure why he's getting the nod over Fitzgerald

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Let me step in on this discussion and hopefully put a end to it.

Wes Welker IS a Top 10 receiver in this league and is the TOP possession reciever in the NFL over the past two years. Possession reciever being characterized by a guy that goes over the middle of the field and moves the chains.

Look at the numbers and the role he played on one of the best offenses in the NFL. And he did it with 2 different QB's. He is not split wide to be a Steve Smith type gamebreaker. He has a role and does it better then most anyone else in the NFL.

If it was just one year that would be one thing. But this is two in a row now.

Trust me I hate the guy. When he lived in Miami on 3 different occasions he tried to pick up on my lady (at the time) and was myspacing her up. I thought he was a complete Dooooooshbog while with the Dolphins for this very reason. But can't hate the game or the player in this case. The Pats have done him well.

And the 40 means nothing when you have the numbers. Cheering for Larry and Q should have taught us that by the now

 

[DeAnna]

P.S. Andre Johnson shouldn't be #1... not sure why he's getting the nod over Fitzgerald

According to their logic, Andre doesn't have a Boldin lining up beside him. Yes, lame, but that's what they think. In reality, Fitz's numbers were actually better without Q in the game.

 

[Dayman]

At least Prisco put Fitz in the top 2. Sapp ranked him fourth behind Johnson, Moss and Smith.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d811347a5&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Fitz disagreed on his Twitter

@richeisen hahaha rich ur silly.did sapp really rank me as his 4th wr this year? ask him what do i gotta do 2get #1! lolabout 19 hours ago from web in reply to richeisen

 

[Syracusecards]

Brandon Stokely would probably be listed with Wes Welker if he stayed with the Colts. How do you list a slot receiver in a pass happy offense as a top 10 receiver?

I think he's a good receiver and he works his butt off, but top ten??? mmmm....no.

 

[187]

Disagree. Different pedigree of receiver. Welker is much faster than Boldin, but much lighter. If you can get your hands on him, he is pretty much going to topple over. Although Boldin is not lightning fast, he is tough to tackle.

If you want to compare Welker, he is an extremely poor mans version of Steve Smith. Both are undersized for their position, both are fleet of foot. But like you said, he is not a threat in the endzone and Smith can break tackles.

Put them in a foot race, I guarantee you Welker isn't faster unless Q pulls a hammy. Welker's opening burst might be faster, but that's it. I just compared the two because they both live in the middle of the field. The only difference is that all Welker does is catch short passes, he is not a deep threat in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Brandon Stokely would probably be listed with Wes Welker if he stayed with the Colts. How do you list a slot receiver in a pass happy offense as a top 10 receiver?

I think he's a good receiver and he works his butt off, but top ten??? mmmm....no.

What are you guys even talking about:

Wes Welker had 111 and 112 receptions the last two years. Is there any WR who has come close to reaching those two year catch totals? Brandon Stokelys best year was 68 catches in 04! Catchs aren't everything but when you are a possession reciver and you lead the league in first down catchs then yeah - your doing your job.

I don't get it. When there was that poll in the Boston Globe article about best WR tandems most said (inculding myself) the only ones that even approach Q and Fitz was NE. And now Welker isn't Top 10.

Everyone gets so caught up in putting together a prototype of what the NFL WR should weigh, how tall he is, and how fast he is. Then if a guy with thos obscene measurable puts together any type of success everyone quickly wants to say "well Physical attributes + those numbers = Best player" which is what I think all the lusting for Johnson starts.

Johnson has put up GREAT numbers too (in addition to being a physical speciman) which is why he belong in the conversation of Top 3 guys. But not like Fitz and he hasn't carried a team on his back like Fitz. Thats proof enough.

Numbers over a multiple year period are what should be the biggest indicator on these subjective lists. Welker has those in spades.

It's not even a question. Over the last two years he is the best at getting you 8 yards on 3rd and 7. Which is CRITICAL in the NFL over everything except maybe actual TD's. Just because he is short, white, and runs a 4.6 doesn't mean he isn't one of the best at his job. The numbers show that.

Now if his numbers drop off this year he doesn't have like a decade of past success to fall back on and then this is a different discussion. But as of now - he absolutely belongs on that list.

 

[TJ]

Let me step in on this discussion and hopefully put a end to it.

Wes Welker IS a Top 10 receiver in this league and is the TOP possession reciever in the NFL over the past two years. Possession reciever being characterized by a guy that goes over the middle of the field and moves the chains.

Look at the numbers and the role he played on one of the best offenses in the NFL. And he did it with 2 different QB's. He is not split wide to be a Steve Smith type gamebreaker. He has a role and does it better then most anyone else in the NFL.

If it was just one year that would be one thing. But this is two in a row now.

Trust me I hate the guy. When he lived in Miami on 3 different occasions he tried to pick up on my lady (at the time) and was myspacing her up. I thought he was a complete Dooooooshbog while with the Dolphins for this very reason. But can't hate the game or the player in this case. The Pats have done him well.

And the 40 means nothing when you have the numbers. Cheering for Larry and Q should have taught us that by the now

I hope you showed him that your pimp hand was strong brotha!

 

[TJ]

Put them in a foot race, I guarantee you Welker isn't faster unless Q pulls a hammy. Welker's opening burst might be faster, but that's it. I just compared the two because they both live in the middle of the field. The only difference is that all Welker does is catch short passes, he is not a deep threat in any way, shape, or form.

I agree about Welker and short passes. His best route is the drag route, which is short or intermediate. But it segways into my argument that he relies on quickness to go anywhere. If he gets hit, he falls like a brick. But if he gets a straight line to run through, he is gone. Feast or famine.

As a former sprinter, I would rather have Welker running the 200m dash than Q. Welker has much better straight line speed. There is a confliction between my information with Shane H with regards to his 40 time. I have him at 4.45 and he has him at 4.6. Q's 4.7 is not going to impress me in the speed and quickness department, but that is not Q's game. He wants to truck you over once he gets the ball. The Cards have their speed receiver in Breaston to run the 9 route.

 

[earthsci]

But it segways...

:BIM:

segue

 

[moklerman]

I think it's a double-edged sword with Welker in NE. I think he makes that offense work but I think he succeeds because of the offense. If he didn't have Moss on the outside and all the matchup problems that defenses have to deal with he wouldn't be left with all the one-on-one coverage.

But, other slot receivers have the same opportunity and don't succeed nearly as well as Welker has so he must be doing something right.

As with so many lists the criteria of the list isn't really qualified. "Best" what? Welker is currently the best slot receiver in the game but he isn't by any stretch of the imagination a WR that one would take as their #1 WR. In a list that is predominantly populated by WR's that an offense can be built around it seems foolish to include a complimentary player like Welker.

All one has to do is look at his time in Miami to see how he performs in the #1 or #2 WR role and what dividends it paid to that offense.

 

[Shogun]

Nice posts by Arizona's Finest in regards to Wes Welker and why his ranking his warranted.

I don't exactly take issue with Prisco's list because there aren't any immediate grand omissions and Top 10 receivers are normally very fluid outside of the Top 3. I actually feel fine with Calvin Johnson being ninth. While he did have a great year and his a blue-chip prospect, I would like to see it happen again. Remember, it was around this time last year that almost everyone placed Braylon Edwards over Larry Fitzgerald for his super season and now he's "dropped" in the polls.