Expectations remain high for Browns receiver Greg Little despite him struggling for much of his rookie year. Little scored twice in 16 games, totaling a respectable 709 yards on a more-than-respectable 61 catches. But he also was targeted a whopping 121 times (basically a 50 percent conversion rate), was credited for a slew of drops and had just six catches for more than 20 yards. Little should remain a key figure of the Browns offense, and an offseason of work should help him progress. The Browns addressed the quarterback situation with the addition of Brandon Weeden, and he'll help a little, but Little is no better than a quality reserve Fantasy option with the potential to excel into a No. 3 role in 2012. We wouldn't take him until Round 8 or 9 the earliest.
Darrius Heyward-Bey proved that his third year in the NFL was his breakout campaign, and he's hoping to build off his performance with a strong year in 2012. Coming into 2011, Heyward-Bey had 35 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns for his career. But last year he had 64 grabs for 975 yards and four touchdowns, and that includes being barely involved in a couple of games because of issues related to former head coach Hue Jackson. Spending a full offseason with new quarterback Carson Palmer should help Heyward-Bey, and he just needs to play at a consistent level since Oakland has a crowded receiving corps with Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy on staff. We can see Heyward-Bey having some big weeks (he had three games in 2011 with at least 15 Fantasy points) and disappearing in others (he had four Fantasy points or less in six games last year). Because of that, he should be considered a quality reserve receiver in the majority of leagues worth a middle- to late-round pick. It remains to be seen how a mid-May drunk driving charge impacts his playing time.
Mike Williams has had 65 catches in each of his first two seasons, but what he did with them varied wildly. After getting 964 yards and 11 scores as a rookie, Williams was well-documented as a colossal bust last year with 771 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Poor off-field habits and a lack of preparation were reported as reasons for the decline, and he's lost his role as the Bucs' No. 1 receiver because of it. With the addition of Vincent Jackson, Williams will be relegated to being Josh Freeman's No. 2 wideout starting this year. That's not horrible since it should mean lighter coverage for him, but his targets are sure to sink (he had over 120 in each of the last two seasons). Even with him entering his third year, he should be considered a reserve option in most leagues with a middle- to late-round pick.
Randy Moss will attempt a comeback with the 49ers this year after sitting out the entire 2011 season. The last time we saw Moss was in 2010 when he struggled to finish the season with the Titans. That was his third team that season after he was traded from New England to Minnesota and then cut by the Vikings. Moss, 35, reportedly still has great speed, and the 49ers plan to use him as part of their three-receiver packages with Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree. Moss has a lot to prove, and he doesn't exactly have the best quarterback in Alex Smith. Still, Moss has a ton of potential when motivated, and he appears humbled after not finding a job last year. Plan on drafting Moss with a late-round pick in all leagues. Don't reach for him too early because the game won't match the name anymore, but he is worth putting on your roster with the chance he could revive some, not all, of that old magic. We're cautiously optimistic on Moss being Fantasy relevant this year.
Danny Amendola entered 2011 with plenty of potential, but an elbow injury in Week 1 ended his season prematurely. Now, Amendola will have to prove he's healthy and bounce back in 2012. He's still dealing with the elbow injury in the offseason and he has to get a new contract as a restricted free agent. But since he will remain with the Rams, he should once again have a prominent role. The addition of Steve Smith (formerly of the Giants and Eagles) could cut into his playing time, but Amendola should be considered a No. 4 Fantasy option in standard leagues and a No. 3 option in PPR formats. Keep in mind that in 2010 when he was healthy he had 85 catches for 689 yards and three touchdowns and he could easily reach those stats again this year.
