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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Shawn Childs

Fantasy Playoffs: Top Five WR Performances

Odell Beckham Odell Beckham Jr Stefon Diggs Brandon Marshall Randy Moss NFL Antonio Brown Cincinnati Bengals Michael Thomas Dallas Cowboys

The most dynamic position on a fantasy roster tends to be wide receiver. They can score fantasy points in bunches, creating impact weeks when multiple players shine. In most cases, the best production comes from the top-tier wideouts. Here’s a look at the top five wide receivers over the past 20 seasons during the fantasy playoffs:

1. Odell Beckham, New York Giants (2014)
The Giants didn’t activate Beckham for their first four games in 2014. He flashed over the following three matchups (4/44/1, 2/28, 4/34/2), setting the stage for one of the best runs for a wide receiver over his final nine starts (81/1,199/9). From Weeks 14-16, Beckham scored 109.10 fantasy points thanks to three elite showings (11/130/1, 12/143/3 and 8/148/2). He even closed out the season with another stellar performance (12/185/1). Beckham had a brilliant first 43 games of his career (288/4,122/35) while struggling to regain his form over his next 53 contests (243/3,245/21).

Odell Beckham Jr. had a monster season for the Giants in 2014, particularly during the fantasy playoffs.

2. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (2020)
The trade to Buffalo in 2020 led to Diggs setting career highs in catches (127) and receiving yards (1,535) with eight scores. Over his first 43 games with the Bills, he averaged seven catches for 87 yards and 0.61 touchdowns. In the fantasy postseason in 2020, Diggs caught 30 of his 38 targets for 423 yards and four touchdowns (96.20 fantasy points). Diggs looks poised to be a fantasy stud again this season.

3. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (2019)
It’s hard to believe that Thomas only has 56 catches for 609 yards and three touchdowns over the past three seasons after setting an NFL record for catches (149) in 2019. He was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career over his first four seasons (470/5,512/32). In the fantasy playoffs in 2019, he delivered three high-floor games (11/134/1, 12/128/1 and 12/136/1), leading to 92.8 fantasy points.

4. Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008)
Bryant kicked around the NFL from 2002-09, with his best stats coming in 2005 (69/1,009/4) and 2008 (83/1,248/7). He delivered three elite weeks (9/200/2, 8/108/1 and 6/127/1) in 2008, leading to 90.50 fantasy points in PPR formats.

5. Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings (2003)
Over his 14 seasons in the NFL, Moss gained over 1,000 yards 10 times, with a combined 982 catches for 15,292 yards and 153 touchdowns over 218 starts. He led the NFL in touchdowns five times. In 2003, Moss set career highs in catches (111) and receiving yards (1,632) with 17 scores. From Weeks 14-16, he caught 24 passes for 337 yards and five touchdowns (89.10 fantasy points).

Honorable Mentions

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (2009)
Johnson was a fantasy beast in 2008 (115/1,575/8) and 2009 (101/1,569/9). However, he missed time in 2005, 2007 and 2011, costing him a higher ceiling in career production (1,062/14,185/70 over 193 games). In the fantasy postseason in 2009, Johnson gained over 190 yards in back-to-back weeks (11/193/2 and 9/196), giving him 25 catches for 460 yards and three touchdowns over three matchups (89.00 fantasy points).

Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos (2009)
From 2007-09, Marshall caught more than 100 passes and gained more than 1,100 yards each year. He posted a difference-maker game (21/200/2) in Week 14 in 2009, creating his edge over three weeks (36/312/3 – 85.50 fantasy points). Marshall posted six years with more than 100 catches and eight seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving.

Here’s a look at the top games by wide receivers since 2001, not including the top players listed above: