After only one season it appears that the 2009 NFL Draft has produced a wide receiver crop talented enough to be mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary 1996 receiver class.
The mere presence of a true scheme busting No. 1 wide receiver in an offense can make the game easier for every other player on the field. The running game is made easier to execute because defenses are too scared to drop an extra safety into the box, and the passing game is made easier because the constant double-teaming means the other receivers are single teamed.
The following is a preseason ranking of the top 10 sophomore wide receivers in the NFL. The rankings are based upon the players' health, previous production, maturity, athletic ability and predicted production for next season. This ranking does not take into account a player’s special teams skill or ability to play other positions, only wide receiver.
As a bonus I have included a sleeper candidate for next season.