“You don’t bring a Roy Williams in here to sit the bench.”

That’s what Bears wide receiver coach Darryl Drake said in this Chicago Tribune article about Johnny Knox and his frustration over being listed behind Williams on the team’s first depth chart of the preseason.

I’d be frustrated too if nonsense like that was spilling out of my coach’s mouth.

You don’t bring a Roy Williams in to sit the bench? Since when did Williams turn into Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings or even Jabar Gaffney? I get what Drake is implying: that Williams is a veteran, has experience playing in Mike Martz’s offense and deserves the respect to see his name atop the depth chart. But are the Bears serious here?

If Cowboy fans ever wondered if Williams could get any slower than he was last year, follow him this year on that patch of dirt the Bears call their home field. This was a guy that struggled mightily trying to gain separation from defenders last season in Dallas, which oh-by-the-way plays half its games on turf. There were also times when he displayed alligator arms and lost focus as his role diminished in the offense.

Granted, the Bears have been vocal about Knox needing to get more aggressive at the line of scrimmage and fighting for the ball when it’s in the air. Plus, he’s going to get opportunities to play because Martz usually roles out three or four receivers in most sets. But the part that is confusing to me is the Bears’ overall thought process. Do they honestly believe that Williams should receive more playing time than Knox? Or that Williams gives them the best chance to win? Knox played in 88.2 percent of the Bears’ offensive plays last year and was easily their best receiver. If the coaching staff believes that Williams is an upgrade, then what in Tom Waddle’s name is going on in the Windy City?

Of course, none of this will probably matter in a couple of months. Once Williams proves that he’s not a reliable full-time starter, Martz and the rest of the Bears coaching staff will wise up and put Knox back in. Because if there’s one thing this Chicago coaching staff knows, its how to manage a receiver corps…

I hate writing intros and I don’t think many people read them anyway. There’s a good chance you’re not even reading this write now, so let’s just get on with it.

(Side Note: This list isn’t directed at fantasy football readers. If owners want to apply this information for fantasy purposes, please, be my guest. But I encourage you to check out my TSR partner John Paulsen’s work if you’re looking specifically for fantasy-related content. Just do so after you read this piece………..you’re not even reading this, are you?)

1. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
I’m going to start off with a somewhat obvious candidate in Bowe based on offseason reports (he’s also already shown that he can be productive). But make a mental note (seriously, write it down) that I’ve been high on the former LSU product ever since his performance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl against Note Dame (even though he was arguably outperformed by Early Doucet). After spending a grueling offseason participating in Larry Fitzgerald’s football camp, Bowe is reportedly down to 210 pounds after showing up to camp last year at 240. After spending most of preseason in Todd Haley’s doghouse last year, Bowe is now running with the Chiefs’ first-team offense this summer. At 6’2 and 210 pounds, the problem with Bowe has never been about size or physical tools. His issues have always lied within his work ethic, or lack thereof. But if he’s focused, he could have a tremendous year in Haley’s offense and could go from a promising player to a Pro Bowler in one season.

2. Johnny Knox, Bears
As John wrote in his breakdown of sleeper fantasy receivers last week, it’s hard to pick out just one Bear receiver that could break out this season. That’s because in Mike Martz’s offense, they all could break out. But I’m going with Knox over returner-turned-receiver Devin Hester, whom some believe will be Chicago’s biggest breakout player. Knox has reportedly been targeted more than any receiver in Bears’ camp so far this offseason and he’s the perfect fit for Martz’s up-temp offense. That’s because he not only has elite speed, but he’s also a sound route-runner and he’s already drawing comparisons to Torry Holt in terms of how his game translates in Martz’s offense. Assuming Jay Cutler targets him in the regular season as much as he has so far in training camp, a 1,000-yard season is well within Knox’s reach.

3. Harry Douglas, Falcons
Had I written this piece last year, Douglas would have made that list, too. But after suffering an ACL injury early in camp, the third-year receiver missed the entire 2009 season after showing flashes of playmaking ability as a rookie. This year, he’s healthy again and has already drawn rave reviews from his coaching staff and quarterback Matt Ryan. While Michael Jenkins’ injury might open the door for more opportunities in the passing game, the Falcons want to keep him in the slot so his speed will be a mismatch for nickelbacks, linebackers and safeties. He’ll still be overshadowed by Roddy White in the offense, but assuming his knee doesn’t give him any more problems Douglas could turn some heads this season.

4. Laurent Robinson, Rams
I’ve been high on Robinson for a couple of seasons now and I even dropped a decent veteran last year (I won’t reveal the name so I can save myself some embarrassment) to pick up the St. Louis wideout off the waiver wire in my fantasy league last year. But just as he proved in 2009, he can’t stay healthy. He has good size at 6’2” and 194 pounds, but the key is whether or not the fibula and ankle injuries that derailed his ’09 season will return. The Rams say he’s healthy now and if he stays that way, he could emerge as St. Louis’ best weapon in the passing game. While his production might stay down due to the Rams’ quarterback situation, it’s worth noting that Robinson did catch 11 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in his first two games last year with a bad Marc Bulger. Health remains is his biggest concern.

5. Brian Robiskie, Browns
Many people are high on Mohamed Massaquoi – and for good reason. He’s being counted on as the No. 1 receiver in Cleveland’s offense (not that that’s saying much) and is more of a deep threat than his teammate Robiskie. However, the former Ohio State product is arguably more polished at this point in his career because of his excellent route-running. He’s not an elite player by any means and Jake Delhomme could seriously hinder his production in 2010, but Robiskie has been impressive thus far during camp and that could translate into a solid regular season. He certainly has the ability to be underrated if he can put everything together this year.

Yesterday, I listed a few sleeper RBs that I’m targeting in the mid to late rounds, and today I’ll tackle the WR position. I’ve already discussed a few 10th-round-type players in the WR preview — specifically Derrick Mason, Malcom Floyd and Devin Aromashodu — so I’ll limit this list to players with average draft positions (ADP) in the 11th round or later.

Johnny Knox (10.11) & Devin Hester (10.11)
I’ve already broken my 11th round rule. Knox and Hester are practically going on the 11th, so I’ll give myself a pass. Truth is, I like all the Bears receivers in Mike Martz’s wide open system, but I’m not sure which guy will finish the best stats. Hester seems built to be a Wes Welker slot-type guy (with more quickness), while Knox has a ton of speed. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks that Knox is emerging as Jay Cutler’s top target and Rotoworld speculates that it’s because of his ability to control his elite speed a la Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. It’s entirely possible that all three wideouts will have fantasy relevant seasons.

Kenny Britt (11.12)
The second-year Britt did not have a very good offseason, showing up to minicamps out of shape and generally driving the coaching staff crazy. But he’s doing better in training camp, even though he’s currently running with the second team. He is clearly the most talented of the Titans’ WRs and it should only be a matter of time before he’s Tennessee’s top option in the passing game. As a rookie he caught 42 passes for 701 yards and three scores. He was WR51 last year with those numbers, but with just 10 more catches and 150 more yards, he’ll be knocking on the Top 30. Seeing as he’s currently being drafted W47, he should be a good value, even in the 9th or 10th.

Nate Burleson (12.04)
Burleson went for 63-812-3 for Seattle last season and has had an up and down career. But the always-trailing Lions will be forced to throw a lot and Burleson should be able to make hay opposite Calvin Johnson, who will receive most of the attention in the secondary. And let’s not forget that Scott Linehan is the Lions’ new OC, and the last time these two worked together, Burleson went for 68-1006-9 as a member of the 2004 Minnesota Vikings. Don’t expect nine scores, but Burleson should be an effective WR3 or WR4 in PPR leagues.

Chris Chambers (12.10)
Just shoot me now. I had long given up on Chambers ever offering any consistent fantasy production, but then he gets picked up by the Chiefs and rattles off 45-730-5 in the last nine games of the season. Those are WR8-type numbers, people. So what do we do with him this year? Well, I guess if he’s still available in the 11th or 12th round you can do worse. The guy proved he could play in the Chiefs’ offense last season, and that’s something.

Chaz Schilens (13.04)
His foot is still giving him some trouble, but the X-rays are negative, so hopefully that soreness goes away. If it does, Schilens should have a nice year. He finished fairly strong in 2009, with 4.4-53-0.4 over the last five games, and now he finally has a pretty decent QB throwing to him in Jason Campbell. Keep an eye on that foot in the preseason and if the pain starts to clear up, look at Schilens in the 11th or the 12th.

Mohamed Massaquoi (13.04)
Let’s be clear — I’m not high on Jake Delhomme or the Cleveland passing game. But anytime you can get the top option in a passing game, no matter how bad it is, in the 13th freaking round, you have to take notice. Massaquoi is entering his second season after posting a respectable 34-624-3 as a rookie. We know two things about the Browns: 1) they’ll have to throw a lot to stay in games and 2) if Jake Delhomme likes a guy he will force the ball to him. If Massaquoi becomes that guy, he could take a big step forward stat-wise in his sophomore season.

Laurent Robinson (14.01)
Robinson got off to a great start in 2009, catching 11 passes for 141 yards and a TD in the first two games before going down with a season ending leg injury that required surgery. There has been little in the way of news coming out of St. Louis, but everyone expects him to start for the Rams this season, provided his leg is sufficiently healed. If it is, he could very well pick up where he left off last season — the Rams will be throwing a lot late in games trying to catch up, and that’s a recipe for PPR success.

Jacoby Jones (14.09)
Labeled as ‘immature,’ Jones has finally won over his head coach with his maturity this offseason. Now, if he can only beat Kevin Walter out for a starting job. Jones surely has more physical ability, but Walter is a good route runner and has soft hands. Jones is a flyer, for sure, but if he can beat Walter out for the WR2 job opposite Andre Johnson, a 1,000-yard season is well within reach.

Mike Williams (14.02)
The reviews have been rave for the rookie out of Syracuse. He has already won the starting split end job and has impressed Peter King, Pete Prisco and even Adam Schefter, who says that Williams “has star written all over him.” Now it’s important to keep in mind that Williams is a rookie, but when a player is impressing this much for a team in desperate need of a playmaker at WR, fantasy owners should take notice. I’d definitely look to draft Williams in the later rounds, but don’t wait too long.

Lots of rookies this year keep reminding us why they were drafted so high, making this a very difficult race to predict. But we’ll try our best……

1. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills—He hasn’t had an interception in a few weeks, but he’s still tied with Asante Samuel and Darren Sharper for the NFL lead with 9.

2. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos—He leads all rookies with 897 rushing yards, with an outside chance of reaching 1000 yards Sunday against the Chiefs.

3. James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams—Yes, he plays for the Rams, and yes, a good linebacker who doesn’t rack up a ton of sacks isn’t one of those sexy picks for MVP or Rookie of the Year. But Laurinaitis’ 102 solo tackles ranks behind only Patrick Willis, Jon Beason and Curtis Lofton.

4. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants—46 catches for 795 yards and 6 scores is a good stat line for any receiver. But when you consider how big a question mark the Giants were at the position, this rookie has stepped up nicely and immediately contributed.

5. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings—He’s battled migraines recently, but this explosive game-changer is a dual threat as a receiver and as a kick returner.

Honorable mention: Johnny Knox, Bears; Ryan Succop, Chiefs; Beanie Wells, Cardinals; Jeremy Maclin, Eagles; Brian Cushing, Texans; LeSean McCoy, Eagles; Michael Oher, Ravens

Each week we’re reminded that 2009 was a very strong rookie class, despite the lack of a true breakout star ala Adrian Peterson a couple years ago. And it’s going to be a very difficult decision to make for whoever votes.

1. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills—Back in the NFL lead with 9 interceptions. If only he was on a better team.

2. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos—Not exactly a breakout game against Indy, but still solid.

3. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings—Migraines held Harvin out last weekend against the Bengals, and he may miss Week 15 as well. But that doesn’t take away from what he’s done this season so far.

4. James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams—After 13 seasons in his rookie campaign, Laurinaitis is averaging 7 solo tackes per game. That’s just sick.

5. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants—Sure, he dropped a couple on Sunday night, but if you saw his grab out of thin air that he then turned into a 68 yard touchdown, you know that this kid is special.

Honorable mention: Johnny Knox, Bears; Ryan Succop, Chiefs; Matthew Stafford, Lions; Beanie Wells, Cardinals; Jeremy Maclin, Eagles; Brian Cushing, Texans; LeSean McCoy, Eagles; Brian Orakpo, Redskins; Michael Oher, Ravens

There are several rookies making an impact this season, and you could probably make a case for any of the names mentioned below. Considering most of them have not played more than 11 or 12 games in a season until now, it will be interesting to see how it shakes out the next few weeks:

1. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings—Six more catches for 79 yards and another TD in a losing effort in the desert. The kid keeps putting up numbers and Favre has got to love him.

2. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos—He’s really starting to carry the load in Denver, literally. Last Sunday Moreno carried 21 times for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns. Next season this kid is going to be a high fantasy pick.

3. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills—He’s still tied for the NFL lead with 8 interceptions, but hasn’t had one in a few weeks. That doesn’t bode well for Matt Cassel today.

4. James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams— Nine more solo tackles against the Bears has kept Laurinaitis in good company. Very good company.

5. Michael Oher, Baltimore Ravens—This kid is a rookie who already has a movie about him…the fact that it’s already a blockbuster earns Michael a spot here, and oh yeah, he’s played really well.

Honorable mention: Hakeem Nicks, Giants; Johnny Knox, Bears; Ryan Succop, Chiefs; Matthew Stafford, Lions; Beanie Wells, Cardinals; Jeremy Maclin, Eagles; Brian Cushing, Texans; LeSean McCoy, Eagles

Percy Harvin keeps gaining momentum and votes here with every TD catch from Brett Favre. But it’s still a pretty wide-open race here for NFL rookie of the year.

1. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings—Against the Bears, Harvin had another outstanding game—6 catches for 101 yards and a TD. Brett Favre might have more weapons than he’s ever had before, but none of them are more dangerous than this rookie.

2. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos—In the last three games, Moreno has averaged almost 6 yards a carry. And if you noticed the moves he was busting against the Giants, you know he deserves to be high up on this list.

3. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills—He’s now gone three games without a pick, but still has 8 of them.

4. James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams—His 75 solo tackles not only rank at the top for any rookie, but that ranks Laurinaitis fourth in the NFL right behind Curtis Lofton, Jon Beason and Patrick Willis. Damn.

5. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles—Brian Westbrook has some mighty big shoes to fill, but so far McCoy is filling them.

Honorable mention: Hakeem Nicks, Giants; Johnny Knox, Bears; Ryan Succop, Chiefs; Michael Oher, Ravens; Matthew Stafford, Lions; Beanie Wells, Cardinals; Jeremy Maclin, Eagles; Brian Cushing, Texans