Fantasy Wide Receiver and Tight End Power Rankings: Week 3

Who's the better quarterback to own on your fantasy football teams: QB Michael Vick or QB Matt Ryan? Should I keep RB Cedric Benson or pick up RB C.J. Spiller off waivers? Does a trade of WR Reggie Wayne for WR Brandon Marshall make any sense? These are common questions for all fantasy managers every week of the NFL fantasy season. And answering them correctly could be the difference in a fantasy championship and an early end to your fantasy season. But where do you turn for help and answers?

During the preseason of every NFL season, millions of fantasy football fans pour through dozens of player rankings, cheat sheets, and average draft position lists preparing for their league drafts. Then, as the season progresses, they are bombarded with weekly positional player rankings to help them set the starting lineups for only that respective week. However, one list that is oddly nowhere to be found is a ranking list that not only takes into consideration the preseason projections, but also takes into consideration the actual earned full-season statistics as well as their future fantasy expectations. In other words, we need a week-by-week player cheat sheets (just like we have on draft day!).

The preseason projections obviously help with the fantasy draft. And the weekly player projections are great for helping you set your lineups each week. But, we need a list that helps coaches plan longer-term by ranking players based on actual stats earned thus far and remaining season potential yet to come. This list should answer the question, who should I own for the remainder of season (not just that particular week)? This would be extremely helpful for use in player trades, free agency acquisitions, and waiver wire pickups, as well as simply setting weekly starting lineups. So, without further ado, here is my weekly article called "Fantasy Wide Receiver and Tight End Power Rankings" that is designed to uniquely rank running backs for the remaining fantasy season.

Fantasy Wide Receiver Power Rankings - Week 3:

Fantasy Points are based on Standard Yahoo! Fantasy Football league scoring rules.

1) Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions: 20.50 fantasy points

14 receptions for 205 yards and 0 TDs.

2) Victor Cruz - New York Giants: 29.70 fantasy points

17 receptions for 237 yards and 1 TD.

3) Julio Jones - Atlanta Falcons: 24.30 fantasy points

10 receptions for 122 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 yard rushing.

4) Roddy White - Atlanta Falcons: 24.90 fantasy points

14 receptions for 189 yards and 1 TD.

5) Andre Johnson - Houston Texans: 20.00 fantasy points

11 receptions for 140 yards and 1 TD.

6) Hakeem Nicks - New York Giants: 29.70 fantasy points

14 receptions for 237 yards and 1 TD.

7) Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings: 22.10 fantasy points

18 receptions for 188 yards, 0 TDs, and 33 yards rushing.

8) Brandon Marshall - Chicago Bears: 20.30 fantasy points

11 receptions for 143 yards and 1 TD.

9) Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals: 6.70 fantasy points

5 receptions for 67 yards and 0 TDs.

10) A.J. Green - Cincinnati Bengals: 18.80 fantasy points

12 receptions for 128 yards and 1 TD.

11) Steve Smith - Carolina Panthers: 21.00 fantasy points

10 receptions for 210 yards and 0 TDs,

12) Jordy Nelson - Green Bay Packers: 16.80 fantasy points

11 receptions for 148 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 2pt Conversion.

13) Wes Welker - New England Patriots: 10.90 fantasy points

8 receptions for 109 yards and 0 TDs.

14) Mike Wallace - Pittsburgh Steelers

: 23.10 fantasy points

9 receptions for 111 yards and 2 TDs.

15) Greg Jennings - Green Bay Packers

: 3.40 fantasy points

5 receptions for 34 yards and 0 TDs.

16) Jeremy Maclin - Philadelphia Eagles

: 23.90 fantasy points

17) Demaryius Thomas - Denver Broncos: 30.80 fantasy points

18) Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs: 27.50 fantasy points

19) DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia Eagles: 19.60 fantasy points

20) Vincent Jackson - Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 23.50 fantasy points

21) Marques Colston - New Orleans Saints: 10.00 fantasy points

22) Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts: 26.60 fantasy points

23) Lance Moore - New Orleans Saints: 21.00 fantasy points

24) Danny Amendola - St. Louis Rams: 27.20 fantasy points

25) Miles Austin - Dallas Cowboys: 25.60 fantasy points

Fantasy Tight End Power Rankings - Week 3:

Fantasy Points are based on Standard Yahoo! Fantasy Football league scoring rules.

1) Jimmy Graham - New Orleans Saints: 27.60 fantasy points

13 receptions for 156 yards and 2 TDs.

2) Rob Gronkowski - New England Patriots

: 25.50 fantasy points

12 receptions for 135 yards and 2 TDs.

3) Vernon Davis - San Francisco 49ers

: 29.60 fantasy points

8 receptions for 116 yards and 3 TDs.

4) Tony Gonzalez - Atlanta Falcons

: 24.30 fantasy points

12 receptions for 123 yards and 2 TDs.

5) Jermichael Finley - Green Bay Packers

: 11.30 fantasy points

11 receptions for 73 yards, 1 TD, and 1 Fumble.

6) Brent Celek - Philadelphia Eagles

: 22.20 fantasy points

12 receptions for 222 yards and 0 TDs.

7) Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers

: 4.30 fantasy points

4 receptions for 43 yards and 0 TDs.

8) Brandon Pettigrew - Detroit Lions

: 15.50 fantasy points

8 receptions for 95 yards and 1 TD.

9) Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys

: 6.80 fantasy points

6 receptions for 68 yards and 0 TDs.

10) Aaron Hernandez - New England Patriots

: 12.40 fantasy points

6 receptions for 59 yards, 1 TD, and 5 yards rushing.

11) Martellus Bennett - New York Giants

: 23.20 fantasy points

12) Dennis Pitta - Baltimore Ravens: 19.80 fantasy points

13) Owen Daniels - Houston Texans: 13.40 fantasy points

14) Kyle Rudolph - Minnesota Vikings: 16.20 fantasy points

15) Brandon Myers - Oakland Raiders: 15.10 fantasy points

Please make sure to watch for this list every week. Use it to guide your team through setting starting lineups, making trades, and picking up players through free agency and waivers. Other articles ranking the quarterback and running back positions are also available each week and can be found by clicking on my name at the top of the article and accessing my Yahoo! profile. Good luck with your fantasy team!

Brian Music is one of five inaugural inductees to the 2011 Toyota Legends of Fantasy Football Hall of Fame on Yahoo! Sports. He has participated in fantasy football for 23 years and began playing Yahoo! fantasy football league in 2001, winning trophies in 17 of the 25 leagues that he has played.