Wide receivers are extremely hard to project as rookies when it comes to fantasy production. Normally, their learning curve is much greater than other positions, even quarterbacks. 2012 has been no different.
Four of the top five wide receivers selected in the 2012 NFL draft have yet to make much of an impact. Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, A.J. Jenkins and Brian Quick have combined for just 30 receptions through the first seven weeks of the season. In fact, Jenkins, who the San Francisco 49ers selected in the first round, has not been active for any of their first seven games.
In short, just don't rely a great deal on rookie wide receivers to make much of an impact. With that in mind, let's take a look at the top five fantasy producers of the 2012 wide receiver rookie class.
| Player | Team | Receptions | Yards | TD | Points |
| Josh Gordon | Cleveland | 14 | 333 | 4 | 54 |
| Kendall Wright | Tennessee | 36 | 304 | 2 | 37 |
| Stephen Hill | New York (J) | 12 | 167 | 3 | 33 |
| Alshon Jeffery | Chicago | 14 | 184 | 2 | 29 |
| T.Y. Hilton | Indianapolis | 13 | 218 | 1 | 26 |
Josh Gordon, who the Cleveland Browns exhausted a second-round pick in August's supplemental draft, has been the most productive rookie WR in the league, and it really isn't close. He leads all rookies in yards and touchdowns. While Gordon has struggled with consistency, mostly catching the ball, there is little doubting the talent that he possesses. More importantly, he has quickly become Brandon Weeden's favorite target on the outside in Cleveland. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.
While Kendall Wright is averaging less than 10 yards per reception. he has been the most "consistent" performer of this group. He is on pace to accumulate 82 receptions as a rookie for Tennessee. In order for the Baylor product to become a consistent option in fantasy football, he needs to start making more plays and hitting the endzone more.
Both Stephen Hill and Alshon Jeffery have been afflicted by various injuries during the first half of their rookie seasons, they have been beyond productive when actually on the football field. I don't envision either being even FLEX options for the remainder of 2012, but they will definitely be in the WR2 conversation next season and should be sought after in keeper leagues.
T.Y. Hilton is the real ace in the hole here. He has made some big plays as a rookie for the Indianapolis Colts this season and should get his fair share of targets moving forward.