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Big 12 Fantasy: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

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The Big 12 Conference has produced some prolific receivers over the past two
decades and you don't have to look far to find them. Last season alone, the Big
12 produced two of the three Biletnikoff Award finalists -- Stedman Bailey and
Terrance Williams -- and could have easily had a third in Tavon Austin. From
2007-11, the Big 12 had four of the five Biletnikoff winners thanks to two-time
winners Michael Crabtree and Justin Blackmon. This past April in the days that
led up to the NFL draft, NFL.com listed its top 20 NFL receiving prospects and
nearly half were from the Big 12. It's been quite a run for the league and while
it doesn't necessarily have to stop in 2013, I'm not expecting numbers like we
saw from that trio a year ago.
In recent years, drafting a stud Big 12 quarterback and receiver was more
important than owning blue-chip running back. When guys are grabbing 25
touchdowns in single season like Bailey or over 1,800 receiving yards like
Williams, why wouldn't you grab one at the top of the draft? In 2013 though,
while big numbers are still likely from several elite Big 12 receivers, the
conference's turnover at quarterback coupled with some very impressive running
back talent makes me a bit cautious in expecting monster numbers at receiver
like we just saw last season. With that in mind, here's this year's rankings at
receiver/tight end.
The scoring format I'm using is NOT a PPR (points per reception) format. Just a
standard scoring model:
1 point for every 10 receiving / rushing yards
6 points per touchdown scored
ADDITIONAL RECEIVERS TO WATCH:
(In no specific order.)
K.J. Myers, WR, West Virginia: Myers should be third in the receiver
pecking order this year after just 2 receptions a year ago.
Ja'Juan Story, WR, TCU: TCU's Color Analyst, John Denton, said this of
the Florida transfer: "Nobody's seen him, but in the spring he was pretty much
unstoppable."
Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech: Tech fans won't like the Aggie
comparison, but he's got Dante Hall-like burst. Kansas City Chiefs Voice, Mitch
Holthus once called Hall "The Human Joy-Stick". Can Grant be that at Tech?
Clay Fuller, WR, Baylor: There are plenty of mouths to feed for Bryce
Petty and Baylor, but Fuller showed some really nice flashes in the spring game.
Blake Jackson, WR, OSU: The former JC TE has reportedly improved his
hands considerably from last season.
Levi Norwood, WR, Baylor: Caught 40 balls a year ago, but trying to
keep the young pups at bay in Waco.
Ivan McCartney, WR, WVU: Beat writer, Drew Rubenstein calls McCartney
the highest risk/reward pick it the WVU WR crew. Sounds like a nice late round
flier to me.
Ernst Brun, TE Iowa State: Brun had six touchdowns a year ago and
Richardson should look his way plenty again in 2013.
Jarvis West, WR, Iowa State: A veteran presence who was ISU's
fourth-leading receiver a year ago. The top three are now gone.
Jimmay Mundine, TE, Kansas: His blocking has improved so he'll be on
the field more and a big target for Heaps to find in the redzone.
Brian Hanni is the play-by-play voice of Texas Tech Men's Basketball and
Baseball and co-hosts a mid-day show on Double T 104.3 in Lubbock. Reach him on
Twitter @BHanni.
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