Colts WR Reggie Wayne Favored To Lead Wide Recievers This Weekend

NFL News - January 14th, 2010 - Written by Bryan

The Arizona Cardinals put together one of the most prolific passing games in playoff history last week, and three different receivers benefited. While Anquan Boldin was held out due to knee and ankle injuries, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet saw their playing time increase exponentially, and each had at least 75 yards and a touchdown in a 51-45 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers. Larry Fitzgerald added another 82 yards and two touchdowns.

And while it seems conventional wisdom that the trio will have another big day in New Orleans, against the Saints' 26th-ranked pass defense, it is unlikely that any of them will emerge with the most yards in the NFL Playoffs divisional round. That's because, while each receiver will steal some catches away from the others, players like Reggie Wayne will benefit from being his quarterback's primary target at wideout.

Thus, Wayne is the odds-on favorite to have the most receiving yards this weekend, according to BoDog, with 4/1 odds on the sportsbook's prop betting page.

Wayne had an outside shot at finishing the regular season as the league's top receiver, but was held out of the last two games in the name of safety. The last time he was afforded a full game, he went off for 132 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's been anxious ever since. Teammates Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie are two longshots at 18/1 and 15/2, respectively.

Despite the first few paragraphs, Fitzgerald is the second-likely leader because, truthfully, he should always be. He has 9/2 odds to finish with the highest total.

Minnesota's Sidney Rice (6/1), Dallas' Miles Austin (6/1) and San Diego's Vincent Jackson are the only other receivers with single-digit odds.

The team that is least likely to produce the leading receiver is also the one least-likely to produce the top passer. New York's Mark Sanchez is the longshot at 15/1, and thus, his wideouts suffer in the lines. Jerricho Cotchery, who was second on the Jets with 67 yard last week is receiving 15/1 odds, and Braylon Edwards is right behind him at 18/1, according to NFL Betting Lines.

Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) 9/2
Anquan Boldin (ARI) 12/1
Steve Breaston (ARI) 10/1
Marques Colston (NO) 11/2
Devery Henderson (NO) 14/1
Robert Meachem (NO) 12/1
Derrick Mason (BAL) 12/1
Ray Rice (BAL) 20/1
Reggie Wayne (IND) 4/1
Dallas Clark (IND) 15/2
Pierre Garcon (IND) 18/1
Miles Austin (DAL) 6/1
Jason Witten (DAL) 15/1
Sidney Rice (MIN) 6/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) 15/1
Braylon Edwards (NYJ) 18/1
Vincent Jackson (SD) 7/1
Antonio Gates (SD) 10/1