Prediction: Ravens' top four receivers of 2010

One of the big reasons everyone expects Flacco to make staggering strides of improvement is the cluster of weapons he has on his side. Last year Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice led the team in receptions with 78 and veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason, who led the team in reception the previous four seasons, trailed close behind with 73 receptions.
Rice served as Flacco’s security blanket last year when pass coverage broke down and he needed to get rid of the ball. Often times the result was a play similar to the 44 yard check down pass Flacco threw to Rice in the fourth quarter versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 12. Rice was great at using his shifty running style to make small plays into bigger plays. Fans should expect anything to change as these two, quarterback and running back, have had another full offseason to establish better timing and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

The equation gets more complicated because the Ravens added Anquan Boldin. Boldin came expecting to finally be what many believe he is capable of, a true number receiver. The 6-1, 217 pounder caught 84 passes last season playing opposite of Larry Fitzgerald and has no problem going anywhere on the field to snag a ball in the air. He is big receiving threat in the middle of the field because of his reliable hands and toughness. Many of his highlights are videos of him catching a short slant, bouncing off a tackle and running down for extra yards. There’s no doubt Flacco will want to get the ball to a receiver like Boldin who plays the position with the destructiveness of a bruising running back.

Ravens’ 2010 leading receivers

• Anquan Boldin (75) 
• Ray Rice- (70)
• Derrick Mason-(68)
• Todd Heap- (45)

Boldin is going to really help Flacco with those short intermediate routes and Rice is going to be a viable option for the third and shorts. Derrick Mason will see numbers similar those he had in 2006 when the late Steve Mcnair was quarterback and other receivers on the team were producing larger numbers. Heap can still take advantage of the deep middle but will not be on the field as much as Cam Cameron tries to get rookies Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta some gametime during their rookie seasons. His total number of receptions will go down but number of touchdown receptions will not. He had six last year and should match that again this season.