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This is the third in a four-part series reviewing the top prospects selected in the 2005 NFL Draft from a strictly Fantasy perspective.

Today, we'll run through the five players I believe to be the top wideouts selected last weekend, ranking them in terms of potential impact.

But. ... Before we get too excited about any of these guys, let's review recent history.

Since 1990, there have been 23 running backs who rushed for 1,000 yards as rookies, no matter the round in which they were selected. In that same span, just five wide receivers, with Arizona's Anquan Boldin the only non-first rounder among them, posted 1,000 yards.

Of the 54 wide receivers chosen in the first round since 1990, only eight registered 60 or more catches as rookies. Just a dozen had 750 receiving yards in their first seasons and only 12 scored more than five as rookies. Nine didn't start a single game as rookies and 18 of the 54 started fewer than three contests.

And as ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli recently noted, ten players -- including San Francisco's Rashaun Woods and Atlanta's Michael Jenkins (both first-round picks) -- from last year's incoming batch of receivers had 10 catches or less. Thirteen finished the season with fewer than 200 receiving yards and 12 failed to score a touchdown.

The averages for the first-round wide receivers from the last 15 draft classes: 7.5 starts, 34.0 catches, 474.4 yards and 3.1 touchdowns.

This isn't a new development. Only four of the 87 receivers taken in the first round in the last 26 years have had 1,000 receiving yards as rookies.

So there's a bit of perspective for you.

As always, the players listed are in the order I like them. You'll also find a Fantasy Bottom Line regarding each prospect's likely 2005 contribution and/or long-term potential.

Without further adieu, here you have them. ...

1. Troy Williamson, Minnesota Vikings
Williamson, from South Carolina, was taken with the No. 7 pick instead of the more-lauded Mike Williams (see below) because of his speed and ability to go long.

A 6-1, 203-pound junior, Williamson ran a 4.34 40, while Williams ran a 4.58. That, combined with Williamson's potential in a wide-open offense and ability to run after the catch, is the reason the Vikings chose Williamson.

In fact, several insiders told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the Vikings would have drafted Williamson even if Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards (see below) was available. The team had six scouts either personally work out Williamson or study film of his college performance, and all agreed that he was the first- or second-best player on the board.

"Regardless of who everyone in the country liked, [Williamson] is who we liked," head coach Mike Tice said. "That's who we liked production-wise, that's who we liked upside-wise and that's who we liked for our football team."

According to the Sporting News, Williamson's "elite speed gives this vertical offense a home run threat to replace Randy Moss." TSN went on to suggest his ability to break tackles also makes him tough after the catch, but Williamson needs to refine his route running, his body positioning and the timing of his jumps.

According to the Sports Xchange, Tice, receivers coach Wes Chandler and director of college scouting Scott Studwell fell in love with Williamson's ability to "blow the top off" of defensive coverages with his speed.

"There are only a handful of players in the league who can do that," Tice said. "[Moss] was one of them."

Studwell independently agreed Williamson is "the most explosive receiver in this draft."

"When you turn on the film and look at a guy like Troy Williamson, he jumps out at you," Chandler said. "You are not turning on a film and just looking at a flatline. This is no flatline.

"Every time he catches the ball, something is bound to happen. He has something that you can't teach and that's instinct. The moment the ball touches his hands, he looks for paydirt. I can't teach that. When kids have that, coupled with open-field running ability, that makes that person so special. Troy Williamson is special."

A 21-year-old junior, Williamson averaged 19.3 yards per catch in three seasons while playing in Lou Holtz's conservative offense at South Carolina. Williamson, who was limited by playing in that system, caught 43 passes for 835 yards and seven touchdowns last season.

Coaches are confident that Nate Burleson, who caught 68 passes for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns last season, can become a No. 1 receiver. If so, Williamson would compete with oft-injured Marcus Robinson and career underachiever Travis Taylor for playing time.

Fantasy Bottom Line: A reach on my part? Perhaps, but I have two words for the doubters: Daunte Culpepper.

I'll also suggest that after spending the last two months telling anybody willing to listen that they were going to change their offense and rely more on a power running game, Williamson's selection lends credence to those who believe the Vikings aren't going to change anything.

I have two more words: Bombs away!

2. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns
Romeo Crennel went for offense with his first pick as an NFL head coach -- a move I expect to pay significant dividends for years to come. Edwards, the third pick overall, was the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's top receiver last season after catching 87 passes for 1,221 yards and 12 touchdowns.

A three-year starter in college, Edwards holds nearly every receiving record at Michigan and is the Big Ten Conference's all-time leader with 39 touchdowns.

The Browns expect him to deliver the same big-play capability as a pro.

According to the Xchange, general manager Phil Savage said Edwards was the highest rated player on the Browns draft board. He should become an immediate starter and complement tight end Kellen Winslow, the sixth overall pick in the draft last year.

"By adding Braylon with Kellen, it makes for a little better offense than we anticipated when we came here," Savage said. "When we turned in our pick, we said, 'Hey, we just got the best player in the draft.'"

Among the reasons Savage drafted him over Williams and Williamson is Edwards is accustomed to playing in cold weather.

According to Canton Repository beat man Steve Doerschuk, the already positive buzz over Edwards was stoked in a public briefing from scout Kevin Kelly and franchise icon Paul Warfield.

"You'll love this guy," Kelly said. "He's a tough, competitive playmaker, the big-play, go-to receiver that we haven't had. He's really good in the red zone. He'll outmuscle or out-jump guys for the ball. He's such a good deep ball receiver that it opens up the running game."

Warfield, a first-round pick in 1964 who wound up in the Hall of Fame, said Edwards is "multidimensional."

"He's physically impressive and highly intelligent," said Warfield, who is involved with the Browns' scouting. "In a 'me' generation, he's a team-oriented player.

"He'll keep the chains moving with tough catches, and he has the capacity to get deep. Our new offensive coordinator, Mo Carthon, will want to use his blocking in the run game, too."

"With me, you're going to get what you were advertised," Edwards said. "I always practice at full speed, go the extra mile. Anything you'd want in a player, I have it or I'm open to learning it."

Edwards, almost 6-3 and 210 pounds, has been timed at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash and has high-jumped over 7 feet.

As Repository columnist Todd Porter put it, "The Browns "got got a guy who can stretch the field vertically, something the team has lacked since 1999. They have a guy who bench-pressed 225 pounds 22 times at the NFL Combine, which is as many times as half the offensive linemen there."

"I'm not afraid to go over the middle," Edwards said.

"He has an aggressive attitude," Crennel said. "He will go up to get the ball and make the play. He can pluck the ball out of the air. His aggressive attitude also carries over into his blocking."

Fantasy Bottom Line: Trent Dilfer is no Culpepper, but he's been around long enough to know a good thing when he sees it.

And Edwards is definitely a good thing.

3. Mike Williams, Detroit Lions
The knock against the 6-foot-5, 229-pound Williams, the 10th pick overall, has been his lack of speed. He ran two 4.59 40-yard dashes at the combine. But those times could be a bit deceiving.

According to Associated Press sports writer Larry Lage, Williams watched the first 10 plays of his first workout as a pro this afternoon. But he eventually hit the field, lining up as a slot receiver in a four-wide set alongside Roy Williams, Charles Rogers -- first-round picks the two previous years -- and Kevin Johnson with Joey Harrington at quarterback.

Detroit cornerback Dre' Bly said it reminded him of practicing against the St. Louis Rams.

"For opposing defenses, it can get ugly," Bly said.

The veteran defender went on to insist that Williams, who ran past him on an inside route today, is fast enough for professional football.

"I wasn't expecting him to get out of his break like he did," Bly said. "He was so explosive -- so fast. He had me flipped and turned around. It kind of caught me by surprise."

Williams said he doesn't pay attention to critics who have him pegged as a tight end in the NFL.

"I might not run fast on a track, but I play fast," he said.

Williams played two years at USC, catching 81 passes for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns as a freshman, then making 95 receptions for 1,314 yards and a school-record 16 TDs in 2003.

"He's a huge target," Harrington said. "He uses his body and hands well."

The Lions usually reserved their three- and four-receiver sets for third downs, but head coach Steve Mariucci envisions using those formations more on first and second downs this season.

That's assuming Rogers is healthy for the first time in three seasons.

Of course, Williams is different from other slot receivers because of his size. Az-Zahir Hakim, who was released Monday, played the slot in most of his three seasons as a Lion. Hakim is 5-10 and 185 pounds -- 7 inches shorter and almost 45 pounds lighter than Williams.

"You can play with the smaller guys," offensive coordinator Ted Tollner said. "They have great quickness. They separate (from defenders) by quickness and body control.

"The big guy can use body leverage. He can be covered but not covered because he has strength and size. Physically, he can still make a play. I think Mike gives us a physical part."

Fantasy Bottom Line: I agree with Tollner. I also believe the Lions' version of the West Coast offense will benefit Williams' greatly. I only wish he wasn't relying on Harrington -- or equally noodle-armed veteran Jeff Garcia (should Harrington struggle) -- to get him the ball.

4. Matt Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
I've said it before and I'll say it again: There are two things you coach at the pro level -- size and speed. And Jones, the 21st pick overall, has more of both than any rookie receiver in recent memory.

Maybe more than any receiver coming into the league has had ever.

Jones had one of the fastest times of any prospect at the recent scouting combine, running the 40-yard dash in a reported 4.36 seconds. And as the team's official web site reported this afternoon, Jones' debut was the feature attraction of the team's first practice of the year.

Wearing number 18, the 6-6, 242-pound Jones towered over his new receiving mates -- including 6-4, 223-pound second-year men Reggie Williams and Earnest Wilford -- and more importantly, he dwarfed the team's defensive backs.

So much for the size and speed angle. ... Can he catch?

"I think everybody was watching Jones. He can catch," veteran receiver Jimmy Smith said.

Head coach Jack Del Rio agreed, telling reporters: "He's got good hands. When the ball is in his area, he comes down with it."

Although a strained hamstring kept him off the field for most of the afternoon session, observers were impressed with his effort up until that point.

On one of the first plays of the morning session, Jones sped past cornerback Chris Thompson and made a sliding catch for a 15-yard gain. He also made several tough receptions over the middle and didn't drop a ball.

"'Big Country' is out there getting open," Byron Leftwich said of the newcomer. "He caught everything I threw to him."

Jones said parts of Jacksonville's new offense were similar to what he ran at Arkansas, something Leftwich believed would help the rookie.

"His head is spinning right now with the formations," Leftwich said. "The good thing is he's a natural quarterback up top. He thinks like a quarterback and just by talking to him on the plays, he kind of knew what I was thinking. Anytime you have a guy like that it always helps."

For what it's worth, Steve Walters, the team's new wide receiver coach who turned Drew Bennett from a quarterback to a wide receiver at Tennessee, said he can't really compare Jones to any other player.

"He looks like nobody I've ever seen before. I've never seen a guy that big and that fast who catches the ball that well," he said.

Of course, even Jones' most ardent supporters didn't see him going 21st overall. It was more realistic that he would go at the very end of the first round to a team. Instead, he lands with a team that is young and on the rise, with an opportunity to become a key cog on offense right away rather than being eased in.

Fantasy Bottom Line: As SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco recently noted, the Jaguars have gone 50 consecutive games without scoring at least 30 points. Smith is turning 36 this year and Williams, last year's first-round pick, still a bit of a question mark. Running back Fred Taylor, recovering from offseason knee surgery, won't begin working out with teammates until June at the earliest.

In other words. ... Assuming today's hamstring strain doesn't prove to be more serious -- or mark the beginning of a trend -- it's safe to assume Jones, despite his lack of experience at the position, will get every opportunity to show off his play-making ability in an offense that desperately needs it.

5. Mark Clayton, Baltimore Ravens
Clayton, the 22nd overall pick, was a top 10 prospect of the Ravens. He will team immediately with free-agent addition Derrick Mason, drastically upgrading a weak Ravens receiving corps.

In fact, Ravens scouts believe if Clayton was a couple inches taller, he would have been the top receiver taken. They also believe his lack of height is offset by his toughness.

According to the Xchange, a combination of great vision, sure hands and smooth route-running led to a reputation of being the most polished receiver in the draft. Clayton set Oklahoma receiving records for career receptions (221), yards (3,241) and touchdowns (31) by being able to break tackles.

He is also a tenacious blocker, which is key for an offense that revolves around running back Jamal Lewis.

And he's happy to be in Baltimore.

"I don't think it could have gotten any better" than Baltimore, Clayton said. "Last year at Oklahoma, we had Adrian Peterson and we wanted to run the ball. We did successfully. I know that the running game complements the passing game and they work hand-in-hand.

"Here, the running game is outstanding. Bringing in [Mason], which is a guy that I looked up to for a lot of years, I'm here now, and Randy Hymes is here. We've got Todd Heap. I'm just excited about the opportunity that I have, and what I think this offense will definitely be able to do next year."

Um. ... Did I miss something, or did Clayton fail to mention new battery mate Kyle Boller?

If so, the omission might be understandable.

Sure, Boller started showing flashes of success near the middle of last season, averaging 182.3 yards passing, throwing 11 touchdown passes and six interceptions over the last 10 games.

But one could still easily argue that Boller has been the single most limiting factor in a passing attack that ranked last in 2003 and second-to-last in 2004.

Fantasy Bottom Line: Clayton drifts to the bottom of my top-5 based on Boller's failure to get the job done up to this point in his career; the team's failure to field a productive passing attack this millennium and their failure to successfully develop other promising young receivers like Taylor, Patrick Johnson, Brandon Stokley and Ron Johnson.

Okay. ... One more time; repeat after me. "Ranking rookie receivers isn't easy."

Opportunity and supporting cast are every bit as, if not more important than, talent and physical ability. The above rankings are a reflection of that corollary.

I'll also point out that 26 other wideouts were drafted last weekend and a handful of undrafted free agents have been signed since.

Again: History is not on their side.

Nonetheless, those interested in delving more deeply will find complete information on the entire batch at NFL.com's 2005 Draft site.

I'll also keep a close eye on developments at the position as we get closer to training camp and bring any emerging possibilities to your attention.

That's it for now. ... Check back Saturday for my overview of this year's top rookie tight ends and place-kickers. Check out Wednesday's QB Overview here and Thursday's RB Overview here.