Andre Johnson is in line for a bounce-back season following his trade to the Colts

You were ready to move on. These wide receivers broke your heart one too many times. Here’s why you’ll want to hang on to these heartbreakers for one more season.

ANDRE JOHNSON

After 12 years with the Texans, with a revolving door of mediocre QBs, 33-year-old Andre Johnson has joined Andrew Luck and the Colts.

Andre Johnson’s 2014 stats: 85 catches, 936 yards, 3 TDs

Johnson’s 2014 stats tell the tale of a perceived WR1 who performed like a WR3/flex player in 12-team leagues. Johnson is about to make up for lost production. To understand what Johnson’s upcoming production is likely to be, let’s take a look at Reggie Wayne’s numbers from before age and injuries took a toll, Andrew Luck’s rookie season:

Reggie Wayne’s stats from 2012: 106 catches, 1355 yards, 5 TDs.

Go ahead and add 2 TDs, 419 yards and 26 catches for Johnson’s upcoming season, keeping him in line with Wayne from 2012.

Moreover, 2012 was T.Y. Hilton’s rookie season. Hilton has developed into a more significant deep threat in recent years, and he demands coverage over the top, generally keeping one of the opposing safeties deep down field. Don’t be overly concerned with Johnson eating into Hilton’s production, as they do different things at this point.

With his size, route-running ability and the other offensive weapons surrounding him, Johnson is a significant red-zone threat and a trusted route runner that a very accurate Andrew Luck will lean on over the middle, early and often.

Expect Johnson to be a high-end WR2 in 12-team standard leagues and mid-level WR1 in PPR leagues. Go ahead and draft Andre Johnson right after your stud WR1, and start him weekly as a WR2.

BRANDON MARSHALL

Last season, Brandon Marshall finished the season as the 30th overall WR, 25 spots below his Consensus ADP. Not good.

He also missed three games with ankle injuries and a punctured lung after taking a back seat to Bears WR Alshon Jeffery. Marshall’s numbers were around 50% lower than his 2013 season, where he posted nearly 1,300 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns.

Brandon Marshall’s 2014 stats: 61 catches, 721 yards, 8 TDs

Now Marshall is on the Jets, and while his QB situation isn’t great, Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick competing for the starting job, the Jets didn’t hand the Bears a fifth-round pick for Marshall to not use him. Expect Marshall’s targets to go up dramatically as he’s now the clear-cut No. 1 WR to Eric Decker. Additionally, it’s worth noting that Marshall hadn’t missed a game in the previous two seasons before his absences in 2014, so there’s a good chance he can stay healthy.

I’d feel comfortable taking Marshall at the head of RD3 as an every-week low-end WR2 or high-end flex. Brace for a bounce-back season of 10-plus TDs and over 1,000 yards receiving based on the volume of targets he’s sure to see.

BRANDIN COOKS

Last season Brandin Cooks was a rookie, stepping into a Saints’ offense dominated by Jimmy Graham’s seam-receiving game, Marques Colston’s possession catching and second-year receiver Kenny Stills. Cooks only played 10 of 16 games before being placed on IR with a finger injury.

Brandin Cooks’ 2014 stats: 53 catches, 550 yards, 3 TDs

He also logged one rushing touchdown. Cooks was deadly at home on turf, but just okay on the road.

Now that Graham and Stills have been traded away, expect Cooks to see a bump in targets. Understand that if he hadn’t exited with an injury last season, he was on pace for 85 catches, 997 yards from scrimmage and over 6 touchdowns. And that’s with Graham and Stills still on the team.

In short, Cooks will likely break 1,000 yards and notch 10+ touchdowns via ground and air combined. He’s easily in the WR2 conversation, and I’d feel confident drafting Cooks as my WR2 as early as RD4 in 12-team leagues, potentially end of RD3 in PPR leagues.

Special mention to Cooks in dynasty and keeper leagues, as he’s only 21 years old and on pace for a fruitful career.

Isaac Leicht is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Isaac, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Fantasy_Dude.