Ravens’ Lardarius Webb: Antonio Brown is Better than Mike Wallace

If Mike Wallace is widely considered to be one of the best receivers in the NFL, then Antonio Brown must be right up there with Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, if you believe Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb. Even though Wallace is one of the fastest players in the game and an unbelievable deep threat, Webb is more impressed by Wallace’s teammate, Antonio Brown.

“Every time somebody asks me [a question], they’re always talking about Mike Wallace,” Webb said on Wednesday when asked about having to cover Wallace. “But they have a guy No. 84 in Antonio Brown who is better than 17 [Wallace] in all aspects of the game. He’s a great returner, a great wide receiver.”

Through eight games, Wallace has 43 catches, 800 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Brown, on the other hand, is having a more modest season and has caught 34 passes for 431 yards and one touchdown.  Both receivers could turn out to be a huge part of the Pittsburgh offense for the coming years, but Wallace is obviously the superior talent at this point.  Unless you ask Webb.

As ESPN’s Jamison Hensley noted, Webb’s praise of Brown is likely due to a past experience; Webb was burned by Brown for a 58-yard pass last season in the playoffs.

Brown is emerging as a legitimate option for Ben Roethlisberger, but I wouldn’t go grabbing him ahead of Wallace in fantasy leagues next season.  In fact, I wouldn’t be drafting him ahead of about 30 other guys unless he absolutely tears it up over the final eight games.