One of the great things about such a lousy ending to the season last year was how Antonio Bryant went from a major question mark to one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

So strong was Bryant, he was franchised. Players don’t always like that, but that shows what a team thinks of the player.

However, NFL.com is breaking down the top wide receivers in the league and they are not giving Bryant high marks for the coming season. His rank is No. 19.

One of the better fantasy sleepers of last season, Bryant put up career numbers across the board despite being out of the league in 2007. He was especially effective down the stretch. That includes an incredible 200-yard, two-touchdown performance on a Monday night against Carolina. The Buccaneers have undergone an overhaul since last season, however, adding a new coaching staff and several new faces to the roster. The team also lacks a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback, so [fans] need to temper their expectations for Bryant in 2009.

Granted, this is exercise is mostly for fantasy league players. (Joe’s idea of fantasy has nothing to do with football but everything to do with a secluded tropical locale and lovely lady Rachel Watson). But sometimes these “fantasy” predictions are a good indication of what to expect.