Weekend Watch List: Johnson, Welker lead early '12 WR rankings

Roddy White owners were left gasping Thursday night. It was either:

1. Where was that dominance earlier this season, when I needed it?

Or ...

2. Thank you, Routie White, I am going to dominate this week on the way to my fantasy Super Bowl!

It is the way receivers go. They run hot and cold. But we always learn -- sometimes painfully -- the best ones need to be held on to, cherished and started through thick and thin.

You hear this, Calvin Johnson owners?

Megatron has been a Decepticon of late. But, trust us, he is going to transform back into the early season super hero he was this season -- a ghastly mix of metaphors notwithstanding.

This is a fitting White and Megatron message for this Weekend's Watch List, where we give an early ranking for 2012 receivers. If you're not still alive in the fantasy postseason, there may be nothing left to do but look ahead.

(Ah, but maybe not ... If you couldn't care to look ahead for next August already, there is something for you, as I'll explain at the end of story.)

It is a second, third, fourth and infinite chance(s) at prolonging the awesomeness that is fantasy football.)

And, if that is not for you, you still can do you scouting and ranking of the potential keepers for 2012. Here are the wide receivers, leaving out the rookies that will be drafted in April, because those don't impact keeper decisions:

If you're longing to still play fantasy while watching White-like Thursday night performances you can still scratch that fantasy football itch at 365fantasysports.com the next few weeks and through the NFL postseason. There you can play heads-up, three-team or four-team fantasy games with a friend, or perfect strangers. You get do quick 10-round draft to set your lineup weekly or even daily, and you can do it in minutes. If you join, enter the promo code: Emack.

Eric Mack writes fantasy for SI.com, including the Start 'Em, Sit 'Em, the Weekend Fantasy Watch List and his Sunday night staple: Fantasy Football Fast Forward. If you need a further clarification on lineups this week hit him up on Twitter. You can mock him, rip him and (doubtful) praise him before asking him for fantasy advice @EricMackFantasy.