Arguably the most entertaining position in football, the wide receiver position is the most popular in football. They tend to get the most media attention along with quarterbacks. Just like the quarterbacks list, this list will not feature any rookies because they have yet to play a single snap in the NFL.
HM. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
Davante Adams is one of the league’s most respected wide receivers. From his crisp route-running to his steady hands, defenses across the NFL always seem to have high praise for the veteran. He has one of the sharpest minds at the wide receiver position. Last season he put up 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns. Let’s also not forget that the season before that, he made his third straight First Team All-Pro and 6th straight Pro Bowl. While he may not be the threat he once was, he still can have a significant impact on the game. Unfortunately, I do see him regressing some more since he turns 32 next season and his production relies on Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew.
10. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Nico Collins is the next up and coming star wide receiver. Between him, C.J. Stroud, and Tank Dell, the Texans’ offense will be elite for a long time. Many don’t know this but Nico Collins was PFF’s third highest-rated wide receiver last season with a 91.4 PFF grade.
Collins enjoyed a nice breakout season in his new offense where he put up almost 1,300 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. He is an insane deep threat with his 6’4″ frame and fluid movements. While he is underrated for now, Collins will show everyone next season why he should be a Pro Bowler.
9. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If you were to search up the definition of the word consistent, a picture of Mike Evans would show up. He has been quietly dominating the league for a decade now. He has literally put up over 1,000 yards for 10 straight seasons, which is second in NFL history. If he puts up 1,000 yards once again this upcoming season, he would tie Jerry Rice’s record. Standing at 6’5″, he is a major redzone threat.
He put up 13 touchdowns last season to go along with his usual 1,000 yards. This was enough to earn him Second Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod. There are three things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and Mike Evans getting 1,000 receiving yards.
8. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk was another young wide receiver who broke out last season. He recorded 1,300 yards and 7 touchdowns on a loaded, run-first offense. Aiyuk was surprisingly electric. Many had thought that Christian McCaffrey or Deebo Samuel would take away from Aiyuk’s production, but he still found a way to thrive.
Aiyuk made his first All-Pro team and led the 49ers in receiving. He exploded for over 100 yards 7 times throughout the regular season. He did enough for PFF to have him as the second highest-graded receiver with a 92.3 PFF grade.When he’s at the top of his game, he’s one of the league’s best.
7. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
I have been high on D.J. Moore since his Carolina days with Curtis Samuel and no quarterback. To me, they were always that “what-if” duo. Fortunately for D.J. Moore and his fans, he has found himself in a great position on the Bears. In his first year with them, he went for 1,300 yards and 8 touchdowns. I expect him to put up even better numbers with Caleb Williams throwing to him next year.
I know firsthand what D.J. Moore is capable of since I had to watch him put up 230 yards and 3 touchdowns on only 8 catches against my Commanders. I have the utmost respect for D.J. Moore as the Bears’ number one receiver.
6. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Who doesn’t like Puka Nacua? He genuinely seems like a cool guy. From being a 5th round pick to making Second Team All-Pro as a rookie, it is fair to say that Nacua has surprised almost every football fan, including Rams fans. He burst onto the scene in the absence of Cooper Kupp with nearly 1,500 yards, which was 4th in the league.
He is a physical wide receiver who has a great feel for the game. His main problem is his inconsistent hands. He had 13 drops last season, the most in the NFL. I’m worried that a fully healthy Cooper Kupp will hinder his growth, but all the potential in the world is still there.
5. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
I am a fan of A.J. Brown, even as a Commanders fan. He’s fast, strong, and a great deep threat. He can extend plays by gaining yards after the catch. He’s one of the more well-rounded receivers in the league. Brown is so dominant that there was a 6 game stretch where he went for over 125 yards. Once again, I had to watch him torch my team’s defense in the two games he played against us.
He went for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns, and 130 yards and 2 touchdowns, respectively. He finished his year with almost 1,500 yards and 7 touchdowns while making Second Team All-Pro and the Pro Bowl. He fits so well in the Eagles’ offense and I expect him to continue to put up those All-Pro numbers.
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
While having him at 4 may seem low, we are at a time in the league where there are three receivers who have gotten at least 1,700 yards in the past two seasons. Even PFF had him as the fourth highest-graded receiver with a 91.2 PFF grade. Hopefully Amon-Ra St. Brown doesn’t take this list personally. Still, he’s one of the best receivers in the league.
He just added a First Team All-Pro selection to his resume to go along with 2 Pro Bowls. He just finished his third year with 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns. In fact, 668 of those yards came after the catch, which was second in the league. He kept up his outstanding production in the playoffs as well, putting up 274 yards in 3 games. He will remain at the top of the league for a while.
3. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
CeeDee Lamb elevated his game to new levels in 2023. He had already established himself as a Pro Bowler, but last year, he established himself as a First Team All-Pro caliber player. He put up 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns, all of which were career highs.
On top of his First Team All-Pro nod, he was so dominant that he finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting. Additionally, he led the league in yards after the catch with 680. At only 25 years old, I expect CeeDee Lamb to dominate the league for years to come.
1B. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill is known as the Cheetah for a reason: his deadly speed. Hill is so fast that he causes changes in entire defensive schemes to prevent him from running straight past the defense. At one point during the season, he was on pace for a historic 2,000 yards. He ended up finishing with 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns, both of which were career highs.
Also, he led the league in receiving yards. These stats made him PFF’s highest-graded receiver with a 93.7 overall grade. In his eight seasons so far, he has 8 Pro Bowl selections and 5 First Team All-Pros. He has consistently torched NFL defenses for years. Luckily for them, but unluckily for football fans, Hill claimed he would retire at the end of his contract. While I hope this isn’t true, I believe he would have accomplished enough to be a lock for the Hall of Fame.
1A. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson is on record pace already through his first 4 seasons. Don’t forget how absurdly dominant he is just because he was injured last season. In his last healthy season, he led the league in receptions with 128 and yards with 1,800 to go along with his 8 touchdowns. That same season, he won Offensive Player of the Year, made the First Team All-Pro, got selected to the Pro Bowl, and finished fifth in MVP voting. Last season, he still remained productive in the 10 games he played.
He put up 68 catches, almost 1,100 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Despite his limitations due to injury, PFF still had him as the fifth highest-rated wide receiver. His impact on fans demonstrates how good he is. His impact is so profound that he has masses of middle-schoolers wearing his jersey and trying to dance like him. Years down the road, he will certainly be in the Hall of Fame.
