Ranking Each NFL Team's Group of Pass-Catchers (WR/TE)

The NFL has become a passing league. It's been like that for a while now; it's no mystery. Wide receivers and tight ends are some of the most popular players in the league. For fantasy football, we have continued to emphasize receivers more than running backs. NFL general managers are doing the same. For goodness sake, the Giants signed Darius Slayton to a similar deal that Saquon Barkley signed the year prior in free agency.

Receivers are a quarterback's best friend. Teams with young quarterbacks have targeted veteran superstars to help take their young signal-callers to the next level. Think A.J. Brown for Jalen Hurts, Stefon Diggs for Josh Allen, Tyreek Hill for Tua Tagovailoa, and DeAndre Hopkins for Kyler Murray. Which teams and quarterbacks are best set up for success in 2025 based on who they are throwing to?

We’ll be ranking all 32 teams on the quality of their pass-catchers (WR/TE). Let’s get started. To take advantage of our great premium tools, please use promo code "BOOM" to receive a 10% discount.

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The Process

Only so many players genuinely matter when we look at a team's group of pass-catchers. Does a team's No. 4 pass-catcher matter? Probably not, and obviously, a team's No. 1 pass-catcher is more valuable than a team's No. 3 pass-catcher. So, when we look at these grades, we will grade them like this.

Each team's No. 1 pass-catcher will be graded on a 15-point scale. The No. 2 pass-catcher will be graded on a 12-point scale, the No. 3 pass-catcher scored on an eight-point scale, and the depth scored on a five-point scale. We'll be putting a more significant emphasis on each team's No. 1 receiver.

A 15/15 for pass-catcher No. 1 is Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, etc. So, where does each team's No. 1 pass-catcher score in comparison to that? The No.1, No. 2 pass-catchers are DeVonta Smith, Tee Higgins, and Chris Godwin. They're 12/12.

Where does each team's No. 2 score in comparison to them? We'll then be following the same process and logic for the rest. The No. 1, No. 3 pass-catchers are likely guys like T.J. Hockenson and Sam LaPorta (or Jameson Williams, depending on how you'd order those two). Ties will be broken by the team with the best No. 1 pass-catcher.

The Elite

1. Minnesota Vikings

• No. 1 - Justin Jefferson: 15/15
• No. 2 - Jordan Addison: 11/12
• No. 3 - T.J. Hockenson: 8/8
• Depth - Jalen Nailor, Josh Oliver: 3/5
• Overall: 37/40

Jefferson is the best receiver in the game, with all due respect to Chase. Addison has become one of the league's better No. 2 receivers. He's an excellent downfield threat who can exploit defenses that choose to slide too much of their coverage to Jefferson. If a team does manage to stop both of these guys, then Hockenson is likely to be open in the short-to-intermediate part of the field. This is the best group of pass-catchers in the NFL. They have three top-tier options, and Nailor showed plenty of promise in his rookie season, providing them with one quality depth option.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

• No. 1 - A.J. Brown: 15/15
• No. 2 - DeVonta Smith: 12/12
• No. 3 - Dallas Goedert: 7/8
• Depth - Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, Grant Calcaterra: 2/5
• Overall: 36/40

Goedert is rumored to be available in a trade, but as of right now, he's still an Eagle. Philly isn't far behind Minnesota, and they hold the edge with the No. 2 pass-catcher. Smith is one of the league's best three No. 2 receivers. It's either him, Higgins, or now Davante Adams as a member of the Rams. AJB is an alpha-receiver, and Smith would be a No. 1 receiver for at least half of the teams in the NFL. Goedert is one of the best No. 3 options in the league.

3. Detroit Lions

• No. 1 - Amon-Ra St. Brown: 15/15
• No. 2 - Jameson Williams: 11/12
• No. 3 - Sam LaPorta: 8/8
• Depth - Kalif Raymond, Brock Wright: 2/5
• Overall: 36/40

The Lions aren't far behind the Vikings. As you can see, their scores are the same as the Vikings for their No. 1 through No. 3 pass-catchers. The only reason that the Vikings get the nod is Nailor is a bit better than Raymond, and if we're being honest, even though ARSB is getting the same score as Jefferson here, we all know which one is better and which one every team would prefer to have. That's no knock on Detroit. This is an elite group of pass-catchers. Having LaPorta or Williams as a No. 3 target option is just unfair.

4. Los Angeles Rams

• No. 1 - Puka Nacua: 15/15
• No. 2 - Davante Adams: 12/12
• No. 3 - Tutu Atwell: 5/8
• Depth - Jordan Whittington, Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson: 3/5
• Overall: 35/40

Nacua and Adams are one of the best receiver duos in the league. Maybe it’s Philly’s AJB and Smitty or Cincy’s Chase and Higgins, but this LA duo is definitely in the mix. Some might think Adams is washed, but this article I wrote earlier this winter will likely have you reconsidering. You can find it here.

LA’s No. 3 receiver is far less impressive. Atwell is okay in terms of a No. 3 pass-catcher, but nothing special. His long speed will benefit from the attention Adams and Nacua will command. The depth is okay. Whittington looked like he could play as a rookie, and the team got decent contributions from Parkinson when he filled in for Higbee.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• No. 1 - Mike Evans: 13/15
• No. 2 - Chris Godwin: 12/12
• No. 3 - Jalen McMillan: 6/8
• Depth - Cade Otton, Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett: 4/5
• Overall: 35/40

You might be surprised to see Tampa above Cincy, but consider who these teams have at the No. 3 spot and beyond. Higgins and Chase are, no doubt, better than Evans and Godwin. However, McMillan started to play well late in the year. He’s a legit No. 3 receiver, which pushes Otton into the depth conversation. Otton is a better No. 3 pass-catcher than anything Cincy employs. Tampa Bay has star power, and they have depth. That’s an elite combination.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

• No. 1 - Ja'Marr Chase: 15/15
• No. 2 - Tee Higgins: 12/12
• No. 3 - Mike Gesicki: 4/8
• Depth - Andrei Iosivas, Isaiah Williams, Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson: 3/5
• Overall: 34/40

This is entirely made up of two men. It all comes down to Chase and Higgins. You take one of them away, and they’d fall significantly. There’s just no depth behind them. That said, Chase and Higgins are likely the consensus No. 1 receiver duo in the league, and you’ll hear no objections from me. They’re amazing. Absolutely fantastic, but Higgins has struggled with injuries in his career. Even last year, he missed a handful of games.

Currently, Cincy has no one who can attempt or somewhat fill that role. Higgins isn’t someone you can replace. The fall-off would be extreme. As long as these guys stay healthy, they’ll carry this offense.

7. Kansas City Chiefs

• No. 1 - Rashee Rice: 14/15
• No. 2 - Xavier Worthy: 10/12
• No. 3 - Travis Kelce: 6/8
• Depth - Marquise Brown, Skyy Moore, Noah Gray: 4/5
• Overall: 34/40

It’s difficult to assess any potential suspensions for Rice, which he’s almost sure will get, but the Chiefs have insulated themselves well. Bringing Hollywood back to a team-friendly deal was a great move, giving them quality depth.

The Chiefs now have four solid to great pass-catchers they can lean on. Worthy started to break out late in the season and into the playoffs. Kelce isn’t what he used to be, but with Rice, Worthy, and Brown, Kansas City doesn’t need him to be anymore. Even Gray is a quality pass-catcher in two tight end sets. They may lack the star-power at the top that other teams have, but this is a really strong group.

8. San Francisco 49ers

• No. 1 - George Kittle: 12/15
• No. 2 - Brandon Aiyuk: 10/12
• No. 3 - Jauan Jennings: 7/8
• Depth -  Ricky Pearsall, Luke Farrell, Jacob Cowing: 5/5
• Overall: 34/40

Losing Samuel isn’t as big of a loss as it may seem. Jennings and Pearsall are ready to step in without any significant impact. Jennings almost had 1,000 yards last season filling in for Aiyuk. His return is the biggest question. If he were healthy, he’d be a 12/12. He might be the team’s No. 1 pass-catcher if he was healthy. Assuming Aiyuk can return relatively soon (think Week 4 or earlier) and perform at 80-90% of his talents, increasing throughout the season, this is another excellent group of pass-catchers.

Like the Chiefs, while they may lack star-power, they make up for it in depth and have several quality options. If Aiyuk is healthy, their first-round pick from a year ago is likely their fourth option in the passing game. That’s remarkable depth.

Excellent Supporting Cacst

9. Houston Texans

• No. 1 - Nico Collins: 14/15
• No. 2 - Christian Kirk: 9/12
• No. 3 - Dalton Schultz: 6/8
• Depth - John Metchie III, Brevin Jordan, Xavier Hutchinson, Tank Dell: 4/5
• Overall: 33/40

Collins is on the verge of true, alpha, superstar level receiver. Maybe he’s already there. Kirk is a quality No. 2 pass-catcher. He averaged 65.6 yards per game in 12 questions two seasons ago. That’s a pace of 1,115 yards over 17 games. He’s not a star, but he’s a quality receiver who can hurt a defense in the short-to-intermediate part of the field. He’s a perfect complement to Collins. Schultz is a solid and dependable No. 3.

They also have plenty of depth options with Metchie, Jordan, Hutchinson, and maybe Dell, although that seems far less likely. Any quarterback would be thrilled to have these weapons.

10. Miami Dolphins

• No. 1 - Tyreek Hill: 13/15
• No. 2 - Jaylen Waddle: 11/12
• No. 3 - Jonnu Smith: 6/8
• Depth - Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tahj Washington: 3/5
• Overall: 33/40

This was one of the hardest to grade. Hill and Waddle are coming off of some of their worst seasons to date. However, Tagovailoa missed several games again, and their offensive line took a nosedive. The offensive line issues resulted in Tagovailoa needing to get rid of the ball quicker. This resulted in Smith having a career season, but Hill and Waddle were negatively impacted as this offense wants to push the ball downfield. Hill isn’t who he used to be, but he’s also played with a broken wrist all year.

How did all these adverse circumstances affect Hill and Waddle? Hill is no longer the alpha No. 1 he used to be, but he’s still an upper-tier No. 1 guy. I also still believe Waddle is a highly talented No. 2. I expect this group to bounce back in 2025, but there’s also the chance this grade looks the most egregious at the end of the season.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

• No. 1 - DK Metcalf: 12/15
• No. 2 - George Pickens: 11/12
• No. 3 - Pat Freiermuth: 5/8
• Depth - Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, Darnell Washington: 4/5
• Overall: 32/40

This is one of the better groups in the NFL. Metcalf and Pickens is an imposing duo. They’re big, strong, tall, lengthy, and fast. They’re not always the most focused. This duo could make for some highlight-reel plays and some “get your popcorn” ready kind of drama. However, there’s no denying the talent. Freiermuth is a quality No. 3 who should benefit from the coverage Metcalf and Pickens pull deep. They also have last year’s second-round pick Roman Wilson and Austin, who provided quality play last year. Will they have a quarterback who can get the most out of this talented group?

12. Arizona Cardinals

• No. 1 - Trey McBride: 12/15
• No. 2 - Marvin Harrison Jr.: 10/12
• No. 3 - Michael Wilson: 5/8
• Depth - Zay Jones, Elijah Higgins, Tip Reiman: 3/5
• Overall: 30/40

McBride is a stud tight end. He’s one of the best, but he still doesn’t come close to the production of a true No. 1 receiver. He doesn’t threaten defenses downfield. Readers may look at MHJ’s grade and scoff a bit, but he was one of the best receiver prospects in recent seasons, and while the expectations were sky-high, he didn’t have a bad rookie season. He just failed to meet those ridiculously high expectations.

McBride and Harrison can still be a punishing duo, assuming MHJ is much better this season. Wilson is a decent No. 3 receiver whose speed and size can be advantageous when defenses give too much attention to the other two. The depth isn’t inadequate, but it’s also not great. Overall, this is a terrific group, although I am giving MHJ the benefit of the doubt that he will take a sizable step forward in year two.

Solid Groups

13. Dallas Cowboys

• No. 1 - CeeDee Lamb: 15/15
• No. 2 - Jake Ferguson: 8/12
• No. 3 - Jalen Tolbert: 4/8
• Depth - KaVontae Turpin, Luke Schoonmaker, Jonathan Mingo: 2/5
• Overall: 30/40

This is Lamb and nothing else. Ferguson is okay, but as far as a No. 2, he leaves quite a bit to be desired. After those two, there’s nothing left. Lamb is doing half the work here. If he were to miss time, this would be as bad a group as New England's. Lamb is so good that he can make up for a lot of the deficiencies of the other spots. He’s one of the five best receivers in the league, and his presence carries a lot of value.

It’s also much easier to find No. 2 and No. 3 pass catchers than someone like Lamb, but Dallas needs to do something. There is too much responsibility and pressure on Lamb to carry this passing offense.

14. Washington Commanders

• No. 1 - Terry McLaurin: 13/15
• No. 2 - Deebo Samuel Sr.: 9/12
• No. 3 - Zach Ertz: 5/8
• Depth - Luke McCaffrey, Ben Sinnott: 2/5
• Overall: 29/40

McLaurin showed last year what he can do with quality quarterback play. He’s always been underrated because he hasn’t had a chance to show what he can genuinely do. Samuel is past his prime. He can’t beat man coverage. He’s someone who needs a precise role to be effective.

Luckily, Kliff Kingsbury runs just the system that will feature Samuel’s strengths. Samuel will be used heavily in the screen game, where he’s at his best. He might only be an 8/12 in another system, but Washington will get the most out of him. Ertz is boring. He doesn’t offer any upside, but he’s dependable. McCaffrey and Sinnott leave a bit to be desired regarding their depth, but this group looks far better than last year.

15. Atlanta Falcons

• No. 1 - Drake London: 13/15
• No. 2 - Darnell Mooney: 9/12
• No. 3 - Kyle Pitts: 5/8
• Depth - Ray-Ray McCloud III, Casey Washington, Charlie Woerner: 2/5
• Overall: 29/40

London isn’t quite an alpha No. 1 like Collins or Brown and company, but he’s very good in his own right. He’s certainly good enough to carry a team’s group of pass-catchers. He did that last year despite still receiving suboptimal quarterback play. It was, however, better than his first two years, and London delivered. Mooney also showed the upside he displayed in his rookie season after dealing with the dysfunction of Chicago’s offense and subpar quarterback play the past few years. He’s not a great No. 2 pass-catcher, but he’s solid and above average.

Pitts catches a lot of flak and reasonably so due to his draft capital and the fact that Chase was the pick after him, but as a No. 3 pass-catcher, he’s okay. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a bust. He still is, but Atlanta has enough quality options above him. Atlanta has the firepower here to support a solid quarterback.

16. Chicago Bears

• No. 1 - D.J. Moore: 12/15
• No. 2 - Rome Odunze: 10/12
• No. 3 - Cole Kmet: 5/8
• Depth - Tyler Scott, Durham Smythe: 2/5
• Overall: 29/40

Moore feels like he best fits with that Smith or Higgins group of receivers. They may not be true No. 1 receivers, but they’re good enough to carry a team’s passing attack. Moore has been used in multiple ways throughout his career. Carolina tried him in the slot as an underneath YAC guy. They also used him as a downfield option. He can do it all well, even if he’s not elite in any area. Odunze was the No. 3 or, at times, No. 4 option last year. He was an elite prospect, and his draft capital and collegiate production support that. We should expect him to take a big step forward this season.

Kmet isn’t a great tight end, but he’s a solid all-around one. He can catch and block. As a team’s No. 3 pass-catcher, he’s more than capable. The team lacks depth, but the top three are very good.

17. Indianapolis Colts

• No. 1 - Michael Pittman Jr.: 11/15
• No. 2 - Josh Downs: 9/12
• No. 3 - Alec Pierce: 5/8
• Depth - Adonai Mitchell, Anthony Gould, Drew Ogletree, Jelani Woods: 4/5
• Overall: 29/40

The Colts' group of pass-catchers is likely undervalued. Pittman is one of the better possession receivers in the NFL. He’s a big-bodied receiver who catches everything. He can move the chains and be a great safety net for his quarterback. Downs is a good slot receiver. He can create explosive players and separate well at all three levels.

Pierce is your typical X-receiver. He’s big, and he’s fast. He doesn’t earn a lot of targets, but he serves a purpose in keeping the defense honest and making them defend the deep ball. Mitchell is a second-rounder last year, so there’s outstanding depth here. Gould was a fifth-rounder, too. This is a solid group. No one is elite or extraordinary, but they have solid-to-good options at all three spots and quality depth behind them. A good quarterback could take advantage of these weapons.

Okay...

18. New York Giants

• No. 1 - Malik Nabers: 14/15
• No. 2 - Darius Slayton: 7/12
• No. 3 - Wan'Dale Robinson: 5/8
• Depth - Jalin Hyatt, Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger: 2/5
• Overall: 28/40

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

• No. 1 - Brian Thomas Jr.: 14/15
• No. 2 - Gabe Davis: 7/12
• No. 3 - Dyami Brown: 4/8
• Depth - Brenton Strange, Parker Washington: 3/5
• Overall: 28/40

20. Las Vegas Raiders

• No. 1 - Brock Bowers: 13/15
• No. 2 - Jakobi Meyers: 10/12
• No. 3 - Tre Tucker: 4/8
• Depth - Michael Mayer: 1/5
• Overall: 28/40

21. Baltimore Ravens

• No. 1 - Zay Flowers: 10/15
• No. 2 - Mark Andrews: 8/12
• No. 3 - Rashod Bateman: 6/8
• Depth - Isaiah Likely, DeAndre Hopkins, Devontez Walker: 4/5
• Overall: 28/40

22. Buffalo Bills

• No. 1 - Khalil Shakir: 9/15
• No. 2 - Keon Coleman: 7/12
• No. 3 - Dalton Kincaid: 6/8
• Depth - Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, Dawson Knox: 5/5
• Overall: 27/40

Not Ideal

23. New Orleans Saints

• No. 1 - Chris Olave: 13/15
• No. 2 - Rashid Shaheed: 7/12
• No. 3 - Juwan Johnson: 4/8
• Depth - Mason Tipton, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Dante Pettis: 2/5
• Overall: 26/40

24. Cleveland Browns

• No. 1 - Jerry Jeudy: 9/15
• No. 2 - David Njoku: 10/12
• No. 3 - Cedric Tillman: 4/8
• Depth - Michael Woods II, Jamari Thrash, David Bell: 3/5
• Overall: 26/40

25. Denver Broncos

• No. 1 - Courtland Sutton: 10/15
• No. 2 - Evan Engram: 8/12
• No. 3 - Marvin Mims Jr.: 4/8
• Depth - Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, Lucas Krull: 3/5
• Overall: 25/40

26. New York Jets

• No. 1 - Garrett Wilson: 13/15
• No. 2 - Allen Lazard: 6/12
• No. 3 - Xavier Gipson: 3/8
• Depth - Malachi Corley, Jeremy Ruckert: 2/5
• Overall: 24/40

27. Los Angeles Chargers

• No. 1 - Ladd McConkey: 13/15
• No. 2 - Quentin Johnston: 7/12
• No. 3 - Will Dissly: 3/8
• Depth - Brenden Rice: 1/5
• Overall: 24/40

28. Seattle Seahawks

• No. 1 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 13/15
• No. 2 - Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 6/12
• No. 3 - Noah Fant: 4/8
• Depth - Jake Bobo, Dareke Young, Josh Jones, AJ Barner: 1/5
• Overall: 24/40

29. Green Bay Packers

• No. 1 - Jayden Reed: 7/15
• No. 2 - Tucker Kraft: 8/12
• No. 3 - Romeo Doubs: 5/8
• Depth - Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Luke Musgrave: 3/5
• Overall: 23/40

The UFL Squads

30. Carolina Panthers

• No. 1 - Adam Thielen: 6/15
• No. 2 - Xavier Legette: 7/12
• No. 3 - Jalen Coker: 6/8
• Depth - Ja'Tavion Sanders, David Moore, Tommy Tremble: 3/5
• Overall: 22/40

31. Tennessee Titans

• No. 1 - Calvin Ridley: 10/15
• No. 2 - Van Jefferson: 5/12
• No. 3 - Chig Okonkwo: 5/8
• Depth - Josh Whyle, Treylon Burks, Jha'Quan Jackson, Bryce Oliver: 1/5
• Overall: 21/40

32. New England Patriots

• No. 1 - DeMario Douglas: 5/15
• No. 2 - Hunter Henry: 6/12
• No. 3 - Kayshon Boutte: 3/8
• Depth - Kendrick Bourne, Ja'Lynn Polk, Mack Hollins, Austin Hooper: 4/5
• Overall: 18/40

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