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The NFL has welcomed a variety of talented pass-catchers over the last decade. Andersen Pickard ranks the current top-10 wide receiver corps as the 2023 regular season inches closer.
Plenty of research has been conducted into which NFL positions are the most valuable and which ones are expendable. This is why teams prioritize quarterbacks and edge-rushers over punters and fullbacks, and it also explains why running backs have been a major topic of discussion this off-season.
One position that absolutely should not be ignored? Wide receiver.
As the demand for talented quarterbacks grows, so too does the need to support them with skilled pass-catchers, both at the top and bottom of the depth chart. Let's check out which teams have found the most success and production at the position, laying claim to some of the best wide receiver corps in the entire NFL.
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10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay's wide receiver corps has undergone a significant fall from grace over the past few seasons, and 2023 will offer a brand new test now that Tom Brady is gone. Still, the Buccaneers sneak onto this list thanks to the reliability of their top two wide receivers.
Mike Evans, of course, has 1,000-plus yards in each of his nine pro seasons and 33 touchdowns over the last three years combined. Meanwhile, Chris Godwin is a versatile playmaker who has been vastly underrated due to his injury history. With that said, he missed just two games in 2023 and would be a solid WR1 for many NFL teams.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers were a candidate to drop outside the top 10 this offseason. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are a solid duo, but Allen is past his peak and both players have their fair share of injury concerns.
Chargers coach Brandon Staley is on a quest to destroy NFL secondaries with his love of the 1990s Chicago Bulls, writes @ConorOrr https://t.co/myGKQCR6Qw pic.twitter.com/itzxngRWA4
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) August 22, 2023
However, Los Angeles' decision to draft Quentin Johnston vaults them back onto this list. Not only can the Chargers hurt opposing teams at any moment with each of their top three wide receivers, but they can stay dominant even if someone gets injured. Aging Keenan Allen can't play all 17 games? No problem. A one-two punch of Williams and Johnston is still mighty scary.
8. Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas' wide receiver corps is admittedly quite top-heavy, and without Davante Adams, they'd likely be in the bottom third of the league. Hunter Renfrow struggled to stay on the field last season, making it seem like his strong 2021 was a fluke. Meanwhile, Jakobi Meyers is nothing more than a fine WR2.
That's beside the point because Adams does exist and he makes the Raiders' passing attack exponentially better. The 30-year-old torched defenses for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, and he has scored a whopping 43 times over the last three seasons. Adams is an elite receiver and won't miss a beat as Vegas transitions from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo.
7. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' unit is also top-heavy, but they rank one spot higher than Vegas thanks to better production from their second and third receivers. Acquired from the Texans this offseason, Brandin Cooks offers valuable pass-catching skills and a key veteran presence. He should quickly build a rapport with Dak Prescott while carving out his role. Meanwhile, Michael Gallup has looked like one of the league's better WR2 when healthy.
Then, of course, we come to CeeDee Lamb. The 24-year-old is coming off a 1,359-yard, nine-touchdown season and is only getting better. He has a real chance to emerge as one of the NFL's most dominant playmakers this upcoming season, and Dallas' offense will benefit as a whole.
6. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have Justin Jefferson to thank for their ranking at number six. Minnesota's offense runs around Jefferson, especially now that Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen are gone. The former LSU star is currently the best wide receiver in the NFL and is always a threat to make game-changing plays regardless of the cornerbacks (yes, plural) assigned to cover him.
HOF WR Randy Moss says that Minnesota Vikings Justin Jefferson is alone the best WR in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/9hBHc94suK
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) August 17, 2023
Thielen is a difficult subtraction given his veteran presence and reliability, but Minnesota did boost its unit by drafting Jordan Addison. Between Addison and K.J. Osborn, the Vikings have two WR2 who are capable of opening up the offense (or, of course, making plays when the ball isn't headed Jefferson's way).
5. Seattle Seahawks
We still don't know exactly what to expect from the Seahawks' receiver corps now that Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in tow, but we know it's going to be epic. After all, adding one of the best prospects in the draft to an already-dominant unit is typically a very good strategy.
Even if Smith-Njigba is third in the pecking order, Seattle has two high-end threats in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Both have their own skill sets—Metcalf is a physical playmaker who is tough to bring down while Lockett gets open and stays healthy—and complement each other quite nicely. There's no denying that Seattle's wide receivers are the centerpiece of the offense and elevate quarterback Geno Smith's play.
4. San Francisco 49ers
For a while, San Francisco was known as the team that ran the football with ease. While they do continue to get great production from their running backs (namely Christian McCaffrey, of course), the dominance of their wide receiver corps should not be ignored.
Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk headline this unit. Samuel totaled 1,405 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2022 before taking a step back last season. Aiyuk picked up right where his teammate left off, finishing the 2023 campaign with 1,015 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Both receivers are playmakers who are integral parts of a San Francisco offense that likes to get fancy. The steady contributions from third-string receiver Jauan Jennings are also undervalued.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
There were some doubts about Jalen Hurts, who epitomizes the Konami Code QB skill set, being able to support a strong receiver room that consisted of both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as Dallas Goedert. Those skeptics are now eating their words.
#Eagles WR AJ Brown makes a one handed catch look so casual
(via @cfranklinnews)
pic.twitter.com/x8b8FFVP9L— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) August 22, 2023
Both Brown and Smith played in all 17 games last season, combining for 183 catches, 2,692 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns. It felt like Hurts was always finding Smith for a gorgeous sideline catch or hitting Brown in stride as he ran into the end zone. While the quarterback deserves plenty of credit, there's no ignoring the advanced skill sets of Philadelphia's top two wide receivers. Put simply, there's no good way to game plan for shutting down both Brown and Smith. That's rare in the NFL and quite deserving of the third-place ranking. Philly also gets recognized for Quez Watkins' solid production as the WR3.
2. Miami Dolphins
If you're looking for a team that has undergone the biggest wide receiver transformation over the last few seasons, Miami has to be in the conversation. DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry were fine, but Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are responsible for making the Dolphins' offense one of the most dangerous in the league.
Hill had a career year last season despite facing a bevy of obstacles, including his transition to a new team and inconsistent quarterback play. Meanwhile, Waddle demonstrated his invaluable ability to extend plays and make magic happen when other receivers might get tackled. Furthermore, adding a versatile playmaker in Braxton Berrios was an underrated off-season move for Miami and should create even more opportunities for this passing attack.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
Yeah, you knew this was coming. The Bengals arguably have the league's best offense and their wide receiver corps is the main reason why (although rostering Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon certainly doesn't hurt).
Bengals ranked as the No. 1 WR Group in the NFL. 🐅 #WHODEY #WINCINNATI pic.twitter.com/6JfaRzZJI3
— WINCINNATI (@WINCINNATI_) August 14, 2023
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd each produced over 700 receiving yards last season. Despite Chase missing three games, these three receivers managed to combine for 2,864 yards and 22 touchdowns. Chase is fantastic deep downfield or along the sideline, Higgins is the pinnacle of reliability over the middle, and Boyd is solid playing the slot. Honestly, though, the stats only tell part of the story. Sitting down to just watch this receiving corps grace the television every Sunday is truly a gift.
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