The most exciting position in the NFL has to be wide receiver, and that naturally leads us to look at who the best wide receivers in the NFL are. With the receiving crown changing hands every week, it’s fair to ask who takes the top spot.<\/p>\n
The distinction is ultimately meaningless, as all the top receivers add something unique to their offenses that make them go, but taking the title is always tantalizing. Let’s look at who the top wide receiver in the NFL is and where the top NFL wide receivers fall on the list after that.<\/p>\n
Justin Jefferson can lay claim to the title of being the best receiver in the NFL.<\/strong> It\u2019s difficult to separate the top two receivers in 2022, but when taking into account career production and capability, Jefferson just barely gets the top spot. An accomplished technician and route runner, Jefferson is a threat at all three levels of the field and has played every position and role in the offense while remaining effective regardless.<\/p>\n While Jefferson has great route-running, ball tracking, instinct for space, and athleticism, what makes him stand out among receivers is his preternatural body control. His highlight catches demonstrate this in a big way, but so does his ability to power through contact while always driving forward and capacity to contort his body in unusual ways to supplement his route-running.<\/p>\n That he layers on top of all of that an incredible instinct for the sideline and first down marker along with an understanding of how NFL coverages work and where they’re weak, and you have the recipe for a high-level threat.<\/p>\n The fastest premier receiver in the NFL, Hill combines his speed with nuanced route-running, surprising strength, and a great understanding of what his quarterback wants from him. While Jefferson might be a slightly better receiver to have on a team, Hill is the receiver that most alters opposing defenses and makes life easy for his quarterbacks.<\/p>\n When the Minnesota Vikings functionally traded Stefon Diggs for Justin Jefferson, they traded not just one top receiver for another but one with a very similar skill set \u2013 but that looks a lot different.<\/p>\n Both are great route runners, but Diggs is more explosive in his routes and has a longer history of difficult catches. His freelancing requires a quarterback friendly to his style of play, but he\u2019s nearly unstoppable when he has chemistry with his passer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a sign of the times that the league\u2019s best \u201cbig\u201d receiver is only number four, but a more open NFL requires different skill sets. Luckily for A.J. Brown, he not only has his size and contested catch ability, but speed and route-running ability to find space.<\/p>\n While former Ole Miss teammate D.K. Metcalf was lauded for his athleticism, Brown also happened to be one of the most athletic receivers in that draft and is demonstrating that in the NFL week after week.<\/p>\n Last year, many would have considered Davante Adams to be the top receiver in the NFL. Truthfully, one could still make that case \u2013 but we know that Adams is at his best when winning off the release against one-on-one coverage, whether that\u2019s to take a slant to the house or win deep.<\/p>\n\n His capacity for middle-of-the-field catches and play in space is elite, but not quite that to the level of the receivers above him. Of course, he makes up for it by being deadlier in the red zone than any of them. Adams is a touchdown machine, and it doesn\u2019t matter who\u2019s throwing him the ball.<\/p>\n Like Adams, Ja\u2019Marr Chase is essentially a big with speed who can win in space but excels in contested situations and deep downfield. He doesn\u2019t have the same YAC ability as Adams or instinct for space as Brown, but he\u2019s more explosive than either of them when asked to do what he does best. Chase is an incredible weapon that could muscle his way into elite territory with just a bit more refinement.<\/p>\n Losing high-level play from Matthew Stafford meant a small drop-off in production for Cooper Kupp, but he remains the elite slot threat and route-runner that he was last year.<\/p>\n His athletic capability is at a high level \u2013 more than many of the receivers below him on the list \u2013 but not quite up to the standards of the players in the top five, limiting his explosive potential. He still generates explosives \u2013 he nearly set a record for total receiving yards last year \u2013 but he\u2019s better as a space player winning intermediate routes. Either way, there aren\u2019t many things he\u2019s below-average at, and he\u2019s a huge asset for the Rams.<\/p>\n We\u2019re seeing a very gentle downward slope in DeAndre Hopkins\u2019 career as he enters his 30s, but he\u2019s still a high-level player who supercharged the offense when he returned to the lineup. His calling card \u2013 jump-ball catches \u2013 ruined draft analysts for years as they tried to find the next Hopkins in their favorite big contested-catch receiver.<\/p>\n It never happened. Hopkins has a great understanding of what the offense wants him to do, and he can convert his power and route-running into deep ball capability, but his best work is in the red zone and at the 17-22 yard mark instead of further downfield, capping him compared to other high-level receivers.<\/p>\n Perhaps the most underrated receiver this year in the NFL, Tyler Lockett does a phenomenal job getting open, still plays with high-level athleticism, and remains a surprisingly good catch-point receiver.<\/p>\n With some of the most reliable hands in the NFL and a knack for space, Lockett is an improviser\u2019s best friend while also happening to play a disciplined style of football that fits timing offenses. His understanding of space extends into the red zone, one reason he ranks fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns.<\/p>\n Of all the receivers in the top ten, Deebo Samuel may have the best trump card of all of them, though it comes at the cost of being substantially less well-rounded. Samuel is a YAC machine, and he combines his speed, power, vision, and instinct for space to get it done.<\/p>\n He\u2019s not as polished a route-runner as others on the list, nor is he a phenomenal technician against press, but he demolishes angles and provides a unique weapon. He can still break open on routes, though that is a product of his incredible explosiveness more than his technique.<\/p>\n Already an elite route-runner out of the gate, Smith possesses a great combination of speed and agility that has made him an asset to Jalen Hurts and allows the Eagles to attack opposing defenses in a variety of ways with multiple types of route combinations.<\/p>\n Smith plays with physicality but doesn\u2019t have the strength to stand up to the other receivers ahead of him on the list, but he\u2019s a reliable and explosive option.<\/p>\n A size\/speed freak in every sense of the word, D.K. Metcalf drew comparisons to Calvin Johnson coming out of his combine workouts. His speed, size, and acceleration lived up to that, though he doesn\u2019t have the agility or contested catch capability of the former All-Pro.<\/p>\n That\u2019s fine, Metcalf is on the verge of elite and an incredible option in the Seattle offense, even if he runs a few routes better than others. He still wins jump balls at a high rate and can bail out quarterbacks when in trouble.<\/p>\n Maybe we\u2019d be talking about Terry McLaurin more if he benefited from better quarterback play, but he has averaged 82.6 yards per game since Taylor Heinicke took over. McLaurin is a speedster with good route-running and great hands, and that always has value.<\/p>\n While he could do more against contact and doesn\u2019t have the instinct for space that some other route-running mavens have, he\u2019s a fantastic addition to any roster. It\u2019s a shame he doesn\u2019t play with more timing-oriented quarterbacks because he could really take off.<\/p>\n It\u2019s always difficult to place rookies on lists like these, and with a slightly weaker class in 2022 than in the previous two years, it feels like a risk putting one in the top fifteen. But Chris Olave has earned it despite uneven quarterback play.<\/p>\n Olave has a great release and gets into gear quickly, presenting the Saints with a great deep option out of the gate. He also has great ball tracking and is a good enough route runner to present threats at all three levels of the defense. With less than a season under his belt, there are very few holes in his game.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been an unusual year in Tampa Bay, but that doesn\u2019t take away from the talent of their receivers, who have proven what they can do in better passing environments. Another receiver characterized by excellent body control and a good understanding of field geometry, Godwin does a great job winning between the 20s and adjusting to any pass. He has incredible hands but doesn\u2019t have quite the same capacity for winning deeps as other receivers on the list.<\/p>\n Mike Evans is an unusual player in that he\u2019s one of the most productive players ever since entering the league but has never threatened to be a top-five receiver in production in any particular year.<\/p>\n It speaks to his consistency and the value of his size, contested-catch ability, and understanding of the game. He\u2019s an underrated route-runner, though his agility and speed don\u2019t always allow him to show it off. Overall, he\u2019s a great weapon to have but he won\u2019t ever be the best.<\/p>\n If CeeDee Lamb were consistent, he\u2019d be one of the top receivers in the league. There are some games where he gets open at will, demonstrates uncommon fluidity and after-catch speed, and showcases high-level technique to go with his athleticism.<\/p>\n At other times, he looks clumsy, has difficulty stringing together receiver moves, and can have trouble holding on to the ball. Some of that is injury, and some of that is teams playing him more physically than he\u2019d like, but we see much more of the good than the bad with him, which is how he gets on this list.<\/p>\n A prototypical possession receiver, Tee Higgins is a perfect fit in the Cincinnati Bengals offense, complementing Chase\u2019s deep threat and Tyler Boyd\u2019s underneath outlet work. Higgins makes the most of his large frame and does a good job absorbing contact throughout the route and the catch point. While he could do a little bit more to get open as a route-runner, he\u2019s still developed there and is capped largely by his speed.<\/p>\n While Deebo Samuel stands alone as a YAC receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown might be atop the next tier of after-catch specialists. He continues to develop, and his catch-point ability isn\u2019t too bad, either.<\/p>\n Most of his growth has come as a route-runner, and as the Lions offense has improved its timing, he has thrived. His combination of fluidity and strength are great assets and might remind Lions fans of Golden Tate.<\/p>\n Like McLaurin, Wilson suffers from a lack of consistent quarterback play. But when the passing game is working, he\u2019s the reason why. He\u2019s great at avoiding contact as an after-catch receiver, and his agility has allowed him to find a number of ways to get open.<\/p>\n While his initial stem could use some work, he\u2019s otherwise already becoming a complete route-runner with good speed and strength. Wilson has a high ceiling he has yet to unlock, and his feel for the game is already there.<\/p>\n The Atlanta Falcons decided to trade Calvin Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars after it was clear the Falcons needed to reload for 2023 and without a resolution to his suspension for gambling. That might mean that Trevor Lawrence will end up with a high-level receiver without the Jaguars having to spend a draft pick there.<\/p>\n Ridley is up there with the best of them when it comes to route-running and beats out other Alabama alums like Jaylen Waddle, Jerry Jeudy, and even DeVonta Smith in that category. If he\u2019s maintained his health and athleticism throughout his suspension, he could rocket up the power rankings next year.<\/p>\n The Dolphins have extraordinary speed on their roster, and they know how to use it. Waddle is a better after-catch receiver than Hill, while Hill does a better job deep, but what really separates them are Hill\u2019s developed instincts, body control, and technical route-running. Nevertheless, Waddle does a lot to help teams win and can immediately turn a game.<\/p>\nRest of the Top 10 Wide Receivers Ranked<\/h2>\n
2) Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins<\/h3>\n
3) Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills<\/h3>\n
4) A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles<\/h3>\n
5) Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders<\/h3>\n
6) Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals<\/h3>\n
7) Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams<\/h3>\n
8) DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals<\/h3>\n
9) Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks<\/h3>\n
10) Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers<\/h3>\n
11) DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles<\/h3>\n
12) DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks<\/h3>\n
13) Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders<\/h3>\n
14) Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints<\/h3>\n
15) Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/h3>\n
16) Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/h3>\n
17) CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys<\/h3>\n
18) Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals<\/h3>\n
19) Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions<\/h3>\n
20) Garrett Wilson, New York Jets<\/h3>\n
21) Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars<\/h3>\n
22) Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins<\/h3>\n
23) Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots<\/h3>\n