Putting together a good receiver's room is key to success in the modern NFL. The impact of the aerial game is undeniable at the highest levels of football. One would have to go back to the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles to find the last Super Bowl winner to rank outside the top eight in passing offense, and even that squad relied on a herculean Nick Foles passing performance (373 yards, three touchdowns) to best the New England Patriots for the Lombardi Trophy.
Recent draft results further prove how much emphasis is being placed on providing quarterbacks with high-end weapons. A record-tying seven wideouts came off the board in the first round of the 2024 draft—and two more were taken at the very top of Round 2—while at least four wideouts have been selected on Day 1 in each of the last five classes. It should come as little surprise that the clubs with the top receiving trios are all realistic contenders to win the Super Bowl in 2024.
These potent units overwhelm opposing defenses with a litany of pass-catching options who can beat their man on every play. With that in mind, we've ranked the NFL's best receiving corps based on previous production and 2024 projections. The Philadelphia Eagles possess one of the NFL's best one-two combinations at wide receivern.
The dynamic duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith has been terrorizing opposing defenses for the past two seasons and could still have their best years ahead.
Brown raised his game after arriving in the City of Brotherly Love via a draft-day trade in 2022. He's been one of the NFL's most consistent receivers since, including a 2023 campaign in which he racked up 1,456 yards and seven scores on a career-high 106 catches. Brown will once again work as the clear-cut No.
1 offense in an Eagles offense hoping to get back on track after falling from No. 3 in 2022 to No. 8 last year.
He'll need plenty of support from his pass-catching counterpart to accomplish this goal, however. Smith's stats may not jump off the page the way Brown's do, but he's still a vital part of Philadelphia's plans and opens things up with his incredible speed and route-running. Despite standing only 6'0" and 170 pounds, he's constantly found a way to get open and move the chains.
While Smith didn't match his output from his breakout 2022 campaign last year, he still finished with an impressive 81 catches for 1,066 yards and seven scores. Unfortunately for the Eagles, finding a third wideout to augment the two stars has been a pain point over the past two years. It could remain one going forward, too.
Journeymen Parris Campbell Jr. and John Ross are the top candidates to take on these duties, but keep an eye on rookies Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith . One of these Day 3 picks could usurp the veterans with a strong training camp and preseason.
The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the NFL's most dangerous passing offenses ever since they linked up Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase in 2021. Chase has amassed 237 catches for 3,308 yards and 28 touchdowns across the 38 games he's played with Burrow in the lineup. These stats could be even more gaudy if health hadn't been such a concerning issue during that span.
Chase couldn't build on his still-career-best rookie campaign due to injuries that cost him five games in 2022. While he was largely healthy last year, the wideout didn't have his superstar signal-caller for the final seven games after Burrow tore a ligament in his throwing wrist. If Burrow can stay healthy—something he's heavily focused on and spoke about at length during his recent appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast (h/t ESPN )—the battery could re-emerge as the NFL's most dangerous duo in 2024.
Chase won't be the only Bengals receiver giving the opposing secondary fits, as Tee Higgins is set to play at least one more season in Cincinnati. Higgins was the subject of intense trade speculation early in the offseason, but he eventually signed his franchise tag and should remain in Cincinnati at least for the 2024 campaign. Higgins has plenty of motivation to bounce back from an injury-plagued 42-catch, 656-yard, five-touchdown season—easily the worst of his four-year NFL career—and pad his resume before getting a chance to hit the open market.
While the Bengals are clearly set on the outside with Chase and Higgins, the No. 3 slot job is up for grabs. There's a notable lack of proven veterans on Cincinnati's roster who can fill that role, which could come back to haunt the team.
Andrei Iosivas, a sixth-round pick last year, didn't do much of note as a rookie, but he still has a decent chance to take over the duties Tyler Boyd vacated. Third-round rookie Jermaine Burton should be in the running if he proves himself during training camp. Trenton Irwin will be in the mix as well after his career-best season last year—his fifth with the organization.
The San Francisco 49ers ranked second in total offense, third in points scored and fourth in passing offense last year due to their unrivaled arsenal of talent. Running back Christian McCaffrey—one of the league's all-time best pass-catchers at his position—is the driving force of this unit. Star tight end George Kittle provides plenty of support as well.
But the receivers do plenty of heavy lifting for this squad, too. Deebo Samuel is one of the NFL's more unique skill-position talents. While he's one of San Francisco's primary wideouts, he's able to line up all over the field and thrive in head coach Kyle Shanahan's creative attack.
Although he has only one 1,000-yard receiving campaign across his five-year career, Samuel racked up 1,117 yards from scrimmage and scored 12 touchdowns last season. His dual-threat skill set—he's tallied at least 37 carries in each of the last three seasons—adds a dimension to his game that few other receivers can match. Brandon Aiyuk started his career in Samuel's shadow but rapidly developed into the 49ers' best receiver.
He followed up a breakout 2022 season with an even better showing last year, amassing 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 75 receptions. It remains to be seen if Aiyuk will stay in the Bay Area, however, as the player and club have seemingly reached an impasse in contract negotiations and trade rumors are swirling . San Francisco may consider Aiyuk expendable after it snagged two elite receiving prospects in Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing during the 2024 draft.
Pearsall, a first-round pick, has flashed in training camp and could be ready for a big role as early as his rookie season. Cowing is brimming with upside as well, with game-breaking speed and athleticism that make him a candidate for at least a handful of snaps each week from the jump. The Miami Dolphins' offense finally put everything together last year.
While they emerged as a top-five passing attack after Tyreek Hill arrived in 2022, they were first in both total offense and passing offense last season while trailing only the Dallas Cowboys in points scored. Miami's revitalized rushing attack—spearheaded by Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane—opened the door for the wideouts to shine. Hill was in contention to break Calvin Johnson's single-season receiving record before falling just short last year, but he still finished with a league-leading 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns on 119 receptions.
Although he's now on the wrong side of 30 as he prepares for his ninth NFL season, Hill appears to have plenty left in the tank. He's a good bet to remain unstoppable, especially if gets even more support from his teammates in 2024. Jaylen Waddle proved he can be one of the league's most potent pass-catchers earlier in his career and is a prime candidate for bounce-back year.
He's coming a relatively disappointing third season, one in which he posted career-lows in catches (72), receiving yardage (1,014) and touchdowns (four), but he has the talent to quickly turn things around. The addition of Odell Beckham Jr. gives Miami a legitimate three-man trio that will be in the discussion for the league's best.
OBJ found his footing with the Baltimore Ravens last year, putting up 403 yards and three touchdowns on 21 catches over his final eight regular-season games with the club. If the Dolphins can avoid injury—including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was recently rewarded with a massive contract extension—they'll be almost impossible to dethrone as the NFL's best passing offense. The Chicago Bears have completely transformed an abysmal receiving corps into what could soon be the NFL's gold standard.
Following a series of shrewd trades and draft picks, they went from having a top three of Darnell Mooney, Dante Pettis and Equanimeous St. Brown to a formidable unit of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze in just two years. Moore was one of the key returns in Chicago's trade out from the No.
1 overall draft slot in 2023. He started his career in the Windy City on a high note, leading the team with a career-high 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. Moore managed to put up those numbers with limited passer Justin Fields running the show.
He might reach All-Pro levels if No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams is as good as advertised. Meanwhile, Allen will provide the Bears with a steady veteran presence as he gears up for his first season away from the Los Angeles Chargers.
After entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2013, he went on to earn six Pro Bowl nods and cemented his status as one of the top pass-catchers of his generation. Although Allen is now 32 years old, he's coming off one of the most productive campaigns yet (108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns) and should be revitalized playing alongside some of the best teammates of his career. Odunze has the talent to be a true No.
1 wideout for plenty of other teams right now. He's a massive luxury as Chicago's likely third option. The No.
9 overall pick is coming off a dominant two-year stretch at Washington, including an unbelievable 92-catch, 1,640-yard, 13-touchdown outing during the program's run to the CFP title game this past season. He may not see a ton of volume early in his NFL career, but he's poised to emerge as Chicago's main receiving threat within the next few seasons. The Houston Texans are taking full advantage of having a legitimate franchise quarterback on a rookie contract.
After C.J. Stroud emerged as superstar and lifted this team from the league's basement to a playoff win in his first season, the Texans went on a spending spree that resulted in several high-profile veteran free agents and trade targets joining the organization—perhaps none more notable than wideout Stefon Diggs.
Diggs fell out of favor with the Buffalo Bills despite making four Pro Bowl appearances during his four years with the club. Even though he ultimately finished 2023 with a solid 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns on 107 catches, he struggled in the back half of the campaign and playoffs. The Texans are hoping a change of scenery and chance to play with Stroud will get the 30-year-old back on track in 2024.
Diggs could relegate Nico Collins, Houston's incumbent No. 1 receiver, to No. 2 duties.
Collins enjoyed a breakout 2023 season with a career-high 80 catches for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. It was a massive surge after he totaled only 927 yards and three scores on 70 catches across his first two NFL seasons. Even after Diggs' arrival, Collins should still see enough volume to make an impact.
He's a legit threat to post another 1,000-yard receiving campaign. The wild card here is Tank Dell, who was looking like the Texans' best receiving weapon before an injury cut his stellar rookie season short. Prior to breaking his fibula early in Week 13, Dell had hauled in 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns.
Dell did suffer a slight setback early in the offseason when he was caught in the crossfire of an altercation that didn't involve him, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. But he's been a full participant during training camp and working with the first-team offense. Given Stroud's success with a group of unheralded pass-catchers last year, the quarterback is primed for an even stronger 2024 season.
All three of his top wideouts could put up huge numbers and contest for Pro Bowl spots as they establish themselves as the NFL's best receiving corps..
