Even in an NFL where the run game has been resurgent in recent seasons, the passing game is still king. After all, the reason we’ve seen teams lean more into the run of late is because defenses have prioritized taking away explosive passes. They are more content to let offenses try to beat them with the body blows of a series of runs, betting they can’t do it without making mistakes before they reach the end zone
Because the NFL is still a passing league, wide receivers have never been more important. We’ve seen evidence of that in recent offseasons, as the financial market for wideouts has exploded and now tops $40 million per year.Â
Of course, you can’t just get away with having one good wide receiver. You need to build a receiver room that can threaten defenses in a variety of ways — at least, if you want to have a really good offense.Â
And with that in mind, we set out to rank the league’s receiver rooms from worst to best:
32. Miami Dolphins
This one is fairly obvious. After moving on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins have the most barren wide receiver room in the league. There are hopes for rookies Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell, the latter of whom is coming off a major injury, but there’s nothing we can count on here
31. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are lucky the Dolphins exist. The top options in this room are Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor, along with potentially Jack Bech and rookie Malik Benson. It’s not an inspiring group
30. Cleveland Browns
This might be too low for the Browns, but with such an unproven room, it was hard to push them any higher. KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston could make this ranking look silly if they get off to fast starts to their respective careers
29. Kansas City Chiefs
With Rashee Rice still looking hobbled after rehabbing his knee injury in jail and Xavier Worthy again banged up in camp, the Chiefs might be counting on training-camp star Cyrus Allen to be a real factor, rather than a mere curiosity. That’s a dangerous game to play
28. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee had arguably the worst receiver room in the NFL last season and upgraded with Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, but the depth is still questionable. Thirty-two-year-old Calvin Ridley is looking like the No. 3, while Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are up next. There doesn’t appear to be a true game-changing talent among the group.Â
27. Indianapolis Colts
If Alec Pierce were definitively healthy rather than merely working his way back from offseason ankle surgery — and therefore in question for Week 1 and perhaps beyond — the Colts would probably rank higher. He’s a good player, as is Josh Downs. But the depth beyond them, even with Keenan Allen in the fold, is still questionable
26. Buffalo Bills
The Bills brought in DJ Moore to be their No. 1 wideout this year. He took a step back last season in Chicago and is now trying to recapture the form he had a few years ago. Khalil Shakir is a slot slot/gadget option. But the room beyond those players (Josh Palmer, Keon Coleman, Skyler Bell) is uninspiring
25. New Orleans Saints
If Jordyn Tyson were healthy, the Saints would definitely rank higher, especially given how good Tyson looked during training camp. As is, though, you have to knock New Orleans because outside of Chris Olave, there is nobody on the depth chart that really scares you — even if DeVaughn Vele had a solid stretch to end last season
24. New York Giants
Malik Nabers is working his way back from a serious knee injury. He seems on his way to full health, but we obviously can’t know for sure until we see him on the field. Beyond him, the depth chart looks like it’s clearing out for rookie Malachi Fields, because Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney are role players and Calvin Austin III just tore up his knee
23. New York Jets
Garrett Wilson is awesome. Adonai Mitchell is somewhat tantalizing. Omar Cooper Jr. is apparently working his way up the depth chart after seeming like he may have been behind return specialist Isaiah Williams early in the preseason. If Mitchell taps into his talent and Cooper hits the ground running, the Jets could be better than expected
22. Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin is a baller and Stefon Diggs is reliable, but the depth chart after those two is filled with question marks like Treylon Burks, Van Jefferson and rookie slot man Antonio Williams.Â
21. Carolina Panthers
Tetairoa McMillan showed his immense potential as a rookie despite questionable quarterback play. Jalen Coker is solid, too, and earned himself a contract extension after working his way up the depth chart as a former undrafted free agent. This is another group with questionable depth beyond the top two, though, especially after Chris Brazzell II’s injury
20. Atlanta Falcons
If the Falcons had anybody we could remotely rely on behind the fantastic Drake London, they’d rank higher than this. Perhaps rookie Zachariah Branch blossoms early and becomes that guy. But Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahan Dotson aren’t our idea of reliable options
19. Houston Texans
Nico Collins is an elite No. 1 receiver. The Texans took a blow with Jayden Higgins’ season-ending torn ACL, but rebounded nicely by trading for Kayshon Boutte. We don’t know Tank Dell’s health status (reports don’t sound great, to be honest) and Jaylin Noel has been in and out of camp with injuries, so it’s hard to get excited about the down-the-depth-chart options.Â
18. Baltimore Ravens
Zay Flowers is an underrated player, even after his big payday. Rashod Bateman has always excelled on a per-route basis, even if the volume hasn’t always been there. The Ravens probably need camp star Ja’Kobi Lane to turn into a real factor in order to rise higher than this because Devontez Walker hasn’t been one yet and there doesn’t seem to be much buzz around Elijah Sarratt
17. Arizona Cardinals
Michael Wilson essentially turned into Randy Moss down the stretch of last season, though some of the volume he sucked up obviously came as a result of Marvin Harrison Jr. being out with an injury. Still, he flashed high-level talent, and we’re betting that Harrison can bounce back from his down second season because the long view of his talent is still strong and the offense should better suit his skill set
16. Chicago Bears
The Bears have a pair of exciting receivers in Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze. Burden had unbelievably good per-route efficiency last year but didn’t play a full-time role. Odunze started hot but cooled after a foot injury. If they can put it together at the same time, look out. Kalif Raymond is a solid role player behind them, and Jahdae Walker flashed a bit when called upon last year
15. San Francisco 49ers
If Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel can stay upright for the entire season, there’s a lot of intrigue with this group, especially given the buzz around rookie De’Zhaun Stribling throughout training camp. Even guys like Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk are solid players further down the depth chart.Â
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers seem boring on the surface, but DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. are good players, man! Pittsburgh doesn’t have a proven option behind them, though, and will count on Germie Bernard and/or Roman Wilson to be the No. 3 receiver.Â
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Emeka Egbuka was shot out of a cannon to start last season, but cooled down after Baker Mayfield got banged up. Still, the future looks bright. Chris Godwin is finally healthy again. Jalen McMillan is back in the mix, too. Ted Hurst is an interesting prospect. And Tez Johnson can be a nice role player as a deep threat. This is an intriguing group
12. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have a strong top trio with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris. Those three guys bring a ton of speed to the table. Rookie Brenen Thompson brings even more of it. KeAndre Lambert-Smith is an interesting deep threat, too. Â
11. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles could arguably be even higher than this. DeVonta Smith is fantastic. Makai Lemon was a first-round pick. Dontayvion Wicks has always excelled at earning targets. (Less so at actually catching passes, though.) If Lemon hadn’t missed so much of camp and looked likely to hit the ground running immediately, we might have bumped Philly into the top 10
10. Green Bay Packers
The Packers had one of the deepest rooms in the league last year, but cleared things out a bit so that the top three could get on the field more consistently. Between Christian Watson, Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed, they can threaten defenses to all three levels of the field. Savion Williams and Bo Melton will rotate in occasionally
9. New England Patriots
This is what happens when you remake your receiver room in one offseason. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs give the Pats one of the league’s better duos that can work both inside and out. The Pats would have ranked higher had they not just traded Boutte to Houston, because even though they have solid depth, that depth is more of the role player variety
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
Parker Washington exploded down the stretch llast season and has been the talk of camp. Jakobi Meyers has always been underrated. Brian Thomas Jr. is the most talented player in the room but struggled last season. Travis Hunter may or may not be involved here depending on how the Jags decide to utilize him, but either way, this is an exciting room.Â
7. Denver Broncos
Jaylen Waddle has the potential to explode as the No. 1 receiver in Sean Payton’s offense. Courtland Sutton can slide into a role as the complementary X receiver he’s always been meant to be. Pat Bryant seems like he has a lock on the big slot role. And guys like Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims are still around to fill out the depth chart.Â
6. Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is arguably the best receiver in football. Rashid Shaheed is an A+ deep threat who has shown he can also be more than that. Cooper Kupp isn’t what he once was but can be a reliable tertiary option. The injuries further down the depth chart hurt and prevent the Seahawks from ranking any higher than this.Â
5. Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua is another guy who is arguably the best in the NFL. (There’s some questions about his health and off-field habits.) Davante Adams quietly slipped as a downfield threat last season, though he masked the decline by catching a million short-yardage touchdowns, and he should remain a high-level red-zone threat. They just brought Tutu Atwell back, too.Â
4. Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are one of the best one-two punches in the league, with the Sun God terrorizing defenses over the middle and in the short and intermediate areas of the field and Williams stretching them to their breaking point with deep balls and short crossers. Isaac TeSlaa is a significant contested-catch threat, though that’s basically all he is
3. Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson is going to remind people this season of just how good he is, now that he likely won’t have sub-replacement level quarterback play. Jordan Addison has always been a quality deep threat and touchdown producer. Jauan Jennings is a great dirty-work guy as a big slot who works over the middle and is a killer blocker. Tai Felton and Myles Price round things out
2. Cincinnati Bengals
We’re splitting hairs between the top two groups, I think. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins ranked as the top pair in our wide receiver dynamic duo rankings. The only thing keeping the Bengals out of the top spot is how we feel about guys like Andrei Iosivas, Mitchell Tinsley and rookie Colbie Young, who either haven’t shown us much or are totally unproven
1. Dallas Cowboys
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are challenging enough to deal with, ranking as our No. 2 duo in the league behind Chase and Higgins. But Ryan Flournoy showed last year that he’s a real player and KaVontae Turpin is a threat as a gadget guy. The Cowboys can beat your secondary in every way imaginable
