The 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL: Updated Rankings

Critical Consensus: Top NFL Wide Receivers

This table ranks the best wide receivers in the NFL and highlights the ranking made by PFF and Fox Sports. The key achievements for each player have been identified. 

SportsBoom MetaScale: Top NFL Wide Receivers

These NFL wide receiver rankings are based on the MetaScale Score, which is used to rank the players.

These NFL wide receiver rankings are based on the MetaScale Score, which is used to rank the players.

Mike Evans//Getty Images

The following is detailed information coverage of the best wide receivers in the NFL, reinstating their achievements, game plays, and unique abilities and skills. 

1. Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson, drafted by Minnesota Vikings in 2020, has quickly risen to the peak of the best NFL wide receivers. He has demonstrated unique and remarkable on-field abilities such as impeccable route running and evasion that leaves defenders catching their breath. The 2022 Offensive Player of the Year has re-modeled the wide receiver position by proving unshaken, even in the face of injuries. 

In the 2023 season, he was mauled by injuries, but that did not deter him from exceeding 1,000 receiving yards in mere 10 games. This was true testament to his unrelenting dominance, that has been largely steered by his unwavering dedication and work ethic. Jefferson’s top position in the wide receivers’ rank emanates from his excellent mastery and execution of the art of catching. 

2.Tyreek Hill

Tyreek Hill does not just run fast; he traverses the gridiron at the speed of lighting. The “Cheetah” moves at an electrifying speed, leading to him being ranked as one of the top fastest players in NFL history. To Hill, the conversion of a shot pass into a touchdown is a piece of cake. 

Originally, he was drafted by Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 but later joined Miami Dolphins. Part of his successful career is defined by one Super Bowl win and a four-time All Pro career record. His top speed is not an overstatement, as proven by his ability to achieve over 20mph in a game. 

Hill’s ability to make game-changing plays has been solidified by his unmatched speed, giving him an advantage over defenders. In 2023, he raked 1,799 receiving yards, pricing him as one of the most threatening wide receivers in the NFL. Tyreek Hill’s epitome moments include making short passes amass into long gains, as soon as he makes catches. 

By continually tormenting defenders, Hill is not just carving a record-breaking career, but also cementing his name as one of the most dominant and unique wide receivers in the NFL. 

3. CeeDee Lamb

CeeFee Lamb is Cowboy’s high-ranked wide receiver, who has led the franchise to some of its leading performances in club history. The 2020 first-round draft pick who embraces the No.88 jersey, is adorned as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His exceptional and versatile skills have become a focal point in Cowboys’ offense, given his unique mastery of creating separation from defenders and making contested catches. 

Upon signing his rookie season contract, CeeDee began crafting an astounding career path. He set a spectacular rookie record with 935 yards, 74 receptions, and five touchdowns, making the first player in NFL history to stamp a rookie season with five or more catches in six consecutive games. In 2023, CeeDee became the AP First-Team All-Pro and was the leagues’ leader with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 14 touchdowns. 

CeeDee Lamb’s success is a combined testament of athleticism, hard work, strategic game play and unwavering pursuit of excellence. His evolution as an invaluable player continues, with his presence in the Cowboys remaining a point of elevation for the storied franchise. 

4. Ja’Marr Chase

Ja’Marr Chase has rapidly established himself an electrifying wide receiver, currently playing for Cincinnati Bengals.  He burst onto the NFL scene after being drafted in 2021; ever since, he has generated a career record worth a praise.

In 2024, Chase unleashed a record breaking season with 127 receptions, 1,708 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. Consequently, he was titled the fifth player to win the NFL’s Triple Crown since 1970. Chase capitalizes on explosive plays, and poses a vertical threat to his opponents whenever he stretches across the field. 

Through his physicality, elite speed, and instinctive game play, Chase has been able to deliver big plays. When meshed with his former college teammate, quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase explodes with die-for tactics that not only delivers touchdowns but also instills confidence to his entire team. The two have established one of the most successful quarterback-wide receiver duo in the league’s history.

5. A.J. Brown

Brown joined the NFL after a second-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2019 and by the end of his rookie season, he had achieved 52 receptions, 1,51 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. As a result, he was nicknamed “the steal of the 2019 draft”. 

He later joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, where he has established himself as a play-maker and tackle-breaker. He is excellent in contesting catches that he converts into big gains and has an unbeaten ability to break tackles, leading the offense into the red zone. Whenever Brown runs routes, he steals attention from the opposing defense, even in situations where he is not a target. 

The Eagles have established wins through Brown, as indicated by record-breaking season finishes, with 2952 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns, over both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Brown’s strategy for out-muscling defenders is grounded on route-running and contested catches, which have rendered him a renowned wide receiver. 

6. Davante Adams

Adams entry point to the NFL was through the Green Bay Packers, who picked him in the second round of the 2014 draft. Up until 2017, Adams was a low-level wide receiver but after being mentioned in his Pro Bowl in 2017, his career course changed. 

He extended his contract with the Packers and for the next four years, he became the top cream of wide receivers on the team. Adam’s bond with Aaron Rodgers was further impactful, leading him to top the league in receiving touchdowns in 2020. In 2021, he set the bar higher by achieving career bests in receptions and receiving yards. 

Later in 2022, Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he led the league in receiving touchdowns and made his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl. In the 2024 season, Adams reunited with Rodgers when he joined the New York Jet, where he attained 100 career receiving touchdowns, making him the 12 receiver in NFL history. 

He remains an elite route runner with impeccable timing skills that privileges him in making soft catches. 

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown is the Detroit Lion’s wide receiver, whose competitiveness and serious approach on the field renders him one of the franchise’s impactful players. He stands out for being the third player in the Lions’ history to register at least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.

Also, in his eighth straight game, St. Brown recorded a touchdown reception that ties the third longest single-season streak in the NFL since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. In the four years he has been playing, St. Brown has ranked third with 391 receptions, seventh with 4,408 receiving yards, and ninth with 30 touchdowns. 

His success and achievements are consequences of his work ethic and discipline, which have cemented his recognition in Detroit and made him an all-time great. 

8. Brandon Aiyuk

Aiyuk was a first-round pick of the 2020 NFL draft that saw him join the San Francisco 49ers. This ultra-talented wide receiver has often popped up with electrifying catches, whenever the 49ers are in dire need of his intervention. 

He creates successful, explosive plays by out-breaking routes and beating man coverage. These unique skills have earned Aiyuk the trust of his teammates, particularly the quarterback, making made him indispensable. 

In the five seasons that this explosive wide receiver has been with the niners, he has accumulated 294 receptions, 305 receiving yards, and 27 touchdowns. Aiyuk converts big plays efficiently, leaving him envied by most wide receivers. 

9. Garrett Wilson

Wilson, who is still in his early years in the league given that he was drafted in 2022, has demonstrated an unstoppable rise to stardom. The Jets’ wide receiver has maintained a commendable record in the face of quarterback challenges. He has established over 1000 receiving yards per season.

In 2024, Wilson hit career highs with 101 receptions, 1,104 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns, for which he deserves a pat on the back, as he had to put up with poor offensive play. Garrett Wilson is definitely on a path of establishing a remarkable NFL career founded on boundless potential. 

10. Mike Evans

Evans is Tampa Bay’s wide receiver, with a remarkable and inspiring achievement record, despite being in the league for a decade. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver has already managed 100 career touch downs, which remains a testament to exceptional skills.

His strengths are grounded on consistency and longevity, aspects that have driven his statistics to impressive ranks. Seven of his seasons are marked by over 1000 receiving yards, demonstrating his dependability. Evans has made critical receptions in crucial games, making him a significant part of his team’s success. 

Evans remain a significant pillar of Buccaneer’s offense and has established himself as one of the most consistent and reliable wide receivers in NFL history. 

SportsBoom Suggests

Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill stand out as the most impactful wide receivers in this ranking, given their resilience, persistence, and dominance in creating game-changing plays.

Garrett Wilson creates a promising aura of this position by projecting an exciting future of the wide receiver’s position. His ability to maneuver through despite being surrounded by poor offense, and register a successful record, demonstrates his immense potential. 

Veterans like Mike Evans are a reflection of consistency and longevity, enlisting him as one of the selected NFL players with undeterred determination to excel, irrespective of their long career span.