A great wide receiver can transform an NFL offense. Two can turn an also-ran into a Super Bowl contender.
The league’s evolution into a hyper-efficient pass-first league has made pass catchers vital in a game that once revolved around bulldozing ground attacks. Wide receiver has become the third-highest paid position among its elite, with 13 players making at least $20 million in average annual salary.
That makes our receiving room rankings the most important in our triumvirate of skill positions. We’ve already tracked down the most complete and impressive running back and tight end rotations, and now we’re onto the players most likely to take over an offense (from a non-quarterback perspective).
There are a few contenders to the title “best wide receiver corps” and the tier of “pretty good” stretches from seventh place to 20th. It turns out lots of teams have invested in the position, even if there are a few very clear “have nots” among the ranks. So how do we parse out each team’s place in this entirely-too-early lineup?
Star power matters — a true WR1 can single-handedly change the fortunes of an offense — but so do depth and youth. We’ve watched reliable veteran wideouts like Allen Robinson and Robert Woods fall off late in their careers. Having high-potential young players further down the roster is the ideal insulation for an age-related decline; so which teams have the best combination of elite talent and rising stars?
MORE:
[affiliatewidget_deal1]