Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today 2023

These are the best wide receivers in the NFL today based on the 2022-23 season. I will consider each player’s overall talent and their statistical impact throughout this past season. The best NFL receivers don’t need the best Quarterbacks in the NFL throwing to them. They get the job done regardless.

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – Honorable Mention Amari Cooper

Honorable Mention – Amari Cooper

I really badly wanted to include Amari Cooper on this top 10 list. Many “analysts” were down on him this season. The Cowboys traded him for peanuts and he had many obstacles to face.

Amari Cooper joined a run-first team that had backup Quarterback Jacoby Brissett throwing to him for the majority of the season. He still managed to record the 3rd most receiving yards of his career.

Many players have unique nicknames. Some leave you wondering how the hell they even came up with that, and others write themselves. I kid you not, if you look at Amari Cooper’s profootabllreference stat page, they credit his nickname as “the Route Runner”. It makes sense.

I’m excited to see what Amari Cooper can do with a full off-season of chemistry building with Deshaun Watson. I still consider the Browns an upward-trending team with some serious talent offensively.

Oakland Raiders (2015–2018)
Dallas Cowboys (2018–2021)
Cleveland Browns (2022–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1160 yards, 78 receptions, 9 touchdowns, 14.9 yards per reception, 68.2 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 4× Pro Bowl (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2015)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – Honorable Mention Keenan Allen

Honorable Mention – Keenan Allen

It was a rough start for Keenan Allen. In week 1, he had 4 catches on 4 targets for 66 yards but was taken out of the game due to a hamstring injury. That would keep him out of action until week 7 when he re-aggravated the same hamstring.

Fast forward to week 11 and he was finally healthy. We got to see the Keenan Allen we all know and love. He had 94 receiving yards which was nearly enough to beat the high-powered Kansas City Chiefs.

From weeks 11-18, Keenan Allen averaged 84 receiving yards per game. It was clear Justin Herbert and the Charger’s offense was not the same without him. He helped transform them back into playoff form.

He is a route-running tactician and puts that on display every game. At 30 years old, he doesn’t have the same burst but consistently creates separation because of that route-running ability. He finished the season 7th in target separation meaning he had an average of 2.2 yards of separation per target.

While there are receivers who outproduced his numbers, when it comes to talent, he is still one of the top 10 best wide receivers in the NFL today. If he were healthy all season, he would have earned his sixth straight pro-bowl and received more love.

Keenan Allen continues to get underrated by NFL fans.

San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers (2013–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

752 yards, 66 receptions, 4 touchdowns, 11.4 yards per reception, 75.2 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2017)
• 5× Pro Bowl (2017–2021)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #10 Amon-Ra St. Brown

#10 – Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown is was what you call a “late bloomer” last season. Going into week 12, he only had 352 receiving yards and not a single touchdown catch. Then he caught fire. In the last 6 games, he finished with 560 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. I’m not going to lie, I was one of the people who didn’t think he could replicate that going into this season. I’m here to tell you I was wrong.

He picked up right where he left off with 180 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in only the first two games. There was a lot of hype around the type of game Jameson Williams could bring, but it’s clear that Amon-Ra is the star receiver for the Lions. While D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams have game breaking speed, Amon-Ra is a complete receiver who has it all.

You can put him in the slot and he will get it done. You can put him out wide and he will get it done. Hell, you can even hand him the ball on a jet sweep and he’s shown the ability to turn that into a big gain. He has quietly become one of the most consistent receivers in the game in only his 2nd season. That is especially impressive considering he dropped all the way to the 4th round of the NFL draft.

Detroit Lions (2021–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1161 yards, 106 receptions, 6 touchdowns, 11.0 yards per reception, 72.6 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• Pro Bowl (2022)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #9 DeAndre Hopkins

#9 – DeAndre Hopkins

Moving on to #9 on this list we have DeAndre Hopkins. The Cardinals are rumored to be trading away DeAndre Hopkins this off-season, and I get it. Let’s be real, they will receive a king’s ransom. It was only a couple of seasons ago that he was considered the best wide receiver in the NFL and he isn’t that far off today.

Fresh off his six-game suspension, Hopkins quickly returned to form recording 10 receptions for 103 yards. The biggest pass was the eye test. He continues to make jaw-dropping catches and make defenders look foolish.

DeAndre Hopkins finished the season first in average cushion against. That means that on average, defenders sagged off him more than any other wide receiver in the NFL before the snap. The fear defensive backs have for Hopkins tells all the story you need for how dominant he still is today. His game has yet to fall off.

The only concern going forward is health. He only played 10 games in 2022 and ended the season with a lingering injury.

The DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes is going to be interesting this off-season. I don’t think there is a single NFL fan that wouldn’t dream of Hopkins joining their favorite team for a shot at the Super Bowl.

Houston Texans (2013–2019)
Arizona Cardinals (2020–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

717 yards, 64 receptions, 3 touchdowns, 11.2 yards per reception, 79.7 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 3× First-team All-Pro (2017–2019)
• 2× Second-team All-Pro (2015, 2020)
• 5× Pro Bowl (2015, 2017–2020)
• NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2017)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #8 Jaylen Waddle

#8 – Jaylen Waddle

I’m not going to lie, I was dead wrong about Jaylen Waddle going into this season. After trading for Tyreek Hill, I thought he would be an afterthought in the Dolphin’s offense. That was not the case as Jaylen Waddle continued to be one of the most dangerous receivers in the NFL with and without the ball in his hands.

Jaylen Waddle led the NFL in yards per reception this season with 18.1. He also led the NFL in yards per target with 11.7. The Dolphins continued to feed him the ball and rightfully so. Whether it’s the deep ball or creating yards after the catch, Jaylen Waddle is that guy.

If it weren’t for the lackluster Quarterback play in the last two games of the season, Jaylen Waddle was going to crack 1600 receiving yards for the first time in his two-year career. Regardless, his 1356 receiving yards this season ranked 7th among all NFL receivers.

At only 24 years old, don’t be shocked if he leads the NFL in receiving yards in the next few years. Tua loves him and this could be one of the most dangerous QB/WR duos for years to come.

Miami Dolphins (2021–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1356 yards, 75 receptions, 8 touchdowns, 18.1 yards per reception, 79.8 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2021)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #7 Ceedee Lamb

#7 – Ceedee Lamb

People love to hate the Cowboys. Honestly, myself included. But when it comes to rankings, I have to be objective.

After a dud of a week 1 performance, my entire comment section was filled with people claiming Ceedee Lamb was overrated. A bust. I predicted him as one of the top 10 wide receivers going into the season, and people we’re fast to tell me I’m wrong. Well, it’s victory lap time.

He quickly made people eat their words after bouncing back in week 2 with Cooper Rush at Quarterback. That week he had 7 catches for 75 yards. This performance marked what would be a very impressive finish to the season.

The Cowboys are a run-first team. They rely on their defense and rushing attack to control the clock. Their passing attack is an after thought. But Ceedee Lamb is not.

Ceedee Lamb is by far the best wide receiver on this team. Outside of him, it’s an extremely inconsistent group. Even with defenses knowing he is the main target, he gets open. He was really the only Wide Receiver that developed a rapport with Dak Prescott. With Amari Cooper gone, he is the superstar pass catcher on this team.

What really impressed me this season was how well he performed with the ball in his hands. We’ve seen the highlight contested catches before, but it what he did after the catch this season that really gets me excited about his future in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys (2020–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1359 yards, 107 receptions, 9 touchdowns, 12.7 yards per reception, 79.9 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 2× Pro Bowl (2021, 2022)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #6 Ja’Marr Chase

#6 – Ja’Marr Chase

Even after missing five games this season, Ja’Marr Chase broke the 1000 receiving-yard mark for the 2nd time in his career. With Joe Burrow as his Quarterback, it’s not really a shocker.

Speaking strictly in terms of talent, Chase is in the top 5. There really isn’t a weakness in his game.. In only two seasons, I’ve seen every type of highlight catch out of the young man. He has been apart of the regime that has completely transformed the Bengals into Super Bowl contenders.

So why isn’t he in the top 5 on this list? I’ll give you three reasons why, and remember, when we’re talking about the best of the best, you have to be nitpicky.

The first reason is he struggled with drops this season. Sure, he made some circus plays, but drops do matter.

The second reason is the games missed. Injuries happen, but you can’t compare him to a top wide receiver that played the full season.

Lastly, he has the benefit of a great supporting cast. Joe Burrow is one of the best Quarterbacks in the NFL today, and Tee Higgins is arguably the best WR2 in the NFL. You can’t say the same for a Wide Receiver like Davante Adams who essentially carried his team’s passing attack.

All this being said, I believe that Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow are pretty much going to be the best QB/WR combo for the next decade. Expect another Super Bowl appearance in the near future.

Cincinnati Bengals (2021–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1046 yards, 87 receptions, 9 touchdowns, 12.0 yards per reception, 87.2 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2021)
• Second-team All-Pro (2021)
• 2× Pro Bowl (2021, 2022)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2021)
• Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year (2021)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #5 A.J. Brown

#5 – A.J. Brown

A.J. Brown was a beast for the Titans. On an offense that ran through Derrick Henry, he was making a name for himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Then this off-season, craziness ensued. The Tennessee Titans decided to trade A.J. Brown for the 18th overall pick of the NFL draft. What… were… they… thinking.

Credit to the Eagles organization. They saw the kind of athlete A.J. Brown was and they wanted to compete for a Super Bowl. This trade has already paid off tenfold as A.J. Brown just had a career year with a Quarterback that was said to be on the hot seat going into this season.

At 6 foot 1, 225 pounds, A.J. Brown has the prototypical wide receiver body. He is extremely physical and surprisingly nimble for his size.

A.J. Brown just finished this season 2nd in receiving touchdowns, 2nd in yards after the catch, and 4th in receiving yards. He also had the 2nd most yards per route run and some circus plays to boot.

The Titans traded him because they didn’t want to pay him over the long term. I can confidently say, they were wrong. Dead wrong. A.J. Brown has already proved that he is worth every penny the Eagles pay him.

Tennessee Titans (2019–2021)
Philadelphia Eagles (2022–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1496 yards, 88 receptions, 11 touchdowns, 17.0 yards per reception, 88.0 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 2× Pro Bowl (2020, 2022)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2019)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #4 Stefon Diggs

#4 – Stefon Diggs

Last season Stefon Diggs had 1225 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns and it was weirdly considered a down year. In his first season with Josh Allen, he was the NFL’s receiving leader. That is the standard we hold him to now.

This past season he returned to elite status. While Gabe Davis had his blowup games, it was Stefon Diggs who was much more consistent and reliable receiver. Whenever there was a key passing situation, Diggs was the guy.

What makes Diggs so special is his route running ability. He is always in the conversation for the best route runner in the NFL. He puts on a clinic for any type of route.

All you have to look at is Quarterback Rating per target. When Josh Allen targeted Stefon Diggs, he had a 121.3 Quarterback rating which was the 3rd most in the NFL. Diggs also averaged the 3rd most yards per route run.

Even with the Bills vs Bengals game being cancelled, which had all the makings of a shootout, Diggs’ statline puts him in the elite category. While he is just shy of the top 3 on this list, I would not fault you at all for ranking him higher.

Minnesota Vikings (2015–2019)
Buffalo Bills (2020–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1429 yards, 108 receptions, 11 touchdowns, 13.2 yards per reception, 89.3 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• First-team All-Pro (2020)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2020–2022)
• NFL receptions leader (2020)
• NFL receiving yards leader (2020)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2015)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #3 Davante Adams

#3 – Davante Adams

Before this season, when asked about his situation, Davante Adams said he was going from one hall of fame Quarterback to another. Some takes age like fine wine. Others age like milk. This was one of the coldest takes ever as Derek Carr was just released by the Raiders nearly a year later.

Regardless of the shaky Quarterback play and all-around disastrous Raiders team, Davante Adams was still at peak form. The Raiders were pretty much reliant on Davante Adams playing like the best Wide Receiver in the NFL or Josh Jacobs playing like the best Running Back in the NFL. If not, the team was in shambles.

There were eight different games this season with Davante Adams going for over 100 yards. In those games, he had a combined 11 touchdowns. At 30 years old, Davante Adams is still elite.

This production led to him leading the league in receiving touchdowns and air yards. He was also 2nd in deep targets and 3rd in yards. This statline showcases that he doesn’t have a single weakness in his game. His highlight reel this season backs up that fact.

The ideal situation for Davante Adams going into next season is a more reliable Quarterback situation. Expect him to continue to lobby for a veteran QB to join the team. Aaron Rodgers will likely have his phone blow up with texts and tweets from his former partner in crime.

Green Bay Packers (2014–2021)
Las Vegas Raiders (2022–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1516 yards, 100 receptions, 14 touchdowns, 15.2 yards per reception, 89.2 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 2× First-team All-Pro (2020, 2021)
• 6× Pro Bowl (2017–2022)
• 2× NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2020, 2022)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #2 Tyreek Hill

#2 – Tyreek Hill

Speaking of freezing cold takes. Tyreek Hill was quick to talk about how Tua Tagovailoa is the most accurate Quarterback he’s ever had throwing him the football. I respect the desire to hype up his Quarterback but just imagine how ridiculous his production could have been if he stayed with Patrick Mahomes.

Regardless, his 1700 receiving yards this season proves he is good enough to produce elite numbers regardless of the circumstance. I’m not saying Tua is bad, but he is a few steps below Patrick Mahomes who I consider the best Quarterback in the NFL today.

Not only is Tyreek Hill the best deep threat in the NFL, but I also believe he is the most dangerous receiver with the ball in his hands. Speed kills and this is the kind of production you get with the fastest player in the NFL.

Tyreek Hill finished the season with some very impressive stats. He was 1st in yards run per route, 2nd in receiving yards, and 2nd in receptions.

The crazy part is, if it weren’t for a few underthrows, he likely would have finished as the NFL’s receiving leader. Tua was not ready for his game-breaking speed.

Going forward, I’m very excited to see the trio of Tua, Hill, and Waddle. Mike McDaniel has some studs to scheme around.

Kansas City Chiefs (2016–2021)
Miami Dolphins (2022–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1710 yards, 119 receptions, 7 touchdowns, 14.4 yards per reception, 100.6 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• Super Bowl champion (LIV)
• 3× First-team All-Pro (2016, 2018, 2020)
• Second-team All-Pro (2018)
• 7× Pro Bowl (2016–2022)
• NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2016)

Top 10 Best Wide Receivers in the NFL Today – #1 Justin Jefferson

#1 – Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson was not only the best wide receiver in the NFL this season, but is on pace to become the most productive receiver ever. I know… I know. It’s way too early to crown him, but this is the pass first era we live in. He is currently averaging the most yards per game in NFL history. At this point, I’m confident that he will at least be the one to surpass Calvin Johnson for the most receiving yards in a single season. Of course, the extra season game helps.

Anyways, back to this season. Justin Jefferson went on a tear. He was 1st in receiving yards, receptions, and yards after the catch. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 13-4 and it was on the back of this man.

He also had easily the most impressive catch of the season. His one-handed catch against the Bills was absolutely ridiculous. The amount of talent, confidence, strength, and hand-eye coordination it takes to execute a catch like that makes it seemingly impossible. That is not even mentioning the fact is was against one of the best teams in the biggest moment of the game. Saying it was clutch is an understatement.

People love to call out his bad game against Jaire Alexander and the Packers, but you’d be a fool to label someone off one single performance. He was dominant throughout the entire season and one game barely factors in when judging his ability as a whole.

So can he continue this pace? Absolutely not. But it’s clear he’s not just aiming to be the best wide receiver in the NFL but one of the best receivers in NFL history. I’m very excited to see his career play out.

Minnesota Vikings (2020–present)

2022-23 Receiving Stats:

1809 yards, 128 receptions, 8 touchdowns, 14.1 yards per reception, 106.4 yards per game

Career Accolades:

• 2× Second-team All-Pro (2020, 2021)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2020–2022)
• NFL receptions leader (2022)
• NFL receiving yards leader (2022)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2020)

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