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In today’s pass-focused NFL, an elite wide receiver is easily the most coveted offensive player beyond a star quarterback.
Last season, Cooper Kupp turned into an absolute machine with Matthew Stafford under center and propelled the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl victory. That alone should provide enough evidence to explain how valuable a game-breaking receiver is right now.
Kupp, as you can imagine, headlines the list of the NFL’s top receivers heading into the 2022 offseason.
Both past performance and future expectations are taken into account.
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Remember when Ja’Marr Chase dropped a few passes in the 2021 NFL preseason and panic ensued that someone who had 20 touchdowns at LSU in 2019 had suddenly forgotten how to play?
Good times, folks. Good times.
Reunited with college teammate Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, Chase put together a stellar rookie year. He reeled in 81 passes for a franchise-record 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, blending a high-volume role with superb explosiveness at 18.0 yards per reception. Chase ranked third in the league with 651 yards after catch.
Sure, he dropped some passes in the regular season too. This level of production more than atones for an occasional mistake, especially given how reliable Chase was at LSU.
Cincinnati has an unmistakable star in the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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Even if he’s not the single-fastest player in the league, Tyreek Hill is immensely difficult to contain because of his speed (sub-4.3 40-yard dash).
Through six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s totaled 479 catches for 6,630 yards and 56 scores. Last year, he tallied a personal-best 111 receptions while providing 1,239 yards and and nine touchdowns. It was his fourth campaign of at least 1,183 yards.
Along with six Pro Bowl trips, Hill is a three-time first-team AP All-Pro, including as a returner in his rookie year.
The 28-year-old Hill’s presence is a key reason for Kansas City’s ability to stress defenses both vertically and horizontally.
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After five quality seasons on the Minnesota Vikings, Stefon Diggs has reached a new height of performance with the Buffalo Bills.
Josh Allen’s rise to prominence, unsurprisingly, has coincided with Diggs’ arrival. He posted NFL-high marks of 127 catches and 1,535 yards in 2020 and then collected 103 receptions for 1,225 yards last season. Diggs totaled 18 scores in those two years.
Diggs, 28, is renowned for both his sharp route-running and his propensity for making contested catches, which is a lethal combination. He can create room, yet he doesn’t need space to produce either.
Chase will probably be closing the gap in a hurry, but Diggs is the AFC’s best receiver heading into 2022.
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If any players are more versatile than Deebo Samuel, their roles haven’t showed it. Nobody in the NFL is utilized more brilliantly than Samuel in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Last year, Samuel gathered 77 receptions for 1,405 yards to pace the league with 18.2 yards per reception. The first-team AP All-Pro selection also rushed for 365 yards, averaging 6.2 per carry, and scored eight touchdowns on the ground, with six more as a receiver. He even tossed a 24-yard score.
Get the ball to your best player. Novel concept, right?
Based on where he aligns and how he can contribute, Samuel is the most dynamic wideout in the league.
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Two seasons, two second-team AP All-Pro honors. Decent start for Justin Jefferson.
Chosen with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the LSU product pulled in 88 passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He followed that up with 108 catches for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021.
The 22-year-old wideout has already notched two of the five most prolific years in franchise history, which is a massive feat for any organization. It’s especially true in Minnesota, considering Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Cris Carter both spent the majority of their careers on the Vikings.
Last season, Jefferson (27) finished second only to Kupp (30) in receptions of 20-plus yards.
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If you prefer Davante Adams at No. 1, we’re not arguing. This is a strong 1A/1B kind of discussion.
Over the last half-decade, the Green Bay Packers icon has developed into an outrageously precise route-runner who creates separation within three steps. Sure, it helps to have Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball, but Adams is a superstar on his own.
Most notably, Adams just earned first-team AP All-Pro recognition for the second straight year. He made 115 catches for 1,374 yards and an NFL-best 18 touchdowns in 2020 and then set career-high marks of 123 receptions and 1,553 yards with 11 scores in 2021.
Now that Rodgers has officially announced his plans to return, expect another monstrous season from Adams in Green Bay.
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Which part of Cooper Kupp’s 2021 campaign was most impressive?
Not only did the fifth-year receiver lead the league in receptions (145), but it also was the second-highest total in history. He also paced the league with 1,947 yards, 846 yards after catch, 30 grabs of 20-plus yards, 16 touchdowns and 89 first downs.
During the postseason, Kupp snagged a touchdown in each of the Los Angeles Rams’ four games—including two scores in both the NFC championship and Super Bowl LVI. He ended the playoffs with 33 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns, which rank first, second and second, respectively, all-time.
Kupp won AP Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl LVI MVP, along with finishing third in regular-season MVP voting.
Adams has tenure, yes. Kupp, though, just assembled a legendary season on the heels of consecutive 90-catch years. He’s the most dangerous receiver in the game.
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