Football is officially back. After kicking off the season with the Atlanta Falcons vs Denver Broncos in the Hall of Fame Game, the NFL is returning to scheduled programming. That means 25 straight weeks of football. Fans everywhere are ready for more touchdowns, celebrations, hard hits, and everything in between. On that note, there are many players this season that have much to prove. That may be because they were traded or because they were injured. Either way, many players are returning with a vengeance.
Every year, there are a plethora of comparisons made between players based on a variety of factors. But the real question always remains: who’s the best? There’s always the NFL Top 100, in which, the players themselves rank each other. However, fans still aren’t satisfied. There are also rankings across many different media platforms. But now, it’s time for PerSources to rank the top players in the league. We continue with the wide receivers. Check out the rest of our 2019 NFL preview articles here.
#20: Tyler Boyd
2018-19 season stats: 76 receptions, 1,028 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns.
Despite having an injury-riddled quarterback, Tyler Boyd managed to put together a 1,000-yard season. Andy Dalton missed five games last season which was arguably the reason Boyd’s numbers weren’t better. In addition to Dalton, A.J. Green missed seven games himself. This ultimately meant more for Tyler Boyd.
Boyd capitalized on Green’s absence by having that 1,000-yard season. He had 108 targets. No other Cincinnati receiver saw more than 80.
Now that Green is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks due to torn ligaments in his left ankle, Tyler Boyd is the designated WR1. And, because of that, he’s going to outperform his 2018 by a lot. Of course, the Bengals still have Joe Mixon to run the offense through which, in itself, could hold back Boyd even more. But nevertheless, Boyd’s ranking is less about his talent and more about what he did when key Bengals’ players were injured. Can he have a better season than some of the players listed above him? Yes. Will that be the case? Most likely not.
#19: Julian Edelman
2018-19 season stats: 74 receptions, 850 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP checks in at #19 which is a debatable spot. Julian Edelman’s numbers don’t reflect the impact he has on the game. Above-average at best can be used to describe Edelman’s 2018 campaign. However, he likely would’ve reached the 1,000-yard mark if he played all 16 games. Despite that, the postseason is where he made his mark.
In the playoffs, Edelman averaged 129 receiving yards, leading the team. His performances against the Chargers, Chiefs, and Rams let us know numbers aren’t the whole story. We all knew how talented of a receiver Edelman was, but in the postseason, he came up big in the most crucial moments.
In terms of the 2019 season, Edelman is fully expected to deliver on a 1,000-yard season. Even at 33-years-old, he’s very capable of being the game-changing receiver he was last year for the Patriots. Now that Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s number one target, has retired from football, Julian Edelman is the player I expect to fill that void.
Edelman only topped 100 yards twice in the regular season. If he’s going to step in for Gronkowski and be the number one target in crunch time, that needs to change. He’s capable of doing more for the Patriots even at his age. This season, it’s all about better numbers, better crunch time play, and taking leadership of the Patriots’ receiving corps. If he does those things, then the Patriots are in for continued dominance.
#18: Robert Woods
2018-19 season stats: 86 receptions, 1,219 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns.
Robert Woods took a massive leap in his overall numbers last season. His receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown all increased. Woods isn’t a player gifted which a whole bunch of talent. He doesn’t have the speed of Tyreek Hill, the size of Julio Jones, or the hands of Antonio Brown. However, last season, showed Woods to be a reliable receiver on a Rams team that needed him in their NFC Championship-winning season.
It’s hard to say where 2019 should take him. He showed that he’s capable of putting up big numbers. At the same time, the injury of Cooper Kupp last November also contributed to the production bump.
In an offense like Sean McVay’s, many different players get involved at any time. Woods has said that the Rams’ receiving corps is basically a “four-headed monster.” If that’s true, how will he be able to replicate his 2018 season?
Because the Rams have to worry about sharing the wealth between Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, (the returning) Cooper Kupp, and Todd Gurley, don’t bet on Woods having another WR1-type season. Kupp was the first-option before his injury. And, with the way his recovery is going, it’s looking like he’s heading back towards that spot. However, Woods possesses that WR1 talent. It’ll be interesting to see how his season goes if every notable Rams’ offensive player is healthy.
#17: Jarvis Landry
2018-19 season stats: 81 receptions, 976 receiving yards, and 4 receiving touchdowns.
It has to be stated that Jarvis Landry is obviously a terrific talent. His skill-set and past performances propel him to be placed at #17. But, there’s no doubt that Landry has been one of the more overrated players in the NFL.
The praise he gets is understandable considering he notched 1,157 and 1,136 receiving yards in 2015 and 2016 respectively. After that, however, he’s failed to deliver another 1,000 -yard season. In his last two seasons,
Landry has remained the WR1 for both the Miami Dolphins and now the Cleveland Browns. But, for the type of player he is and the praise he’s received, Landry has underperformed. Evidence of this includes his 54.4% catch percentage last season which was tied for the lowest on the team (among receivers who started at least eight games). And, that’s just the beginning of the problems for Landry.
At this point, everyone recognizes that the Browns have a new-look team. It started with making QB Baker Mayfield the starter, continued with trading for Odell Beckham Jr., and ended with even more key offseason moves. The point is: if Landry couldn’t perform up to par with the offensive focus on him, how can he do it as the WR2 behind Odell?
Landry, as said before, is a fantastic talent. But, for 2019, it seems he may have another subpar season. Perhaps being a WR2 will benefit Landry due to the easier matchups. But, for now, don’t expect a big year from him.
#16: Amari Cooper
2018-19 season stats: 75 receptions, 1,005 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns.
Amari Cooper was traded during the season from the Oakland Raiders to the Dallas Cowboys. He made an immediate impact for Dallas, translating to a playoff appearance for the team. His standout performances included a 180-yard game against the Redskins and a 217-yard game against the Eagles.
Cooper is 25 years old and is in talks for a contract extension real soon. If he wants to earn the same big money as some of the other receivers in the NFL, he needs to have a breakout season.
Cooper is currently one of only nine players to start their career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, something that could warrant a big contract already. And, on top of that, even with having to learn two playbooks last season, he notched another 1,000 yards. Oh, and that came with a run-first team as well.
As covered in the previous positional rankings, RB Ezekiel Elliot has told the Cowboys he won’t play without a new contract. If that holdout does carry into the season, it may open doors for Cooper to receive more touches. He’s capable of being the elite WR that the Cowboys need. Jason Garrett and Co. just need to find a way to get the ball in his hands more. In nine games, Cooper was targeted 76 times, averaging out to 8.4 targets a game.
The key to Cooper’s 2019 is consistency, production, and overachievement. Cooper must have an elite season, especially if Elliot is going to be missing time. In addition, he has to prove he’s worth a big-money extension.
#15: Brandin Cooks
2018-19 season stats: 80 receptions, 1,204 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns.
Brandin Cooks has been one of the league’s most consistent offensive players, and 2018 was no different. His receptions and receiving yards were both career-highs. Cooks is a speedy, proven playmaker. Ultimately, he’s more of a threat when there’s a whole lot of green in front of him rather than just the endzone.
There’s no doubt on this end that Cooks will have his fifth straight 1,000-yard season. But, like Robert Woods, it’s hard to imagine Cooks having anything more than 1,200 yards. This is simply because of the Rams’ supply of impactful offensive pieces. Because the Rams’ offense can have the ball in any player’s hands, Cooks has to make the opportunities he receives count. That includes staying consistent for all 16 games, which he failed to do last season.
Before the Rams’ Week 12 bye, Cooks was having himself a career year, as the numbers imply. He had five 100+ yard games, including three-straight before the break. After it, however, he ended the regular season having failed to reach over 60 yards. Cooks did end up redeeming himself in the postseason, averaging 97 yards per game. Regardless, he needs to maintain that level of play throughout the entire season.
Looking at the way Cooks plays, it looks like he’ll notch over 1,000 receiving yards. However, can he stay consistent with the fewer touches he’ll receive?
#14: Stefon Diggs
2018-19 season stats: 102 receptions, 1,021 receiving yards, and 9 receiving touchdowns.
Stefon Diggs is one half of what may be the best WR duo in the NFL. He’s another receiver on this list who achieved career-highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Diggs is 25 years old and has yet to reach his max potential. Beside his teammate Adam Thielen, he’s almost guaranteed to exceed his play from last season.
The Minnesota Vikings are coming to the season with a new offensive coordinator, Kevin Stefanski, who served as interim offensive coordinator late last season. That means Diggs, and the rest of Vikings’ offense, are going to have to adjust to a brand new offensive game-plan; a game-plan that was much needed after the disappointing year the Vikings had.
What does that mean for the development of Stefon Diggs? According to the WR himself, he’s ecstatic about what Stefanski will bring to the table.
Diggs is still growing as a player, and there aren’t any glaring concerns surrounding his game. He’s a reliable receiver, and as the 14th ranked on this list, he’s first in terms of all WR2 in the NFL. Diggs will make another jump this season under a new offensive game-plan.
#13: JuJu Smith-Schuster
2018-19 season stats: 111 receptions, 1,426 receiving yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns.
If we’re talking storylines among WR, JuJu Smith-Schuster has one of the biggest in the league. As seen in the numbers above, Smith-Schuster had himself a season… as a WR2.
He was the league’s best second-optionWR last season, which isn’t easy to do when you’re playing beside Antonio Brown. In fact, he became the first Steelers’ WR2 to hit 100 targets since 2013. But, what’s even harder, is filling the void of Brown – the challenge that faces Smith-Schuster this season.
The storyline surrounding Smith-Schuster is whether or not he can pick up where A.B. left off. For some odd reason, Smith-Schuster is receiving a ton of praise for his play last season. But, what people always forget is that he did that while having the second most difficult match-up. Brown was the one who had the opposing team’s best CB on his tail at all times.
The one sample we’ve seen of Smith-Schuster as a WR1 came in Week 17 when Antonio Brown was suspended. In that game, JuJu had 10 targets, 5 receptions, and only 37 yards (with one touchdown). It was an underwhelming performance even with the touchdown.
Smith-Schuster hasn’t shown anything that warrants a belief that he can be anywhere close to the player Brown was. All we can go off of are the facts. And, the facts are that with Brown gone, Smith-Schuster is getting a huge boost in targets.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is a very talented wideout. I just want to see him somewhat fill in the gap that was left by Antonio Brown. There’s no better place for him to start it than at Gillette Stadium against the defending Super Bowl Champion, New England Patriots.
#12: A.J. Green
2018-19 season stats: 46 receptions, 694 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns.
A.J. Green may be rated too high on this one. After bouncing back with a 1,000-yard season in 2017, Green played only nine games in 2018. Now, he’s suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle which is expected to keep him out four-to-six weeks.
Green had a disappointing 2018 campaign. Even if you look back at his 2017 season, that alone might not warrant him to be ranked #12 either. He’s ranked based off of his talent when fully healthy. Green hasn’t been his true self since 2015 which is has been some time now.
Green is the only player on any of these rankings that I’ll say needs to get traded. He isn’t the same player he was a few years back. And, on top of that, the Bengals aren’t really in a position to contend. Even with Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon, they’re in no shape to compete in this league. If rebuilding is the way they’re looking to go, they must continue the process by trading A.J. Green for a few meaningful draft picks.
What should you expect from Green? Considering he might miss multiple games, expect him to have a little under 1,000 yards at best. I’m not a believer in A.J. Green anymore, but anything can happen. 12th really does seem too high, but this is a seven-time Pro-Bowler.
#11: Keenan Allen
2018-19 season stats: 97 receptions, 1,196 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns.
Wrapping up the first half of our WR rankings is the Los Angeles Chargers’ number one guy, Keenan Allen. Allen actually experienced a drop-off in his numbers from 2017 to 2018. But, in the end, the Chargers achieved a better record which is all that matters. It’s safe to say that Allen is underappreciated, underrated, and whatever other words fit that description.
The Chargers aren’t a team you’ve seen on prime-time television much, making Allen noticeable only because of his jaw-dropping plays or fantasy stats. His strengths last season came from shorter routes rather than being a constant deep threat. He’s a player that can get you gains towards the first down, not one that’s going to go long for you often. He did have his moments, though. When Philip Rivers slung it long, he was there to snag it.
A common trend for some of these receivers has been the expectation for more touches because of key player absences. The same holds true for Keenan Allen. Melvin Gordon, as covered in our RB rankings, is holding out due to contract disputes with the Chargers. In fact, Gordon has reportedly requested a trade out of L.A.
This means that if there’s an absence of a run game for the Chargers, they have to turn to have the ball through the air more. That only means more targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns for Allen who’s a reliable number one target for Rivers.
Another 1,000-yard season awaits Keenan Allen. He’s a player that deserves more praise. Don’t be surprised if he’s among the top-eight WRs in the league by the end of the season.
Wrapping it Up
As you can see, we took a different approach to our player rankings this time. Instead of constantly going on and on about each player’s skill-set, as we did in the RB rankings, we’re shifting the talk to the upcoming season. Each player is going into a different situation headed into the new season.
We look to highlight each player’s specific situation for 2019, give a season outlook, and provide analysis as to how the past impacts their current rankings. For each player, there’s an opportunity to grow and move up in these ranking based on season performance. Some players will continue to grow and flourish while some should see a drop in production.
On that note, who was ranked too high or too low? Let me know.