The NFL is a quarterbacks’ league and should continue to be so this coming season. But successful quarterbacks also need elite wide receivers to haul down passes of varying degrees of difficulty. With that said, let’s look at our list of the top 10 wide receivers this coming season, considering each of their team’s makeup, quarterback play, and other factors for success.
[sc:NFL240banner ]There’s no way but up for Hilton, who finished last season as the Colts’ leader in targets (130), receiving yards (1,345) and was second in receiving touchdowns (7). He’s not as strong as the other receivers in the league, but his speed is what makes him special.
For every critic that says Hilton is not big enough to be a number one receiver, the 5-9, 178-pound wideout has one solid statistic to throw back at them. That includes having 17 career catches of at least 40 yards (six were in 2014) and back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. The arrival of Andre Johnson to Indianapolis could also mean that Hilton will see more single-man coverages, which may translate to a more efficient production from the 2012 third-round draftee.
9. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas sure enjoyed having still-great Peyton Manning throwing balls at him and legitimate threat Julius Thomas taking some of the pressure off him last season. In 2014, Demaryius caught for 1,619 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 111 receptions (second most overall).
But with Manning’s age and health becoming more of a factor and tight end Thomas now in Jacksonville, the wide receiver may see a few of his numbers regress this season. Still, Thomas’ skill set is not one to be questioned. He’ll only probably have to adjust to seeing fewer targets with Denver’s backfield likely to get increased role with new coach Gary Kubiak expressing his intent for the Broncos to run the ball more.
8. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The arrival of Jameis Winston in Tampa is an answered prayer for Evans. Evans managed to put up solid numbers (1,051 receiving yards, 15 receiving touchdowns) in his rookie year despite a pair of scrubs in Josh McCown and Mike Glennon throwing pigskins at him.
The Bucs beefed up their offensive line over the offseason and with Winston-era set to begin in Tampa, Evans is in a position to take a step close into superstar status. Evans made Johnny Manziel look extra cool in College Station. With his size (6-5, 231 pounds) and skill set, there’s no reason he can’t do the same to Winston.
7. Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
Just the athleticism of Beckham alone is enough for him to crack this list. The owner of the greatest catch in football and the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year enters his second season as a pro looking to improve on his numbers from last season, which includes 1,305 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Considering that he did that in just 12 games and with an inconsistent Eli Manning heaving balls at him, the sky remains the limit for this athletic freak.
6. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Life is great for receivers who have Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, but it still takes an enormous talent to amass 1,519 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns on 98 receptions, numbers that Nelson had in 2014. Nelson has a big frame (6-3, 217 pounds) but he also has good speed to break away from defenders.
In fact, he finished last season with 481 yards after catch, top 10 overall in the league. With another solid receiver in Randall Cobb across the field and a bell cow in Eddie Lacy, Nelson should have little trouble putting up the same numbers this season. Maybe another appearance in the Pro Bowl is in store for the 6-3 wideout this 2015.
Injuries cost Green three games last season, but that didn’t stop him from leading the Bengals in receiving yards (1,041) and touchdowns (6). Those numbers are Green’s lowest since his rookie year, but he looks healthy enough to have a big bounce back season. Green is just 26 and with Jeremy Hill blossoming into an attention-grabbing running back, he should be able to play like it’s 2013 all over again. Now, if only Andy Dalton can cut down on his errors…
4. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
There was a significant drop in some of Megatron’s numbers last season. By his lofty standards, Johnson’s 1,007 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2014 were only passable at best. Of course, health issues played a big part in that, as he was only able to play 13 games.
Barring any major injury, Johnson’s size, great hands, and the luxury of having Golden Tate on the other side should bring him back to being the destructive force down field that he was from 2011 to 2013, wherein he averaged 1,712.3 receiving yards and 11 TDs.
3. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Despite missing a game, Jones ranked third in the league in targets (163), receptions (104) and receiving yards (1,593) in 2014. His six-touchdown output is a bit frustrating, but it’s something Jones can improve on with new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan now in the fold.
Shanahan has been gushing over Jones’ immense talent (partly because Shanahan came over from Cleveland, where the passing game featured nobodies last year), which can be taken as a sign that the wide receiver will be in for another heavy workload season. Save for his health, everything is under Jones’ control this coming 2015 campaign.
2. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Dez got paid big time this summer. Now, the Cowboys are expecting Bryant to light up the stat sheet again.
Bryant led the league last season in touchdowns (16) and finished with 1,320 on 88 receptions. He’s been consistently productive too, averaging 11.2 receiving scores per season since 2010, the highest in the league. Opposing defense may find some success in bottling up Bryant this season because of DeMarco Murray’s departure and the apparent decline of Jason Witten, but at age 26, Bryant has a lot of gas left to take on that challenge.
1. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Last season was a ridiculous one for Brown. With Ben Roethlisberger playing some great football, Brown was able to compile 129 receptions for 1,698 yards—both league best—and 13 touchdowns. Despite a small frame, Brown has proven to be the right top target for Big Ben.
Brown is also deceptively strong, as evidenced by his 568 yards after the catch in 2014—third among wide receivers. With running back Le’Veon Bell expected to get much attention on offense, expect Brown to gather mad numbers again this 2015.
