Brevan Bane’s Top 10 Wide Receivers In 2024: WRs 1-5
I’m back to give you my top five NFL wide receivers going into the 2024 NFL season.
I’ve already given up my six to ten rankings, so today, we finish the job. Keep in mind that these are my opinions based on the eye test and many different analytic/statistical data from resources like PFF and Reception Perception.
My (lack of) qualifications to hold such opinions are listed on the first installation of this positional ranking.
5. A.J. Brown – Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown was drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 51st overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft and was a complete steal. Brown didn’t spend too much time where he was drafted, as he was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ever since Brown stepped foot in the City of Brotherly Love, he has been truly elite. His 2,952 yards and 18 TDs in his two years as an Eagle, a team that relies heavily on the run game, are remarkable marks given the context of the offensive scheme.
He doesn’t just impress in the box score, however; they haven’t released their profile for Brown yet for the 2023 season, but in 2022, Reception Perception had his 78.9% success rate against man coverage and 83.3% success rate against press coverage both in the 96th percentile of their respective categories.
The best part of it all for Eagles fans is that he just turned 27 only two weeks ago, meaning he will be putting up this production for years to come.
4. Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Bengals
Numbers three and four on this ranking were the hardest to try and decide between giving to Chase or who ended up at number three in the end. Chase gets number four here, and this is due to his slight struggles with injury, compiled with the undeniable production of number three mixed with his consistent availability.
Matt Harmon, the founder of Reception Perception, details in his 2023 player profile of Ja’Marr Chase that last season, Chase had a career-high number of repetitions at slot receiver, on the line of scrimmage, and in the offensive backfield.
Harmon goes on to detail that Chase told him personally that he had an interest in “expanding his duties in the slot” before the 2023 season, and that’s exactly what happened and will continue to trend upward in 2024. He also cites the Bengals’ acquisition of Jermaine Burton, someone who should primarily play the X-receiver position in the NFL, on top of already having Tee Higgins, should free up Chase to potentially dominate in the slot going forward.
Reception Perception shows that Chase performed exceptionally well in the same areas as A.J. Brown: against man coverage (75.4% success rate, 82nd percentile) and against press coverage (80.2% success rate, 91st percentile).
He didn’t light the world on fire in 2023, only bringing in a little over 1,200 yards and 7 TDs, but his expanded role in the slot, on top of getting a healthy Joe Burrow back full-time in 2024, should lead to Chase reclaiming his throne as a top three receiver in the NFL.
3. Ceedee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys
Ceedee Lamb was absolute dynamite for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.
His 135 receptions and 179 targets led the NFL’s receivers last season, and his 1,749 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 80 first-down receptions were all second behind Tyreek Hill in all three categories. His 91.4 PFF receiving grade was third behind Brandon Aiyuk and Hill. His 125.7 passer rating when targeted was fourth among receivers, and he was fifth among receivers in yards per route run at 2.78.
If it wasn’t for the next guy on the list, he would’ve been the best wide receiver on the planet in 2023.
2. Tyreek Hill – Miami Dolphins
The Cheetah has consistently been a top-three receiver in recent years, and arguing that he is the best in the game would be a valid argument with plenty of ground to stand on.
He led receivers in 2023 in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, yards per route run, first-down conversion receptions, and missed tackles forced.
In a year with a “weaker” MVP race, Hill would’ve arguably been a better selection than who actually won it, all due respect to Lamar Jackson.
There truthfully isn’t too much else to say, and that goes for the (obvious) number one selection as well.
1. Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings
Does this need to be explained? No, seriously, does it?
The freshly-extended Jefferson is the best wide receiver in NFL history through their first four seasons, and that’s including him missing about half of the season in 2023.
Despite his injury last year, Jefferson still had year-end production that matched some BIG names:
Need more clarification? Reception Perception hasn’t done a profile on him yet for 2023, but here are some bullet points from his 2022 profile:
- 79.0% success rate against man coverage (96th percentile)
- 85.6% success rate against zone coverage (92nd percentile)
- 84.0% success rate against press coverage (98th percentile)
Not only is Jefferson lethal against every coverage (he also has a 62.9% success rate when double-teamed), but he is downright SPECTACULAR against any type of coverage thrown against him at any given snap.
Not to turn this ranking into just a deep dive into how good Justin Jefferson is, but here is his success rate by route concept in 2022:
- Screen: 100%
- Flat: 87.1%
- Curl: 85.3%
- Out: 83.7%
- Corner: 82.1%
- Dig: 80.4%
- Comeback: 80%
- Slant: 78.6%
- Post 77.8%
- Nine: 77.4%
- All other concepts: 100%
These are “in the green” on Reception Perception’s charts, and not only that, they are extraordinarily good as a collective whole.
As if it was a shock to anyone, Justin Jefferson is my number one wide receiver on the planet, and that is very well something that might not change for the next five to six years.
Vikings’ Defense Wasn’t the Sum of Its Parts in 2023
