Ranking the North: The Aftermath of a Wide Receiver Exodus

Nov 14, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) flexes to the crowd after hanging on to a complete pass for a first down in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the early portion of the 2022 offseason, the biggest storyline in the NFC North was where some of the star receivers would land. Davante Adams wanted to be the highest paid wide receiver, and Allen Robinson was set to hit free agency. Now that both young men headed West, Adams to Las Vegas and Robinson to LA, let’s take a look at the receiving hierarchy in the North.

1. Minnesota Vikings

This should come as no surprise to anyone. The Minnesota Vikings have gone from a team that struggled to find their WR3 in 2020 to a unit that has at least four notable receivers on top of their tight end Irv Smith Jr., who will eye a comeback in 2022.

Not only is the room deep, but at the top is one of the best receivers in the entire league. Justin Jefferson proved in 2021 that his rookie outburst was not a fluke. Now heading into 2022, he is a bonafide superstar in this league. It also doesn’t hurt to have the touchdown machine himself, Adam Thielen.

2. Detroit Lions

This may come as a surprise to some people, but I feel very strongly about this ranking. The Detroit Lions have a very intriguing group of young receivers, led by standout Amon-Ra St. Brown.

During his rookie season, St. Brown was just shy of a 1000-yard campaign, recording 912 yards. He should take another step in 2022 towards being a true WR1-type player. On top of that, the Lions have who I think will go down as the best receiver of the 2022 draft class. Jameson Williams was a star at Alabama, and he is on a trajectory to be full throttle for the regular season.

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3. Green Bay Packers

The Packers traded their superstar Davante Adams to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Inevitably, this knocks them down a bit along with the glaring lack of depth.

Green Bay signed Sammy Watkins, which is great if you need a Week 1 fantasy football star, but long-term, he can’t be relied upon at this point. Additionally, Christian Watson is an intriguing prospect, but there will inevitably be some growing pains for the former North Dakota State receiver.

4. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears let Allen Robinson walk, and they are attempting to replace the gravity that he brings to an offense with…Byron Pringle. Pringle is a fine slot receiver, but Chicago needs a true outside threat. They don’t have one.

Velus Jones Jr. was one of the oldest players in the 2022 draft class, and the third rounder may provide some production, but it won’t fill the void left by Robinson. This offense is relying on a big jump from QB Justin Fields in order to carry them.

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