This NFL season has been one of the most puzzling campaigns, as a multitude of injuries have greatly affected the outlook for teams across the league. There are always going to be injuries, but this season has been especially cruel, particularly to the wide receiver position. Players like Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, and Rashee Rice — who suffered a season-ending knee injury — have missed or will miss substantial time with their ailments.
Because of this, it is tough to rank the top 10 receivers so far this season. This is not ranking the top receivers in the league, but rather ranking players based on their performance so far this season.
Which receivers have taken advantage of these unfortunate injuries and established themselves as top 10 performers through the first six weeks of 2024?
10. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
GettyA.J. Brown.
- 16 receptions, 324 yards, 3 touchdowns (three games played)
Injuries are the main reason Brown is not inside the top five on this list. Brown has missed three games this season due to a hamstring injury, but in the two games he took part in, he was truly dominant, averaging 117.5 yards per contest.
His absence in those three games was apparent, as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense was completely inept without him. In those games, Philadelphia had averaged a little over 17 points per game.
Right now, the stats may seem to not warrant a mention on this list, but Brown has proven after another performance that he is monumental to Philadelphia’s offensive success.
9. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
GettyDK Metcalf.
- 35 receptions, 568 yards, 3 touchdowns
Metcalf has been a major beneficiary of a pass-heavy offense with Geno Smith averaging almost 42 attempts per game through the first six weeks.
The 26-year-old receiver leads the team in targets (61), yards (568), and second in receptions (35) behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Metcalf is the obvious go-to option in this offense, as the bulk of Smith-Njigba’s receptions are near the line-of-scrimmage.
In addition, Metcalf has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in half of the games played this season. At this pace, the Ole Miss product could reach 1,200 receiving yards if he plays in all 17 games.
Look for this heavy usage to continue, as the Seahawks will have to continue relying on the passing attack with a weak defensive unit.
8. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
GettyGarrett Wilson.
- 46 receptions, 460 yards, 3 touchdowns
It was a rough start to the season for Wilson in the New York Jets’ offense, as he was up against top cornerbacks in the first five weeks including Charvarius Ward, L’Jarius Sneed, Christian Gonzalez and Patrick Surtain II.
In those five contests, Wilson failed to surpass 60 receiving yards, while securing only 58% of his targets.
However, with lighter competition the last two weeks, the 24-year-old receiver has gone over 100 yards in each game, while commanding 33 targets in the process.
New York acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders earlier last week, which will affect Wilson’s volume of targets, but will also open up more one-on-one coverage. Wilson has faced double coverage a healthy amount so far this season, but defenses will shift their attention over to Adams, who has proven to be lethal when left in single coverage.
Wilson will no longer be the WR1 in the offense, but will have a great opportunity to expose lighter coverage with the arrival of Adams.
7. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
GettyDrake London.
- 44 receptions, 491 yards, 5 touchdowns
This may be the most controversial player on this list, but the Atlanta Falcons are 4-2, and London has caught fire after a particularly slow start at the beginning of the season.
Over the past two weeks, London has averaged 11.5 targets, 9 receptions, 114 yards, and 1 touchdown.
Now that Kirk Cousins and this Falcons offense has found their footing, expect London to continue the dominant target share and production.
His is not a popular name, but his skill set is finally being maximized in this offense. This could be his ceiling rank for the rest of the season, but if he finishes inside the top-10 performers in 2024, it would be an impressive accomplishment.
6. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
GettyCowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (middle).
- 32 receptions, 467 yards, 2 touchdowns
This does not feel right because of the Dallas Cowboys’ struggles, but without Lamb, this offense would probably be one of the worst units in the league. Despite the offense being completely reliant on him and being defenses’ only concern, Lamb is fifth in the league in receiving yards and 12th in the league in receptions.
It definitely has not been as dominant as his 1,749-yard season in 2023, but that is hard to repeat when you are constantly facing double teams each and every week.
Trading for a receiver is something the Cowboys should consider before the trade deadline to take some of the pressure off of Lamb’s shoulders, but Jerry Jones has stated that he does not expect the team to be overly active before the deadline.
Nonetheless, Lamb will continue to be the primary weapon in this offense, and there will certainly be weeks where he explodes against lower competition, but do not expect Dallas to win many games this year against formidable competition.
This ranking may be too high, and maybe it will prove to be bad judgment by the end of the season, but the production has still been there for the most part.
5. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
GettyMalik Nabers.
- 39 receptions, 427 yards, 3 touchdowns
Nabers has missed each of the last two games with a concussion but will make his return in Week 7 when the New York Giants take on the Eagles.
In the five games that he has played in, Nabers has simply been dominant, specifically in Weeks 2-4. In those contests, the rookie receiver caught 30 of his 45 targets, while surpassing 100 yards in two of those games.
In an offense with Daniel Jones and no other real threat on the outside, the LSU product has proven he can carry a passing attack despite being a first-year player.
4. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.
- 50 receptions, 576 yards, 5 touchdowns
This Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense has been one of the most explosive units in the league, and Godwin has taken advantage.
In addition to leading the league in receptions, being third in receiving yards, and being tied for first in touchdown receptions, the 28-year-old receiver has caught virtually everything thrown his way.
In six games, Godwin has caught 43 of his 53 targets, proving to be one of the most dependable wideouts in the league. Week 6 was a breakout performance, as Godwin caught 11 of 13 targets for 155 yards and 2 scores.
Unfortunately, the soon-to-be free agent suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. He will undergo surgery later this week, and it very well could have been his last game as a Buccaneer, as he is a free agent this upcoming offseason.
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
GettyJustin Jefferson.
- 33 receptions, 531 yards, 5 touchdowns
Jefferson has not been heavily utilized like year’s past, but he has still been incredibly productive. Despite only catching 26 passes in five games, the 25-year-old receiver is still averaging 88.5 receiving yards per game for the Vikings.
The receptions per game should see an uptick as the season progresses, and if/when that happens, Jefferson could catapult to the top of this list.
At his current pace, Jefferson is in line to go over 1,500 receiving yards, proving he can succeed with whoever is under center at quarterback.
2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
GettyJa’Marr Chase.
- 39 receptions, 620 yards, 6 touchdowns
It was a turbulent offseason for Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals, as the 24-year-old receiver was seeking a contract extension that never transpired.
Bengals ownership and front office not agreeing on terms on a new contract will prove to be a mistake because the number will continue to go up and up. Especially based on Chase’s performance through the first six weeks of the season.
Chase has been dominant after the slow start through the first couple of games of the season, securing all five of his reception touchdowns during the last four weeks. Week five was his true breakout performance of the season, catching 10 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens.
As long as Joe Burrow stays healthy, Chase should remain near the top of this list throughout the season.
1. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
GettyNico Collins.
- 32 receptions, 567 yards, 3 touchdowns
It is so unfortunate that Collins has found himself on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury, as he was playing at an elite level through the first five weeks. The 25-year-old receiver went over 100 yards in three of the contests and was well on his way to continuing that trend in week five against the Buffalo Bills with 78 yards in the first quarter. He would suffer the hamstring injury on the 67-yard touchdown in the first quarter before exiting the game with the aforementioned injury.
Because of the stint on the injured reserve and in line to miss the next three games, Collins will inevitably slip down this list, but right now, he has to be in discussion for the best receiver this season so far.
The discussion heading into the season was which receiver between Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs would establish themselves as the WR1 in this offense. Without a doubt, Collins has developed into the go-to option for C.J. Stroud, and when he returns from injury, he will quickly retake his spot as the top target in the offense.
Did we nail it? Share your picks and sound off in the comments.
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The 10 Best NFL Wide Receivers of 2024, Ranked