A lot can change in a year in the NFL. Last year Lamb was a rising star, and this year the Cowboys are already running out of reasons to delay paying their bonafide star wideout, CeeDee Lamb, as he continues to impress and climb the ranks. While Dallas still has time to lock Lamb into a long-term deal, the 49ers are running out of time with Brandon Aiyuk. The WR has demanded a trade and will be in high demand as he enters the big leagues.
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ESPN with input from executives, scouts, and coaches compiled a list of the best receivers in the league this past year. CeeDee Lamb jumped from 10th last year to 4th this year, thanks to his impressive performance. His numbers soared from 1359 yards and 9TDs to 1749 yards and 12 Touchdowns.
Brandon Aiyuk, who didn’t make the list last year, broke through after a successful season with the 49ers, recording 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns. This marked improvement landed him the 10th spot.
However, something that didn’t come as a surprise was Justin Jefferson retaining the top spot. Despite missing seven games due to injury, Jefferson still managed over 1,000 yards, maintaining his elite status from last year when he racked up 1,809 yards and 8 touchdowns.
That being said, The list has its surprises, with some players falling out of the elite group and others reflecting on their drop in rankings. It’s safe to say fans in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, in particular, might not be pleased with the latest standing.
Cooper Kupp Snubbed, Davante Adams Falls in WR Rankings
Kupp who had a career year in 2021, lifting the Super Bowl, becoming Super Bowl MVP and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, continues to fall in the ranking. During that year, he rose to 2nd in the ranking. However, his performance dropped considerably in 2022 as he was unable to reach even 1,000 yards, losing half a season to injuries, which dropped him to 5th.
Another injury-plagued season and the emergence of Puka Nacua as the top receiver in that wideout room see him miss out on the rankings this time, only earning an honorable mention.
Tay Adams left the Packers after 8 seasons. However, he showed his class in his first season in Vegas, notching up 1,516 yards without Rodgers. The experts placed him 2nd last year, but an unstable situation at the QB spot saw Adams’s numbers drop to 1,144 yards, causing him to fall to 5th in the rankings.
Kupp can get back to his best form if he manages to keep himself fit for a whole season. However, things are not looking up for Davante as the Raiders failed to address their QB situation, and are sticking with mediocre Aidan O’Connell.
Rankings reflect performance in a particular year and don’t always indicate a player’s true skill. A receiver can only be as good as his QB.
