7 hours ago
(This post was last modified: 7 hours ago by purplefaithful.)
6. Minnesota Vikings
2024 rank: 5 | 2023 rank: 6
A true superstar receiver goes a long way, as Justin Jefferson is one of the two best wideouts in the game alongside Ja'Marr Chase. The Vikings star combines elite volume with efficiency (2.6 yards per route run), and while he benefits from a coach in Kevin O'Connell who does a great job of creating opportunities and space, Jefferson hasn't exactly had Joe Burrow at quarterback in Minnesota. Jefferson is a Hall of Fame-caliber talent and 26 years old. You shouldn't need me to tell you he is good.
The players around him might not be as sturdy as they seemed a year ago. Jordan Addison averaged 1.8 yards per route run in his second season, but there's a distinct possibility the 23-year-old will be suspended for part of the 2025 season after he's tried on DUI charges this month. T.J. Hockenson is healthy after missing part of the 2024 season while recovering from a torn ACL, but the former Lions first-rounder didn't score a touchdown and saw his efficiency retreat to where it had been with Detroit (1.7 YPRR) versus where it stood in Minnesota before the injury in 2023 (2.0). That's the difference between a good tight end and a Pro Bowler, and although that could be variance, I'd like to see that 2023 version of Hockenson again.
Aaron Jones Sr. racked up 1,546 yards from scrimmage in his debut season with the Vikings, but he wasn't great near the goal line and fumbled five times, including a midseason stretch with four fumbles across seven quarters. The Vikings have suggested they want to ease the burden on Jones by giving meaningful work to Jordan Mason, who was acquired from the 49ers this offseason. Mason was wildly efficient in San Francisco, but that team is running back heaven, and he also fumbled three times on 164 touches in 2024. I'd expect this offense to keep humming, but a lot of the players around Jefferson have something to prove.
ESPN
2. Detroit Lions
2024 rank: 7 | 2023 rank: 16
For a player who was originally a fourth-round pick and then written off as strictly a slot receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to exceed expectations. He had an 81.6% catch rate last season, the second-best rate for a wideout with 100 targets or more since 1992. His 70.2% success rate on those targets, per Pro Football Reference, was the fifth-best mark for any wideout with those same constraints. Three of the other top four years are from seasons with Drew Brees at quarterback. No disrespect to Jared Goff, but St. Brown continues to do special things in his office over the middle of the field.
He finally got some consistent help on the outside from Jameson Williams, who had a long-awaited breakout season. Stretching defenses over the top with vertical routes and running away from defenders on crossers and digs, he averaged 2.2 yards per route run and 11 yards per target, with the latter figure ranking just behind A.J. Brown for the league's best mark. If he's this guy moving forward, the Lions are going to be virtually uncoverable when they have their standouts on the field.
We haven't even gotten to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who followed up an excellent rookie season by racking up 1,929 yards from scrimmage and a league-high 20 touchdowns. With David Montgomery sidelined for most of the final four regular-season games, Gibbs showed what he could do if the Lions ever need to make him their every-down back, managing 601 yards from scrimmage and eight scores. He added 175 yards and two more touchdowns in the divisional-round loss to the Commanders.
Then there's Sam LaPorta, whose "disappointing" season (726 yards, seven touchdowns) was still good enough to finish as the sixth-best tight end in fantasy football. His target volume suffered from the ascension of Williams, as he mustered only about 16% of Detroit's targets in the passing game, which is just below what Pat Freiermuth had in Pittsburgh. I'm putting that more on the standouts around LaPorta than an inability to get open, as the 24-year-old finished 28th in receiver score.
The only knock I can place on the Lions' playmaker spots is the departure of one of the league's schematic masterminds. Ben Johnson was undoubtedly a huge help to the offense and getting the most out of this talent, but with the former Detroit coordinator now off to the Bears, there probably won't be the same endless array of trick plays and brilliant adjustments that we saw in years past. If the Lions can keep this up with John Morton calling plays, they'll be the clear No. 1 in 2026. As it stands, by the tiniest of margins, the adjustment I'm making for having Johnson over the past few years leaves the Detroit behind our new playmaker champs.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2024 rank: 2 | 2023 rank: 3
After years of top-10 finishes, the Eagles did just enough to earn the top spot. Their big addition last offseason was a key difference-maker. Saquon Barkley stayed healthy, and while he certainly benefited from playing next to Jalen Hurts and behind a great offensive line, he produced one of the greatest seasons by any back in NFL history. He topped 2,000 rushing yards, led the league in just about every advanced metric for a running back and added 278 receiving yards and two scores. The Tush Push cost Barkley a shot at another handful of short-yardage rushing touchdowns, but he had a truly special campaign. There just aren't many other backs in the league, with Christian McCaffrey and perhaps Derrick Henry aside, who have a path to that sort of upside.
And while the Eagles throw the ball less often than just about any other team, their receivers are spectacularly efficient. A.J. Brown's 3.3 yards per route run ranked second best in the league, with the 28-year-old leading all players in receiver score. He missed three games because of injury, sat out a meaningless Week 18 game and played on a team that leaned heavily (and successfully) into the run, so he ran only 323 routes, less than half of Ja'Marr Chase's total (680) in Cincinnati.
DeVonta Smith wasn't far behind, as he ranked 14th in yards per route run and eighth in receiver score. Like Brown, Smith was limited to 13 games and 350 routes, but he still averaged more yards per route than CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers. It's not as simple as saying the Eagles' star wideouts would turn more routes into more receiving yards at the same level of efficiency, but Brown and Smith have both been superstars with larger target totals in previous seasons. All three of Philadelphia's stars are in the prime of their respective careers, making it easier to project that they'll stay at this level in 2025.
While Dallas Goedert's receiving yardage total dropped for the third consecutive season, that's more a product of injuries and the team's passing volume than his effectiveness. He commanded about the same target share (25.7%) per route as Jonnu Smith, and Goedert's 2.5 yards per route run was the second-best mark among tight ends who ran 200 routes or more. That figure was warped a bit by the 61-yard catch-and-run he had to set up the winning score against the Saints in Week 3, but having a tight end who can run 61 yards and pick up a critical first down is valuable! Goedert looks better under the hood than perception suggests.
There are injury concerns for each of these players, although Brown and Smith have typically been healthier than they were last season. Barkley has missed significant time because of ankle and knee issues in the past. Goedert hasn't played a full season since his rookie season in 2018. And after those four players, the Eagles are looking at replacement-level playmakers. Jahan Dotson was proof that it's not easy to just rack up yards per route run in this offense, as the preseason addition ranked 110th among wideouts by that metric. Running back Will Shipley and wideout Johnny Wilson are unproven, and tight end Grant Calcaterra was far less efficient than Goedert across 256 routes.
If you prefer the Lions or Bengals to what the Eagles can offer, I wouldn't take much issue. This is a narrow race at the top. When a team can field a top-five wideout, another top-15 wideout and a guy coming off one of the best running back seasons in NFL history on any given snap, though, I don't think anyone can take much issue with Philadelphia having the best group of playmakers in football.
5. Los Angeles Rams
2024 rank: 9 | 2023 rank: 23
If you could guarantee 17 games from the Rams' big three at their 2024 levels of play, they might challenge to rank No. 1 here. Puka Nacua missed six games and still came within a screen of making it to 1,000 yards, as his 3.7 yards per route run comfortably led the NFL. Kyren Williams ranked sixth in rushing yards per game despite not having a single run top 30 yards, something that won't happen again in 2025. And after a difficult first three months of the year, Davante Adams -- who was added by L.A. in free agency -- brought in 576 receiving yards and six scores from December 1 onward, ranking among the league leaders in both categories.
Can the Rams expect all three of those guys to live up to those expectations? Nacua is a superstar, but the only starting wideouts to average more yards per route run in a season since 2007 are Tyreek Hill in 2023 and Steve Smith in 2008. Williams is a great gap-scheme back, but he has also fumbled eight times over the past two seasons, including five in 2024. And Adams had been declining since the start of 2023 before a late-season surge with longtime friend Aaron Rodgers at quarterback against the Jaguars, who might have been listening to podcasts in the middle of plays.
These guys are all great players, so while I have my reservations about the Rams getting the most out of Adams, it would hardly be a surprise if they all garnered Pro Bowl consideration. As with other teams, it would be wonderful for the Rams if another young player broke through. Tutu Atwell is being paid $10 million to help clear out space underneath for other wideouts, but Jordan Whittington, a sixth-round pick last year, might be the more impactful receiver if he gets the opportunity to play. Tight end Tyler Higbee is 32 and didn't play much last season after a torn ACL in January 2024, so while second-round pick Terrance Ferguson is clearly Sean McVay's tight end of the future, it would be helpful if that future came sooner rather than later.
4. San Francisco 49ers
2024 rank: 1 | 2023 rank: 1
The back-to-back playmaker champs have fallen off their pedestal, with injuries as the primary cause. Brandon Aiyuk will be returning from a torn ACL. Christian McCaffrey was limited last season to four games by Achilles and knee injuries. McCaffrey had been brilliant and healthy for his prior year-plus with the 49ers, but he has now missed significant time in three of his seven seasons as a starting NFL running back. It's impossible to project injuries, but it's unrealistic to treat McCaffrey as a 17-game starter for the purpose of these rankings. The Niners also soured on Deebo Samuel Sr. and traded him to the Commanders to help ease their cap burden, nominally replacing him with journeyman Demarcus Robinson.
There's less to go around here, but the 49ers had the league's most stacked set of playmakers heading into 2024, and that was before Jauan Jennings broke out in a larger role. San Francisco's third-down weapon was a real thing, as Jennings ranked 37th in catches on first and second down, but fifth on third down. He's not Samuel in terms of working after the catch, but Jennings was tough to bring down and willing to make catches in tight quarters, which led to him finishing 12th in ESPN's receiver score this past season. Tight end George Kittle was above Jennings in receiver score, second only to A.J. Brown in the league.
Outside of their standouts staying healthy, the player who might determine where the 49ers land in 2025 is second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall, who was 25th in receiver score while only averaging 1.5 yards per route run. Though he was seemingly able to get open, those opportunities didn't yield targets very often. It's always going to be tough to attract a lofty target share with so many mouths to feed, but if Pearsall can emerge as a legitimate starting wideout, the 49ers will have a strong case to head back up to the top of these rankings in 2026.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
2024 rank: 11 | 2023 rank: 2
Welcome back, Ja'Marr Chase. After an injury-impacted 2022 season and a merely very good 2023 campaign, he won the receiving triple crown in 2024. Chase led the league in routes, which helped boost those counting stats, but he averaged a robust 2.5 yards per route run and was a big-play factory. He had seven receiving touchdowns of 40 yards, three more than any other player and the most since Jordy Nelson had seven in 2014. Asking Chase to do that every year is a lot, but the 25-year-old did have six of them as a rookie, so if anyone can do it, it's him.
Another Chase also emerged, as after a quiet rookie season, running back Chase Brown took over for departed Joe Mixon and quickly added a more well-rounded and explosive element to the Cincinnati backfield. The Bengals flirted with Zack Moss as their lead back early in the season, but after he went down with a neck injury, Brown took over as a three-down playmaker. Over his eight-game stretch as the primary back, his numbers prorate over a full season to 321 carries, 81 receptions, 1,976 yards from scrimmage and 12 scores. That's not far from Bijan Robinson's 2024.
The only things holding the Bengals back are the hamstrings of Tee Higgins. A healthy Higgins might be the best second wideout in football, but he has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, primarily because of hamstring and quad issues. He still managed 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season -- a reminder of how he can make an impact even with Chase on the field -- but it's disheartening to see such a talented player battle repeated hamstring injuries.
There's a big drop-off to the rest of the roster, unsurprisingly. Mike Gesicki had a bounce-back season and averaged 1.7 yards per route run as a "tight end," but he scored only twice and hasn't been able to turn his 6-foot-6 frame into any sort of red zone production. Andrei Iosivas racked up 479 yards and six scores, but that's a product of running 34 routes per game in an explosive offense. He ranked 91st out of 95 qualifying wideouts in yards per route run and finished 151st in receiver score.
2024 rank: 5 | 2023 rank: 6
A true superstar receiver goes a long way, as Justin Jefferson is one of the two best wideouts in the game alongside Ja'Marr Chase. The Vikings star combines elite volume with efficiency (2.6 yards per route run), and while he benefits from a coach in Kevin O'Connell who does a great job of creating opportunities and space, Jefferson hasn't exactly had Joe Burrow at quarterback in Minnesota. Jefferson is a Hall of Fame-caliber talent and 26 years old. You shouldn't need me to tell you he is good.
The players around him might not be as sturdy as they seemed a year ago. Jordan Addison averaged 1.8 yards per route run in his second season, but there's a distinct possibility the 23-year-old will be suspended for part of the 2025 season after he's tried on DUI charges this month. T.J. Hockenson is healthy after missing part of the 2024 season while recovering from a torn ACL, but the former Lions first-rounder didn't score a touchdown and saw his efficiency retreat to where it had been with Detroit (1.7 YPRR) versus where it stood in Minnesota before the injury in 2023 (2.0). That's the difference between a good tight end and a Pro Bowler, and although that could be variance, I'd like to see that 2023 version of Hockenson again.
Aaron Jones Sr. racked up 1,546 yards from scrimmage in his debut season with the Vikings, but he wasn't great near the goal line and fumbled five times, including a midseason stretch with four fumbles across seven quarters. The Vikings have suggested they want to ease the burden on Jones by giving meaningful work to Jordan Mason, who was acquired from the 49ers this offseason. Mason was wildly efficient in San Francisco, but that team is running back heaven, and he also fumbled three times on 164 touches in 2024. I'd expect this offense to keep humming, but a lot of the players around Jefferson have something to prove.
ESPN
2. Detroit Lions
2024 rank: 7 | 2023 rank: 16
For a player who was originally a fourth-round pick and then written off as strictly a slot receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to exceed expectations. He had an 81.6% catch rate last season, the second-best rate for a wideout with 100 targets or more since 1992. His 70.2% success rate on those targets, per Pro Football Reference, was the fifth-best mark for any wideout with those same constraints. Three of the other top four years are from seasons with Drew Brees at quarterback. No disrespect to Jared Goff, but St. Brown continues to do special things in his office over the middle of the field.
He finally got some consistent help on the outside from Jameson Williams, who had a long-awaited breakout season. Stretching defenses over the top with vertical routes and running away from defenders on crossers and digs, he averaged 2.2 yards per route run and 11 yards per target, with the latter figure ranking just behind A.J. Brown for the league's best mark. If he's this guy moving forward, the Lions are going to be virtually uncoverable when they have their standouts on the field.
We haven't even gotten to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who followed up an excellent rookie season by racking up 1,929 yards from scrimmage and a league-high 20 touchdowns. With David Montgomery sidelined for most of the final four regular-season games, Gibbs showed what he could do if the Lions ever need to make him their every-down back, managing 601 yards from scrimmage and eight scores. He added 175 yards and two more touchdowns in the divisional-round loss to the Commanders.
Then there's Sam LaPorta, whose "disappointing" season (726 yards, seven touchdowns) was still good enough to finish as the sixth-best tight end in fantasy football. His target volume suffered from the ascension of Williams, as he mustered only about 16% of Detroit's targets in the passing game, which is just below what Pat Freiermuth had in Pittsburgh. I'm putting that more on the standouts around LaPorta than an inability to get open, as the 24-year-old finished 28th in receiver score.
The only knock I can place on the Lions' playmaker spots is the departure of one of the league's schematic masterminds. Ben Johnson was undoubtedly a huge help to the offense and getting the most out of this talent, but with the former Detroit coordinator now off to the Bears, there probably won't be the same endless array of trick plays and brilliant adjustments that we saw in years past. If the Lions can keep this up with John Morton calling plays, they'll be the clear No. 1 in 2026. As it stands, by the tiniest of margins, the adjustment I'm making for having Johnson over the past few years leaves the Detroit behind our new playmaker champs.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2024 rank: 2 | 2023 rank: 3
After years of top-10 finishes, the Eagles did just enough to earn the top spot. Their big addition last offseason was a key difference-maker. Saquon Barkley stayed healthy, and while he certainly benefited from playing next to Jalen Hurts and behind a great offensive line, he produced one of the greatest seasons by any back in NFL history. He topped 2,000 rushing yards, led the league in just about every advanced metric for a running back and added 278 receiving yards and two scores. The Tush Push cost Barkley a shot at another handful of short-yardage rushing touchdowns, but he had a truly special campaign. There just aren't many other backs in the league, with Christian McCaffrey and perhaps Derrick Henry aside, who have a path to that sort of upside.
And while the Eagles throw the ball less often than just about any other team, their receivers are spectacularly efficient. A.J. Brown's 3.3 yards per route run ranked second best in the league, with the 28-year-old leading all players in receiver score. He missed three games because of injury, sat out a meaningless Week 18 game and played on a team that leaned heavily (and successfully) into the run, so he ran only 323 routes, less than half of Ja'Marr Chase's total (680) in Cincinnati.
DeVonta Smith wasn't far behind, as he ranked 14th in yards per route run and eighth in receiver score. Like Brown, Smith was limited to 13 games and 350 routes, but he still averaged more yards per route than CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers. It's not as simple as saying the Eagles' star wideouts would turn more routes into more receiving yards at the same level of efficiency, but Brown and Smith have both been superstars with larger target totals in previous seasons. All three of Philadelphia's stars are in the prime of their respective careers, making it easier to project that they'll stay at this level in 2025.
While Dallas Goedert's receiving yardage total dropped for the third consecutive season, that's more a product of injuries and the team's passing volume than his effectiveness. He commanded about the same target share (25.7%) per route as Jonnu Smith, and Goedert's 2.5 yards per route run was the second-best mark among tight ends who ran 200 routes or more. That figure was warped a bit by the 61-yard catch-and-run he had to set up the winning score against the Saints in Week 3, but having a tight end who can run 61 yards and pick up a critical first down is valuable! Goedert looks better under the hood than perception suggests.
There are injury concerns for each of these players, although Brown and Smith have typically been healthier than they were last season. Barkley has missed significant time because of ankle and knee issues in the past. Goedert hasn't played a full season since his rookie season in 2018. And after those four players, the Eagles are looking at replacement-level playmakers. Jahan Dotson was proof that it's not easy to just rack up yards per route run in this offense, as the preseason addition ranked 110th among wideouts by that metric. Running back Will Shipley and wideout Johnny Wilson are unproven, and tight end Grant Calcaterra was far less efficient than Goedert across 256 routes.
If you prefer the Lions or Bengals to what the Eagles can offer, I wouldn't take much issue. This is a narrow race at the top. When a team can field a top-five wideout, another top-15 wideout and a guy coming off one of the best running back seasons in NFL history on any given snap, though, I don't think anyone can take much issue with Philadelphia having the best group of playmakers in football.
5. Los Angeles Rams
2024 rank: 9 | 2023 rank: 23
If you could guarantee 17 games from the Rams' big three at their 2024 levels of play, they might challenge to rank No. 1 here. Puka Nacua missed six games and still came within a screen of making it to 1,000 yards, as his 3.7 yards per route run comfortably led the NFL. Kyren Williams ranked sixth in rushing yards per game despite not having a single run top 30 yards, something that won't happen again in 2025. And after a difficult first three months of the year, Davante Adams -- who was added by L.A. in free agency -- brought in 576 receiving yards and six scores from December 1 onward, ranking among the league leaders in both categories.
Can the Rams expect all three of those guys to live up to those expectations? Nacua is a superstar, but the only starting wideouts to average more yards per route run in a season since 2007 are Tyreek Hill in 2023 and Steve Smith in 2008. Williams is a great gap-scheme back, but he has also fumbled eight times over the past two seasons, including five in 2024. And Adams had been declining since the start of 2023 before a late-season surge with longtime friend Aaron Rodgers at quarterback against the Jaguars, who might have been listening to podcasts in the middle of plays.
These guys are all great players, so while I have my reservations about the Rams getting the most out of Adams, it would hardly be a surprise if they all garnered Pro Bowl consideration. As with other teams, it would be wonderful for the Rams if another young player broke through. Tutu Atwell is being paid $10 million to help clear out space underneath for other wideouts, but Jordan Whittington, a sixth-round pick last year, might be the more impactful receiver if he gets the opportunity to play. Tight end Tyler Higbee is 32 and didn't play much last season after a torn ACL in January 2024, so while second-round pick Terrance Ferguson is clearly Sean McVay's tight end of the future, it would be helpful if that future came sooner rather than later.
4. San Francisco 49ers
2024 rank: 1 | 2023 rank: 1
The back-to-back playmaker champs have fallen off their pedestal, with injuries as the primary cause. Brandon Aiyuk will be returning from a torn ACL. Christian McCaffrey was limited last season to four games by Achilles and knee injuries. McCaffrey had been brilliant and healthy for his prior year-plus with the 49ers, but he has now missed significant time in three of his seven seasons as a starting NFL running back. It's impossible to project injuries, but it's unrealistic to treat McCaffrey as a 17-game starter for the purpose of these rankings. The Niners also soured on Deebo Samuel Sr. and traded him to the Commanders to help ease their cap burden, nominally replacing him with journeyman Demarcus Robinson.
There's less to go around here, but the 49ers had the league's most stacked set of playmakers heading into 2024, and that was before Jauan Jennings broke out in a larger role. San Francisco's third-down weapon was a real thing, as Jennings ranked 37th in catches on first and second down, but fifth on third down. He's not Samuel in terms of working after the catch, but Jennings was tough to bring down and willing to make catches in tight quarters, which led to him finishing 12th in ESPN's receiver score this past season. Tight end George Kittle was above Jennings in receiver score, second only to A.J. Brown in the league.
Outside of their standouts staying healthy, the player who might determine where the 49ers land in 2025 is second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall, who was 25th in receiver score while only averaging 1.5 yards per route run. Though he was seemingly able to get open, those opportunities didn't yield targets very often. It's always going to be tough to attract a lofty target share with so many mouths to feed, but if Pearsall can emerge as a legitimate starting wideout, the 49ers will have a strong case to head back up to the top of these rankings in 2026.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
2024 rank: 11 | 2023 rank: 2
Welcome back, Ja'Marr Chase. After an injury-impacted 2022 season and a merely very good 2023 campaign, he won the receiving triple crown in 2024. Chase led the league in routes, which helped boost those counting stats, but he averaged a robust 2.5 yards per route run and was a big-play factory. He had seven receiving touchdowns of 40 yards, three more than any other player and the most since Jordy Nelson had seven in 2014. Asking Chase to do that every year is a lot, but the 25-year-old did have six of them as a rookie, so if anyone can do it, it's him.
Another Chase also emerged, as after a quiet rookie season, running back Chase Brown took over for departed Joe Mixon and quickly added a more well-rounded and explosive element to the Cincinnati backfield. The Bengals flirted with Zack Moss as their lead back early in the season, but after he went down with a neck injury, Brown took over as a three-down playmaker. Over his eight-game stretch as the primary back, his numbers prorate over a full season to 321 carries, 81 receptions, 1,976 yards from scrimmage and 12 scores. That's not far from Bijan Robinson's 2024.
The only things holding the Bengals back are the hamstrings of Tee Higgins. A healthy Higgins might be the best second wideout in football, but he has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, primarily because of hamstring and quad issues. He still managed 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season -- a reminder of how he can make an impact even with Chase on the field -- but it's disheartening to see such a talented player battle repeated hamstring injuries.
There's a big drop-off to the rest of the roster, unsurprisingly. Mike Gesicki had a bounce-back season and averaged 1.7 yards per route run as a "tight end," but he scored only twice and hasn't been able to turn his 6-foot-6 frame into any sort of red zone production. Andrei Iosivas racked up 479 yards and six scores, but that's a product of running 34 routes per game in an explosive offense. He ranked 91st out of 95 qualifying wideouts in yards per route run and finished 151st in receiver score.
