Top 10 NFL Wide Receivers Of All Time

This is a very enjoyable debate as there are dozens of wide receivers who have a case to be put up on this list. Also, depending on the era that the player played in this can even further complicate the argument. This list is purely based on players achievements, statistics, and how much they contributed to their teams in the time they played.

10. Reggie Wayne

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Reggie Wayne was one of, if not, the best wide receiver in football from 2003-2012 eclipsing the 1,000 yard receiving mark 8 of those 9 seasons which is almost unheard of efficiency from a wide receiver. Now I know during that stretch Reggie Wayne played alongside two great quarterbacks in Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. But, even so, he finished 4 seasons in the top 10 for NFL receiving touchdowns (2004,2006,2007,2009). And, on top of that Reggie Wayne in his career finishes in the 10th for both receiving yards and receptions. Do not forget to mention Reggie Wayne among the all time great receivers.

9. Isaac Bruce

profootballhof.com

Isaac Bruce played from 1994-2009 13 of those seasons came with the St. Louis Rams. One of the key factors for the Rams in the 1999 super bowl season and for the offense known as the “greatest show on turf”. Bruce was a 4 time pro bowler and a contender in the 1996 AP offensive player of the year voting where he finished ahead of Jerry Rice and Shannon Sharpe (two of the all-time greats). On top of that, he eclipsed 1,000 yards in eight seasons and finished fifth in career receiving yards with 15,208. One of the most explosive receivers of a generation, you always had to keep an eye out for Isaac Bruce.

8. Marvin Harrison

nfl.com

Another Colt’s receiver showing up on this list, Marvin Harrison. Harrison and Manning had an all time connection this is shown as they were able to connect for 114 touchdowns which is actively the most between a wide receiver and quarterback. To go along with that Harrison was inducted into the hall of fame in 2016 and his 1102 career receptions rank 5th all time.

7. Larry Fitzgerald Jr.

larryfitzgerald.com

Larry Fitzgerald has not only put in the work and shaped his outstanding career on the field he also has shaped an outstanding career for himself off the field as shown by him winning the 2016 Walter Peyton Man of the Year award. With Larry Fitzgerald's retirement last season he left as the games second all time in career receiving yards, second all time in career receptions, and sixth all time in career touchdown receptions. This will be more than enough to get him into the hall of fame within the next couple of years.

6. Calvin Johnson

prideofdetroit.com

After leaving the game of football in 2015 Calvin Johnson was enshrined into the football hall of fame this past year (2021) after 6 short years. In Johnson’s 9 seasons he only missed the 1,000 yard mark twice, one of them being his rookie year, to go along with that he had the most receiving yards in a single season from a receiver all time. I know Cooper Kupp came close but he didn’t even surpass it and the NFL now has 17 games when Johnson did it he only had 16 games which is even crazier. Calvin Johnson also known as “Megatron” will always have a place in football's legacy.

5. Don Hutson

packers.com

If you want to talk about revolutionizing the football game for wide receivers look no further than Don Hutson. He played on the Green Bay Packers from 1935-1945 back when the passing game was little to none for any team. Yet Don Hutson thrived, in his 10 seasons in the NFL he caught 99 touchdowns, a record that held up for 44 years until Steve Largent of the Seattle Seahawks broke that record. He was also the NFL MVP in 1941 and 1942. With his blazing speed he probably could still be putting up numbers in the NFL today.

4. Cris Carter

mprnews.org

Carter had the fourth most receiving career touchdowns. Also, in 1995 he caught 1,371 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. That's right I said 17 TOUCHDOWNS! Which led the league that year in 1995. Carter was also named to the Pro football hall of fame 1st team all-1990s team which helps to show how much of a staple he was for football during that decade.

3. Terrell Owens

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Terrell Owens or “T.O” was one of the most electrifying players on the field. With Owens’s induction into the hall of fame in 2018 He solidified his greatness. With 9 seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards and 3 of those 1,000 yard seasons coming in Dallas, 1 of them coming in Philadelphia, and 5 of them in San Francisco he was really someone who could do it almost anywhere. To Tack onto that, he had three seasons where he led the league in touchdown grabs with 16 (2001), 13 (2002), and 13(2006). He really did deserve his spot in canton.

2. Randy Moss

sportscasting.com

As a rookie Randy Moss put up crazy stats, with his still record holding most touchdown receptions by a rookie at 17 to go along with that in his rookie year he had 1313 receiving yards. You could tell off the jump that Moss was ready for the NFL. Per NFL.com, Brian Billick, Moss’s old NFL head coach said, “He was the most gifted athlete on any field or court he stepped on.” It makes sense that he played basketball based off his leaping ability where he would make defenders look silly in the back of the end zone going for a jump ball. To this day if someone makes a catch over their defender leaping up we still hear, “YOU GOT MOSSED.” This is just the impact and type of crazy athlete Moss was.

1. Jerry Rice

theathletestable.com

Jerry RIce, “Flash 80”, or “the Goat” no matter what name you want to call Jerry Rice he is the best wide receiver ever and it’s not even close. He had 14 seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and at the end of his career he had 22,895 receiving yards in total. To put that into perspective the next closest player in career receiving yards was Larry Fitzgerald and he was 5,403 yards short of him.To go along with that he was the 1988 super bowl MVP in a game which he had 3 touchdowns and 215 yards which is a super bowl record and he is the only receiver to ever even break the 200 yard mark in the sports biggest game. I honestly don't know if we will see another Jerry Rice type player in our lifetime. But his film and greatness will live on for decades helping future generations of wide receivers.