The numbers being put up by NFL wide receivers these days are astonishing. There have been some amazing performances throughout football history.
There may be no deeper position in the NFL these days than wide receiver. Players come out of college wind up being immediate impact performers. It's worth noting that the last 2 NFL Offensive Rookies of the Year were wideouts Ja'Marr Chase (2021) and Garrett Wilson (2022) of the Bengals and Jets, respectively.
Three of the past four seasons has seen a wide receiver garner NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. There was the Saints' Michael Thomas in 2019, the Rams' Cooper Kupp in 2021 and Minnesota's Justin Jefferson this past season.
There are several outstanding performances that just missed the list, including the Raiders' Art Powell in 1963, the Chargers' Lance Alworth in 1965, San Francisco's Terrell Owens in 2002, as well as Jefferson's magnificent showing with the Vikings in 2022.
As far as this list, postseason performance plays a bit of a part in these rankings, as was the case with quarterbacks and running backs.
Greatest wide-receiver seasons in NFL history: 20. Charley Hennigan, Oilers (1961)
A quick reminder. With the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, part of the agreement was that American Football League statistics and records would be recognized by the National Football League.
It was just the second season of the newly-formed American Football League. The defending champion Houston Oilers won the Eastern Division with a 10-3-1 mark in 1960. Led by head coaches Lou Rymkus (fired after 4 games) and eventually Wally Lemm, the team scored an incredible 513 points in 14 contests.
Quarterbacks George Blanda (36) and Jacky Lee (12) combined for 48 TD passes in 1961, with more than half going to receivers Bill Groman (17) and Charley Hennigan (12). The latter totaled 82 receptions for an astounding 1,746 yards, averaging an amazing 124.7 receiving yards per contest.
That same season, Denver Broncos' standout Lionel Taylor became the first player to catch 100 passes in a season. However, Hennigan's overwhelming yardage total in 1961 still ranks eighth in league annals.
MIAMI, FL – NOVEMBER 20: Wide receiver Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers races upfield against the Miami Dolphins at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida on November 20, 1995. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins 44-20. (Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images)
19. Jerry Rice, 49ers (1995)
Not surprisingly, this is the first of four appearances on this list for the legendary wideout and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young enjoyed a banner season in 1994, leading the franchise to its fifth Super Bowl title (XXIX). Once again, wide receiver Jerry Rice played a large part in the club earning another Lombardi Trophy.
In 1995, the Niners were looking to repeat as NFL champions, something they managed to do in 1988 (XXIII) and 1989 (XXIV). Rice put on quite the show throughout the season, totaling a career-best 122 catches for a league-high 1,848 yards and 15 touchdowns. The star wideout caught at least one scoring pass in 10-of-16 contests.
Additionally, he not only ran for one score and recovered a fumble for a TD but threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to teammate J.J. Stokes in a season-ending loss at Atlanta.
The 49ers finished 11-5 and were the NFC's second-seed come playoff time. George Seifert's club was surprised by the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoffs, 27-17, at San Francisco. In the 10-point setback, Rice caught 11 passes for 117 yards but did not reach the end zone. That regular-season yardage total still ranks fourth in NFL history.
18. Davante Adams, Packers (2020)
This past season, Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver Davante Adams was named All-Pro for the third consecutive season. His first season with the organization after being acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Packers was pretty impressive. The nine-year veteran caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and a league-best 14 touchdown grabs.
The nine-year pro's first campaign that ended with All-Pro accolades came in 2020 with the Packers. It was the team's second season under head coach Matt LaFleur and the club had won the NFC North in 2019. A playoff victory over the Seahawks was followed by a lopsided loss at San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game.
The 2020 campaign would result in a second-straight 13-3 finish and another division title. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be named the NFL's Most Valuable Player after throwing for 4,299 yards, 48 scores and just five interceptions. Adams totaled an impressive 115 catches, good for 1,374 yards and a league-high 18 touchdowns.
The 2014 second-round pick from Fresno State caught nine passes in each of the team's playoff clashes with the Rams and Buccaneers. Adams also scored a touchdown in each contest however the latter was a 31-26 home loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC title game.
17. Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, Rams (1951)
The franchise began play in 1937 and has certainly racked up its share of frequent flyer miles. Currently back in Los Angeles, the Rams are the only NFL franchise to win league titles in 3 different cities.
The first championship came in 1945 when the club resided in Cleveland. A year later, the Los Angeles Rams took the field. The team faced the Cleveland Browns in both the 1950 and 1951 NFL title games. The Browns won the first meeting, 30-28, while Los Angeles came away with a 24-17 victory for the '51 title.
There would be a Super Bowl victory as the St. Louis Rams in 1999 and after 21 years in the Gateway City, the team returned to Los Angeles in 2016.
Back to that 1951 NFL championship squad. The roster included a pair of Hall of Fame quarterbacks (Norm Van and Bob Waterfield) and receivers (Tom Fears and Elroy Hirsch). The team led the league with 392 points.
"Crazylegs" Hirsch had an amazing season. He led the NFL in receptions (66), receiving yards (1,495) and touchdown grabs (17), incredible numbers for a 12-game season. He added four catches for 65 yards in the club's title game victory over the Browns.
16. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (2020)
He recently revealed that one of his goals this season was to set a new NFL record for receiving yards in a season. It's safe to say that it is certainly possible who comes off the most productive showing of his seven-year career.
Current Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill, a fifth-round pick in 2016 from West Alabama, spent six seasons with Andy Reid's team and was part of two Super Bowl squads before being dealt to Miami last offseason. He enjoyed All-Pro year in South Florida, totaling career-highs in targets (170), catches (119) and receiving yards (1,710). The Dolphins were a playoff team for the first time since 2016.
In 2020, the Chiefs were coming off a Super Bowl championship campaign. Hill would finish second on the team in receptions (87) and receiving yards (1,276) behind tight end Travis Kelce, who finished with 105 grabs for 1,416 yards and 11 scoring grabs.
Hill led Kansas City with 15 TD catches and paced the team with 17 total touchdowns thanks to a pair of scoring runs. It resulted in a fifth Pro Bowl invitation and All-Pro honors for the third time.
In the team's three-game run to Super Bowl LV, Hill caught 24 passes for 355 yards vs. the Browns, Bills and Buccaneers, Unfortunately, he never reached the end zone.
15. Sterling Sharpe, Packers (1994)
He wound up playing only seven seasons before retiring due to a neck issue. However, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe went out with a big bang. His final NFL campaign in 1994 was indeed noteworthy and he managed those impressive number with a still-very young quarterback named Brett Favre.
In 1992, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe led the NFL with 108 catches. He set a new league record for receptions in a season and previously owned by Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Monk. He followed that up with 112 grabs in 1993 and became the first player in National Football League history to total 100-plus catches in consecutive seasons.
That second year, the Packers were coming off their first playoff appearance since 1982. In a two-game split with the Lions and Cowboys, Sharpe caught a combined 11 passes for 229 yards and four TDs. He carried that momentum into 1994.
He fell a little short of a third straight 100-catch season. He finished with 94 grabs for 1,119 and an NFL-best 18 scores, 13 of those touchdowns in the final six games. Unfortunately, the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro would not be around for the postseason.
14. Antonio Brown, Steelers (2015)
As of late, he's been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. There's no denying the talent of wide receiver Antonio Brown. When his playing days are finally done, he will make for an interesting discussion when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 2010 sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers remains the only player in NFL history to catch at least 100 passes in six consecutive seasons (2013-18). It was during the third year of that stretch that the talented performer put on quite a show, especially one Sunday afternoon against the eventual Super Bowl 50 champion Broncos.
In 2015, Brown and Falcons' star Julio Jones tied for the NFL lead with 136 catches. The latter (1,871) edged out the Pittsburgh wideout (1,834) when it came to the most receiving yards in the league that season. Brown totaled 10 touchdown grabs.
In a Week 15 come-from-behind 34-27 win over Denver, the team's "No Fly Zone" could not stop the Steelers' wide receiver. Brown was targeted 18 times and caught 16 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
The season would end on a rough note for Brown, knocked out of the AFC wild card showdown with the Bengals in Cincinnati. He caught seven passes for 119 yards before being sidelined.
13. Wes Chandler, Chargers (1982)
He began his career with the New Orleans Saints in 1978. Wide receiver Wes Chandler was the third overall pick in the draft that year and the former University of Florida standout had a modest rookie season. He played in all 16 games but caught just 35 passes for 472 yards and two touchdowns.
A year later, Chandler was a Pro Bowler thanks to 65 receptions for 1,069 yards and six scores.
After four games in 1981, the big-play performer was dealt to the San Diego Chargers. His combined totals in 16 games that season added up to 69 grabs for 1,142 yards and six TDs.
After two weeks of games in 1982, the NFL endured its first in-season strike. When it was all said and done, it would prove to be a nine-game campaign followed by a 16-team Super Bowl tournament.
As for Chandler, he managed quite a feat and did it in only eight contests. While 49 receptions are far from a daunting total, it added up to an impressive 1,032 yards and nine scores. He reached 100-plus yards receiving in six of those games, including a 260-yard outing against the Bengals on a Monday night.
Chandler added 11 catches for 162 yards in two postseason outings as well.
12. Marvin Harrison, Colts (2002)
It was his seventh NFL season and his fifth with quarterback Peyton Manning. Prolific wide receiver Marvin Harrison is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his career numbers speak for themselves.
He played all 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts after being the franchise's first-round draft choice in 1996. His career totals read 1,102 receptions for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdown catches. Those totals rank fifth, ninth, and fifth, respectively, in NFL annals.
In 1999, which also happened to be Manning's second year in the league, Harrison embarked on stretch which saw him total at least 100 receptions in four consecutive seasons, an NFL record at the time. The last year of that streak came in 2002. In 16 contests, he amassed a league-record 143 catches. He led the NFL with 1,722 receiving yards and scored 11 touchdowns.
Unfortunately for Harrison, Manning and the Colts, those gaudy totals didn't mean a very much come the playoffs. Tony Dungy's team would fall to the New York Jets, 41-0, in the wild card round. Harrison was limited to four catches for 47 yards in the lopsided setback.
Meanwhile, that regular-season reception milestone stood for 17 years until (next page, please).
11. Michael Thomas, Saints (2019)
He put up some astounding numbers in his first four NFL seasons. Talented Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas was a second-round selection (47th overall) in 2016 by the New Orleans Saints. He would certainly thrive in Sean Payton's offensive system and with quarterback Drew Brees getting him the football. The former Buckeye standout did not disappoint and saw his statistics increase on a yearly basis.
He totaled 92 receptions as a rookie, followed by 104 and 125 catches, respectively, in 2017 and '18. The yardage totals in those first three years read 1,137, 1,245 and 1,405.
In 2019, Thomas would put up incredible numbers that earned him NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. He finished the season with an NFL-record 149 catches, breaking the previous mark of 143 set by Colts' wideout Marvin Harrison in 2002. He totaled at least 10 receptions in nine of his 16 outings. Thomas led the league with 1,725 receiving yards and totaled nine TD grabs.
However, it was a season that ended after just one playoff game as the club was knocked off at home in overtime by the Minnesota Vikings. In that contest, Thomas finished with seven catches for 70 yards.
10. Mark Clayton, Dolphins (1984)
In his second NFL season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino put on a passing display that still ranks among the best in NFL history. That was well before today's wide-open spread-the-field offenses. He shattered the previous single-season league records for aerial yards and touchdown passes, finishing with 5,084 yards and 48 scores.
Marino had many options to get the ball to. There were tight ends Dan Johnson and Bruce Hardy, running back Tony Nathan and wideout Nat Moore. Of course, there were also the "Marks Brothers," in wide receiver Mark Duper, a second-round pick in 1982, and Mark Clayton. The latter was drafted the same year as Marino, but in the eighth round in 1983.
In 15 games in '84, Clayton led the club in catches (73) and receiving yards (1,389) and led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions. He averaged a robust 19.0 yards per grab. He scored at least one touchdown in 13 contests.
In the postseason, the second-year pro caught five passes for 75 yards and one score in the win over Seattle and totaled four receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown in the AFC title game victory over Pittsburgh. The Dolphins were stifled by the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX, 38-16, but Clayton finished with six grabs for 92 yards.
9. Don Hutson, Packers (1942)
He was nothing short of incredible. Green Bay Packers' end Don Hutson was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's charter class of 1963. Incredibly, his 99 touchdown receptions in 116 regular-season contests over 11 seasons remains 11th in NFL annals. This despite the fact that his last game in the league came back in 1945.
He finished his career with 488 catches, good for 7,991 yards. Those were the days of the multi-purpose performer as he also saw duty as a defensive back and a kicker.
In 1942, the former University of Alabama played in 11 games and not only amassed career-highs in receptions (74) and touchdown catches (17), both league-leading totals, he amassed 1,211 receiving yards. It made him the first player in the league's very brief history to total at least 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
That figure would remain the league standard until Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch racked up 1,495 yards for the Rams in 1951.
Interesting enough, the Packers finished 8-2-1 that year but there would be no postseason for "Curly" Lambeau's team. For what it's worth, Hutson was also successful on 33 PAT attempts and totaled four interceptions for 71 yards that season.
8. Jerry Rice, 49ers (1987)
The 1987 NFL season was interrupted by a players' strike, but this was much different than the work stoppage five years earlier in 1982. There were no games in Week 3 and then organizations fielded clubs that featured "replacement players." Slowly but surely, some veterans crossed the picket line (many different) and after three weeks of these contests, things returned to "normal."
Despite finishing with the best record in the NFL that year, the season would not end well for Bill Walsh's San Francisco 49ers. The club finished with a 13-2 mark in the 15-game season but would be stunned by the visiting Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
Wide receiver Jerry Rice did not participate in any of the replacement contests. What he did in a dozen contests was impressive indeed. He finished the year with 65 catches for 1,078 yards and 22 scores. Rice scored at least one touchdown in each game and reached the end zone two or more times in seven of those outings.
Keep in mind that 20 years later, Patriots' wide receiver Randy Moss set a new NFL record for touchdown reception in a season with 23 scoring grabs. What Rice did in just 12 games may not be the league mark but remains oh so very impressive.
7. Calvin Johnson, Lions (2012)
He was the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Former Georgia Tech standout Calvin Johnson was a 6'5", 237-pound target that appeared unstoppable with the Yellow Jackets and the Detroit Lions were hoping those skills would translate for a team that had not had much luck selecting wideouts in the first round recently.
Michigan State's Charles Rogers was the second overall pick in 2003 and played only 15 games in three seasons. A year later, Roy Williams (Texas) went seventh overall and was solid, but he was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2008 season. In 2005, USC's Mike Williams (10th overall) played only two seasons in Detroit and caught two TD passes.
The Lions went back to the well in '07 and finally hit paydirt. Johnson would play nine seasons, catch 731 passes for an impressive 11,619 yards and 83 scores. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro and was part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Off a strong 2011 season that resulted in a rare playoff appearance, the Lions fell to 4-12, losing their final eight games. That didn't stop Johnson from an all-time performance. He caught 122 passes for an NFL-record 1,964 yards. He scored only five touchdowns, but totaled at least 100 yards receiving in 11 of his 16 outings. Unfortunately, his team proved to be very stoppable.
6. Jerry Rice, 49ers (1988)
When it was all said and done, the franchise would hoist a third Lombardi Trophy thanks to a thrilling victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. This did not look like a championship team early on.
To put it kindly, the 1988 San Francisco 49ers spent most of the first three months of the season trying to figure out exactly who they were.
There were questions at quarterback, which was hard to believe considering the team employed two-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana as well as future fellow Hall of Famer Steve Young. Fortunately for whoever played quarterback that year, there was wide receiver Jerry Rice. The offense finally jelled after a bewildering 6-5 start and played its best football when it counted most.
Rice did finish the regular season with 64 catches for 1,306 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging a robust 20.4 yards per grab. However, he was getting ready to light up the defenses of the Vikings, Bears and Bengals in the playoffs.
He caught five passes for 61 yards and three scores vs. Minnesota in the divisional round. Rice totaled five grabs for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC title game win at frigid Soldier Field. Teammate John Taylor wound up catching Joe Montana's game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XXIII. However, Rice would earn game MVP honors with 11 receptions, good for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and one score in the club's 20-16 come-from-behind win over the Bengals.
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (2008)
They were an unlikely Super Bowl participant. The 2008 Arizona Cardinals finished the regular season with a 9-7 record and scored only one more point (427) than they allowed (426). Still, that was good enough to win the NFC West as the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams all finished below the .500 mark and combined for just 13 victories.
There was nothing surprising about wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was enjoying a big year in his fifth NFL campaign. The third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft was in the midst of a season that resulted in a third Pro Bowl invitation and All-Pro accolades.
The former University of Pittsburgh standout finished with 96 receptions, good for what would be a career-high 1,431 yards. He would finish with a dozen TD catches, tied for the league lead with Detroit's Calvin Johnson.
Fitzgerald was just getting warmed up as the Cardinals would be making their first playoff appearance since 1998. The talented performer would put on quite a show during Arizona's four-game postseason run.
Against the Falcons, Panthers, Eagles and Steelers, he finished with a combined 30 grabs for 546 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored at least one touchdown in each of those contests, two of those TDs in the fourth quarter in what would be a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIII.
4. Randy Moss, Patriots (2007)
He began his Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Minnesota Vikings. After seven years with the Purple Gang, wide receiver Randy Moss was sent to the Oakland Raiders. He spent two seasons with the Silver and Black before the New England Patriots acquired him for a fourth-round pick in 2007.
It would be a magical year for Bill Belichick's team, sans the unexpected ending. Led by quarterback Tom Brady and a rejuvenated Moss, the club would finish the regular season with an unprecedented 16-0 win-loss record. They would finish with an amazing point differential of plus-315 after outscoring their foes by a combined 589-274 score.
Brady threw for 4,806 yards would set a new NFL record with 50 touchdown passes. And Moss hauled in nearly half of those scores. He finished the season with 98 receptions for 1,493 yards and an NFL record 23 TD receptions. He reached the end zone in 13 of the team's 16 contests.
Interesting enough, Moss only caught one pass apiece in the Patriots' playoff wins over the Jaguars and Chargers and neither were for touchdowns. He totaled five receptions for 62 yards and a fourth-quarter score in the stunning 17-14 Super Bowl XLII loss to the New York Giants.
3. Jerry Rice, 49ers (1989)
There have been cases made for the 1989 San Francisco 49ers being the best team of the Super Bowl era. They finished the regular season with a 14-2 record and then obliterated the Vikings, Rams and Broncos in the postseason by a combined 126-26 score.
Wide receiver Jerry Rice obviously had a big hand in the club's offensive success, once again under the command of talented coordinator and led by legendary quarterback Joe Montana. The Niners were coming off a Super Bowl XXIII victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, which would be the final game for head coach Bill Walsh.
In stepped promoted defensive coordinator George Seifert/ This would be a very motivated football team determined to become the first repeat NFL champion since the 1978 and '79 Steelers.
Montana (26), Steve Young (8) and Steve Bono (1) combined for 35 touchdown passes that season, and Rice finished with nearly half (17) of those scoring grabs. He also led the team in catches (82) and receiving yards (1, 483) and reached the end zone at least once in 13 of the club's 16 regular-season outings.
Rice totaled 19 grabs for 317 yards and five scores in the playoffs. The includes seven catches for 148 yards and three TDs in the 55-10 victory over Denver in Super Bowl XXIV.
2. Randy Moss, Vikings (1998)
In 1998, Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Randy Moss simply exploded onto the NFL scene. He had dropped to 21st overall in April's draft due to some off the field concerns. However, the only issues that anyone had during his rookie campaign was finding a way to keep him under wraps.
In the club's Week 1 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Moss burned Tony Dungy's defense for four catches, good for 95 yards and a pair of scores. In Week 5 on a Monday night in Green Bay, he pulled down five passes for 190 yards and two more scores in a 37-24 triumph. That victory ended the Packers' 29-game overall winning streak at Lambeau Field.
Moss got better as the season wore on and got plenty of help from a balanced offense that featured stars such as wideout Cris Carter and running back Robert Smith. In a resounding win at Dallas on Thanksgiving Day, Moss burned the Cowboys for three TD receptions that covered 51, 56 and 56 yards, respectively.
The season ended with the young receiver earning Pro Bowl, All-Pro and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Moss finished with 69 catches for 1,313 Yards (19.0 average) and 17 touchdowns. He added 10 receptions for 148 yards and two more scores in the club's playoff split with the Cardinals and Falcons.
1. Cooper Kupp, Rams (2021)
There may be a cry of recency bias here, but it's hard to ignore what an incredible impact wide receiver Cooper Kupp had in one season for Sean McVay's Los Angeles Rams. The 2017 third-round pick from Eastern Washington put up solid numbers in his first four NFL campaigns. He totaled a combined 288 receptions for 3,570 yards and 24 scores in 54 regular-season contests.
Who could have predicted the year he would have in 2021. Kupp played at started all 17 regular-season contests. He led the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and touchdown catches (16). He was a Pro Bowler, an All-Pro and the league's Offensive Player of the Year. That catch number and yardage total are the second-highest single-season totals in NFL history.
But wait, there's more. McVay's team would win the NFC West with a 12-5 record and embark on a four-game postseason trek. Kupp scored at least one touchdown in the wins over the Cardinals, Buccaneers, 49ers and Bengals. He amassed a combined 33 catches for 478 yards and six TDs.
He helped rescue the Rams in the divisional playoffs at Tampa Bay with two huge catches in the final minute to set up a game-winning field goal. He caught both of Matthew Stafford's touchdown passes in the NFC title game victory over the Niners. He hauled in eight passes for 92 yards and two TDs, the second with 1:25 to play, in the 23-20 Super Bowl LVI win over Cincinnati. On a fourth-down play, he ran seven yards to keep the game-winning drive alive and finished the afternoon as the Super Bowl MVP.
When you consider what Kupp did during the regular season and the Rams' four-game postseason run to an NFL title, he makes for a solid choice for the top of this list.