June can be a pretty slow news month for the NFL and that is even truer this offseason without mini-camps and OTAs. So to help pass the time, we are going to look at some of the best overall units in the NFL to see how the Raiders stack up.
Today, we will look at the five best wide receiver corps entering the 2020 season. So without further ado, here is the list:
5. Buffalo Bills – Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley
The only AFC team to appear on the list, the Buffalo Bills have one of the most underrated receiver corps in the NFL. Their top three receivers are all on the smaller side, but each dominates in terms of creating separation.
With the addition of Stefon Diggs this offseason, the Bills finally have a No. 1 receiver on their offense who should pair well with Josh Allen. That move will also help the likes of John Brown and Cole Beasley as they are now each in their proper role.
This unit might not put up the yardage and touchdown totals of other wide receiver corps in the NFL, but they are one of the best-assembled groups in the league given how well they complement one another.
4. Atlanta Falcons – Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage
The Atlanta Falcons are searching for a competent No. 3 receiver entering the 2020 season, but they make our list anyways due to utter dominance of Julio Jones and his Alabama sidekick, Calvin Ridley.
Jones has been the model of consistency in the NFL for six years now. The All-Pro receiver has averaged nearly 1,600 yards per season since 2014 and has shown no signs of slowing down. He is still the active leader in receiving yards per game in NFL history, averaging over 96 yards per contest. The next closest player? Michael Thomas at 87.5
Ridley is starting to come into his own after having back-to-back 800-yard seasons to begin his career. Where Ridley has excelled for the Falcons is in the red zone, scoring 17 touchdowns in only 29 games. That touchdown rate probably isn’t sustainable, but it is encouraging to see that Matt Ryan trusts him in that area of the field.
3. Arizona Cardinals – DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk
Any wide receiver corps with DeAndre Hopkins is worth mentioning, but now that he is in Arizona, the Cardinals climb to No. 3 on our list. In one of the most surprising trades of the offseason, the Cardinals acquired the former Texans receiver for only a second-round pick. Hopkins has made three-straight All-Pro teams, averaging just under 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Hopkins will now be paired with Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, who totaled over 1,500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with Kyler Murray last season. Both players will fit better in their individual roles now that Hopkins is on the roster.
It’s also worth noting that the Cardinals have several other talented receivers on the roster behind their top three, including 2019 draft picks Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler, and KeeSean Johnson. If one of those three players breaks out in 2020, this unit could quickly rise up to No. 1 on this list.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Justin Watson
Much like the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers make the list due to their uber-talented duo of Mike Evans and Chis Godwin.
From the moment Evans entered the NFL, he’s been a star. He has yet to have a season under 1,000 receiving yards and he has scored eight or more touchdowns in four of his six seasons in the NFL. He’s one of the league’s deep-ball receivers, averaging an incredible 15.7 yards per reception throughout his career. It’s going to be fascinating to see how he fits with Tom Brady, who has had his recent struggles throwing the ball down the field.
Somehow, Evans wasn’t the star player in the Buccaneers’ offense last season as Chris Godwin emerged in a big way. The former Penn State receiver set career-highs across the board, catching 86 passes for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns in only 14 games. If he can stay healthy, 1,500 yards and double-digit touchdowns are certainly possible in his fourth season.
The Buccaneers will be searching for a full-time No. 3 receiver this offseason and that job will likely be fought between Justin Watson and Tyler Johnson. Watson has the experience, while Johnson appears to be the more talented receiver. If either of these players can develop into a reliable third option, this unit could easily be No. 1 by the end of the season.
1. Dallas Cowboys – Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb
At No. 1 is the Dallas Cowboys with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb. You can easily make the case that this unit was the best last year as Randall Cobb occupied the slot for Dallas. But this offseason, they replaced Cobb with Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, the nation’s top receiver in college football.
The No. 1 receiver in this offense is Amari Cooper, who has been a superstar since joining the Cowboys. In his 25 games with Dallas, Cooper has caught 132 passes for 1,914 yards and 14 touchdowns despite dealing with a foot injury for most of the 2019 season. At just 26-years old, Cooper is still in his prime and among the top-10 receivers in all of the NFL.
One of the biggest surprises from last season was just how quickly Michael Gallup developed for the Cowboys. Despite missing two games with a meniscus injury, Gallup still totaled 1,100 yards and six touchdowns as the team’s X receiver. Entering Year 3, Gallup is set to make another leap in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
And then there is CeeDee Lamb, who might just be the league’s most overqualified third receiver. Lamb was dominant at Oklahoma, totaling nearly 3,300 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns in three seasons. He’s a physical receiver who wins after the catch and in the air. Given his skill set, it wouldn’t be a shock if he led the Cowboys in touchdown receptions as a rookie. It’s an incredibly deep and talented unit with three potential No. 1 receivers on the roster.
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