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NFL Power Rankings: 25 Greatest Wide Receivers Since 2000 Read the NFL Power Rankings: 25 Greatest Wide Receivers Since 2000. Who were the best WRs since 2000
NFL Power Rankings: 25 Greatest Wide Receivers Since 2000
Over the past 25 years, we have seen several elite wide receivers play in the NFL. Many of these names have already had their name added to the Hall of Fame, and several are well on the way to joining them. Let’s take a look at the top 25 wide receivers since 2000.
No. 25: Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman was Tom Brady’s No. 2 pass-catcher during their dynasty in the 2010s. While Rob Gronkowski often stole the spotlight, Edelman was very productive when given the ball, especially in the postseason. He posted three 1,000-yard campaigns and scored at least six touchdowns in four seasons. He led four postseasons in receptions and three in yards. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and a Super Bowl MVP.
No. 24: Brandon Marshall
While Brandon Marshall does have the Super Bowl rings like Edelman, he was a much more productive player in the regular season. During his 13-year career, Marshall was a six-time Pro Bowler and was named first-team All-Pro in the 2012 season. During this season, Marshall caught a career-high 1,508 yards and added 11 scores. He spent most of his prime with the Bears, where he made the Pro Bowl in two of his three campaigns.
No. 23: Wes Welker
Wes Welker played a lead role in the New England passing attack during the first half of their dynasty in the 2000s. Welker spent six of his 12 seasons with the Patriots. In New England, Welker caught at least 100 passes in all but one season. He led the NFL in receptions three times during this stretch and was named first-team All-Pro twice. In addition, he was a five-time Pro Bowler and played in three Super Bowls, but did not win any.
No. 22: Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas had a brief period of dominance in the NFL, but was widely regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the league. After starting just 12 games in his rookie season, Thomas would go on to make the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons. In 2018 and 2019, Thomas was named first-team All-Pro and led the NFL in receptions. In 2019, Thomas had one of the best single-seasons by a wide receiver as he tallied 1,725 yards on 149 receptions. He was named Offensive Player of the Year that season, and both totals led the NFL.
No. 21: CeeDee Lamb
After a modest rookie season, CeeDee Lamb has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. Since 2021, Lamb has averaged 1,351 receiving yards per season and scored 33 total touchdowns. During these four years, he has made four Pro Bowls, been named second-team All-Pro twice, and first-team All-Pro once. In 2023, Lamb finished third in Offensive Player of the Year and led the league in receptions (135). While he took a slight step in 2024, he is primed to bounce back in 2025 with Dak Prescott fully healthy.
No. 20: Keenan Allen
While Keenan Allen has battled injuries throughout his career, when he is on the field, he has been one of the most reliable slot wide receivers in the league over the past 10 seasons. As a rookie in 2013, Allen finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting as he totaled 1,046 yards on 71 receptions. From 2017 through 2021, Allen made the Pro Bowl each season and was named Comeback Player of the Year in 2017. During these five seasons, Allen averaged an impressive 102 catches per season with 1,184 average yards.
No. 19: Chad Johnson
Chad Johnson was one of the most productive wide receivers of the early 2000s. From 2002 through 2007, Johnson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each campaign and made the Pro Bowl in all but one season. During this stretch, he was named first-team All-Pro twice and second-team All-Pro once. He averaged an impressive 1,339 yards per season and found the back of the end zone 48 times. During his final four seasons, he made two Pro Bowls but would eclipse the century mark once.
No. 18: Ja'Marr Chase
Ja’Marr Chase wasted little time making an impact at the professional level. After being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase was named Offensive Rookie of the Year as he tallied 1,455 yards with 13 touchdowns. In 2022 and 2023, Chase would be named to the Pro Bowl each campaign and average 1,131 yards with eight scores. In 2024, Chase enjoyed a career season, as he won the Triple Crown and was awarded first-team All-Pro honors.
No. 17: Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson comes in just above his fellow LSU teammate. Similar to Chase, Jefferson made an immediate impact since joining the NFL. As a rookie, Jefferson tallied 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and was named second-team All-Pro. As a sophomore, he was named second-team All-Pro once again and tallied 1,616 yards. In his third season, Jefferson took the next step forward in his development as he led the league with 1,809 yards and was named Offensive Player of the Year. In 2024, Jefferson earned his second first-team All-Pro nomination.
No. 16: Tyreek Hill
Among the players on this list, Tyreek Hill is potentially the most outstanding playmaker. Throughout his nine-year NFL career (and counting), Hill has flashed elite speed. He began his career as a special-teams player and was one of the best punt returners in the sport. In 2018, Hill began working full-time as a receiver and has yet to look back. Since 2018, Hill has been named to four first-team All-Pro rosters and averaged an impressive 1,332 yards per season. He posted a stellar 14.1 YPR over these seven years.
No. 15: Hines Ward
The two-time Super Bowl champion comes in at the No. 15 spot on this list. While Ward was not the elite playmaker as the previous names were, Ward was a consistent leader in the Pittsburgh passing attack for 14 years. Ward was a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams (Super Bowl XL MVP) and was named to four Pro Bowls. Ward was also a four-time second-team All-Pro nominee and was able to eclipse the century mark six times in his career.
No. 14: Torry Holt
Torry Holt was the top pass-catcher in The Greatest Show on Turf. Holt spent 10 of his 11 seasons with the Rams. After a modest rookie campaign where he tallied just 788 yards, Holt went on to post eight-straight campaigns tallying over 1,100 yards. During this stretch, Holt led the league in yards twice and was a six-time Pro Bowler. He was also a Super Bowl champion. After his career, Holt was named to the All-2000s Hall of Fame team.
No. 13: Mike Evans
Mike Evans has been the definition of consistency during his 11-year NFL career. During each of his seasons, Evans has eclipsed the century mark and has found the back of the end zone 105 times. Evans has been named to six Pro Bowls and was a Super Bowl champion. He was able to eclipse the double-digit touchdown mark in six seasons and even led the league in receiving scores in 2023.
No. 12: Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison would be much higher on this list, but he enjoyed one of his most successful seasons in 1999. However, Harrison was still an elite pass catcher in the 2000s. From 2000 through 2006, Harrison made the Pro Bowl in each campaign and was named second-team All-Pro five times and first-team All-Pro twice. During this stretch, Peyton Manning’s pass catcher led the league in yards once and receiving scores once.
No. 11: Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin emerged as one of the league’s top wideouts as a rookie. During his debut season, Boldin was named Offensive Rookie of the Year as he tallied 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns. Throughout his 14-year career, Boldin was a consistent option, playing primarily with the Cardinals and 49ers. He was named to three Pro Bowls and was a Super Bowl champion. Since 2000, Boldin’s 13,779 yards are the fifth-most among pass catchers.
No. 10: Davante Adams
Davante Adams had a slow start to his career but emerged as one of the top pass catchers in football. From 2016 through 2024, Adams has averaged a strong 1,213 yards per season and scored 99 total touchdowns. In this stretch, Adams was an end-first-team All-Pro in three straight campaigns (2020-2022) and was named to six Pro Bowls. He led the NFL in receiving scores twice and tallied at least double-digit touchdowns in six campaigns.
No. 9: DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre sits with the ninth-most receiving yards (among all pass-catchers) since 2000 and seventh-most among all wide receivers. From 2017 through 2019, Hopkins was named first-team All-Pro in each campaign. During this stretch, Hopkins tallied 4,115 yards and scored 31 touchdowns. Throughout his 12-year career, Hopkins has been named to five Pro Bowls and caught at least 100 passes in four seasons.
No. 8: Andre Johnson
The Hall of Famer comes in at the No. 8 spot on the list. Johnson spent all but two of his 14 seasons with the Houston Texans. Johnson was named to seven Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro twice. During 2008 and 2009, Johnson led the league in receiving yards in each campaign and found the back of the end zone 17 times. He also led the league in receptions twice and yards per game three times.
No. 7: Steve Smith Sr.
While Steve Smith did not have many truly dominant seasons, he remained one of the most productive wide receivers during this era. Among all pass-catchers since 2000, Smith sits with the second-most receiving yards. He enjoyed his best campaign in 2005, when he was named first-team All-Pro and Comeback Player of the Year. In this season, he led the league with 1,563 and 12 scores. He eclipsed the century mark eight times and was named to five Pro Bowls.
No. 6: Reggie Wayne
Similar to Smith, while Reggie Wayne did not have my record-breaking seasons, he remained an elite wide receiver for over a decade. Operating as Peyton Manning’s go-to pass catcher, Wayne totaled 14,3445 yards across 14 seasons. Wayne was named to six Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro once. In 2007, Wayne enjoyed his best season, as he led the league in yards (1,510). He was also a Super Bowl champion.
No. 5: Julio Jones
Julio Jones headlines the top-5. Jones spent 10 of his 13 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. With the Falcons, Jones totaled 12,896 yards with 60 touchdowns. During these 10 years, Jones was named first-team All-Pro twice and second-team All-Pro three times. He led the league in receiving yards twice (2015, 2018) and led the league in yards per game three times. He was also named to the All-2010s Hall of Fame Team and sits with the sixth-most yards among wideouts during these 25 years.
No. 4: Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown had one of the most dominant stretches among wide receivers during these 25 years. From 2013 through 2018, Brown was viewed as not only one of the best wide receivers but also one of the best players in the sport. During these six seasons, Brown averaged a stellar 1,524 yards per season and found the back of the end zone 67 times. He was named first-team All-Pro in four of these seasons and was later named to the All-2010s Hall of Fame roster.
No. 3: Larry Fitzgerald
Even though Larry Fitzgerald holds the most receiving yards since 2000, he comes in at the No. 3 spot on this list, as he did not enjoy as many dominant campaigns as the top two wideouts. However, Fitzgerald was the definition of consistency throughout his NFL career. During his 17 NFL seasons, Fitzgerald was an 11-time Pro Bowler and was named second-team All-Pro twice and first-team All-Pro once. He tallied at least 100 receptions in five seasons and totaled over 1,000 yards in nine seasons
No. 2: Calvin Johnson
Even though Calvin Johnson only played in nine NFL seasons, he was on pace to be one of the greatest wide receivers in league history. Johnson was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame and totaled 11,619 yards during his career. Across nine seasons, Megatron was named first-team All-Pro three times and made six Pro Bowls. In 2012, he enjoyed one of the best seasons by a wideout during this span as he caught 122 passes for 1,964 yards, both of which led the league.
No. 1: Randy Moss
Without a doubt, one of the best players in league history owns the top spot on this list. Even though Moss posted one of his best seasons as a rookie in 1998, Moss still holds the top spot. From 2000 through 2009, Moss led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times and averaged 1,174 yards per season. During this dominant stretch, he was named first-team All-Pro three times and was named to four Pro Bowls. In 2007, Moss caught an incredible 23 touchdowns playing on one of the best teams in NFL history.
