Earlier this month, Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery said the tandem of he and Brandon Marshall were the best duo in all the NFL.
On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley called his team’s collection of wide receivers “as deep of a group” as there is in the NFL.
Haley is referring to the talent up and down the Steelers depth chart, with the top wideouts being Antonio Brown, Lance Moore, Markus Wheaton and rookie Martavis Bryant.
Clearly there’s some confusion as to which wide receiving unit is the best in the NFL. Here are the top 15 corps — based on the top three players on the depth chart — in the league:
1. Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Wes Welker — Denver
No question, Denver’s receiving corps is far and away the most talented and deepest unit in the NFL. We’re not even counting Julius Thomas in this.
2. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Marquess Wilson — Chicago
We know about Marshall and Jeffery, but Wilson has been the rave of the offseason.
3. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin — Green Bay
Nelson continually flies under the radar, while Cobb is among the most dynamic weapons in the league. Expect a breakout campaign out of Boykin as he cracks the starting lineup.
4. DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Andre Roberts — Washington
We forget that Garcon led the NFL with 113 receptions last season, and Jackson is the league’s premier deep threat.
5. Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr. — New York Giants
Randle impressed last season, while Beckham adds a vertical dimension to this up-and-coming Giants receiving corps.
6. Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Ted Ginn — Arizona
Ginn quietly had a strong campaign in Carolina last season, and now provides a quality third option along one of the best duos in the NFL.
7. Marques Colston, Kenny Stills, Brandin Cooks — New Orleans
This is assuming Cooks can live up to the hype, but each member of this trio brings a unique skill-set to the table in an already dangerous offense.
8. T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, Hakeem Nicks — Indianapolis
If Hicks can regain his form, the Colts have a chance to have one of — if not the — league’s top passing attacks.
9. Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews — Philadelphia
While there is no true No. 1 here, the high-flying Eagles passing attack is among the fastest in the NFL.
10. Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas — Atlanta
White and Jones were riddled with injuries the past year, but Douglas stepped in and had a 1,000-yard season in their absence.
11. Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson — San Francisco
The addition of Johnson gives the Niners among the deepest receiver units in the NFL.
12. Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, Louis Murphy — Tampa Bay
We’re assuming Evans is the monster he was at Texas A&M. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins is probably the true third receiver, though.
13. Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse — Seattle
Sidney Rice could crack the top three, but with a healthy Harvin and two young, up-and-coming wideouts in Baldwin and Kearse, Seattle’s passing game is on the rise.
14. Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Kevin Ogletree — Detroit
Megatron and Tate are quite the tandem, but Ogletree and Kris Durham are in the mix to be the No. 3.
15. Antonio Brown, Lance Moore, Markus Wheaton — Pittsburgh
This is assuming Moore has some tread left on his tires and Wheaton can take another step forward in 2014.
