Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
As NFL offenses continue to evolve year-over-year, the passing game continues to become more and more prominent. Because of this, guys on the receiving end of those passes have become increasingly valuable. Wide receivers are one of the game’s highest paid positions, and the tight ends we consider to be the best in the game are those who haul in the most passes rather than those who serve as great blockers.
Debating the top group of pass catchers in the league is a conversation that can get a little heated when you bring it up with your fellow football fans. There’s no formula that makes this an easy, clear cut task, and numerous variables need to be considered when ranking teams because everyone has a different perception of what’s valuable.
Would you rather have a dominant No. 1 option with a few replacement level players alongside him?
Or is it better to have multiple good, but not great, options that provide you with depth and versatility rather than star power?
There are a small handful of teams fortunate enough to have both, and they find themselves at the top of these rankings. Of course there’s also the flipside where teams have neither a true star, nor a an abundance of depth – those teams find themselves at the bottom of the barrel, and face an uphill battle to make a deep playoff run this upcoming season.
Worth noting before we dive in, this list includes both WRs and TEs, but RBs did not have any influence over where teams were ranked (more on them in the backfield rankings).
Check out our offseason pass-catcher unit rankings.
2024 NFL Pass-Catcher Rankings — Midseason Update
1. Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown has missed some time this year, but when he’s played, he’s been as good as any pass catcher in the league. Brown is an alpha receiver who you simply cannot leave single covered, but the other fantastic options around him mean sometimes defenses have no choice. Both DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are fantastic playmakers in their own right. The depth and star power of that trio makes Philadelphia home to the scariest group of pass catchers in the entire NFL.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals being one of the top units on this list shouldn’t surprise anyone. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are among the best 1-2 punches in the league, with Chase being in the top tier of pass catchers overall. In addition to these two, Cincinnati has gotten some surprising production out of their tight end room this year as well. Veteran journeyman Mike Gesicki has found some new life as a solid chain mover in this offense.
3. Detroit Lions
The Lions entered the season with a great group of pass catchers, and that wasn’t even really counting for the Jameson Williams breakout. After a roller coaster start to his career, Williams has really found his groove as an outstanding deep threat in Detroit. He’s the exact missing element this Lions passing attack needed, and he serves as the perfect complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta – two guys who were already known as some of the best pass catchers at their positions.
4. Minnesota Vikings
When talking about the Vikings pass catchers, Justin Jefferson is the obvious place to start. He’s arguably the league’s best receiver and one of the best overall players as well. Even with Jefferson’s stardom though, Minnesota isn’t a one-man show. Jordan Addison has had a solid season and looks to be living up to his first-round draft capital. Throw in a return from injury for T.J. Hockenson, and the Vikings core trio of pass catchers is one of the best in the business.
5. Miami Dolphins
It could have been easy to forget how dominant this Miami pass-catching group is due to the lack of production with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined. Still, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle form unquestionably one of the scariest WR tandems in the entire NFL. Blazing speed is the signature calling card for both of these star pass catchers, but they both possess extremely well-rounded games as well. Simply put, Miami’s pass-catching duo is a big play waiting to happen.
6. Seattle Seahawks
The Jaxon Smith-Njigba breakout may finally be happening. The second-year receiver has been inconsistent to start his career, but a monstrous 180-yard, 2-TD performance against the Rams is exactly what Seahawks fans have been waiting for from the first-round receiver. He and DK Metcalf are perfect complements to one another, and JSN’s emergence allows Tyler Lockett to slot down into the No. 3 role in this offense where he’s a better fit at this stage of his career.
7. Chicago Bears
The Bears; pass-catching group hasn’t quite lived up to their lofty preseason expectations, but that doesn’t make them a lackluster group. DJ Moore hasn’t dominated like he did in 2023, but he’s still a legit WR1 who you can build an offense around. Rome Odunze has shown the flashes that have made him a top-10 pick, and he seems to be improving with each passing week. Unfortunately, Keenan Allen looks like his best days are behind him, but if nothing else, he’s one of the better No. 3 options in the league.
8. New York Jets
The Jets’ offense hasn’t quite popped like many thought it would following the acquisition of Davante Adams Still, there’s no denying Adams and Garrett Wilson have the star power to keep opposing defenses up at night. Both are legitimate No. 1 receivers who can beat defenses in any area of the field. If these two start to click as the season progresses, this duo could make New York home to the most unrecoverable group of pass catchers in the entire league.
9. Los Angeles Rams
After some injuries decimated the Rams pass-catcher room to start the season, we’re once again seeing how dominant the Cooper Kupp/Puka Nacua 1-2 punch can be. Both pass catchers are trusted targets for Matthew Stafford, and they’re about as reliable as it gets at the WR position. There’s not another true needle mover in this pass catching room out of those two, but Nacua and Kupp alone are more than enough for the Rams to crack the top 10.
10. San Francisco 49ers
It’s tough seeing the 49ers fall down this list after claiming the top spot in the offseason. Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you lose a star receiver (Brandon Aiyuk) for the remainder of the season. Even with Aiyuk out though, San Francisco won’t be lacking pass-catching weapons. Deebo Samuel Sr. remains one of the most dangerous players with the ball in his hands, and George Kittle is emerging as possibly the game’s best tight end. This group isn’t the absolute juggernaut it once was, but they’re still a top-10 unit.
11. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have one of the more unique pass-catching units in the entire league. For a while, Mark Andrews has headlined the unit at the tight end position, and in recent weeks, he’s really started to find his groove. Another tight end, Isaiah Likely, makes defenses sweat as well when Baltimore runs 12 personnel. The biggest change for this group in 2024 has been the emergence of their WR room. Zay Flowers appears to be truly breaking out, and the recent addition of Diontae Johnson has this room ready to elevate to yet another level.
12. Houston Texans
Losing Stefon Diggs for the year was a brutal blow for Houston, but it looks like Nico Collins should be returning soon to help fill the void in a major way. Prior to his own injury, Collins was looking like one of the game’s very best receivers. He and C.J. Stroud have an unbelievable connection, and it looks as though they’ll be a lethal combination for years to come. Outside of Collins, Tank Dell has proven capable of being a great No. 2 option, even though he hasn’t flashed as much this year as he did during his rookie season.
13. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta has invested a significant amount in their pass-catching group in recent years, and we’re starting to see that pay off. Drake London has the look of a true No. 1 receiver, Kyle Pitts is producing once again, and even Darnell Mooney looks like a fantastic deep threat in this offense. It took some time for this group to come together, but it finally looks like things are clicking in Atlanta’s pass-catching room.
14. Green Bay Packers
The Packers have the youngest pass-catching room in the entire league. We’ve seen some growing pains from this unit, but for the most part, they’ve looked great and collectively make up a very well-rounded unit. Second-year receiver Jayden Reed has broken out and stepped nicely into the WR1 role. Another key breakout has come from yet another second-year player in Tucker Kraft, who’s quietly evolving into one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the league. Other guys like Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Luke Musgrave provide Jordan Love with plenty of other options to round things out as well.
15. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys passing game, and really their offense as a whole, is very CeeDee Lamb-centric. Lamb is unquestionably one of the best receivers in the entire league, but Dallas hasn’t done a ton to surround him with complementary weapons. Tight end Jake Ferguson has been the next most reliable pass catcher in Dallas, but he’s not exactly someone defenses need to game plan around. Secondary players like Jalen Brooks, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin have made a few plays here and there, and now Jonathan Mingo is around, but there’s no one there who is a legit No. 2 option in an offense that wants to throw as much as Dallas does.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Without Chris Godwin in the mix, the Buccaneers take a significant tumble down the list. They go from being home to one of the better pass-catching units in the league to being a middle-of-the-pack unit. Even with Godwin sidelined, though, if Mike Evans can return to form once he’s healthy, he’s talented enough to elevate the entire unit. He’s a surefire Hall of Famer, and his presence alone can keep the Tampa Bay passing game humming.
17. Buffalo Bills
Moving on from Stefon Diggs this offseason had many believing the Bills were taking a different approach at the pass-catcher group this year. Despite that maneuver, it didn’t take long for Buffalo’s brass to realize an alpha WR1 was a key piece of this offense. They filled that void midseason by trading for Amari Cooper, who for the first time in a while finds himself in a high-octane passing attack. Cooper’s presence allows guys like Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid to bump down the pecking order into roles that are a better fit for their skill sets.
18. Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman Jr. hasn’t been quite as impressive as he was in 2023. Despite this, the Colts are still moving slightly up these rankings because their secondary pass catchers have stepped things up. Josh Downs in particular has become a real factor in the passing game, and he’s starting to look more and more like a legit No. 2 option in the slot. In addition to Downs, Alec Pierce has been effective in his role as a field stretching deep threat, and rookie Adonai Mitchell has shown some flashes as well.
19. Kansas City Chiefs
The acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins was one of the splashier moves near the trade deadline, and it gives Patrick Mahomes the WR1 he sorely needed after losing Rashee Rice for the season. While Hopkins is no longer in the prime of his career, he’s still more than capable of dominating at the X position. On top of that, his presence will really open up space for Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy to operate with much more breathing room – a scary thought for opposing defenses.
20. Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn’t come in and stolen the show like many expected he would right out of the gates. Still, it’s clear Arizona’s rookie WR1 has what it takes to one day turn into an elite option, even if it’s taking a little longer than expected. Outside of Harrison, Trey McBride has continued to prove that he’s one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the league, and he only continues improving. There’s not another huge name outside of these two, but the way Harrison has stepped into the WR1 role has allowed guys like Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch to bump into WR2 and WR3 spots respectively where they’re better natural fits.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite being the fourth receiver drafted in 2024, Brian Thomas Jr. has arguably been the most impressive. The LSU product wasted no time bursting onto the scene, and he quickly became Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target. The second-best pass catcher in Jacksonville is Evan Engram, who continues to do a fine job as a receiving threat at tight end. A season-ending injury to Christian Kirk definitely knocked Jacksonville down a few spots in these rankings, though.
22. New York Giants
Malik Nabers started his Giants career on an absolute heater. In recent weeks, he’s slowed down a bit as defenses have sold out to shut him down. Still, even though the numbers haven’t been as eye popping lately, Nabers’ presence strikes fear in opposing defenses, and he unlocks another layer of this Giants offense. There’s not a ton else to get excited about outside of Nabers, but Wan’Dale Robinson has become a reliable underneath option, and Darius Slayton continues playing well as the Giants primary deep threat.
23. Washington Commanders
The emergence of Jayden Daniels has helped elevate a decent amount of the pass catchers in Washington. Most notably, Terry McLaurin is looking like the WR1 he’s shown flashes of being in year’s past. Outside of McLaurin though, there aren’t many needle movers in Washington’s pass catching group. Noah Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus are veteran journeymen, and Zach Ertz is well past his prime at the tight end position.
24. New Orleans Saints
The Saints’ pass-catching room is obviously headlined by Chris Olave, a legit No. 1 receiver who can play a wide range of roles in an offense. This year though, we’ve really seen Rashid Shaheed step up as a legitimate second option who can really take the top off the offense. Outside of these two, there’s not a real needle mover, but Taysom Hill always adds a fun element to the Saints passing attack that’s at least worth a mention due to his extreme versatility.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers made it well known that they were shopping for an additional pass catcher this season. Unfortunately, I don’t think Mike Williams is what many fans had in mind when they finally made a move. Williams has been a fine player throughout his career, but things never looked great for him in New York, and it makes you wonder if the laundry list of injuries have finally caught up to him. If nothing else, Pittsburgh will still have a respectable 1-2 punch with George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth, but it does feel as though this offense needs another high-caliber weapon.
26. Tennessee Titans
Entering the season, it was clear the Titans wanted to give Will Levis a robust group of pass catchers around him. Offloading DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City not long ago meant they abandoned those plans fairly quickly. Yes, Calvin Ridley is still there, and he can operate as a serviceable No. 1 option, but he’s far from an NFL team’s top choice to fill that role. Outside of Ridley, there’s not really another name to get excited about in Tennessee’s pass-catching room.
27. Las Vegas Raiders
Trading away Davante Adams is obviously going to have a massive negative impact on your pass-catching room. Adams’ departure has elevated Jakobi Meyers to the No. 1 receiver role in Vegas, but in reality, the passing game runs through rookie tight end Brock Bowers – arguably the best tight end in college football history. Bowers has been a sensation immediately upon arrival, but it’s still hard for any tight end, let alone a rookie, to carry an entire passing offense.
28. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ young group of pass catchers are doing one thing no one thought they would do entering the season – show signs of optimism. Rookie Ladd McConkey has looked like a legit option right out of the gates, and Jim Harbaugh and company are even finding a way to get some decent production out of Quentin Johnston. Still, even though this group is showing signs of optimism, they’re still far from being one of the better units in the league.
29. Cleveland Browns
After trading away Amari Cooper, the Browns all but mailed it in on the season, and their pass-catching group took a major dip as a result. David Njoku is probably this group’s best option, but he’s not exactly what NFL teams are looking for in their No. 1 option. Outside of Njoku, there are a few guys who have some flashy name appeal in Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman has definitely been on the rise, but there’s more hype in this unit than there is production.
30. Carolina Panthers
After trading away Diontae Johnson, the Panthers essentially waved the white flag on the season. Johnson was their clear best pass catcher, and the rest of the group is made up of younger players who haven’t had a chance to tap into their upside yet. First-round rookie Xavier Legette has shown flashes of upside, but not enough to put Carolina any higher on this list. There is some hope Adam Thielen will return from injury and give this entire group a bump, but banking on the 34-year-old wideout to be a significant factor in this passing game says a lot on its own.
31. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have outperformed relative to expectations this year, but it hasn’t been due to their pass catchers. Denver’s best receiving option remains Courtland Sutton, but he’s far from the alpha that NFL team’s want leading their receiving unit. Outside of Sutton, the Broncos have invested in some younger guys like Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr., but none of them have really popped quite yet. There’s not a ton of production coming from the tight end room either, and this entire pass-catching unit has a ways to go if they want to help elevate Bo Nix.
32. New England Patriots
Surrounding your franchise quarterback with the worst pass-catching group in the league isn’t a great strategy. Despite this, Drake Maye’s pass catchers aren’t doing him any help. As it currently stands, journeyman tight end Hunter Henry is New England’s most reliable pass catcher, and hat’s simply not going to cut it. Outside of Henry, there are a bunch of guys who would be at best a No. 3 option on numerous other teams in the league.
