NFL Pass-Catcher Unit Rankings 2023

Our positional rankings series continues at FTN Fantasy with a look at the best pass-catching groups in the NFL. Keep in mind that when compiling these rankings, I am considering running backs and tight ends, too, not strictly the wide receiver position. That certainly changes some things.

Let’s go.

Follow along with our whole position group rankings series: Quarterback | Backfield | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Linebacker | Secondary | Special Teams

2023 NFL Pass-Catcher Unit Rankings

Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their pass-catching unit shapes up for 2023.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Core: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet

The Seahawks already had one of the top wide receiver duos with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but their passing game was super concentrated. This past season, Metcalf and Lockett accounted for nearly 47% of Seattle’s targets, 44% of the receptions and 49% of the receiving yards. However, after that, there wasn’t much, as Marquise Goodwin was the team’s slot wideout, catching just 27 passes. Because Seattle didn’t have much after Metcalf and Lockett, they didn’t run a lot of three-wide sets, operating out of 11 personnel just 31% of the time last season, 22nd in the league. That could change after the team selected Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round of the NFL Draft. He’s an elite slot wide receiver with a tremendous feel for zone coverage, making him an absolutely perfect fit alongside Metcalf and Lockett. And don’t look now, but Seattle has suddenly transformed into a more pass-happy offense, climbing from a 48% pass rate on early downs in 2021 to 59% in 2022.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Core: Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle

Staying in the NFC West, you have to have San Francisco toward the top of this list. A trio of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle alone is good, but adding one of the best pass-catching (and overall) running backs in the league takes this unit over the top. We know what Samuel and Kittle can do, especially after the catch, but I think Aiyuk is still a vastly underrated wide receiver. He has some of the best route-running/defender manipulation skills in all of football, allowing him to get open against man coverage. Per FTN Data, Aiyuk posted a 26.3% target share against man coverage. Kittle, meanwhile, can stretch the field and is one of the best players in all of football after the catch, which can also be said for Samuel. And while he won’t catch more than 15 passes this season, Kyle Juszczyk is one of the few fullbacks who runs legit routes and can play all over the formation, lining up out wide 19% of the time last season. Simply put, the 49ers are loaded.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Core: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, D’Andre Swift

Between A.J. Brown’s arrival and DeVonta Smith’s breakout sophomore season, the Eagles now have one of the top wideout tandems in football. In his first season in Philadelphia, Brown caught 88 passes for nearly 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Smith hauled in 95 passes for 1,200 yards and seven scores. Brown finished with 24 created receptions, per FTN Fantasy, which are essentially catches that require tremendous body control, hands, footwork, etc. Brown and Smith both win at all three levels of the field and while the Eagles don’t have a consistent WR3 in their offense, they do have a top-five tight end in Dallas Goedert, who has ranked top-five in both yards after the catch per target and yards per route run in each of the last two seasons. Finally, although the Eagles ranked towards the bottom of the league in running back target share, they still have Kenneth Gainwell and now D’Andre Swift, two of the best pass-catching running backs in the league.

4. Los Angeles Chargers

Core: Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles dealt with so many injuries last season. Keenan Allen missed seven games, while Mike Williams missed four. The duo only played five full games together. But if they can stay healthy, look out. We know Austin Ekeler is arguably the best receiving running back in the league, while the Chargers also drafted TCU’s Quentin Johnston in the first round. He will add an element this offense has been missing for a while — speed. Johnson has a tremendous combination of size and speed with elite after the catch ability, averaging 8.9 yards after the catch per reception last season, the 10th-best mark in college football. Hell, Joshua Palmer is probably the best WR4 in the league, too. With Kellen Moore now calling plays, I am excited to see him unlock this offense by letting Justin Herbert throw down the field more to these tremendous pass-catchers. 

5. Miami Dolphins

Core: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle

If Miami had more at tight end, WR3 or WR4, they would easily be at the top of this list. But after Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, we are looking at Braxton Berrios, Durham Smythe and Chosen Anderson. Of course, Hill and Waddle are probably the best duo in all of football, which is enough to have them fifth. In Hill’s first season with the Dolphins, he set career-highs in targets (170), receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,710). His 30% target share was also the highest of his career, as he thrived in Mike McDaniel’s offense that used pre-snap motion a league-high 67% of the time. Waddle, meanwhile, quietly caught 75 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns, as his role changed from his rookie year to sophomore season. In 2021, Waddle was the focal point of the offense but was rarely used down the field, sporting an aDOT of 7.0 yards). However, with McDaniel coming in, Waddle’s aDOT climbed to 12.1. He averaged 11.3 yards before the catch per reception last year (eighth), way up from his 5.5 mark in his rookie season. Hill and Waddle both finished as top-eight fantasy wide receivers last year and could easily do it again in 2023.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

Core: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Irv Smith

The Bengals have arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league, so they have to be inside the top six here. Ja’Marr Chase is one of the best wideouts in the NFL, while Tee Higgins would be the WR1 on many teams. Tyler Boyd’s production has taken a hit when Higgins and Chase have been healthy, but he’s a very reliable target out of the slot. Anything the Bengals might get from Irv Smith would be a bonus but in an offense that sees a ton of zone coverage, Smith could make plays down the seam for Joe Burrow.

7. Minnesota Vikings

Core: Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn

When you have the best wide receiver in the league, you are probably going to be high on this list. Justin Jefferson is off to a legendary start to his career, recording the most receiving yards by a player in their first three seasons with 4,825. He leads all wideouts in both fantasy points and receiving yards over the last two seasons and should continue to dominate. The Vikings traded for T.J. Hockenson midway through the season, and he made an immediate impact. From his Vikings debut (Week 9) on, Hockenson ranked third among tight ends in fantasy points, second in receptions (60), second in targets (81), second in yards (519) and third in targets share (22%). 

According to FTN Data, Jefferson saw the fifth-most targets against double coverage in 2022 (22) and as the season progressed, would see a ton of bracket coverage from opposing defenses. Adam Thielen saw 107 targets last season (28th among wideouts) but was incredibly inefficient, sporting the 16th-lowest yards per route run among qualified wide receivers (1.06), while also ranking outside the top-50 in both fantasy points per route and target. Jordan Addison could post top-30 stats if he sees similar volume during his first season.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

Core: Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram

Jacksonville’s passing offense took a huge step forward last season, and now they add Calvin Ridley. He hasn’t played in about two years, but I still believe he’s one of the best route-running wideouts in the league. Christian Kirk was fantastic last season, while Zay Jones posted a career-best season in his first year with the Jaguars. He finished top-10 in end zone targets (12), while Kirk was used all over the formation, whether it be from the slot, in motion or even in the backfield. Finally, Evan Engram bounced back in a huge way last season, catching 73 passes for 766 yards and four touchdowns, finishing as the TE5 in fantasy.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Core: Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Russell Gage

This offense could certainly take a step back with Tom Brady gone, but they still have one of the best wideout duos in the league in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Godwin mostly played the slot and was fed screen targets, as he easily paced the league in targets, receptions and yards off screen passes. But don’t forget that when he entered the NFL, he showed the ability to play outside and win down the field. Evans, meanwhile, has recorded at least 1,000 yards in all nine seasons of his career. Rachaad White wasn’t very efficient on the ground but was outstanding in the passing game in college and that translated to the NFL, ranking 11th among running backs in receptions (50).

10. Pittsburgh Steelers

Core: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris

Yes, the Steelers round out my top-10 pass-catching groups. Diontae Johnson somehow failed to score a touchdown on 147 targets, but he’s still fantastic at creating separation and getting open. In fact, according to FTN Data, Johnson led the entire league in target share against man coverage (36%). And while George Pickens doesn’t get open as easily as Johnson does, he showed serious signs during his rookie season. Pickens was more productive with the rookie under center, as Pickett gave him more opportunities down the field. In 13 games alongside Pickett, Pickens averaged nearly two more receptions, 23 more receiving yards and 6.5 more PPR points per game. If you look at the 13 games where Pickett was under center, Pickens was eighth among all wideouts in deep targets with 20 and over the course of the season, his 15.6-yard aDOT was the ninth highest among qualified wide receivers. Pickens also demonstrated tremendous contested-catch ability, hauling in 19-of-28 contested catch opportunities (67.9%). And per PlayerProfiler, Pickens ranked 18th in fantasy points per target (1.96) and 15th in QB rating per target (108.0).

11. Washington Commanders

Core: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel

Despite playing with eight different quarterbacks in his career, Terry McLaurin just continues to produce. He caught 77 passes for 1,191 yards and five touchdowns last year, while ranking sixth in the league in yards per target (9.9). I truly believe he is one of the 15 best wide receivers in the NFL, while Jahan Dotson is an ascending talent. Dotson showed plenty of flashes as a rookie. Through the first four weeks, he scored four touchdowns, seeing four end zone targets during that span. He unfortunately suffered an injury and didn’t play until Week 10. Dotson closed the season with three games of 70-plus yards over his final five, scoring three times during that stretch. According to FTN Data, Dotson led all wideouts with at least 50 routes against man coverage in fantasy points per target against man coverage (2.5), as he caught 50% of his contested targets.

12. New Orleans Saints

Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara

Admittedly, this might be too high. But if the Saints can get Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara on the field together, that is probably a top-10 pass-catching core. Olave was great as a rookie, catching 72 passes for over 1,000 yards and four touchdowns. Per FTN Fantasy, Olave led all wide receivers in air yards per route run (4.0). And while he only played three games, Thomas looked good last year, catching 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came against A.J. Terrell. It seems unlikely this trio plays together for more than eight games, but I cannot overlook the upside.

13. Denver Broncos

Core: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Marvin Mims, Greg Dulcich

Yes, Denver legitimately had the worst offense in football last year. But I think that had more to do with scheme and game plan, not so much talent. Jerry Jeudy took a huge step forward in his third season, catching 67 passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns. He wasn’t very efficient in 2021, but that changed last year, as Jeudy ranked ninth in yards per target (9.7), while crushing man coverage. Per FTN Data, Jeudy averaged 3.61 yards per route run against man coverage, the third-highest mark among qualified wideouts. 

14. Buffalo Bills

Core: Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, James Cook

Because Stefon Diggs is one of the best wideouts in football, the Bills warrant a top-15 spot, though they have clearly been looking for more help. Gabe Davis didn’t quite have the breakout season we were hoping for last season. He has home run ability but isn’t consistent enough winning against man coverage to be a WR2 for a team. Buffalo drafted Dalton Kincaid in the first round, hoping he can be their Travis Kelce. While I doubt that comes to fruition, Kincaid will give the Bills more production from the slot than they had last year. Diggs was top-five in targets against double coverage last year, according to FTN Data, so someone has to step up. Oh, and if Buffalo adds DeAndre Hopkins, this unit climbs from 14 to first or second.

15. Dallas Cowboys

Core: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Tony Pollard, Michael Gallup

CeeDee Lamb is coming off the best season of his career, and he and Tony Pollard are both good enough for Dallas to be right around the middle of the league. However, there are still some question marks elsewhere. What will Brandin Cooks look like at age 29? Will there be a committee approach at the tight end position? 

16. Cleveland Browns

Core: Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cedric Tillman

All signs point toward Cleveland throwing the ball more this season, and it makes sense. Amari Cooper is the clear alpha in this offense, but I like the overall depth on this team. David Njoku played a larger role in the offense last year, finishing eighth in both receptions and receiving yards among tight ends. He posted a 21% target share in the games with Deshaun Watson and likely remains the second option in the passing game. Cleveland also got some solid production from Donovan Peoples-Jones last year, recording at least 50 receiving yards in nine games. It’ll be interesting to see what Elijah Moore’s usage is on a new team. He still has plenty of talent and I continue to think back to the end of his rookie season. During his final six games of the year, Moore averaged 8.5 targets, 5.6 receptions, 76.5 receiving yards and 18.9 fantasy points per game.

17. Kansas City Chiefs

Core: Travis Kelce, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice

It hasn’t mattered because Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid are amazing, but the Chiefs still have a lot of question marks at wide receiver. Kadarius Toney is an incredible talent and is honestly a perfect fit in Andy Reid’s West Coast offense, as he’s electric after the catch, averaging 4.6 yards after the catch per target so far in his career. Of course, he has struggled to stay on the field, playing just 12 games through his first two seasons. Meanwhile, Skyy Moore played just 27.2% of the offensive snaps in his rookie season and struggled with ball security. Kansas City selected Rashee Rice in the second round of the draft. He has a good combination of size and speed, while possessing really impressive body control, however, his routes could use some work. And just like Buffalo, if DeAndre Hopkins lands in Kansas City, this ranking is obviously far too low. 

18. Baltimore Ravens

Core: Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers

By the end of the year, it would not surprise me if this ranking was too low. However, we just have zero idea what to expect from three members of this core. Odell Beckham hasn’t played since the end of 2021, Rashod Bateman has missed 15 games through two seasons, and Zay Flowers is talented but a rookie. Mark Andrews had a down year in 2022 but Lamar Jackson missed five games, hurting his production. 

19. Detroit Lions

Core: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta

The Lions are very young, but they have a legit star in Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has been one of the most productive wide receivers in football since entering the league in 2021. Jameson Williams only played six games and 74 offensive snaps during his rookie season and is now suspended for six games in 2023. However, when on the field, he gives this offense an incredible vertical target. Detroit drafted Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall this year, who is one of the best pass-catching running backs we have seen in a while. In 31 college contests, Gibbs caught 104 balls for over 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns. He can line up out wide or in the slot against defensive backs, while possessing tremendous hands. 

20. Las Vegas Raiders

Core: Davante Adams Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Mayer

Davante Adams is still one of the five best wideouts in the league, but I don’t love the makeup of this passing game overall. Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow both win in similar areas of the field, which could put more pressure on Adams to make plays down the field, which he did last season with Derek Carr, but it might not be the same offense with (maybe?) Jimmy Garoppolo under center.

21. Chicago Bears

Core: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, Chase Claypool

It’ll be interesting to see how much more the Bears throw the football after trading for DJ Moore. But this unit has clearly improved since the start of last season, going from Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet and Equanimeous St. Brown to Moore, Mooney, Claypool and Kmet. Mooney is a very good player but should not be the WR1 on your team, while Claypool still has upside as a WR3.

22. New York Giants

Core: Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller, Sterling Shepard, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson

The Giants didn’t sign or trade for a bona fide WR1 this offseason, but they added Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt to help Daniel Jones. I was lower on Hyatt during the draft process because a lot of his production at Tennessee came off wide open looks in that spread offense. However, I trust Brian Daboll to put Hyatt in position to succeed. Meanwhile, Waller should bounce back in a huge way. It’ll come down to health for this team, as Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson barely played last year.

23. Atlanta Falcons

Core: Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson

The Falcons are pretty top-heavy, but a young core of London, Pitts and Robinson is pretty fun. In London’s rookie season, he ranked fifth in the league with a 29.4% target share. Pitts’ usage was often frustrating, as he was used as an in-line tight end about five percent more than his rookie season. Pitts also lined up out wide about seven percent less, which is odd considering he led all players in air yards per route run this past season (4.1). Atlanta won’t throw the ball a ton but when they do, they also have Robinson, who averaged nearly 10 yards per target throughout his collegiate career.

24. New York Jets

Core: Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Corey Davis

Garrett Wilson is a rising star in this league. As a rookie, Wilson was the focal point of the Jets passing game, ranking third in the entire NFL in first-read targets with 133. And in the eight games he played without Zach Wilson last year, Wilson was outstanding, averaging 11.2 targets, 6.1 receptions, 81 receiving yards and 17.2 PPR points per game. The Jets added Allen Lazard, who has been a reliable end zone target for Aaron Rodgers, seeing 20 end zone looks over the last two seasons.

25. Green Bay Packers

Core: Christian Watson, Aaron Jones, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed

We obviously know how amazing Christian Watson was down the stretch last season. From Week 10 on, Watson tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns (7) and was the WR10 in fantasy. He averaged 2.37 fantasy points per target against man coverage, the second-most in football and at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds with 4.36 speed, Watson is legitimately one of the most athletic wideouts to ever enter the league. There are still question marks in this passing game, though having Aaron Jones helps. He’s one of the best pass-catching running backs in football with the ability to run routes down the field, not just out of the backfield.

26. Arizona Cardinals

Core: Marquise Brown, James Conner, Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz

DeAndre Hopkins has been released, paving the way for Marquise Brown to operate as Arizona’s WR1. We saw a stretch of him in that role just last season, as Brown played in eight games without Hopkins last season. In those contests, he averaged 9.6 targets, 6.2 receptions, 69.1 receiving yards and 15.4 fantasy points per contest.

27. New England Patriots

Core: Rhamondre Stevenson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Gesicki, Hunter Henry, Tyquan Thornton

New England added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki this offseason, but they still don’t have a game-changing wide receiver or tight end. Perhaps that could be Tyquan Thornton in Year 2, as he has 4.28 speed. It does help having Rhamondre Stevenson, who finished third among running backs in target share last season (17.2%). He was also top-five in both receptions (69) and targets (89) at the position.

28. Los Angeles Rams

Core: Cooper Kupp, Tyler Higbee, Cam Akers, Van Jefferson

After Cooper Kupp, this is a pretty weak offense overall. If Kupp wasn’t so damn good, the Rams would be a lot lower than 28th. 

29. Indianapolis Colts

Core: Michael Pittman, Jonathan Taylor, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs

Michael Pittman’s role continues to change. In his first season, he was used down the field a lot. But Frank Reich’s West Coast offense led to more mesh concepts, as Pittman’s yards before the catch per reception was essentially cut in half. And last year, he only saw seven deep targets. He could go back to seeing more downfield work in this new offense, which could be exciting. I also love Josh Downs and believe 31 teams made a huge mistake by passing on him. 

30. Carolina Panthers

Core: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo

As a rookie, Jonathan Mingo could lead the Panthers in receiving. That tells you all you need to know about this passing attack. Adam Thielen has had a great career but was awful last season, sporting the 16th-lowest yards per route run. And despite playing in a pass-happy Vikings offense, Thielen could only record a 17% target share, the lowest of his career.

31. Houston Texans

Core: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Robert Woods, John Metchie

Nico Collins saw an uptick in volume last year, averaging about seven targets per game in the nine full games he played in. And in the lone game he played without Brandin Cooks, Collins saw 10 targets and found the end zone. Among wideouts with at least 20 targets last season, Collins had the lowest catchable target rate at 39%. That should do a complete 180 this season with C.J. Stroud under center. We’ll see what John Metchie and Tank Dell show in their first NFL seasons.

32. Tennessee Titans

Core: Treylon Burks, Chigoziem Okonkwo

There is clearly not much here. Treylon Burks showed flashes during his rookie season but struggled with unfortunate injuries (concussion, turf toe). And while I absolutely love Chigoziem Okonkwo this season, this is pretty easily the weakest pass-catching group in all of football.