The NFL is a passing league these days, and teams with top quarterbacks and receivers are always near the top of the power rankings. Looking ahead to the 2020 season following the 2020 NFL Draft, we’re ranking the best quarterback-receiver combos — highlighting the top-two receivers for each team — in the league, going from worst to first.
32. New England Patriots
- QB: Jarrett Stidham
- WR: N’Keal Harry, Julian Edelman
After two decades of Tom Brady’s excellence, the Patriots may have the worst offense in the NFL this coming season. Despite the team’s love for Stidham, there just isn’t a lot of viable offensive talent on the roster. Harry has potential, but he is unlikely to realize it this year, and Edelman is going to suffer without Brady.
31. Washington Redskins
- QB: Kyle Allen
- WR: Terry McLaurin, Steven Sims Jr.
The Redskins have a gem in receiver Terry McLaurin, who has the skills to pay the bills. We predict Kyle Allen will beat out Dwayne Haskins for the starting job, thanks to his experience playing for Ron Rivera. But outside of McLaurin, there just isn’t a lot of consistent playmakers on Washington’s roster.
30. New York Jets
- QB: Sam Darnold
- WR: Breshad Perriman, Denzel Mims
This offense has the potential to become very dangerous. But until the Jets see consistent development from Darnold, they will be stuck in mediocrity. Perriman had a resurgent season in 2019 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can he stay hot playing with an inconsistent young quarterback? Mims has incredible abilities, but also dropped a lot of balls at Baylor and will be a project.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB: Gardner Minshew
- WR: DJ Chark, Chris Conley
Minshew Mania swept across America last season, and the sixth-rounder out of Washington State was one of the best rookie quarterbacks in the league. Jacksonville’s receiving corps is intriguing and if rookie Laviska Shenault can stay healthy, this offense could be amazing. But as things stand now, it’s all pie-in-the-sky dreaming.
28. New York Giants
- QB: Daniel Jones
- WR: Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard
This offense is lacking a legitimate No. 1 receiver. While Slayton is a big-play machine and fun to watch, he’s also not consistent. Shepard is a possession receiver with the ability to turn short passes into long gains. Jones was a turnover machine as a rookie, and it’s safe to say the entire Giants offense will continue to revolve around Saquon Barkley in 2020.
27. Chicago Bears
- QB: Nick Foles
- WR: Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller
We’re predicting Foles will beat out Mitchell Trubisky to win the starting quarterback job. He’s the equivalent of lukewarm oatmeal but should still be an upgrade. Robinson and Miller can both have huge impacts on any given week. However, the passing offense will likely remain one that doesn’t scare opposing defenses this season.
26. Miami Dolphins
- QB: Tua Tagovailoa
- WR: DeVante Parker, Allen Hurns
If Tagovailoa can stay healthy in 2020, the Dolphins will be ranked much higher on this type of list at the end of the season. He’s one of the most lethal pure passers to enter the league in years, with pinpoint accuracy as his calling card. Parker is a tremendous big-play weapon, and if Hurns stays healthy he’s also very reliable.
25. Carolina Panthers
- QB: Teddy Bridgewater
- WR: DJ Moore, Robby Anderson
It’s no secret the Panthers’ offense revolves around all-world running back Christian McCaffrey. Bridgewater is a solid quarterback who can manage an offense beautifully. But he’s not a star. The Carolina receiving corps has big-play potential but will be held back by Bridgewater and McCaffrey, who catches more balls than any Panthers receiver.
24. Denver Broncos
- QB: Drew Lock
- WR: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy
Whether you’re a Broncos fan or not, Denver’s passing offense should be a ton of fun to watch in 2020. Lock is a big-armed quarterback who now has weapons that complement his game to perfection. Sutton morphed into a star last year, and Jeudy has the potential to become one of the NFL’s best receivers in the years to come.
23. Cincinnati Bengals
- QB: Joe Burrow
- WR: AJ Green, Tee Higgins
There’s always a chance that Burrow will bust at the NFL level. But what he showed last year at LSU leads us to believe he’ll thrive early in his career, and the Bengals have done a good job providing him with weapons. Green, when healthy, is one of the NFL’s elite receivers. Higgins should be a solid rookie and Cincinnati also has another reliable receiver in Tyler Boyd.
22. Los Angeles Rams
- QB: Jared Goff
- WR: Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods
If Goff hadn’t taken such a significant step backward in 2019, the Rams would be higher on this list despite trading Brandin Cooks away this offseason. The former Cal star can sling it with the best of them but struggles with pressure. His receiving corps is highly skilled, with both Kupp and Woods being reliable high-volume targets.
21. Tennessee Titans
- QB: Ryan Tannehill
- WR: AJ Brown, Corey Davis
The reason Tennessee isn’t ranked higher here is that it’s hard to embrace the notion Tannehill will continue playing at an elite level in 2020 like he did during the regular season in 2019. Tennessee’s receiving corps is dynamic. Brown and Davis are both tremendous downfield weapons. But the entire offense is predicated on running the ball with Derrick Henry. Take him away and it falls apart, which is what we saw during the playoffs.
20. Buffalo Bills
- QB: Josh Allen
- WR: Stefon Diggs, John Brown
Buffalo’s decision to trade for Diggs could pay dividends in 2020. With him playing alongside Brown, the Bills have two 1,000-yard receivers — both of whom are capable of taking a game over. The big reason the Bills aren’t higher on this list is that their young quarterback still has serious accuracy issues.
19. Arizona Cardinals
- QB: Kyler Murray
- WR: DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald
Featuring the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, the Cardinals supercharged their offense by making a trade for one of the game’s best receivers, DeAndre Hopkins. He may end up having his best season as a pro playing alongside one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Fitzgerald is still one of the best possession receivers in the league and this offense is hot.
18. Cleveland Browns
- QB: Baker Mayfield
- WR: Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry
The pieces are in place for the Browns to take a big step forward as a contender in 2020. OBJ and Landry represent one of the best receiver duos in the NFL. At this point, the only thing holding them back is the fact that Mayfield had a serious sophomore slump last year. But in terms of talent, this team’s offensive arsenal is top-notch. If Mayfield bounces back, the Browns will be a playoff team this coming season.
17. Baltimore Ravens
- QB: Lamar Jackson
- WR: Marquise Brown, Willie Snead
We may find out just how good the reigning MVP really is as a pure passer in 2020. Last year, Jackson broke records as a runner, but he hinted that’s all about to change. If so, the talents of his receivers will come into focus. A speedy group, Baltimore’s receiving corps has a lot to prove still, and it will be fascinating to watch the offense evolve.
16. Los Angeles Chargers
- QB: Tyrod Taylor
- WR: Keenan Allen, Mike Williams
The Chargers have one of the best receiver duos in the NFL. Allen is a do-it-all star, and Williams is one of the most dangerous deep-ball receivers the league has to offer. At this point, the offense may be limited by its quarterback. Taylor isn’t bad, by any means. But he is more of a game manager than a gunslinger — which may mean a drop in production from the passing game.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
- QB: Carson Wentz
- WR: Alshon Jeffery, Jalen Reagor
There are too many question marks surrounding this group to rank it higher on this list. Wentz appears to be injury-prone. Jeffery has struggled to stay healthy in recent years as well and has lost a step. Reagor has the kind of electric play-making abilities to liven things up in a big way, but first-round rookie receivers are a crapshoot. This offense will be intriguing to watch in 2020.
14. San Francisco 49ers
- QB: Jimmy Garoppolo
- WR: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk
Despite his shortcomings at the end of the Super Bowl, Garoppolo is one of the best mid-to-deep-range quarterbacks in the NFL. The emergence of Samuel last year sparked the 49ers offense in a big way — even though at this time George Kittle is the No. 1 option. However, the addition of the rookie, Aiyuk, could be just what Garoppolo and Co. needed to take the next step in 2020.
13. Houston Texans
- QB: Deshaun Watson
- WR: Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller
Already one of the best, young quarterbacks in the league, Watson has been let down by his organization to this point. Despite a lack of protection up front and despite losing his top receiver, we’re still high on Watson’s potential in 2020. Cooks, if healthy, is a dynamic weapon. Fuller, if healthy, is one of the NFL’s best deep-ball receivers. The “if healthy” part is the tipping point for this offense.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
- QB: Derek Carr
- WR: Henry Ruggs III, Tyrell Williams
It’s hard not to get excited about Jon Gruden landing the fastest receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft. Ruggs isn’t just a speed demon, however, as he has some of the best hands in the draft. Adding him to Las Vegas’ offense could be just what Carr needs to take the next step and lead the Raiders to the playoffs.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
- QB: Ben Roethlisberger
- WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson
Assuming Big Ben is back and fully healthy again this season, Pittsburgh’s passing game will once again be among the most lethal the NFL has to offer. Smith-Schuster had a miserable 2019 campaign due to miserable quarterback play. But it would be foolish to sleep in him this season. Johnson is a big-play receiver who can take it the distance on any given play, and we can’t forget about James Washington, either.
10. Indianapolis Colts
- QB: Philip Rivers
- WR: TY Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr.
The Colts have all the pieces to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. Assuming Rivers has a bounce-back campaign, his passing offense will be extremely dangerous. Hilton is a dangerous weapon and a dynamo after the catch. Adding Pittman to the mix was an incredible move. He’ll be to Rivers what Vincent Jackson was back in his Chargers playing days.
9. Detroit Lions
- QB: Matthew Stafford
- WR: Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones
Before his season-ending back injury last year, Stafford was having one of his best campaigns as a pro. If the Lions can protect him in 2020, the sky is the limit for this offense. Golladay is a tremendous downfield weapon and has become a fantasy football darling for his big games, and Jones is one of the league’s more savvy veterans.
8. Minnesota Vikings
- QB: Kirk Cousins
- WR: Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson
Though Cousins has a penchant for losing big games, there’s no doubt he is one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in a vacuum. His rapport with Thielen is incredible, and when the two of them are on their games it’s almost impossible to slow them down. Minnesota replaced Stefon Diggs with Jefferson, who has the ability to turn into a dynamic pro. This offense will be fun to watch in 2020.
7. Green Bay Packers
- QB: Aaron Rodgers
- WR: Davante Adams, Allen Lazard
Among the most stunning developments to take place during the 2020 NFL Draft is that the Packers didn’t take a single receiver. Rodgers is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and Adams is among the league’s most dangerous receivers. But right now, it’s just them and a whole bunch of other guys that tend to piss Rodgers off to no end.
6. Seattle Seahawks
- QB: Russell Wilson
- WR: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett
Outside of Patrick Mahomes, it’s not hard to argue that Wilson is the best quarterback in the NFL today. He rarely makes mistakes, and the man has the uncanny ability to take advantage of every mistake opposing defenses make. Metcalf was one of the best rookie receivers last year, and Lockett is one of the most electric pass catchers in the game today.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
- QB: Patrick Mahomes
- WR: Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins
If we were doing a list about the best QB/WR duos in the league, Mahomes and Hill would be at the top. Mahomes has a rocket for an arm, and Hill may be the fastest receiver in the NFL right now — a perfect combo. Watkins can make explosive plays in key moments, but he also disappears for stretches at a time. Tight end Travis Kelce is much more integral to the offense.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QB: Tom Brady
- WR: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin
It’s going to be fascinating to see how Brady meshes with Bruce Arians’ offense. He’s been a quick-release quarterback for so long. But this offense is much more about letting things open up downfield. Brady certainly has weapons to succeed. Evans and Godwin combined for 2,490 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. They could fly even higher in 2020.
3. Atlanta Falcons
- QB: Matt Ryan
- WR: Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley
There’s been talk about Ryan perhaps declining in his old age. But he’s still just 34, and it’s not hard to imagine some of his struggles last year were due to a lack of protection and injuries to running backs. This guy can still sling it with the best of them. And when it comes to receivers, Jones is arguably the best in the NFL right now. Ridley is a rock-solid No. 2 who has caught 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons as a pro.
2. Dallas Cowboys
- QB: Dak Prescott
- WR: Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb
Arguably the best rookie receiver in a legendary 2020 NFL Draft class, Lamb falling into Dallas’ lap at No. 17 overall was one of the biggest stunners of Round 1. He is going to be an immediate star in the Cowboys’ offense. Pairing him with Cooper gives Prescott one of the best young receiver duos in the NFL. Speaking of Prescott, he continues to defy his doubters and is poised for long-term success in Big D.
1. New Orleans Saints
- QB: Drew Brees
- WR: Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders
The NFC South has three of the top four QB/WR combos on our list. Brees and Co. reign supreme ahead of the 2020 season. Though the Saints are running the ball often these days, Brees is still an elite NFL passer. Thomas is the best volume receiver in the NFL and hardly ever lets a ball touch the ground. Adding the veteran Sanders in free agency gives the Saints an offense that will be very tough to stop.