NFL wide receiver rankings: Find out who the top pass-catchers are throughout the 2022 season. These rankings can help with your fantasy football and daily fantasy teams as we dig deep with advanced stats and a whole lot more.
In a list that will be updated weekly throughout the 2022 season, we give you our NFL wide receiver rankings heading into Week 9.
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15. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
- Michael Pittman Jr. stats (2022): 51 receptions, 528 yards, 1 TD, 72.9% catch rate, 3 drops (4.3%)
Despite missing a game earlier this season, Pittman Jr. is on pace for a career-best season (117 catches, 1,267 yards). Over the course of the past three games, he’s hauled in 26 receptions for 245 yards.
The question now becomes whether Pittman Jr. will be able to produce at the same level with a green Sam Ehlinger having replaced Matt Ryan under center in Indianapolis. Pittman tallied just 53 yards on nine targets in a Week 8 loss to the Commanders. That could be an issue moving forward.
14. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
- Chris Olave stats (2022): 37 receptions, 547 yards, 2 TD, 58.7% catch rate, 2 drops (3.2%)
Olave makes his second appearance in our NFL wide receiver rankings after a three-game stretch in which he caught 24-of-32 targets for 244 yards.
Despite New Orleans’ quarterback issues, the first-round pick from Ohio State continues to perform at a high clip. In fact, he might very well be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at this point. It helps when you’re on pace for nearly 1,300 receiving yards.
13. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
- CeeDee Lamb stats (2022): 42 receptions, 556 yards, 3 TD, 57.5% catch rate, 4 drops (5.5%)
After some initial struggles, Lamb has picked it up big time recently. That included catching 5-of-7 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown in last week’s blowout win over the Chicago Bears.
Through eight weeks, Lamb is on pace for 89 catches and 1,181 yards. Unfortunately, Cowboys quarterbacks boast an average 84.0 QB rating and have thrown two interceptions when targeting Lamb. That keeps him relatively low in our latest NFL wide receiver rankings.
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12. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
- Amari Cooper stats (2022): 39 receptions, 553 yards, 5 TD, 59.1% catch rate, 4 drops (6.1%)
It’s still hard to believe that Cleveland was able to acquire Cooper from the Cowboys for a mere late-round pick this past offseason. Sure Dallas was simply looking to unload his expensive contract. But we’re talking about a dude who has five career 1,000-yard seasons to his name.
Right now, Cooper is actually on pace to put up the best performance of his career. Said pace has him set to haul in 82 passes for 1,175 yards and 11 touchdowns. Not too shabby.
11. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Mike Evans stats (2022): 39 receptions, 577 yards, 3 TD, 66.1% catch rate, 2 drops (3.4%)
How consistently good has Evans been throughout his eight-year career? He’s put up north of 1,000 yards each season, making him the first player NFL history to reach that plateau in eight consecutive years to open his career. It’s been even better for the 29-year-old Texas A&M product since Tom Brady joined the Bucs back in 2020.
- Mike Evans stats (2020-21): 144 receptions, 2,041 yards, 27 TD 65% catch rate
It’s the catch rate that stands out the most. In Jameis Winston’s final season with Tampa Bay, Evans caught just 57% of his targets. In fact, his catch rate stood at 60-plus percent just once in his first six seasons. He’s simply become a more well-rounded receiver in recent years. After Evans was suspended for Week 3, he has returned to play at a high level despite the Buccaneers’ major struggles on offense.
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10. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
- Deebo Samuel stats (2022): 32 receptions, 387 yards, 59.3% catch rate, 7 drops (13.0%), 138 rushing yards, 3 TD
Our NFL wide receiver rankings for Week 8 sees Samuel take ascend the list after a couple solid performances despite San Francisco’s quarterback issues. During that two-game span, he’s caught 12-of-17 targets for 121 yards.
We’re especially interested to see how Samuel performs moving forward now that Christian McCaffrey is a member of the 49ers. The expectation is that he will see less snaps out of the backfield, creating more opportunities as a true receiver once he returns from injury in Week 10.
9. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
- Davante Adams stats (2022): 38 receptions, 512 yards, 5 TD, 55.9% catch rate, 2 drops (2.9%)
It’s been ugly for Adams in his first season with former Fresno State teammate Derek Carr. That was taken to a whole new level with a hobbled Adams catching just one pass on three targets in Week 8’s humiliating shutout loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Adams has indicated he’s frustrated with the Raiders’ start to the season. He previously took said frustration out on an innocent bystander. All of this impacts Adams in our latest NFL wide receiver rankings.
8. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
- DeAndre Hopkins stats (2022): 22 receptions, 262 yards, 1 TD, 81.5% catch rate, 3 drops (11.1%)
After serving a six-game suspension, Hopkins has returned to dominate for Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. He’s coming off a Week 8 performance in which the former All-Pro hauled in 12-of-13 targets for 159 yards despite Arizona falling to the Minnesota Vikings.
Even after missing those first six games, Hopkins finds himself on pace to catch 121 passes for 1,441 yards. That’s simply incredible. Though, his three drops on 27 targets this season matches his total from the previous two years combined.
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7. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
- Ja’Marr Chase stats (2022): 47 receptions, 605 yards, 6 TD, 63.5% catch rate, 5 drops (6.8%)
After an incredible rookie season, Chase has dealt with an up-and-down sophomore campaign. That included him putting up just 83 yards on 19 targets in Week 2 and 3.
However, the stud youngster is coming off an absolutely brilliant two-game run that saw him catch 15 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Chase is now sidelined for between 4-and-6 weeks due to a hip injury. That’s all sorts of unfortunate.
6. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
- Cooper Kupp stats (2022): 64 receptions, 686 yards, 5 TD, 76.2% catch rate, 2 drops (2.4%)
The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP, Kupp opens the 2022 season No. 1 in Sportsnaut’s NFL wide receiver rankings. For good reason. The former third-round pick from Eastern Washington led the league in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns a season ago. He was simply dominating in every possible way.
- Cooper Kupp stats (2021): 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, 16 TD, 76% catch rate
Talk about an epic performance catching passes from Matthew Stafford. Unfortunately, 2022 has been somewhat of a differentstory for Kupp and the struggling Rams. Stafford has thrown four interceptions when targeting the wide receiver through seven games. That’s more of a product of Stafford’s performance in that he’s forcing the ball to his only viable receiving threat.
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5. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
- A.J. Brown stats (2022): 39 receptions, 659 yards, 5 TD, 60.9% catch rate, 5 drops (7.8%)
Acquired from the Tennessee Titans in a blockbuster NFL Draft deal, Brown now joins DeVonta Smith as another elite-level weapon for Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. Brown joined his former Mississippi teammate in DK Metcalf in proving skeptics wrong after being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. What he’s done since is remarkable.
That’s been taken to a whole new level in 2022 after Brown was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in an off-season trade. Brown continues to make sweet music with Hurts as the quarterback boasts a 121.8 passer rating when targeting his new receiver. Brown is also coming off an absurd 156-yard, three-touchdown performnce in last week’s blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
4. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
- Jaylen Waddle stats (2022): 42 receptions, 727 yards, 5 TD, 66.7% catch rate, 4 drops, 6.3%
A first-round pick of the Dolphins back in 2021, Jaylen Waddle was electric in South Beach as a rookie. That included him hauling in an absurd 104 passes for 1,015 yards while catching six touchdowns. The former Alabama star also caught a resounding 74% of the passes thrown in his direction with a 5.7% drop rate.
Waddle has been even better as a sophomore, providing improved quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Miami’s other quarterbacks with another electric target. He’s coming off a brilliant eight-catch, two-touchdown performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 8 and is now on pace for north of 1,500 receiving yards. That’s absurd for a sophomore.
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3. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
- Stefon Diggs stats (2022): 55 receptions, 764 yards, 7 TD, 75.3% catch rate, 2 drops (2.7%)
Several years after the fact, and it’s still surprising that Diggs fell to the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Pretty much from the get, he proved to be among the best pass-catchers in the game. That’s been taken to a whole new level in two seasons catching passes from Josh Allen with the Bills after he was surprisingly traded by Minnesota.
Back in 2020 with Buffalo, Diggs led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) while hauling in an otherworldly 77% of his targets and dropping a mere five passes. Diggs picked up where he left off with brilliant performances to open the 2022 season, including a six-catch, 108-yard outing against the Packers in Week 8.
2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
- Justin Jefferson stats (2022): 52 receptions, 752 yards, 2 TD, 73.2% catch rate, 1 drop (1.4%)
Some thought that Justin Jefferson was more a product of Joe Burrow during his time with the LSU Tigers. Boy, were those skeptics wrong. In just two seasons with the Vikings, Jefferson is already in the record books. That includes putting up the most receiving yards for a wide receiver in NFL history through his first two seasons.
The 2022 season has been about as good for Mr. Jefferson. After some struggles in September, he’s been on a whole new level recently. Over the course of the past four games, Jefferson has caught 34-of-42 targets for 506 yards. He’s now on pace to catch 127 passes for 1,826 yards. This has Jefferson near the top of our NFL wide receiver rankings heading into Week 9.
1. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
- Tyreek Hill stats (2022): 69 receptions, 961 yards, 2 TD, 75% catch rate, 4 drops (4.3%)
Dynamic. Electric. Whatever way we want to describe Hill and what he’s done since entering the NFL back in 2016, the wide receiver is simply “him.” Dude can take it to the house at any given time, is one of the top deep threats in the game and is a transcendent playmaker.
Last season with Patrick Mahomes tossing him th rock in Kansas City, Hill brought in 70% of his targets. He also put up a mere 4.4% drop rate on 159 targets. He’s been even better in South Beach this season. In fact, Hill is on pace to haul in 146 passes for 2,042 yards. The latter would break Calvin Johnson’s single-season NFL record set back in 2012.
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