Over the past couple of years, the need for an elite passing game has dwindled. As the league has adjusted to a 2-high defensive approach, the importance of the running game has returned. Six of the top ten passing teams (by passing yards) did not make the playoffs last year.
Now, things like negative game script definitely play a part in that. Only 9 of the top 28 in receiving yards were on playoff teams. Still, there is no doubt that the passing game is sexy to NFL fans and fantasy football players alike. These rankings include every NFL team by its “receiving room,” including only wide receivers and tight ends.
32. Miami Dolphins
Chris Bell. Tutu Atwell. Jalen Tolbert. Malik Washington. Greg effing Dulcich. I don’t want to talk about this anymore, and you can’t make me.
31. Carolina Panthers
Listen. I love Tetairoa McMillan. I think he can move into the top 10 WRs as soon as this year. But the rest of this room is booty cheeks. Tommy Tremble and Ja’tavion Sanders lead the tight end room. Former 1st round bust Xavier Legette, fantasy darling Jalen Coker, and this year’s 3rd round pick, Chris Brazzell II, round out the options. After McMillian, Bryce Young is trying to decide what steak to order at Olive Garden.
30. Las Vegas Raiders
I absolutely hate putting the Raiders this low on the list. And that is all to do with my man crush on Brock Bowers. Bowers is over and beyond the best tight end in the league to me, even after the disappointing year he had and Trey McBride’s huge year. I expect the offense to be dramatically better under the new coach, Klint Kubiak, and there’s zero doubt that Bowers will be the biggest benefactor.
But after Bowers, there’s Jalen Nailor, Trey Tucker, and Jack “don’t call me Beck” Bech. If this were just a wide receiver list, they would be last, but Bowers bumps them up a couple of spots.
29. Washington Commanders
Terry McClaurin is fine. He has had some pretty productive years without much target competition around him. This year isn’t much different. Chig Okonkwo joins the team as a free agent tight end and should step right into the role Zach Ertz has had over the past couple of seasons.
Outside of that, it’s just a few guys you used to be too high on in fantasy football: Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, Van Jefferson, and the “other McCaffrey” (Luke). I think rookie Antonio Williams can surprise some people, and he will have plenty of opportunities to do so.
28. Cleveland Browns
Harold Fannin Jr saved the Browns from a lower ranking. The second-year tight end exploded into the league last year, sending David Njoku looking for a job. The wide receiver room won’t know which quarterback will be throwing them the ball, but that might not matter much. It’s about time we call Jerry Jeudy a bust. He’s an average wide receiver, but that is his ceiling.
The Browns knew they had to build the room behind them in the draft, and they did, drafting both KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second rounds, respectively. Concepcion has tons of buzz around him, but I think he maxes out as a really good slot receiver. Boston has the size, but his hands and separation ability come with huge question marks.
27. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have been notorious for lacking the pass-catching options around Lamar Jackson. They don’t go into the 2026 season any better. Zay Flowers isn’t a true number 1. Isaiah Likely has moved on to the New York Giants with former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. Mark Andrews should rebound from a career-worst year. Rashod Bateman’s mother is the only one who still believes he is a true number two. Elijah Sarrat or Ja’Kobi Lane would need to be a huge hit to rank the Ravens any higher on this list.
26. New York Giants
If I were certain that Malik Nabers was 100% healthy, they would be higher on this list. I am actually higher than most on both free-agent addition Darnell Mooney and rookie Malachi Fields, but they have a lot to prove.
25. Kansas City Chiefs
Listen, they have a guy that can’t get out of his own way in Rashee Rice, a newly anointed billionaire (Travis Kelce) playing his last year of professional football, and a gadget player in Xavier Worthy. As I’m writing this, I’m mad I didn’t put them at thirty-two. A certain cheetah might bump this team up these rankings.
24. Los Angeles Chargers
Ladd McConkey had a down year. Quinton Johnston had a nice bounce-back year last year, but rookie wide receiver Tre Harris was a disappointment. They might have one of the better tight end rooms in the league in Oronde Gadsden and David Njoku, but they are still a second-year fifth-round pick and an aging veteran, respectively.
23. San Francisco 49ers
I’m really giving a lot of credit to “almost-dead” Mike Evans and George Kittle with this ranking. I think they both might have one more monster year in them. Ricky Pearsall, shocking 2nd round pick De’Zhaun Stribling, and veteran nomad Christian Kirk join those two. Not exactly Jerry Rice/John Taylor. They belong here in these rankings.
22. Buffalo Bills
I hope I’ve finally gotten rid of any doubt about being a Buffalo Bills homer. Listen, the wide receiver room is one of the most expensive in the league, and the production does not match the price tag. They acquired D.J. Moore this offseason, but consider me underwhelmed.
That being said, he was a much-needed addition to a room that includes slot guy Khalil Shakir, second-round bust Keon Coleman, and the overpaid Josh Palmer. Dalton Kincaid is one of the most productive tight ends when healthy, but that has been too far and in between in his young career.
21. Houston Texans
I’m going to come out and say it. Nico Collins is a beneficiary of increased target share, not because he’s at the top of the position’s skill list. Around him, they have second-year wide receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. I’m actually pretty high on Higgins, as I think they will look to spread the ball out more. Dalton Schultz’s time is coming to an end, and Tank Dell remains intriguing if he can get back anywhere near his 2023 form. I wouldn’t be ranking them this high if it wasn’t for previous production.
20. Tennessee Titans
It was pretty surprising to me when I kept pushing the Titans up my list. Because I don’t LOVE anyone. But I do like them all a lot. While I have Jordyn Tyson as a higher dynasty asset, I think Carnell Tate is the most NFL-ready player this year.
I am ranking Gunnar Helm as one of my favorite sleepers at the tight end position for 2026. Wandale Robinson is one of the most underrated players in the league. Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor both flashed explosiveness in their rookie seasons.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is not an Emeka Egbuka statement by putting the Bucs this low. Even with a lull in the second half of the year, I still think he will be one of the game’s best wide receivers in the years to come. But outside of him, you have Jalen McMillan, rookie Ted Hurst, Tez Johnson, Cade Otton, and the aging Chris Godwin. Little-known fact: Chris Godwin has had so many operations that if you touch his body with metal, his nose glows bright red.
18. New England Patriots
Put this in the same category as the Buffalo Bills. They went out and made a big splash to acquire A.J. Brown, but what does the receiver have left in the tank? I really liked the Romeo Doubs acquisition, and I wonder if that’s not the one Pats fans are most excited about at the end of this year. When ranking them, you have to consider the rest of the room, which includes the (soon-to-be-traded) Kayshon Boutte, Pop Douglas, and the always-steady Hunter Henry.
17. Indianapolis Colts
Tyler Warren proved as a rookie that he will be one of the best tight ends in the game for a very long time. Alec Pierce signed a contract that would at least suggest he’s one of the best wide receivers in the game, but I don’t see a way he possibly lives up to the contract.
Josh Downs is the most underrated of the group, and it would shock me little to see him have a more productive season than Pierce. The Colts could add a veteran free agent in the coming weeks. We will see where they end up in the rankings next year.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
I already hear the complaints about this ranking. This is another situation where I don’t feel like anyone is special, but as a group, they are all pretty good. Your opinion on DK Metcalf probably changes by the week. They acquired Michael Pittman Jr. from the aforementioned Colts via trade in the offseason, which is the biggest reason they are this high in my rankings.
They selected one of my favorite prospects in this year’s draft, Germie Bernard, with the 47th overall pick. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington give Aaron Rodgers a good one-two punch at tight end.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
I can see some thinking this is too low for the Eagles. I am not a Makai Lemon fan. I can absolutely regret this come December, but I’ve faded him pretty hard. Davonta Smith has the chance to become a true number one. While I think he might have the talent to do it, I’m not sure the system will ever allow him to prove it.
Dallas Goedert is as good as gone next year, although I am very high on his incumbent 2nd-round pick, Eli Stowers. Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks were interesting veteran additions that make me think targets are going to be spread out a lot more under the new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion.
14. Denver Broncos
These last fourteen spots were really hard to rank. I love what the Broncos did in acquiring Jaylen Waddle. Courtland Sutton is one of the best 3rd down wide receivers in the league. Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Pat Bryant have all shown flashes but have mostly been inconsistent.
I really loved the draft pick of Justin Joly and think he is the perfect fit for the H-back/tight end position Sean Payton loves to use. He is my number-one rookie sleeper, as only the brittle bones of Evan Engram stand in his way.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars
Another extremely talented group that still has many questions to answer. No one would have expected the production they got from Parker Washington and Brenton Strange last year. On the flip side, Brian Thomas busted after a really great rookie year, and Travis Hunter never fully acclimated to the wide receiver position. Not to take this platform to run a victory lap, but I never thought Travis Hunter would be what we all wanted him to be. A true two-way player.
And in the NFL, a shutdown corner is more valuable than an outside receiver, especially when you factor in their current roster. I tend to want to believe the coaching staff when they say they will be using him mostly on defense this year. Jakobi Meyers was a huge addition at the trade deadline last year, and it seems he will play a major role in their offensive plans this year.
12. Atlanta Falcons
Call me crazy, but I am buying the Falcons’ offense this year, under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Drake London has proven to be one of the elite wide receivers in the game. Kyle Pitts finally burst out of his cocoon and became the beautiful butterfly we always knew he would be. I am pretty high on Zachariah Branch, but that is mostly due to opportunity.
11. New York Jets
I hate putting the Jets this high in anything, but I also hate putting them this low on this list. I love their skill positions and how they’ve rebuilt this room over the past year. Adonai Mitchell was much more than just a throw-in on the Sauce Gardner trade. I think he has the tools to be a really good number two, and reports are that he is meshing well with the new QB, Geno Smith. Crazy to call Geno Smith a new anything.
I don’t know if Omar Cooper Jr. will end up being worth the pick, but he brings a skill you cannot teach. Speed. Kenyon Sadiq was my number two offensive player in this draft. I think the Bowers/McBride path is more likely than a bust. Without playing a down, he’s my TE 5 in dynasty fantasy.
10. Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba catapulted himself into the superstar category last year, and there’s no reason to think that was fake. The rest of the receiving corps, though, has some question marks. Rashid Shaheed was a trade deadline acquisition last year and only really paid off on special teams. Cooper Kupp is in his last days and looks like a shell of himself.
Tory Horton had some glimpses of hope, and then an injury plagued him at the end of the season. My biggest prediction for this group is that by the end of the season, it will be Elijah Arroyo, not AJ Barner, who will be the main target at tight end.
9. New Orleans Saints
If you’ve read any of my stuff this offseason, you know I am buying hard into this offense. If I were adding pass-catching backs into this equation, I think they would be higher. Chris Olave, when healthy, is easily a top 10 wide receiver in the NFL. Jordan Tyson is my number one rookie wide receiver in this class. They are locked in as one of the league’s best 1-2 combos from the start.
Devaughn Vele was productive when needed due to injuries and the Shaheed trade last year. Juwan Johnson has been consistently steady, and they drafted some competition for him, with the pick of Oscar Delp.
8. Green Bay Packers
There is a lot of “what if” here with this ranking, admittedly. Christian Watson has had trouble staying healthy in the past. Jayden Reed is one of the most underrated wide receivers in the league, and I think he might be the true number one here. Tucker Kraft was killing it before his season-ending injury.
Matthew Golden, who disappointed in his rookie season, will get every opportunity to prove his worth, with the targets left vacant by the losses of Romeo Doubs and Detayvion Wicks.
7. Arizona Cardinals
They made it pretty high here. Sure, Trey McBride has a lot to do with this. But I still want to believe in the talent of Marvin Harrison Jr. It hasn’t worked yet, but in his best games, you have seen the dominance we all expected right out of the gate. I am also choosing to believe that Michael Wilson is the real deal. There’s nothing behind these three at all, but if Harrison Jr. can make a leap this year, they will undoubtedly be the best trio in the game.
6. Minnesota Vikings
I think Kyler Murray may help justify this decision in a few months if any of you are doubting this ranking. Justin Jefferson is obviously one of the best. Jordan Addison, coming off a suspension last year, did not look like the Addison of the previous two seasons. I think a lot of that had to do with quarterback play, and I expect a full bounce back.
I think Jauan Jennings is one of the most under-the-radar signings of the offseason. T.J. Hockenson is an afterthought to most in this offense, but he is coming off a 51-catch season amid a disastrous QB situation.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
I think if I were ranking the top wide receiver duo, they would obviously be at the top. But there is nothing behind stars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. I expect huge things from the Bengals this year, both in terms of offensive production, and I think they should be considered one of the AFC favorites.
They will need to find someone to step up behind these two, whether it be a bounce back from Andrei Iosivas or Mike Gesicki being able to produce one more year from the tight end position.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua is the best wide receiver in the league. There’s obviously a conversation that can be had, but he’s my top guy. Davante Adams is aging, and it started to show last year. He was still a big target inside the red zone, but I wonder how much his overall production will drop this year. Need a tight end? Boy, do the Rams have them.
Sean McVay was like, “Oh, you fantasy losers want to know if you should draft Tyler Higbee, Max Klare, or Terrance Ferguson? Let me put Colby Parkinson at the top of my first depth chart.” They have options regardless, and Konata Mumpfield is a really interesting player if an opportunity arises at wide receiver due to injury.
3. Detroit Lions
Do I need to write anything about this? When healthy, any of these top five teams can be considered the best. The Lions lost Sam Laporta last year, and it seemed to affect the entire offense. This offense is a full-on circus of talent being led by an aggressive ringmaster in Dan Campbell.
2. Chicago Bears
Hi, my name is Louie, and I am addicted to drafting Chicago Bears. There is an interesting debate going on over at X about who the number one receiver is in this offense, and I think the true answer is: no one. I expect Rome Odunze and Luther Burden to have similar production. I think we can see a situation where they are both in the top 15 of wide receiver production in the league.
Colston Loveland has no ceiling. He should be mentioned in the same breath as any tight end in the league when discussing the best. Sleeper Alert: Kalif Raymond. D.J. Moore’s vacated targets should mostly be spread amongst the top three guys, but the moment there is an injury, a Ben Johnson offense won’t be stopped, and Raymond will be the immediate beneficiary.
1. Dallas Cowboys
If you’ve followed me before my days here at Blitz, you’d know I said last offseason that George Pickens would outproduce Ceedee Lamb last year. Now, Lamb did face an injury, but Pickens was everything and more than I thought he would be. I do think they will be a more even duo this year, and Ryan Flournoy’s emergence last year may take a little more from both of them. Add the steady Jake Ferguson, and you’ve got yourself the best receiving core in the entire league.
