The 10 Fastest WRs in the NFL

The two attributes most readily equated to the wide receiver are hands and speed. And having a specialist in the latter can do wonders for an offense.

Lining up a burner on the outside of an offensive formation spreads a defense out. The opposition may have to send two defensive backs to cover him. And when he streaks downfield, he gets open or takes those defenders out of the play with him.

The fastest receivers in the NFL are capable of providing that dimension to their teams.

To determine who's fastest, we turn once again to what we're calling "age-adjusted 40," which comes from a formula concocted by Grantland's Bill Barnwell.

Put simply, Barnwell took a player's predraft time in the 40-yard dash and then added 0.02 seconds for every year he'd been in the league in order to "adjust for the ravages of time..." The resulting number is the age-adjusted 40.

For purposes of this piece, we're using NFLDraftScout.com's average 40 times for the baseline.

10. Nelson Agholor

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.39

In his second year with the Philadelphia Eagles, Nelson Agholor is on pace to more than double the reception total he put up as a rookie in 2015. He caught 23 last year and already has 21 this year.

He's been Carson Wentz's second favorite target behind Jordan Matthews, and the speed that NFL.com's Gil Brandt saw prior to the 2015 draft is part of the reason.

"The thing with Agholor is, when you combine his 40 time (which, at 4.42 seconds, is still pretty good, even if it's not best in class) with his impressive showings in the short shuttle and three-cone drill at his pro day, you have a picture of a receiver who can burn when he needs to and change direction with alacrity," Brandt wrote.

9. Travis Benjamin

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.39

Until his last season with the Cleveland Browns in 2015, Travis Benjamin was mostly a return specialist with three return touchdowns to his name in that capacity. Following one against the Tennessee Titans, he was asked if he thinks he's the fastest player in the NFL.

"I would say so," Benjamin said in September 2015, per Cleveland.com's Dan Labbe. "You've never seen a player just put speed on tape each and every time."

In 2016, Benjamin is getting the opportunity to put that speed on tape more and more as a receiver. With Philip Rivers slinging him the ball, Benjamin leads the Chargers in receptions and is on pace for 80 on the season. That would comfortably be a career high for the fifth-year wideout. 

8. Kenny Stills

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.38

Among the 1,144 players with at least 100 career receptions since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970, Kenny Stills' average of 16.9 yards per reception ranks 66th.

As Miami's speedster on the outside this season, he's averaging a whopping 19.8 yards per catch.

While Ryan Tannehill hasn't been able to get him a ton of grabs this season, Stills is still a threat on the outside that opposing defenses have to account for.

7. Donte Moncrief

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.38

As Colts receiver Donte Moncrief recovers from a fractured scapula in his shoulder, the team has missed the speed he brings to the passing game.

His timed runs are impressive and all, but he and his offensive coordinator of a year ago feel he's even faster on the field, according to Colts.com's Steve Andress:

"

Offensive Coordinator Pep Hamilton may have hinted at Moncrief’s emergence during this past preseason, saying for as fast as Moncrief is in a simple 40-yard dash, he’s the kind of receiver whose speed translates even better in full pads during a game.

'I feel like I am faster in game speed,' said Moncrief, when asked about Hamilton’s preseason remarks. 'Because however fast you are, I’m going to be fast enough to beat you.'

"

Getting Moncrief back won't cure all the ills facing Indianapolis this season, but it will alleviate some of the pressure T.Y. Hilton faces. 

6. Chris Conley

Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.35

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley isn't just fast—he's an all-around monster of an athlete.

According to SBNation's Rodger Sherman, Conley broke multiple athletic testing records at the 2015 combine:

"

But on the standing vertical leap, he jumped 45 inches. That's the best ever by a wide receiver, and one off combine record of 46 inches set by safety Donald Washington in 2006.

And on the broad jump, he jumped 11 feet, seven inches. That's also a record for wide receivers, and ties the combine record set by defensive end Jamie Collins in 2013.

"

So not only can Conley outrun a defensive back down the sideline, but he'll probably outjump him if Alex Smith throws it too far (if that's possible).

5. Brandin Cooks

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.35

A 98-yard touchdown reception by New Orleans Saints receiver Brandin Cooks against the Oakland Raiders was one of the biggest highlights of the 2016 season so far.

Cooks did most of the work on that play himself, taking a short reception all the way to the house. His quarterback Drew Brees was so impressed that he compared him to Usain Bolt, per ESPN.com Mike Triplett:

"

I mean, he looked like Usain Bolt rolling down the sideline there. When I got to the sideline, Luke McCown said, ‘Hey, that took him 11 seconds to go 100.’ And I said, ‘In full pads.’ I said, ‘Let’s put full pads on some of those 100-meter sprint champs in the Olympics and see if they can roll out 11-second 100s.’ That was pretty impressive.

"

"I hand-timed Cooks at closer to 10.9 seconds on the replay," Triplett wrote. "Technically, it was only a 98-yard dash—but he had to start off with a little stutter-step to shake Raiders cornerback Sean Smith off the line."

Technicalities aside, that distance, in that time, with pads on, is incredible.

4. Tavon Austin

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.34

The speed of Tavon Austin, who leads the Los Angeles Rams in receptions this season, has the endorsement of head coach Jeff Fisher.

“He’s got two speeds,” Fisher said, per ESPN.com's Steve Dilbeck. “One’s fast and the other is sleep.”

Los Angeles hasn't gotten a chance to put that all-or-nothing speed to great use so far this season, but the potential between Austin and No. 1 pick Jared Goff is vast.

If both live up to their promise, the Rams could have one of the more fearsome vertical attacks in the league.

3. Amari Cooper

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.33

The speedy Amari Cooper, in combination with the sure-handed Michael Crabtree on the other side of the field, has been borderline unstoppable on third down this season.

"Clutch - @RAIDERS WRs @AmariCooper9 & @KingCrab15 have combined for 375 yards & 22 1st downs on 3rd down," Evert Geerlings of the Oakland Raiders' media relations department tweeted. "Both 1st among all @NFL tandems."

With Cooper's ability to stretch the field, everything underneath is more open for quarterback Derek Carr to pick apart.

2. Will Fuller

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.28

While the Houston Texans passing attack has often stalled under the direction of quarterback Brock Osweiler this season, receiver Will Fuller has been a bright spot.

His speed jumps off the screen, but coach Bill O'Brien says that's not all you're getting.

“I think there’s a lot more than speed that goes into it with him,” O’Brien said, per ESPN.com's Sarah Barshop. “Obviously that’s a dominant trait that he has, but the other things that he has is that he’s a good route-runner.”

Putting those two traits together gives Fuller the potential to be more than an occasional highlight-reel player and more of a steady force in the receiving game.

1. Kevin White

Associated Press

Age-Adjusted 40: 4.27

By just about any conceivable measure, it's been a rough season for the Chicago Bears, their fans and wide receiver Kevin White.

After suffering a fracture of his left fibula, White was placed on injured reserve and won't return until December.

But when he's on the field, it's clear that the lowly Bears have something to look forward to. White is the kind of burner on the outside who can open up the playbook. If he can stay healthy and Chicago figures out its quarterback situation, White has the potential to be a cornerstone of the offense in the future.