The 100 Greatest Wide Receivers in NFL History (Nos. 76-100)

I made this list after extensive research of over 200 NFL wide receivers. I took into account many variables such as stats, Super Bowls, when the player played, who they played for, and also my own opinion. The stats I focused on were receptions, yards, touchdowns, receptions per game, yards per game, and yards per catch. I ranked all candidates in these categories and then averaged their rankings out. After that I made sure to weigh certain stats heavier than others, for example: receptions seem to be more important than yards per catch, so that category weighed heavier. Comparing the newer generation to the older generation was difficult since the new generation has a much better opportunity to have better stats. I took this into account as well. I started writing this before and even published the first part but the list just seemed wrong to me so I did more research and this is how it ended. Even though I took many facts into account when making this list, I also injected my own opinion, so it is a list that not everyone will agree with.

Hope you enjoy.

100. Brian Blades

Seattle Seahawks: 1988-1998

Receptions: 581
Yards: 7,620
Touchdowns: 34

1x Pro Bowler

Blades was never a flashy player, but he did get the job done. He reached the 1,000 yard plateau four times in his career and was the top wideout for Seattle for many years.

99. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Cincinnati Bengals: 2001-2008
Seattle Seahawks: 2009-present

Receptions: 586
Yards: 6693
Touchdowns: 40

1x Pro Bowler

Housh has been a receptions machine since entering the league. In 2007 he led the league in catches with 112. This is a Bengals franchise record. Although he didn't get as much recognition as teammate Chad Johnson, he may have been the more valuable receiver to the Bengals.

98. John Taylor

San Francisco 49ers: 1987-1995

Receptions: 347
Yards: 5,598
Touchdowns: 43

3x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowler

Taylor was often overshadowed by Jerry Rice, but he was a great receiver in his own right. He caught the game winning touchdown of Super Bowl XXIII and also set Super Bowl records for longest punt return, most punt return yards, and highest punt return average. He once had the record for most receiving yards in a two game span with 448 yards.

97. Dwight Clark

San Francisco 49ers: 1979-1987

Receptions: 506
Yards: 6,750
Touchdowns: 48

2x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowler
1x First-Team All-Pro

Clark will always be famous for being the receiver behind "The Catch." He had a very good career outside of just that catch as well. He led the league in receptions in 1982 and was 2nd and 3rd in two other seasons. He was also at the top of the leaderboard in receiving touchdowns often with four different seasons in the top 10.

96. Del Shofner

Los Angeles Rams: 1957-1960
New York Giants: 1961-1967

Receptions: 349
Yards: 6470
Touchdowns: 51

5x Pro Bowler
5x First Team All-Pro

For a time Shofner was one of the most dominating receivers in the game. He led the league in yards and yards per game in 1958. He was in the top 10 in yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns five times in his career.

95. Darrell Jackson

Seattle Seahawks: 2000-2006
San Francisco 49ers: 2007
Denver Broncos: 2008

Receptions: 499
Yards: 7,132
Touchdowns: 51

During the first half of the 2000s, Jackson was one of the best receivers in the league and helped make the Seahawks a contender in the NFC. In 2004 he set a franchise record for receptions with 87, which has since been broken). He is tied for the most receptions in the first quarter of a Super Bowl with five.

94. Santana Moss

New York Jets: 2001-2004
Washington Redskins: 2005-present

Receptions: 500
Yards: 7,442
Touchdowns: 46

1x Pro Bowler

Moss is one of the speediest receivers in the league and is a big play threat on any given play. He holds the Redskins single season record for receiving yards with 1483, which was good for 2nd in the league that year. He isn't the biggest receiver in the league but has made up for that with his speed and jumping ability.

93. Webster Slaughter

Cleveland Browns: 1986-1991
Houston Oilers: 1992-1994
Kansas City Chiefs: 1995
New York Jets: 1996
San Diego Chargers: 1998

Receptions: 563
Yards: 8,111
Touchdowns: 44

2x Pro Bowler

Slaughter was the Browns all-time leader in receiving yards in a season with 1,236 yards, which has since been broken. He had productive seasons with both the Browns and Oilers and was considered a top receiver in his years with those teams.

92. Mark Carrier

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1987-1992
Cleveland Browns: 1993-1994
Carolina Panthers: 1995-1998

Receptions: 569
Yards: 8,763
Touchdowns: 48

1x Pro Bowler

Carrier never had huge years, but he was a steady player for all three teams that he played for. He was one of the Panthers first stars and is still fourth all-time in franchise receptions.

91. Gene A. Washington

San Francisco 49ers: 1969-1977
Detroit Lions: 1979

Receptions: 385
Yards: 6,856
Touchdowns: 60

4x Pro Bowler
3x First Team All-Pro

Washington was one of the first great receivers in a long line for the Niners. At different times in his career he lead the league in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, yards per game, and yards per catch.

90. Ed McCaffrey

New York Giants: 1991-1993
San Francisco 49ers: 1994
Denver Broncos: 1995-2003

Receptions: 565
Yards: 7,422
Touchdowns: 55

3x Super Bowl Champion
1x Pro Bowler

McCaffrey was a key part of the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the 90s and was as tough a wideout as the league has ever seen. In 2000 he set the Denver record for receptions in a season with 101, which has since been broken.

89. Curtis Conway

Chicago Bears: 1993-1999
San Diego Chargers: 2000-2002
New York Jets: 2003
San Francisco 49ers: 2004

Receptions: 594
Yards: 8,230
Touchdowns: 52

Conway was often overlooked by many, but he was very productive throughout his career. He was the Bears top receiver in the 90s and also was a top target in San Diego during some of the franchise's worst years.

88. Johnnie Morton

Detroit Lions: 1994-2001
Kansas City Chiefs: 2002-2004
San Francisco 49ers: 2005

Receptions: 624
Yards: 8719
Touchdowns: 43

Morton was never a No. 1 wideout but he was productive nonetheless. Johnnie had four 1,000 yard seasons with the Lions and was part of one of the most deadly receiving corps around with Herman Moore and Brett Perriman.

87. Antonio Freeman

Green Bay Packers: 1995-2001, 2003
Philadelphia Eagles: 2002

Receptions: 477
Yards: 7,251
Touchdowns: 61

1x Super Bowl Champion
1x Pro Bowler
1x First-Team All-Pro

During the late 90s, Freeman was one of the most productive receivers in the league and helped the Packers win a Super Bowl in which he had the then longest catch in Super Bowl history. During a Monday night game in 2000, he had one of the most amazing catches in NFL history, which ESPN later named the greatest play in MNF history. In the 1998 season he led the league in receiving yards and yards per game.

86. Otis Taylor

Kansas City Chiefs: 1965-1975

Receptions: 410
Yards: 7,306
Touchdowns: 57

1x Super Bowl Champion
2x AFL Champion
3x Pro Bowler
2x First-Team All-Pro

Taylor is second in Chiefs history in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and 100 yard games. He led the league in receiving yards in 1971 and was in the top five on three other occasions. He also led the league in receiving touchdowns in 1967 and was in the top ten on four other occasions.

85. Bob Hayes

Dallas Cowboys: 1965-1974
San Francisco 49ers: 1975

Receptions: 371
Yards: 7414
Touchdowns: 71

1x Super Bowl Champion
3x Pro Bowler
2x First Team All-Pro

Hayes is one of the fastest players to ever play in the NFL. He is the only person to have a Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring. In his first two seasons in the NFL he had 1,000 yard seasons and led the league in touchdowns both years. Hayes held the Cowboys record for receiving yards in a game until Miles Austin broke it this year. He still holds the Cowboys record for career receiving touchdowns with 71.

84. Gary Garrison

San Diego Chargers: 1966-1976
Houston Oilers: 1977

Receptions: 405
Yards: 7,538
Touchdowns: 58

4x Pro Bowler

"The Ghost" was an extremely productive receiver for the Chargers. He was in the top 10 in receiving yards six times and receiving touchdowns five times.

83. Roy Jefferson

Pittsburgh Steelers: 1965-1969
Baltimore Colts: 1970
Washington Redskins: 1971-1976

Receptions: 451
Yards: 7,539
Touchdowns: 52

1x Super Bowl Champion
3x Pro Bowler
1x First-Team All-Pro

Jefferson was the first receiver in Steelers history to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. His 1,074 yards in 1968 led the league, and the next year he came in second. In 1968 he was also second in receptions and touchdown receptions.

82. Drew Pearson

Dallas Cowboys: 1973-1983

Receptions: 489
Yards: 7822
Touchdowns: 48

1x Super Bowl Champion
3x Pro Bowler
3x First Team All Pro

Pearson was as athletic as anyone and it showed in his game. He was named to the 1970's all-pro team for his receiving skills. In 1977 he led the league in receiving yards and was in the top 10 in yards in four other seasons.

81. Lynn Swann

Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-1982

Receptions: 336
Yards: 5,462
Touchdowns: 51

4x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
3x Pro Bowler
1x First-Team All-Pro

Many will believe this is much to low for Swann, but in reality if it wasn't for his tremendous playoff career, he wouldn't have made the list. Swann did, however, lead the league in touchdown receptions in 1975 and was also the Super Bowl MVP that year after setting a record with 161 yards receiving in the game.

80. Wesley Walker

New York Jets: 1977-1989

Receptions: 438
Yards: 8306
Touchdowns: 71

2x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All-Pro

Walker was a speed demon and helped and is considered one of the greatest Jets of all time. He led the league in receiving yards in 1978, along with yards per catch and yards per game. When he retired he was the Jets second all-time leading receiver.

79. Elroy Hirsch

Chicago Rockets: 1946-1948
Los Angeles Rams: 1949-1957

Receptions: 387
Yards: 7029
Touchdowns: 60

1x NFL Champion
3x Pro Bowler
2x First Team All-Pro

"Crazy Legs" is considered by many the first true wide receiver. In 1951 he set the then NFL record for receiving yards with 1,495 yards. He also led the league that year in receptions, yards per catch, receiving touchdowns, longest reception, receiving yards a game, and yards from scrimmage. His 124.6 yards per game that year is still good for third all time.

78. Cliff Branch

Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders: 1972-1985

Receptions: 501
Yards: 8685
Touchdowns: 67

3x Super Bowl Champion
4x Pro Bowler
3x First Team All-Pro

Branch was a talented athlete who was a staple of some of the Raiders all time great teams. In 1974 he led the league in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He also led the league in touchdowns in 1976 as well. In 1983 he caught a 99-yard pass for a touchdown, the longest reception in NFL history.

77. Nat Moore

Miami Dolphins: 1974-1986

Receptions: 510
Yards: 7546
Touchdowns: 74

1x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All-Pro

Moore never had a 1,000 yard season but he was as consistent as they came. Moore led the league in receiving touchdowns in 1977 with 12. He may be most famous for his helicopter catch against the New York Jets, he was hit on both sides which sent him spinning in the air, he got the first downs proving his toughness. At the end of his career he held most all Dolphins receiving records which have since been broken.

76. Jimmy Orr

Pittsburgh Steelers: 1958-1960
Baltimore Colts: 1961-1970

Receptions: 400
Yards: 7,914
Touchdowns: 66

1x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowler
1x First-Team All-Pro

Orr was one of Johnny Unitas' favorite targets. He was in the top 10 in receiving yards in five different seasons and receiving touchdowns four different seasons. He led the league in yards per catch three different times and his 27.6 average in 1958 is the best ever.