QB-WR Duos Who Dominated in Their 1st NFL Seasons Together

Few tandems in the NFL are more dangerous than a prolific quarterback and a dynamic wide receiver.

Over the last few seasons, we've watched a few of these combinations emerge. During the 2022 campaign, the Philadelphia Eagles made a run to the Super Bowl behind the newly formed duo of Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith, who both earned AP All-Pro status.

Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce certainly fit the billing, but they're not formally included because Kelce is a tight end.

While the choices are reasonably subjective, the primary factor is total production with respect to a team's performance.

The list is focused on current duos.

Honorable Mentions

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Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill

Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill thrived in his debut season with the Miami Dolphins, racking up 119 catches for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and finished fourth in Offensive Player of the Year voting.

But it feels like a stretch to say Tua Tagovailoa, despite his efficiency, had a dominant year because he missed four-plus games. Still, the southpaw paced the NFL with 8.9 yards per attempt and a 6.3 touchdown rate, throwing for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns.

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Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

During the 2020 season, Kirk Cousins tossed a career-high 35 touchdowns. Seven of those scores went to Justin Jefferson, who exploded for 88 receptions and 1,400 yards in his rookie year.

It's a tough sell as a dominant season, though. Minnesota dropped nine games and finished third in the NFC North.

Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 20: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills and Stefon Diggs #14 of the Buffalo Bills celebrate after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on November 20, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Not coincidentally, Josh Allen's rise to elite status in 2020 happened after the arrival of Stefon Diggs.

Allen propelled the Buffalo Bills to a 13-3 record, throwing for 4,544 yards and scampering for 421 more. He totaled 45 touchdowns with a career-low 1.7 interception rate and secured high postseason honors. Most notably, Allen finished as the MVP runner-up and a second-team All-Pro.

Diggs, who had requested a trade out of Minnesota, became Allen's much-needed go-to target. While reeling in eight scores, the first-team All-Pro selection led the NFL in receptions (127) and yards (1,535).

The pair has continued to excel with Diggs recording three straight years of 100-plus catches and 1,200-plus yards.

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

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CINCINNATI, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Joe Burrow #9 and Ja'Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals look on from the sideline in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins during a preseason game at Paul Brown Stadium on August 29, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

After snagging Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 draft, the Cincinnati Bengals reunited him with former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase in 2021.

And, uh, it worked out.

Burrow completed an NFL-best 70.4 percent of his passes, amassing 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns with a league-high 8.9 yards per attempt. Since he'd recovered from an ACL injury that ended his rookie campaign, Burrow won AP Comeback Player of the Year.

Chase, meanwhile, began torching defenses with a stellar 18.0 yards per catch—the second-best average in the NFL. A second-team All-Pro, he collected 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.

For good measure, Chase recorded two 100-yard performances in the postseason and caught a touchdown in the AFC Championship Game to help the Bengals reach Super Bowl LVI.

Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) and quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrating their touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Similar to Buffalo's situation with Allen and Diggs, the Philadelphia Eagles watched Jalen Hurts become an MVP contender after the team acquired A.J. Brown.

Philly swung a draft-day trade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022, and the bold decision paid off beautifully.

Brown erupted for career highs of 88 receptions and 1,496 yards, also matching a personal best of 11 touchdowns. The impressive year resulted in his first-ever All-Pro selection, a second-team nod.

Hurts developed into a more balanced force, passing for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He also ran for 760 yards and 13 scores, joining Brown as a second-team All-Pro but finishing second in MVP and third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.

As with Burrow and Chase in 2021, Hurts and Brown played leading roles in Philly advancing to Super Bowl LVII.

Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 23: Matthew Stafford #9 and Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams stand during the national anthem prior to the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Cincinnati and Philadelphia made the Super Bowl in the first season of their respective star connections, but the Los Angeles Rams brought home the hardware.

Prior to the 2021 campaign, the Rams traded for longtime Detroit Lions starter Matthew Stafford. The aggressive thrower still tossed 17 interceptions, but Stafford's 4,886 yards and 41 scores—along with a 12-5 record and NFC West crown—overshadowed those turnovers.

Oh, and Cooper Kupp owned everyone.

Kupp surpassed the 90-yard mark in 16 of the Rams' 17 regular-season games, sweeping the NFL lead in receptions (145), yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16). As if that's not enough, he caught at least one score in all four playoff games, including the winner in Super Bowl LVI.

In addition to first-team All-Pro honors, Kupp won Offensive Player of the Year and ended third in MVP voting.