Ranking the NFL's Divisional Receivers and Tight Ends

The NFL has several offenses that have caught us by surprise with tight ends that have had the ability to stretch the field like we have never seen before.

In fact, both Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski both broke the 1980 record held by Kellen Winslow for most receiving yards in a season.

So, should we still include tight ends in a separate category even though the top two both put up better numbers than most wideouts?

Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers all use their stars (Gronk, Graham, Finley) more often than some signal-callers use their star receivers.

So, with eight teams left in the postseason, I rank the top receivers and tight ends from worst to first on who I want on my team for this weekend’s games (history has little weight—this is about the present).

Anquan Boldin, Baltimore Ravens (Age: 31)

Season Stats: 57 receptions, 887 yards and 3 TD

Boldin missed two games to recover from knee surgery, but the hope is that he can still be an effective receiver for Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense. Although Baltimore is a run-oriented offense, they rely on Boldin’s ability to come across the middle and make the big catch on third downs.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (Age: 26)

Season Stats: 67 receptions, 792 yards and 6 TD

The 49ers are not known for their passing attack, but Davis is the guy who can stretch the field, haul in the crucial passes and be willing to block for Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. Going up against the Saints aggressive and trash-filled secondary will not be an easy challenge, but the sixth-year player has the ability to make them pay.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (Age: 24)

Season Stats: 32 receptions, 551 yards and 4 TD

Tebow may get the majority of the credit, but DT, as he is known as by Tebow, is the main reason why Denver upset the Steelers.

His home run ability to burst past an opposing secondary has made Denver’s offense very effective and balanced. The Tebow and Thomas connection has been catching fire in recent weeks and Denver will need to ride the two all the way to the end.  

Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (Age: 27)

Season Stats: 80 receptions, 1,143 yards and 8 TD

Drew Brees has gone bonkers this season and Colston (6’4”, 225-pounds) is just one of the many pass catchers that the Saints use.

It is debatable that tight end Jimmy Graham and Colston form the best red-zone pass-catching duos in the entire NFL. 

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (Age: 24)

Season Stats: 76 receptions, 1,192 yards and 7 TD

The catch-and-run by Hakeem Nicks against the Atlanta Falcons showed how explosive the former Tar Heel is (or how bad the Falcons are at tackling).

Maybe Victor Cruz is getting a lot more attention, but the Giants are nearly unstoppable when Nicks and Cruz are torching opposing defensive backs.

Nicks has the much better hands and is also a sensational receiver that can go up and take the ball away from defenders in traffic.

Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers (Age: 28)

Season Stats: 67 receptions, 949 yards and 9 TD

Had Greg Jennings not gotten injured he would be in the top three conversation and it is tough to expect huge numbers in his first game back.

Still, I would expect Jennings to make a decent impact against the Giants in a wide-open offense that has Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback.

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (Age: 30)

Season Stats: 33 receptions, 492 yards and 2 TD

Missing 10 games has made it unbearable to watch for fantasy owners, but Andre is in the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Andre has a chance to light up a Ravens secondary (fourth against pass, 196 YPG) that has been known to give up a big play or two if your offensive line can protect your quarterback.

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (Age: 26)

Season Stats: 68 receptions, 1,263 and 15 TD

The star Green Bay receiver has been going off all season long with Aaron Rodgers finding him in the end zone. Nelson is a great route runner, has legitimate speed and can take the top off the defense with his ability to haul in the home run passes.

Victor Cruz, New York Giants (Age: 25)

Season Stats: 82 receptions, 1,536 yards and 9 TD

The salsa dancer has caught the eye of the NFL with his big-play ability. Whether it was his 99-yarder against the Jets or his 77-yarder against the Cowboys, Cruz is a terrific yard after the catch machine. Look for him to have his chances against a talented Packers secondary that allows the most passing yards per game (300). 

Wes Welker, New England Patriots (Age: 30)

Season Stats: 122 receptions, 1,569 yards and 9 TD

Known as the best possession receiver in the NFL, Welker is Brady’s go-to-guy when it comes to crucial third downs. Welker has one of the best pairs of hands in the NFL, and it helps he is quick and is as aware as they come in the NFL.

Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (Age: 25)

Season Stats: 99 receptions, 1,310 yards and 11 TD

Jimmy Graham came into the season as a sleeper in fantasy drafts and an unknown in the NFL because he only had 31 receptions for five TDs last season. Nowadays, the 6’7” 265-pound superstar is catching everybody’s attention with his ability to torch opponents on deep passing routes that even the best defensive backs have a hard time stopping.

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (Age: 22)

Season Stats: 90 receptions, 1,327 yards and 17 TD

“Gronk” has become arguably the best receiver in the NFL this past season due to his size (6’6”, 265-pounds) and pure athleticism he features towards the red zone.

He has a knack for making acrobatic catches look effortless and more times than not he just bullies around safeties and or linebackers.

He can glide by them since Tom Brady (he can play close to 40) often puts the ball right on the money, and at such an early age it looks as if the superstar tight end will only be getting better in the coming years.