Ranking the 10 Best Wide Receiver Duos in the NFL in 2014

The 2014 NFL season has featured several good passing offenses, as some wide receivers have improved and are playing above their potential. Although there are not any teams that have a pair of 1,000-yard receivers at the moment, we could see at least four teams get to that point by the time the season is over.

In an era when the passing game has become a big trend, several teams have gone from having one major threat at wide receiver to having a second wide receiver help carry the load.

In this slideshow, we feature the top 10 wide receiver duos in the NFL and how they have helped their teams.

10. Houston Texans: Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins

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Andre Johnson: 55 receptions for 631 yards and 1 touchdown

DeAndre Hopkins: 46 receptions for 764 yards 4 touchdowns

Texans receiving total: 178 receptions for 2,181 yards and 13 touchdowns

It has been an up-and-down season for the Houston Texans, who are best known for the efforts of J.J. Watt on both sides of the ball. But Houston’s receiving game has been a bright spot for the offense.

DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Johnson are the top two pass-catchers on the team and have been the most reliable for Houston in terms of moving the chains on passing plays.

Even though Johnson has had a low-key season on the field, he is still on pace to finish with at least 80 catches and close to 1,000 receiving yards.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton

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Antonio Brown: 88 receptions for 1,161 yards and 9 touchdowns

Markus Wheaton: 36 receptions for 442 yards and 2 touchdowns

Steelers receiving total: 285 receptions for 3,315 yards and 25 touchdowns

The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a major duo threat at wide receiver, but Antonio Brown has been elite while getting some additional help with some players behind him.

As the league leader in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns, Brown has been a reliable weapon for Ben Roethlisberger to throw to.

Roethlisberger has done a good job distributing the ball to several players. Behind tight end Heath Miller and running back Le’Veon Bell, Markus Wheaton comes in as the next-best pass-catcher on the team.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones and Roddy White

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Julio Jones: 67 receptions for 912 yards and 3 touchdowns

Roddy White: 47 receptions for 566 yards and 5 touchdowns

Falcons receiving total: 252 receptions for 1,977 yards and 17 touchdowns

Julio Jones and Roddy White are a dangerous duo and have had great seasons together. In 2011, both receivers caught eight touchdowns, while the pair surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark the following season. All this was done with tight end Tony Gonzalez on the team.

Now that Gonzalez has retired and Harry Douglas is having a quiet year after he skyrocketed last season, Jones and White have to take the reins as the top pass-catchers on the team.

Although they have had better years together statistically, they remain a good duo. Crazily enough, the Atlanta Falcons lead the NFC South with a 4-6 record. If the Falcons can utilize Jones and White more, they could finish as division winners under .500.

7. Detroit Lions: Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson

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Golden Tate: 68 receptions for 950 yards and 3 touchdowns

Calvin Johnson: 34 receptions for 520 yards and 3 touchdowns

Lions receiving total: 228 receptions for 2,706 yards and 13 touchdowns

His statistics may not show it, but Calvin Johnson has proved his toughness this year despite dealing with the injury bug. While playing seven games this year, Johnson has been effective when available.

For Detroit, Golden Tate has been a pleasant surprise for this year. After spending his first four years in Seattle, Tate joins the Lions and has played lights-out thus far.

Tate has 68 grabs for 950 yards, both already set as career-highs for most in a single season.

In a competitive NFC North division, the Lions have a chance to come away as division winners with the help of Tate and Johnson.

6. Philadelphia Eagles: Jeremy Maclin and Jordan Matthews

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Jeremy Maclin: 57 receptions for 921 yards and 9 touchdowns

Jordan Matthews: 44 receptions for 558 yards and 6 touchdowns

Eagles receiving total: 247 receptions for 3,043 yards and 19 touchdowns

After coming back from injury and with DeSean Jackson no longer on the team, Jeremy Maclin is having the best season of his career since coming out of Missouri in 2009. Although he is a rookie, Jordan Matthews has done a good job across the field from Maclin.

In a season when rookie wide receivers have been impressive, Matthews is among the best newcomers at that position.

Chip Kelly may have one of the fastest group of offensive players, and the wide receivers are part of the reason for that.

5. Chicago Bears: Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall

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Alshon Jeffery: 55 receptions for 761 yards and 4 touchdowns

Brandon Marshall: 49 receptions for 586 yards and 8 touchdowns

Bears receiving total: 253 catches for 2,737 yards and 21 touchdowns

It has been a disappointing year for the Chicago Bears, who sit at 4-6 and don’t find themselves competing for a playoff spot at the moment. Jay Cutler has been inconsistent this season for the Bears, as he is second in the league in interceptions with 12.

Despite the flaws during Chicago’s down season, Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall continue to play at a high level and have complemented each other well.

Jeffery leads the Bears in receptions and yards, while Marshall has the most touchdowns on the team.

If Cutler can play better and be more accurate, his interceptions will go down and both receivers will see their numbers go up.

4. Dallas Cowboys: Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams

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Dez Bryant: 56 receptions for 793 yards 8 touchdowns

Terrance Williams: 27 receptions for 426 yards and 6 touchdowns

Cowboys receiving total: 208 receptions for 2,504 yards and 20 touchdowns

The Dallas Cowboys don’t appear as if they will finish a season with another 8-8 record. Dallas’ three-dimensional offense has lifted the Cowboys to a 7-3 record to tie for first in the NFC East. While DeMarco Murray gets a lot of the attention because of his breakout season, the Cowboys have gotten help from their wide receivers as well.

Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams, former Big 12 college football rivals, combine for 14 of Tony Romo’s 18 touchdown passes. Bryant and Williams both average more than 14 yards per catch and have been big assets in moving the offense.

With a strong running game, Dallas has the luxury of a reliable passing game, making it hard for opposing defenses to prepare for its offense.

3. Indianapolis Colts: T.Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne

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T.Y. Hilton: 59 receptions for 961 yards and 3 touchdowns

Reggie Wayne: 47 receptions for 595 yards and 2 touchdowns

Colts receiving total: 275 receptions for 3,408 yards and 28 touchdowns

As good as Andrew Luck is, a big reason he does so well is because of the players around him, and his wide receivers are no exception.

T.Y. Hilton leads the team’s pass-catchers in receptions and yards. Although Reggie Wayne recently turned 30, he has still come through for the Colts.

With a quiet running game, Indianapolis’ offense relies heavily on its passing game and has no problems finding ways to beat defenses, translating into wins.

2. Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb

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Jordy Nelson: 60 receptions for 998 yards and 9 touchdowns

Randall Cobb: 54 receptions for 779 yards and 10 touchdowns

Packers receiving total: 216 receptions for 2,808 yards and 28 touchdowns

Jordy Nelson is on pace to have the best season of his career and could set career-highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Nelson is Aaron Rodgers’ most viable receiver and has been for the past four seasons. In addition to Nelson’s play, Rodgers has found more success with another target.

Randall Cobb was better known for his return duties early in his career. Now, he handles few returns and is more active on offense, already setting a career-high for most touchdown catches, with 10 on the season.

Nelson and Cobb each have tremendous speed, making it hard for opposing teams to stop Green Bay’s prolific passing game.

1. Denver Broncos: Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders

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Demaryius Thomas: 72 receptions for 1,105 yards and 6 touchdowns

Emmanuel Sanders: 67 receptions for 954 yards and 7 touchdowns

Broncos receiving total: 275 receptions for 3,314 yards and 30 touchdowns

It always helps a passing game look good when Peyton Manning leads an offense under center. At the same time, give credit to Denver’s pass-catchers.

Wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have been dominant this season through the air.

Thomas has always been the primary receiver in Denver and continues to improve since Manning’s arrival in Denver.

As for Sanders, he had no activity in the end zone through the first five games. The newcomer for the Broncos has lit it up lately, catching seven touchdowns in the last six games.

After taking a big hit and suffering a concussion last week, no timetable has been announced for Sanders in terms of his return. Given that he said he felt OK in the locker room after the game, he may not miss much time.

In Sanders' next game, it is likely the Broncos will have a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.

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