NFL's Top 28 over 28: Receivers and Tight Ends
No position has seen more growth in the past two decades than wide receiver. Gone are the days when two-receiver sets were the staple of the NFL, as teams lining up in trips, four-wideout looks and empty looks isn't uncommon.
This is true of every level of football, amateur and professional. What this leads to is more receivers on the field, more balls thrown, more practice time spent on the passing game and better developed receivers. When you look at the quarterback and running back editions of our 28 for 28 series, you'll notice that about halfway through the lists backup and reserve players start getting rattled off.
That just isn't the case with our wideout edition. Because you need a minimum of three quality receivers at the NFL level, with more if you're a pass-happy team like the Arizona Cardinals, there are more veteran jobs open, where teams need an accountable body to contribute for 16 games a year.
We broke down the position's grading scale into four sections: separation, hands, ball skills and blocking. This is a hybrid list that also includes tight ends. To put everyone on a relative scale, it would be disingenuous to not account for a pass-catcher's contribution in the ground game.
Separation is by far the most important factor for the position, which is why we valued it at a clip of 35 points on a 100-point scale. A target's ability to stick a foot in the dirt to make a sharp, violent route can be just as important as having the hands and long speed to work off press for a deep ball, but you need to get open in this league, since cornerbacks have been going through the same development that receivers have recently.
You also need to be able to catch the ball once you get open, which is why we dished out another 35-point category to the mechanics of bringing in a football. We included dropped pass numbers via Pro Football Focus for this section.
Finally, ball skills—which we define as both the ability to high-point a pass and the ability to earn extra yards with the ball in your hand—and blocking are worth 20 and 10 points, respectively.
This isn't the list you will want to read to make fantasy football judgements, but if you want to look at how defenses might rank the players they'd least like to go head-to-head with, this is your one-stop shop.
28. Cecil Shorts, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (28 Years Old)
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Age: 28
Separation
Cecil Shorts, who has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being cut from the Houston Texans, is now on his third team in three years. Shorts has never been "the guy," but he's still a solid contributor out of the slot.
The Texans were in a unique situations with DeAndre Hopkins, a legitimate number one receiver, and three young top-100 picks in Will Fuller, Jaelen Strong and Braxton Miller, which afforded them the ability to let Shorts go. It took almost no time for him to land on his feet, though.
His speed isn't great, which is why he was kept in the slot often in Houston, allowing him to not have to go vertical on a down-to-down basis. Separation is never where his game was strong.
Hands
While he was able to pull in 42 receptions last season, he did post five drops, which is well below the ratio of most of the receivers on this list. While he is a slot receiver, he's not the typical "possession" receiver you often see inside pass-catchers labeled as.
Ball Skills
In terms of ball skills, Shorts is nothing special. He can make some plays with the ball in his hands, which is why he's seen some carries in his career, but his catching radius isn't impressive.
You aren't going to mistake him for Hopkins anytime soon.
Blocking
As a blocker, Shorts shows a lot of effort. He can take on slot cornerbacks one-on-one and rarely misses an assignment.
More times that not, as a slot receiver, you just need to not blow blocks on outside stretches to come away with a positive grade for the week.
Overall
The Buccaneers have a number one receiver in Mike Evans, but their veteran Vincent Jackson is slowly declining. Shorts' addition could help them a lot in the slot opposite of Evans, who is an isolation mismatch.
If Shorts can get Tampa Bay 40 receptions this year, the offense could open up for Jackson, too, as he'll have to worry less about defenses keying up on him on shorter routes. If the defensive back who has to cover the curl area over Jackson has to hesitate, that should open up his opportunities in that zone.
27. James Jones, WR, Free Agent (32 Years Old)
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Age: 32
Separation
The return of James Jones to the Green Bay Packers, after being let go twice in the same offseason by other teams, was one of the better stories in 2015. He pushed 900 receiving yards, but a lot of his production came from who he had passing him the ball: Aaron Rodgers.
Jones was often thrown the ball on timing routes and broken plays. Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks on the move, and several of Jones' receptions would have been reads other quarterbacks pass over. Honestly, Jones had maybe a step on a lot of his receptions.
He has issues getting open at his age, which shouldn't surprise anyone.
Hands
Jones made a lot of high difficulty receptions last season, but that doesn't change the fact that he had five drops relative to 50 catches. Whatever you want to see with Jones is what you think of his ability to bring balls in.
If you want to pull up film of him making nearly impossible receptions, it's there. If you want to pull up film of him dropping those same balls, it's also there.
Ball Skills
Jones can't truly high-point or make plays in space with the legs he has. Right now, what you throw is what he's coming down with, no more and no less.
That's how he's going to be treated from this point on in his career.
Blocking
Don't ask Jones to do more than block the man in front of him. Even going after safeties can at times be a struggle for him.
Overall
Jones wasn't re-signed by the Green Bay Packers this offseason, even though their receiver unit is still questionable. That's telling enough of his forward projection.
He was signed by the Chargers this offseason, but later released. He's a long-shot to be on an NFL roster this year, but could provide help to a team whose WRs suffer injury setbacks.
Jones' 2016 can go one of two ways: He'll either be a timing receiver for a timing offense, or he'll be a non-factor, as his athleticism is one of a receiver who shouldn't see the field for the majority of NFL teams.
26. Ted Ginn, WR, Carolina Panthers (31 Years Old)
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Age: 31
Separation
When you think of Ted Ginn, you think of speed. It's the main reason why he was a first-round pick coming out of Ohio State, but his one stellar trait is also why he's considered a "bust" draft selection, despite the fact that he's still in the league as a 31-year-old wideout.
His only real answer to defenses shutting him down, by hanging over top of him, is his comeback route off of vertical attempts, but even then he's average in and out of his breaks. There's just not much depth to him as a receiver.
Hands
Ginn's biggest flaw is that he drops so many balls. While he was Carolina's top deep threat in 2016, the fact that he short-arms receptions in traffic means that he's limited to running vertical routes efficiently.
He also struggles with body catches at times. In total, he had nine drops on 44 receptions last year.
Ball Skills
Ginn isn't much of a high-point threat, but he feels the need to leave his feet too often on casual receptions. Instead of being able to break on the ball during the process of the catch, he stops his momentum by having to get his feet back into the ground.
When he does have the ball in his hands, though, he's a threat to shimmy and juke a defender in the open field. Based on his extensive history as a return man, that should already be assumed by anyone who has followed his career.
Blocking
Off coverage is how you beat Ginn, and it's why defenses play him that way. Because of that, Ginn isn't asked to do much more than just run off those cornerbacks who align deep over him.
Overall
Cam Newton needed a deep threat last season with Kelvin Benjamin missing the entire year. Ginn filled that role when the Panthers were in a pinch, but it's difficult to imagine how Ginn reinvents himself or improves this late into his career.
He is who he is at this point: a vertical-only receiver. If he finds a vertical offense, like Arizona's, where a quarterback tests every deep portion of the field, he might be able to hang around as a low-end contributor elsewhere in the league, but that's about where his peak is.
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25. Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets (29 Years Old)
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Age: 29
Separation
Between Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, the New York Jets have a nice pair of aged receivers starting for the squad. Unlike Marshall, though, Decker doesn't win with a huge catching radius, but the short game.
While Marshall is more of a sideline threat, Decker wins with crossing patters and short-breaking routes. One of his best attributes is his ability to take tight stabs on backward-breaking routes like curls, as he's able to keep his feet under his chest, putting force on his hips, which helps sell a vertical route to cornerbacks.
Hands
On film, Decker looked like an average receiver in terms of which balls he was and wasn't able to bring in last year. The numbers basically tell the same story, as he dropped eight passes while bringing in 80 receptions.
Ball Skills
When the topic of ball skills come up with Decker, it's a question you have to dwell on long and hard. Does he even have any?
He is pretty characterless in this category, as he looks like a baseline average NFL receiver both when attacking the ball in the air and when he has the ball in his hands.
Blocking
Decker puts out effort on stalk blocks, which is more than you can say about most wideouts in the league. He's not special, but he is functional.
Overall
Decker is a solid No. 2 receiver for the New York Jets, who already have a vertical threat. As long as he's able to thrive in a situation where he can be a plus possession receiver with a good complement, he should continue to record stats above his talent level.
24. Gary Barnidge, TE, Cleveland Browns (30 Years Old)
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Age: 30
Separation
Gary Barnidge had a breakout 1,000-yard season with the Cleveland Browns in 2015 after posting just 603 receiving yards in his eight previous years in the NFL combined. Those numbers are shocking, but he made the most of his late bloom, adding nine touchdowns to the Browns' passing game last year.
He's not a deep threat, but he's a player who can consistently give you a solid flat option in triangle passing concepts. He makes for a quality West Coast-style tight end, and he was able to move the chains 52 times last season.
Hands
He's a middle-of-the-road pass-catcher as a tight end. He's not going to make some of the highlight catches that a Jimmy Graham can, but he's not someone you have to throw away from because of his hands, either.
In 2015, he made 79 while dropping just seven passes.
Ball Skills
He can make catches above his head, but he doesn't have the leaping ability of some of the other 6'6", 250-pound tight ends in the NFL. When the subject of yards after the catch comes up, he's a virtual non-factor.
You throw it where you want the ball to be, or throw it high to him in the end zone. Those are your two options with Barnidge.
Blocking
He has the tendency to catch as a blocker in the ground game. When working across the formation to cut off the back of zone runs, he can at times miss, too.
He can function as a blocking tight end, but he's not someone who you'd consider talented at it.
Overall
Barnidge very well might be a one-year-wonder, but time will have to settle that case. Last year, with a depleted receiving unit and a revolving door at quarterback, he was an easy outlet for the Browns' passing game. New head coach Hue Jackson loves to use tight ends to test the middle of the field, even off of run-pass options, but the question now is if Barnidge will prove to be consistent enough to win that tight end job in the long run.
He signed a three-year extension last December, so it'd be incorrect to say that he's fighting for a starting job, but one-year players come and go, and he hasn't proven himself more than that. Until then, he's a clutch short-yardage threat who can also test how defenses line up in the red zone.
23. Danny Amendola, WR, New England Patriots (30 Years Old)
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Age: 30
Separation
Danny Amendola, even when he played for the St. Louis Rams, always had the stylistic background of a future New England Patriot. His 3,207 yards for 342 receptions over his career is a very low average for a receiver with that many targets, but when you consider the fact that he lives and dies off of shorter routes, the context of his skills begin to make sense.
Want to target a receiver on a slant route? That's Amendola's game. He's not incredible in terms of his burst off the line of scrimmage, but the sooner he breaks his route off, the better the chance that the ball is going his way.
Often, with Tom Brady diagnosing defenses quickly, Amendola is a blitz-beater receiver.
Hands
One of Amendola's best traits is his hands. On 65 receptions last year, he had only two drops. That's exactly what you're looking for from a safety valve.
Ball Skills
Amendola doesn't truly have ball skills. For the most part, what you send his way is what you're going to get.
Yards after the catch isn't where he thrives, and his 5'11" frame doesn't allow for many spectacular catches in close quarters, either.
Blocking
As a blocker, you want him to cut off or stalk defensive backs. He's not a linebacker-banger like his teammate Julian Edelman, but he's someone you can live with outside on running downs. When he's isolated as a single receiver opposite of trips, he'll often run a slant route instead of blocking.
Overall
Amendola isn't someone you'd call special or talented, but he's consistent within his playing style. As long as he's not asked to do more than his talent would warrant, he can continue to perform at a quality level in the NFL.
He might be a third receiver for the majority of NFL offenses, but he's found a nice landing spot with the Patriots, who love to stack their roster with dink-and-dunk receivers rather than chase the deep ball.
22. Anquan Boldin, WR, Detroit Lions (35 Years Old)
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Age: 35
Separation
Anquan Boldin was a second-round pick in the 2003 NFL draft. If you don't know who he is by now, there's reason to question why you're reading this article.
Even coming out of Florida State, when he ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash, he never truly had the speed of the majority of other receiver in the league, but he was able to win short routes with toughness and scheme, like Jarvis Landry is doing with the Miami Dolphins.
Right now, Boldin is a receiver who can flex inside and outside for a team. His role with the Detroit Lions should be to ease the workload on now No. 1 receiver Golden Tate, not to take over a true starting spot with the team.
Hands
One place that Boldin has always won has been his ability to bring in reasonable balls safely. He was able to tuck in 69 receptions last season with the San Francisco 49ers, with only four drops to his name.
Ball Skills
Along with the likes of Steve Smith, Boldin's aging process has been assisted by the fact that his greatest attribute, his tough-to-tackle ability in space, hasn't gone away as years have passed. While he's not a top-end jump-ball wideout, he will make cornerbacks sweat in the open field, all without possessing great speed or agility.
Blocking
Boldin can quit plays too early. You should never look back at a run during a block, and Boldin has the tendency to do so.
Overall
Now entering his 14th season in the league, it's remarkable that Boldin had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014. He's not who he was in his prime, but his game aged well and should lead him to contributing for the next two years or so.
In Detroit, he'll try to crack the 900-yard mark with his fourth team in his NFL career, a feat few are able to accomplish. Every time someone tells him to hit the road, he finds success, which should be music to the ears of Detroit Lions fans, who just lost their franchise's top wideout ever this offseason in Calvin Johnson.
21. Jordan Cameron, TE, Miami Dolphins (28 Years Old)
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Age: 28
Separation
Jordan Cameron's time in Miami so far has been an absolute disappointment. In 2013, he made a Pro Bowl with the Cleveland Browns after recording 917 receiving yards, but in his other four seasons combined he's only posted just over 1,000 receiving yards.
Last year, after signing with the Dolphins as a free agent, he was only able to bring in 386 receiving yards for the Ryan Tannehill-led offense. That's concerning, since he's a pass-catching tight end first and foremost.
In Miami's spread offense he saw a lot of production off of speed outs, which typically are run by receivers. He also was isolated as a split tight end opposite of trips.
Hands
Too often, Cameron lets the ball cross his face and chest before making a catch, which is reflected in his drop rate. Relative to 35 receptions, he had three drops in 2015.
Ball Skills
Cameron has a large catching radius, and he is able to stretch for balls thrown both low and high, though his variance on being able to pull off those receptions is up and down. He's not a playmaker as a pass-catcher in a vacuum, but he's average in space for a tight end.
Blocking
As a blocker, the best way to describe Cameron is as a leaner. If he goes up against undisciplined defensive linemen, he can block them.
Overall
Cameron needs a bounce-back year worse than anyone this high on the list. If he doesn't perform like he was expected when he was a free agent, he can quickly find himself out of a job.
He's a pass-first tight end who was only able to bring in less than 400 receiving yards last season. That doesn't check out in 2016. New head coach Adam Gase might be able to turn around his career, but he's on a last-ditch effort to be an impact player in this league.
20. Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers (36 Years Old)
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Age: 36
Separation
Between 2004 and 2009, Antonio Gates was able to break 900 receiving yards five times. From 2010 through 2015, he hasn't been able to hit that mark once.
He's clearly on the decline, but Gates is still able to function in San Diego's system due to his chemistry with quarterback Philip Rivers, who likes to attack the short portions of the field. A lot of his productivity comes from routes that have adjustments for single-high and two-high coverages, where he can just find a soft spot in zone coverages, rather than beating defensive backs or linebackers in one-on-one coverage.
Hands
Gates is still a sure-handed pass-catcher. While bringing in 56 receptions, he dropped only three passes in 2015.
Ball Skills
Gates has regressed in ball skills more than any other portion of his game. As a 35-year-old last year, he struggled to get off the ground when trying to high-point balls.
He's never been a space tight end, but his legs are also going downhill. It shouldn't shock anyone if he's running a 4.9-second 40-yard dash at this point in his career.
Blocking
He's never been the Chargers' top blocking tight end, but he's also functional there, even though he has issues with getting to the second level. He's not a liability, which alone puts him in the top half of starting tight ends in the NFL.
Overall
We're at the end of Gates' run in the NFL. He may have a season or two left in him, but he's a shell of who he once was.
He's an eight-time Pro Bowler, but he hasn't returned to the game since 2011. He's going to go down as one of the best tight ends of all time, but his last couple of years are not going to impact his Hall of Fame induction at all.
19. Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions (28 Years Old)
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Age: 28
Separation
Golden Tate works best off of quick tempo plays that get the ball into his hand. His nine yards-per-catch average will tell you that he doesn't really excel as a deep wideout, and that reflects on film.
He can work inside or outside, as he's a solid slant threat for the Detroit Lions. He's nothing special, but his ability to flex around the field to attack short areas of the field is one reason why the Lions improved so much in the second half of last season on the offensive side of the ball.
He wasn't asked to be a primary receiver, at least a primary deep receiver, when Calvin Johnson was on the team, but we'll find out if he's able to grow in that role in 2016.
Hands
As a possession receiver, Tate has done a consistent job of holding onto the football. He had just six drops on 90 receptions last season.
Ball Skills
Like a lot of his game, Tate's ability to attack the football is around average for a starting receiver. A lot of his game is characterless, which can be viewed as a positive, since he has no glaring flaws, or as a negative, since he's not a player defenses have to scheme around in any circumstance.
Blocking
Tate is a blocking sled once defenders win inside hands, but he has the feet to get to angled blocks, which helps the Lions out.
Overall
Tate had been steadily improving every year he's been in the NFL up until last season, when his progress stalled. Don't expect his targets to go down, as Matthew Stafford lost the Lions' top receiver in franchise history this offseason, but it's going to be interesting to see if Tate thrives or fails as a deep wideout.
The only other veteran options that Detroit has to play receiver are Anquan Boldin, who is lower on this list than Tate, and Marvin Jones, who has spent his career in Cincinnati playing second fiddle to A.J. Green. The Lions need Tate to be the guy this season to avoid a disastrous record.
18. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos (28 Years Old)
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Age: 28
Separation
Demaryius Thomas is a bit of an odd receiver evaluation because of his ability to win with his hands. Typically, when you see a big-body wideout, you can assume that he wins with his ability to box out defenders, but Thomas actually does a very good job of hand-fighting against press coverage, allowing him to get open early in downs.
He does have heavy feet, and he does lose balance at times, but if he can return to what he looked like before signing his second contract he could return to being a Pro Bowl force at the position. Last year was a down year for him, and Denver's quarterback situation didn't help him out, but it doesn't seem to be getting better anytime soon.
Hands
When going over the middle or catching through traffic, his hands can be an issue. He dropped a dozen passes last season while bringing in 105 receptions.
Ball Skills
As a wideout, this category is probably Thomas' strength. He can climb a ladder to catch a ball with his 6'3" frame, and his 229-pound body makes him hard to tackle in the open field. At the catch point and with the ball in his hands, he's a poor man's Julio Jones.
Blocking
As an outside receiver, he spends most of the time running off cornerbacks, but he does have flashes of talented blocking when he's on the boundary side of the field. Given the opportunity, he will crack down on safeties on stalk blocks.
Overall
Thomas badly needs to rebound from last season, when he had a career-low 12.4 yards-per-reception average. He also set four-year lows in receiving touchdowns, catches of over 20 yards and catches of over 40 yards.
Thomas still has all the tools he needs to succeed, other than his vanishing speed, but he needs to put it all together. His speed could be a big concern, though, as big bodies typically lose their legs at a more rapid rate than smaller receivers, as we saw with the fast drop off of Calvin Johnson.
17. Steve Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens (37 Years Old)
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Age: 37
Separation
Steve Smith is the NFL's sage at the receiver position. Not only is he still slated to start for the Baltimore Ravens in 2016, but he's doing so coming off of an Achilles tear.
Right now, his speed isn't what it once was, but he's a functional wideout despite that fact. He's still quick enough with his feet to make a man miss at the line of scrimmage, which is why he's used on screens so often. But running him vertical, even with Joe Flacco throwing the ball, doesn't make much sense as he approaches his late 30s.
Hands
Smith is around average on this list for his drop percentage. In 2015, he dropped four passes and made 46 receptions.
Ball Skills
With the ball in his hands, he's incredibly hard to tackle. Just watch his touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals last season if you need proof of that.
As a 5'9" wideout, it's hard for him to go up and win a vertical ball against larger cornerbacks, but he brings physicality to every jump ball he sees.
Blocking
Smith is used often blocking on screens, and his mentality is to go after defenders, but he can be inconsistent at times. He can get to the next level with his feet, but he's not polished enough to land those blocks often enough.
Overall
Last year, Smith was on pace for a 1,000-yard season as a 36-year-old, had he played a full 16-game season. That's going to be the qualifier with him from now on, but if he's on the field you'd be incorrect to count him out of being a factor in the passing game.
Smith's style of play can be simplified into one word: aggression. That's not going to change in the near future.
16. Michael Crabtree, WR, Oakland Raiders (28 Years Old)
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Age: 28
Separation
For the most part, Michael Crabtree, who had a great bounce-back season while posting 922 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, is a possession receiver. He doesn't have the deep speed or quickness of an Antonio Brown, but he can still get open.
Instead, Crabtree's bread and butter is his ability to get in and out of breaks. Routes like the curl, which demands initially threatening a vertical route just to pull out into another direction, are where Crabtree thrives on a down-to-down basis.
His speed has diminished a bit, but the Oakland Raiders wouldn't have given him a new contract if he couldn't get the job done without that long speed.
Hands
It's not odd to see Crabtree pull down a couple of one-handed catches on the sideline in the same game. He has a high upside for potential balls caught in his direction, but he's also someone you'd categorize as high variance. Despite bringing in 85 receptions, he had eight drops last season.
Ball Skills
As an outside receiver, he can attack the ball like a poor man's DeAndre Hopkins. When his slightly-above-average speed isn't enough, he uses his vertical ability to try to outwork cornerbacks. With the ball in his hands, though, he's just average.
Blocking
As a blocker, Crabtree shows initial effort. He's not someone you'd categorize as either great or poor at blocking for the receiver position.
Overall
Crabtree has had a rebirth in Oakland, but the big question now is how that will change now that he has a contract in hand. Amari Cooper looks to be the deep threat for Derek Carr in the coming years, but Crabtree's ability to make tough catches with little space and be a consistent No. 2 target will be crucial in the development of the Raiders' young quarterback.
15. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots (30 Years Old)
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Age: 30
Separation
We're at the point with New England wide receivers that people just blindly call wideouts "Wes Welker clones." While that is true in some cases, Julian Edelman, despite his 5'10" height, is as close to a quality transitional receiver that the Patriots have had since Randy Moss was let go.
He's explosive off of the line of scrimmage and thrives off speed outs and crossing patterns, which don't ask for much in terms of long speed. He's nothing to write home to Mom about, but he creates space between him and defensive backs in man coverage with his deliberate movement.
Hands
Some might tab Edelman as a wideout with great hands, but he had seven drops last year compared to 61 receptions. Basically, if the ball is inside Edelman's chest area, it's going to be a catch, but anything outside of his shoulder pads is a bit of a struggle for him.
Ball Skills
His small catching radius is problematic for a No. 1 receiver in today's NFL, even if Rob Gronkowski is the Patriots' top pass-catching threat. He does enough in space to be respected as a threat in close quarters, but his small target area really hurts him.
Blocking
As a blocker, Edelman is respected by his coaching staff. They will at times ask him to attack linebackers on quick, violent blocks, which very few receivers in the NFL get to do consistently.
Overall
Edelman is miscast in the media at times, but what everyone can agree on is that he's an impactful player for Tom Brady. He's a short-route guy when he's not crossing the formation, which works perfect with Brady's style of play, which involves getting the ball out of his hand as quick as possible, as he doesn't thrive on extending plays with his feet.
Leaguewide, Edelman could thrive in just about any system that bases the majority of its passing game around West Coast principles. As long as Edelman can continue his sudden breaks, he should be able to find work.
14. Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington Redskins (30 Years Old)
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Age: 30
Separation
Pierre Garcon averaged just over 10 yards per reception last season, and if you watch him in-depth there shouldn't be a question as to why that was the case. If you were to label him as anything, he's a possession receiver.
He does solid breaking out of routes that first look vertical, like corner routes, and he does a solid job of hauling in passes from crossing patterns, where he crosses zones and has a natural win in man coverage, no matter of speed.
He's nothing special here, but he's not a liability, either. Garcon is just average and should be used as a complement receiver, which the Washington Redskins were able to do with speedster DeSean Jackson and "move" tight end Jordan Reed.
Hands
For a possession receiver, Garcon's hands weren't steady enough last season. He's the team's safety valve, but he had five drops compared to 72 receptions in 2015.
Ball Skills
His ability to track the ball in the air is just average, which might be why the Redskins drafted TCU receiver Josh Doctson, who excels in that area, in the first round this past draft.
When the ball is in Garcon's hands, though, he's very hard to bring down. His constantly churning legs make him a driving force in one-on-one tackling situations.
Blocking
You could go as far as to call Garcon a liability in the running game with the block that he whiffs on. Many times they aren't even angled blocks that he has to reach for, but simple assignments hanging over him.
Overall
By the end of this season, Garcon may be Kirk Cousins' fourth target. Right now, Washington is spoiled with riches, and its ability to count on Garcon as a possession-timing receiver is something that not all franchises would be able to do.
Garcon is probably at the tail end of his impact as a three-down player, but he could see time on his next contract as a wideout who comes in on three- or four-receiver looks if a team's starting receiver is better suited as a slot receiver in those situations. The ability to run timing routes and beat tackles with effort ages very well.
13. Martellus Bennett, TE, New England Patriots (29 Years Old)
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Age: 29
Separation
Martellus Bennett hasn't ever been as big of a star as he is right now, since he's been traded to the New England Patriots. Playing at a skill position for the least star-oriented team, as the second tight end on the roster no less, doesn't make sense at the start of stardom, at least on paper, but this is where we are at with Bennett heading into 2016.
He's more of a matchup player due to his size than his athleticism, but the Chicago Bears used him creatively last season. He does catch spot passes, like 95 percent of tight ends in the NFL do, but not many squads actively throw screens and speed outs to their hybrid pass-catchers, and Bennett has proven he can execute.
Hands
For a tight end, Bennett's hands are just average. On 53 receptions last season, he had four drops.
Ball Skills
When he's thrown the ball on screens, his offensive coordinator's objective is to get him a full head of steam at 275 pounds, not because he's an ankle-breaker in the open field. You're not going to mistake him for a wideout anytime soon.
When he's attacking the ball, his 6'6" frame comes in handy when high-pointing the football. There's no lie to the possibility of an unstoppable red-zone pairing of Bennett and Rob Gronkowski.
Blocking
As a blocker, Bennett is incredibly talented, but he's also fairly inconsistent. He makes blocks that few pass-catching tight ends could even attempt, but you can't trust him enough to call him a true blocking tight end.
Overall
Bennett is in a weird spot of his career. He's trying to bounce back on a roster that may feature the best player to ever play his position.
Maybe the Patriot way will sink in, and he'll turn into a second Gronkowski, but he was schemed open in Chicago, and New England typically likes to run outside breaking routes with their receivers, targeting underneath on hi-lo concepts with a running back swinging out of the backfield.
Outside of the red zone, Bennett's fit with the team is a bit confusing, but he has the talent to make that offense special, should offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels figure out how the puzzle pieces work once Tom Brady returns from suspension in Week 5.
12. Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets (32 Years Old)
17 of 28
Age: 32
Separation
Brandon Marshall has posted 1,000-yard seasons with four teams, doing so with the Denver Broncos, the Miami Dolphins, the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets. He doesn't have great feet, but he uses his 6'4" size to his advantage, allowing him to bring in 109 receptions last season.
He can't really win as a vertical receiver against off coverage, as the team does turn him into a large slot receiver when he starts seeing those looks, and the Jets try to get him into press coverage on the outside. You wouldn't say he's limited, but he does have a style of play.
Hands
While Marshall did have 11 drops last season, a lot of his registered drops weren't totally his fault. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw his way too often, knowing how rare Marshall's catch radius was, leading to Marshall having to make difficult reception after difficult reception.
At some point, on contested passes, you're going to drop the ball. Marshall's 109 receptions were his second-highest mark in his 10-year NFL career last season, and his 14 touchdowns were a career high. Fitzpatrick at times abused him with volume.
Ball Skills
As a 230-pounder, he wasn't very special in space, but he's a sideline receiver at heart, even when he's thrown into the slot. His big catching radius allows for highlight plays, but his hands can be up and down at times, as contested passes can't be the staple trait you build your game around.
Blocking
As a blocker, Marshall is above average for a receiver, but he doesn't do anything too exciting. When he's a slot receiver, he blocks the No. 2 defender outside of the box. When he's on the sideline, he blocks the corner hanging over him.
Overall
Marshall is a volume receiver at this point in his career, and that's not a bad thing. He's not truly a deep threat, and he's not truly a possession receiver, but he's a playmaker, and that's why the Jets' offense was built around him last season.
Pairing him with a speedy receiver opposite of him would do wonders in freeing him up, forcing Fitzpatrick to look another way when compromised in the pocket, but Marshall making the Pro Bowl with four different franchises and even more quarterbacks should speak for itself. He's who you want on your team when things go wrong early in a down.
11. Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks (29 Years Old)
18 of 28
Age: 29
Separation
The Seattle Seahawks invested a lot of assets in Jimmy Graham when they traded a first-round pick and center Max Unger for the tight end last year, but they have yet to reap the benefits of adding him on the roster. After only catching two touchdowns last season, some might question if Graham is declining, but the truth is that he's the same player.
Graham is thought of as some sort of deep threat up the seams, and his touchdown numbers over his career might lead you believe that the statement is true, but his time in New Orleans was mostly spent as a "seams to win" player. With the Saints, he was basically a seams tester unless the team was in two-high coverage, which then had an adjustment for Graham attacking zones in the middle of the field, as he couldn't outrun defensive backs in space.
The problem is, Seattle built its team around the running game, and it doesn't have as many intermediate concepts as it does deep concepts, so Graham was often losing those one-on-one battles off of play action.
At the end of the day, it's up to the Seahawks to adjust to the talent they mortgaged their future for, not the other way around.
Hands
Graham had only two drops relative to 48 receptions last season, but he has a definitive style of catching the football.
On routes like slants, he'll often just body-catch the ball, which isn't ideal for Pro Bowl pass-catchers, but his 265-pound frame also makes it difficult for defensive backs and even linebackers to influence a chest catch on back-breaking routes like curls, which is why he's a red-zone factor.
Ball Skills
Most tight ends aren't players who thrive in space with the ball in their hands, and Graham is no different. Where he does win is with his ability to high-point footballs, and his 6'7" frame makes that catching radius almost impossible for a single defender to attack.
Blocking
In New Orleans, Graham was tabbed as a "jumbo slot," as his attributes aligned more with a large receiver than a dual-threat tight end. When he's asked to go against defensive ends in the ground game, the end brings the physicality to him, not the other way around.
Overall
As long as Graham is able to recover from his knee injury, he should be more than fine in 2016. He's not an all-around tight end, but he has clear positives. The question at this point is if those positives are rare enough for the Seahawks to redesign their offense around.
You'd guess that after trading a first-round pick and a starting offensive lineman, when the team couldn't really afford to lose an offensive lineman, Graham would have been a focal point of the offense, but they tried to plug and play him in a poor system fit in 2015.
10. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (28 Years Old)
19 of 28
Age: 28
Separation
Jeremy Maclin might be a fringe top-10 player on this list, but he has a lot more in common with receivers pushing in the fringe top five than in the fringe top 15. In his first year with the Kansas City Chiefs, Maclin was able to post his second 1,000-yard receiving season in his career, after setting career highs in his last year with the Philadelphia Eagles just to have head coach and general manager Chip Kelly tell him to hit the open market.
Maclin isn't going to surprise you with separation, that's just not his game. He does nice work getting extra space off of slants and doing well on snag routes as an outside receiver. The majority of his game is going to be based around the timing of short and intermediate routes, which works with quarterback Alex Smith's skill set.
Last season, he posted only three receptions of over 40 yards, his lowest mark when he's started at least 15 games in his career.
Hands
While watching Maclin, it became difficult to note anything about his hands. He caught what he was able to catch, which made him a bit of a boring, consistent watch. That's a good thing.
In 2015, he made 87 receptions and dropped just a single ball.
Ball Skills
Making acrobatic receptions isn't how Maclin wins, but to say that he isn't a factor with the ball in his hands would be completely false. When the Chiefs see blitz, they'd rather throw a screen than test deep routes in man coverage, and Maclin is the wideout they trust the most to make a play with blockers downfield.
Blocking
As a blocker, Maclin is very average for a wideout. He puts in effort and is asked to stalk-block safeties, but he's not making decleating blocks downfield anytime soon.
Overall
Some may see Maclin as a boring receiver, but the Kansas City Chiefs run a boring passing offense. They want to West Coast you up and down the field, taking what a defense gives them, and Maclin's ability to provide consistent, precise play makes him incredibly valuable in that scheme.
You may think of Maclin as a replacement level No. 1 receiver, but his addition to the Chiefs has made an impact, as they likely wouldn't have been able to cruise into the playoffs in 2014 without running back Jamaal Charles, but they were able to keep the chains moving offensively with Maclin's addition in 2015.
9. Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers (31 Years Old)
20 of 28
Age: 31
Separation
Greg Olsen starts off the last tight end run on this list. While he is split out wide often by the Carolina Panthers, who lost their top receiver Kelvin Benjamin before last season even started, he wasn't much of a deep threat as a wide receiver.
More times than not, even on Y-iso looks, his job was to find a soft spot in zone looks, rather than test the defense vertical. He needs to work getting off press man coverage, but the Panthers did him some favors by getting him the ball on play action when he was in line.
Hands
Olsen's ability to box out like a basketball player with his 6'5", 253-pound frame allows for few defenders to get into position to make a play on balls thrown his way. Last year, he dropped seven passes compared to 77 receptions.
Ball Skills
Often, you'll hear "the tighter the coverage, the lower the ball," which leads to the development of pass-catchers attacking balls under their knees, something anyone can physically do, but Olsen can at times struggle with that objective. What he can do, though, is stretch out for balls that are thrown above his eyes, which is a difficult task for most tight ends.
In space, he's nothing to write home about, but his ability to high-point is stressed with Cam Newton, who tends to hang balls a little high, at quarterback for the Panthers.
Blocking
Olsen can be a body, but he's not a blocker. If you re-watch the Super Bowl, it would be eye-opening to chart how many times Carolina ran opposite of him in the running game when he was the in-line tight end, as the true blocking tight end of that team is Ed Dickson.
He can stalk linebackers, but he won't drive them. On the line of scrimmage, he can battle for a stalemate, but if he has to drive, like you need to on an outside zone as the play-side tight end, he can be in for trouble.
Overall
Olsen is the baseline for being good enough at tight end to hold down a job for a long amount of time without ever transcending that label. He has made Pro Bowls the past two seasons with Carolina, but that has more to do with the volume of receptions coming his way, rather than him developing late in his career.
He's neither limited nor outstanding in any area of his game. Essentially, he's the position's Alex Smith.
8. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys (34 Years Old)
21 of 28
Age: 34
Separation
If you clicked this, there's a 99 percent chance you've seen Jason Witten play at some point in his 10-time Pro Bowl career. The 34-year-old has been a staple of Dallas Cowboys football for well over a decade, going back to the days of Quincy Carter.
As a well-aged tight end, Witten can't do much against man, but he's made a living finding holes in zones, and the Cowboys are able to beat some man coverages by featuring him often off of play action. He's no world-beater, but he's a safety valve that Tony Romo has gone to over and over.
Hands
A lot of what you're going to read about Witten during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be stereotypes you think of tight ends. It's a working man's skill position, which demands effort on blocking, the dirty work, and finding holes in zone as well as strong hands.
Witten fits all of that to a T, as he didn't have a single drop last season, all while bringing in 77 receptions for Dallas' passing game. There's a reason why the Cowboys have thrown 60 touchdown passes his way since 2003.
Ball Skills
Witten in the open field isn't going to threaten anyone at this point in his career, unless it involves a stiff arm, and he doesn't have the athletic ability to make the same high-pointing catches that Dez Bryant can. You need to send the ball into his chest for him to haul it down, but that's a factor you can survive with at the tight end position.
Blocking
You're not going to mistake Witten for an offensive lineman, but he's very good at blocking for a skill player, and his consistency is worthy of praise. He very well might last into his late 30s as a second tight end who is blocking-specific, with his 6'6", 263-pound frame.
Overall
You can make the case for Witten aging with grace, but he's clearly taking steps back as a pass-catcher. How far that drop will go is yet to be seen, but time comes for everyone, and Witten is living on borrowed time as a 34-year-old NFL player.
Entering his 14th season in the NFL, Witten is a more than functional tight end, but the Cowboys need to be aware of where he might be in a year or two athletically. For now, though, he's a contributor in the run game who can go out and run short routes, even if he hasn't caught a pass of over 40 yards since 2011.
7. Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans (32 Years Old)
22 of 28
Age: 32
Separation
An aging tight end being at the top of his position shouldn't surprise anyone, as the likes of Jason Witten and Antonio Gates are still kicking, while others like Tony Gonzalez were still at the top of their game in their 30s, but Delanie Walker's case is a little different.
Up until 2013, when Walker joined the Tennessee Titans, he never eclipsed more than 400 receiving yards in a single season, despite having seven shots at it with the San Francisco 49ers. He's come on, with 571-, 890- and 1,088-yard marks in Tennessee over the past three years, ruining your fantasy leagues.
Of his 94 receptions last season, 13 went for over 20 yards, as he's proven himself as more than a spot or seams to win tight end and more of a mismatch threat to the seams. With Marcus Mariota, who threw up the seams often in the Pac-12, at quarterback, there might not have been a better tight end for him to transition into the NFL with, other than Rob Gronkowski.
Hands
Walker's hands aren't anything special for a tight end, but he doesn't noticeably struggle for the position, either. He had five drops last season.
Ball Skills
He isn't much of a yards-after-the-catch pass-catcher, at least relative to other seams threats, but his 248-pound frame wouldn't suggest that either. He may get the ball on screens, but that's more of a function of a large body getting a full head of steam, rather than a tight end who can make moves in space.
You think of tight ends as players who can stretch up and make plays, and Walker doesn't lack effort, but his 6'2" height does put his realistic catching radius into perspective. He will lay out for a ball, but getting a ball low, rather than outside or up top, is always going to be simpler for him.
Blocking
After Gronkowski, there may not be a more complete tight end in the NFL than Walker. There are blocking tight ends, who are hidden on special teams and low in the roster until heavy situations, and there are pass-catching tight ends, who are really just large receivers who teams have to live with blocking second-level players, but Walker separates himself from the pack on film.
Overall
Walker's career doesn't really follow any type of structure, as he was sixth-round pick from a Division II school who started 10 games in his second year in the NFL, but didn't "break out" until he was a 29-year-old.
He's now one of the NFL's top dual-threats at the position, a perfect option for offenses like Tennessee's that run run-pass options often. He might be the mold for this next generation's tight ends, but he's far from the career arc that raw Y-receivers should expect from a patience standpoint.
6. Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos (29 Years Old)
23 of 28
Age: 29
Separation
For the most part, the Pittsburgh Steelers have done a great job of knowing who to let go and re-sign. They let Mike Wallace walk just before his trend down, but elected to re-sign Antonio Brown, who has proven to be a huge asset for the team.
Emmanuel Sanders is the one who got away. Sanders doesn't play like a receiver who is on the edge of the 30-year-old mark, as he wins with his feet, which cut quickly when breaking routes, leading to his best trait: separation one-on-one.
With Demaryius Thomas opposite of him, the Denver Broncos make it difficult for defenses to rotate coverage his way, which allows Sanders to thrive on speed outs and tunnel screens, quick plays that allow him to get the ball on the move.
Hands
While he's not flawless, Sanders isn't bothered much by cornerbacks playing through his 180-pound frame. Last year, he had six drops relative to 76 receptions.
Ball Skills
For a 5'11" receiver, Sanders does a good job of winning jump balls. That's how he's able to survive as a smaller receiver in the vertical game.
In space, Sanders displays the same type of foot stabs that get him open to take the ankles of ill-prepared defenders. If Sanders played for any of the 32 franchises in the NFL, he'd become a staple of their screen game.
Blocking
Sanders is an effort blocker, but he's not naturally gifted. He'll work on stalks, and get his assignment of being a human speed bump executed, but he's never going to be more than that in the ground game.
You throw screens to him, not make him block for screens.
Overall
Sanders is one of the better route-runners in the NFL, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon. He's posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Denver, his first 1,000-yard seasons of his career, despite Peyton Manning's less-than-stellar performance in 2015.
Whoever the Broncos start for the majority of the season, be it Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch, should be looking Sanders' way often in 2016. Finally given a full-time starting job, Sanders has run away with his opportunity in the AFC West.
5. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals (33 Years Old)
24 of 28
Age: 33
Separation
In 2003, Larry Fitzgerald was an All-American receiver at the University of Pittsburgh. If someone tells you that in the past 13 years he hasn't lost a step of speed on his 40-yard dash, that person is a liar.
Because of that, Fitzgerald has been seeing more time in the slot than as an outside receiver as he's aged, but that doesn't mean that his game is on a constant projection south. He is living off of "old man game" at this point in his career, but designed screens his way, both low and high crossing patterns, curls and even gadget plays are his bread and butter.
In many ways, he's like a hybrid slot receiver and tight end.
Hands
What's one reason it's hard to keep Fitzgerald off the field, even as he's heading into a season which he'll begin as a 33-year-old? His ability to catch nearly anything within his range.
Last year, he had 109 and only three drops.
Ball Skills
Fitzgerald doesn't do much when the ball is in his hands, which is why his impactful catch against the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs last year was so memorable. What he does do a good job of is making difficult catches through contact.
He may not be the high-pointer he once was, but using arms to jar out a ball from Fitzgerald's grasp is ineffective.
Blocking
The Cardinals veteran receiver isn't a good blocker for just a receiver, he'd be a good blocker if he were a tight end, too. Arizona often runs him in bunch sets with two other tight ends, which can be problematic for defenses.
Fitzgerald's blocking ability, which is more than just executed effort, can make 12-personnel packages a headache for opposing defensive coordinators. If they split those tight ends in the package, the offense can go in a spread look, whereas if you run nickel or dime, Fitzgerald's presence can lead to plays that are essentially one-receiver looks.
Overall
You can spend an entire day thinking of cliches that would apply to a gracefully aging receiver, and they are all true for Fitzgerald. At a position of speed, he has proven that you can win without it, if you mesh with the correct offense.
His ability to play as a spread receiver, then kicking down to a pseudo tight end, has done wonders for his career as he's entering his mid-30s. He's going to be this position's version of Antonio Gates, who you always think has one year left in him, if that, and winds up proving you wrong over and over.
4. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
25 of 28
Age: 31
Separation
Last year, Jordy Nelson posted zero receptions for zero yards and zero touchdowns. He's also the highest-ranked 30-year-old wideout on this list.
If you were able to watch the Green Bay Packers function without their top deep threat last season, you already know his impact on that team's offense, but what you might not know about is his isolated talent in a vacuum.
Nelson is a do-it-all outside receiver who can play from anywhere and do anything. He may not be the fastest man on Earth, but he is technically sound and he's well-above average in terms of speed.
As a physical receiver, he gets away with more than others would, but like the Seattle Seahawks' cornerbacks, if you play physical on every single play it's hard for referees to make every call, and that's a positive at the NFL level. Those small nuances in his game, like separating through his break, are what make Nelson great.
Hands
In 2014, the last season Nelson was on the field—as he lost 2015 to a non-contact knee injury in the preseason—the Packers wideout had eight drops relative to 98 receptions. On film, he makes some of the strongest-handed catches in the sport, especially when he's asked to high-point balls, but those numbers are a sobering reminder that making tough catches doesn't mean that you're flawless in the hands category.
Ball Skills
Nelson's ability to fight for tough passes is his best trait as a football player. Off balance, he's able to high-point with physicality. When teams cover him too deep, he and Aaron Rodgers have the chemistry to cut a route off early and throw the back shoulder.
In space, he's a tough tackle at his size. This is a wideout who could easily play a traditional wideout role, a slot role or a jumbo slot role, like the New Orleans Saints have popularized with Drew Brees, with a seamless transition.
Blocking
The former Kansas State walk-on has an advantage over most receivers: his size. While that doesn't seem like something that has much influence in ground games, switching a receivers assignment from running off a cornerback to stalking a safety on a block in space can be the difference between a running back juking a cornerback on the perimeter or not.
Nelson has proven time and time again that he's up to the task, as one of the best blockers at the position.
Overall
No one knows what Nelson is going to look like in 2016, as he hasn't played a regular-season game in over a year and a half, but it would also be reckless to ignore his contributions as a 6,000-yard receiver who is one score away from being a 50-touchdown wideout, too.
The last time he was seen on the field, he was a Pro Bowler, and the last time we saw his team on the field, they were patiently awaiting his return. As physicality ages well, as we've seen from the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith, expect Nelson to hold a spot on this list for a long time.
3. DeSean Jackson, WR, Washington Redskins (29 Years Old)
26 of 28
Age: 29
Separation
Despite battling hamstring issues that kept him out for seven weeks and playing through a knee issue in 2015, DeSean Jackson was still one of the better receivers in the league last season. On just 30 receptions, he was able to net four catches of over 40 yards, doing more with less than anyone in the league by that standard.
What's the reason for Jackson's success? Pure speed. In straight-line ability, Jackson might be the best threat on the sideline of anyone in the NFL.
In today's game, teams are loaded up on bigger, longer, heaver cornerbacks, in an attempt to mold themselves like the Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom secondary, and smaller, faster wideouts like Jackson, who is listed at 5'10" and 175 pounds, are able to exploit the NFL's trends.
Hands
On film, there's nothing of note on Jackson's hands, which is like an offensive lineman not being highlighted in pass protection, a good thing. While bringing in 30 receptions last season, Jackson didn't have a single drop.
Ball Skills
Jackson has spent his entire life basically doing one of two things on the football field: either tracking a long ball or making plays in space. Earlier in his career, it's why he was used so often in Philadelphia as a punt returner and rusher, until his contract outweighed the potential of losing him on special teams and gadget plays.
Blocking
Because of his speed, Jackson is rarely pressed, as that would either require a cornerback to have the makeup speed to close in if he lost Jackson at the line of scrimmage or to have a safety shaded over Jackson, freeing up offensive weapons like Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed. The majority of his time spent on run plays is running off cornerbacks.
Overall
Jackson is in his ninth year in the NFL, and he's never had a season under 900 receiving yards when he's played in more than 12 games. You can look at his age, his missed games last season and some of the career lows he's set, but if you take the wide angle snapshot of his career, which includes his yet-to-decline speed, it makes more sense for him to be among Pro Bowl wideouts next season than aging stars like Andre Johnson.
In many ways, cornerbacks and offensive linemen are oddly similar. One way this is true is how matchups are viewed at those positions. Both of them are positions of prevention, where they simply need to execute assignments, as opposed to offensive skill players who can thrive with creativity with the ball in their hands.
Offensive linemen are always going to fear the speed of edge-rushers and linebackers, who are larger. The same can be said of cornerbacks, and lining up against Jackson, even if he weighed 120 pounds, means having the wits scared out of you a couple of times a game.
This is a player who once made a walk-off punt return touchdown to win a game against a division rival. As long as he's able to run the way he does, there's no end in sight.
2. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (28 Years Old)
27 of 28
Age: 28
Separation
When you discuss all-around receivers in the NFL, one of the first names that has to come up is A.J. Green of Cincinnati, who has been in the spotlight since his days as a super recruit in high school. Since his time as a prep, he and Julio Jones, now with the Atlanta Falcons, have been juxtaposed in debates asking which one is the better receiver, and a solid answer to that question is still just a stylistic opinion entering the 2016 regular season.
Creative offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, now the head coach with the Cleveland Browns, moved Green everywhere on the field, attempting to maximize his leverage against changing coverages, as Green is able to be a focal point of any passing game if he's singled up with a single defender.
Against off coverage, he's a threat on slants, as he's able to stab his foot in the ground quickly after threatening with hard steps upfield. When teams try to run press coverages on Green, the Bengals' changeup involved him beating slot cornerbacks one-on-one or running switch vertical routes, which have natural picks, to flash his long speed.
You could wish he has legitimate track speed, but he has been able to reach his physical peak through positional development, which is incredible and shouldn't be understated.
Hands
Last year, he dropped three passes relative to 86 receptions. When Green's name comes up, you think of a player who is athletically a deep threat but has possession receiver traits, which is why the Bengals were so comfortable playing him in the slot for stretches.
Ball Skills
In space, Green has good balance and a quick gas pedal, which helps him out of arm tackles on back-breaking routes like curls. He's no DeSean Jackson in terms of speed, but he's not someone you want to see in the open field, either.
As far as his ability to track the ball goes, he makes Andy Dalton's life a lot easier with his ability to make plays on back-shoulder throws. Defenders may think that they have Green pinned down one-on-one by floating five yards over him, but his chemistry with Dalton allows him to pull up in the intermediate range if a cornerback is sold deep, resulting in well-timed plays on the sideline.
Again, Green has an answer to almost anything you throw at him.
Blocking
Green's 6'4" body is some help when he has blocking assignments when pressed at the line of scrimmage, but teams don't often give the Bengals those looks. More times than not, his job is to run off defenders rather than stalk blocking the safety.
Overall
There aren't many receivers who have posted 1,000-yard seasons in each of their first five years in the NFL. There's no question as to why Green is a five-time Pro Bowler: consistency.
If you were starting an NFL team today, without knowing what style of a passer you were going to be handed, Green has a case to be the top receiver on a hypothetical big board. With his nuanced game, it's easy to expect him to be a pass-catcher who ages well, too, as wideouts like Larry Fitzgerald, who had a similar skill set in his prime, are still big factors in their offenses, even at this point in their careers.
1. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (28 Years Old)
28 of 28
Age: 28
Separation
Antonio Brown's elite talent, which led to his league-leading marks in receiving yardage (1,834) and passes of over 40 yards (eight), starts with his amazing ability to separate. If you're going to be an absolutely dominant 5'10", 181-pound wideout, you have to be able to create distance between you and a defender on an island, and Brown excels in that aspect.
His deep speed can beat safety help, and his short-area ability is one reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers not only went for more two-point conversions than anyone in the league, but were able to convert those attempts into scores more than anyone else in the league from a percentage standpoint.
You'd think that pressing a small receiver like him would be a good idea, but unless you can get to the quarterback quickly, Brown's hands will free him up at some point, and concepts like switch verticals that the Steelers use can be a headache to cover with Brown's skill set.
Hands
When watching Brown on film, it's hard to come up with complaints or notes on his hands, one way or another, which is typically a good thing. Last year, he dropped only five balls relative to 136 receptions.
Ball Skills
Brown doesn't have the catching radius that some receivers have, but his balance to pull up on the sideline to make a tip-toe reception is impressive. It's also pretty clear that the Steelers want to get the ball to him in space, where he's a threat to take it all the way at all times.
If it's not Brown earning extra yards on crossing patterns and slants, he's able to contribute on end-round carries in the ground game, which he did midseason last year.
Blocking
Of all of the receivers in the league, Brown might give the least amount of effort on blocks. For the most part, teams try to play off coverage against him, which gives him a long cushion between making a block, but he's physically slapped the ground like a college basketball player and high-stepped when he's been given blocking assignments.
Overall
Forget age: Brown has a case to be the best overall receiver in the NFL. It's incredibly rare for receivers of his size to score touchdowns at the clip he has been able to do over his career, let alone be a primary red-zone and two-point target for a title-contending team.
Brown doesn't care about blocking, and when you're as good as he is down the sideline and in space, you're able to dictate your own rules a bit. Brown restructured his contract this summer, but is still slated to be a 2018 free agent. Should he see the open market, he could break records for the money he signs for as a receiver who will be pushing 30 years old.
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