This will be the last of my NFL rankings because all other positions are harder to do and people generally don't care as much. I rank the receivers based on receiving statistics, playoff success, dominance in era, and legacy. This was easily the hardest list to make because I left off several wide receivers that could have easily made the list and aren't even notables. However, I did the best I could based on everything I know and believe.
Notables:
John Stallworth
- 4x Super Bowl Champion
- 3x Pro Bowler
- 8,723 receiving yards, 63 touchdowns
- known as clutch playoff performer
Lynn Swann
- 4x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP
- 3x Pro Bowler
- 5,462 receiving yards, 51 touchdowns
- has several of the most famous catches in Super Bowl history
Anquan Boldin
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 3x Pro Bowler
- 13,779 receiving yards, 82 touchdowns
- long, consistent career
Art Monk
- 3x Super Bowl Champion
- 3x Pro Bowler
- 12,721 receiving yards, 68 touchdowns
- known as clutch performer
Isaac Bruce
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 4x Pro Bowler
- 15,208 receiving yards, 91 touchdowns
25. Hines Ward
- 2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP
- 4x Pro Bowler
- 12,083 receiving yards, 85 touchdowns
- also known as a great blocker
24. Julio Jones
- 6x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro
- 10,731 receiving yards, 51 touchdowns
- still time to move up the list
23. Andre Reed
- 7x Pro Bowler
- 13,198 receiving yards, 87 touchdowns
- made four straight Super Bowls but lost them all
22. Torry Holt
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 7x Pro Bowler
- 13,382 receiving yards, 74 touchdowns
21. Antonio Brown
- 7x Pro Bowler, 4x First Team All Pro
- 11,207 receiving yards, 74 touchdowns
- still room to climb list, hasn't won anything
20. Michael Irvin
- 3x Super Bowl Champion
- 5x Pro Bowler
- 11,904 receiving yards, 65 touchdowns
- best receiver for Cowboy dynasty
19. Reggie Wayne
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 6x Pro Bowler
- 14,345 receiving yards, 82 touchdowns
18. Steve Smith
- 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro
- 14,731 receiving yards, 81 touchdowns
- known as tough, gritty receiver
17. Andre Johnson
- 7x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro
- 14,185 receiving yards, 70 touchdowns
- dominated the 2000s
16. Don Maynard
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 11,834 receiving yards, 88 touchdowns
- put up great numbers when teams rarely passed
15. James Lofton
- 8x Pro Bowler
- 14,004 receiving yards, 75 touchdowns
- long career of dominance for several teams
14. Fred Biletnikoff
- 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP
- 4x Pro Bowler
- 8,974 receiving yards, 76 touchdowns
- known as clutch performer and for stickum
13. Tim Brown
- 9x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro
- 14,934 receiving yards, 100 touchdowns
- also a dominant punt returner
12. Raymond Berry
- 6x Pro Bowler, 4x First Team All Pro
- 9,275 receiving yards, 68 touchdowns
- one of the first all time great receivers
11. Paul Warfield
- 2x Super Bowl Champion
- 8x Pro Bowler, 6x First Team All Pro
- 8,565 receiving yards, 85 touchdowns
10. Lance Alworth
- 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x AFL Champion
- 7x AFL All Star, 6x First Team All AFL
- 10,266 receiving yards, 85 touchdowns
- regarded as best AFL wide receiver ever
9. Cris Carter
- 8x First Team All Pro, 2x First Team All Pro
- 13,899 receiving yards, 130 touchdowns
- dominated 90s, also among all time leaders in receptions
8. Calvin Johnson
- 6x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro
- 11,619 receiving yards, 83 touchdowns
- short but dominant career
- most receiving yards in a single season ever (1,964)
7. Marvin Harrison
- 1x Super Bowl Champion
- 8x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro, 5x Second Team All Pro
- 14,580 receiving yards, 128 touchdowns
- record for most receptions in a single season (143)
6. Terrell Owens
- 6x Pro Bowler, 5x First Team All Pro
- 15,934 receiving yards, 153 touchdowns
- perfect example as the diva receiver, success on several teams
5. Larry Fitzgerald
- 11x Pro Bowler
- 16,279 receiving yards, 116 touchdowns
- long career of sustained dominance
- among all time leaders in receptions
4. Steve Largent
- 7x Pro Bowler, 3x Pro Bowler, 4x Second Team All Pro
- 13,089 receiving yards, 100 touchdowns
- great career on terrible Seattle teams
3. Don Hutson
- 3x NFL Champion
- 4x NFL Allstar, 8x First Team All Pro
- 2x League MVP
- 7,991 receiving yards, 99 touchdowns
- considered the very first "modern receiver", crafted the position
2. Randy Moss
- 6x Pro Bowler, 4x First Team All Pro
- 15,292 receiving yards, 156 touchdowns
- record for most receiving touchdowns in a single season (23)
- record for most receiving touchdowns by a rookie (17)
1. Jerry Rice
- 3x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP
- 13x Pro Bowler, 10x First Team All Pro
- 22,895 receiving yards, 197 touchdowns
- nationally regarded as greatest receiver ever
- 21 year career
- All time leader in receiving yards, touchdowns, and receptions