ESPN ranks the 10 best WRs

[kccrow]

Some things to chew on...

I looked at all receivers that placed in the top 50 in either yards or receptions in the past 2 seasons. 27 make the cut. Taking 2 year averages for those players and re-ranking them by receptions, yards, and average of the two ranks gives you these lists.

Yards per season:

1 WR Michael Thomas
2 WR Julio Jones
3 WR DeAndre Hopkins
4 WR Mike Evans
5 WR Keenan Allen
6 WR Davante Adams
7 WR Robert Woods
8 WR Tyreek Hill
9 WR Kenny Golladay
10 WR Amari Cooper
11 WR Chris Godwin
12 WR Stefon Diggs
13 WR Jarvis Landry
14 WR Odell Beckham
15 WR Tyler Boyd
16 WR Tyler Lockett
17 WR Julian Edelman
18 WR D.J. Moore
19 WR Allen Robinson
20 WR John Brown
21 WR Emmanuel Sanders
22 WR Calvin Ridley
23 WR Larry Fitzgerald
24 WR Robby Anderson
25 WR Cole Beasley
26 WR Dede Westbrook
27 WR Mohamed Sanu

Receptions per season

1 WR Michael Thomas
2 WR DeAndre Hopkins
3 WR Julio Jones
4 WR Keenan Allen
5 WR Davante Adams
6 WR Robert Woods
7 WR Julian Edelman
8 WR Tyler Boyd
9 WR Stefon Diggs
10 WR Jarvis Landry
11 WR Amari Cooper
12 WR Mike Evans
13 WR Allen Robinson
14 WR Odell Beckham
15 WR Tyreek Hill
16 WR Chris Godwin
17 WR Larry Fitzgerald
18 WR D.J. Moore
19 WR Tyler Lockett
20 WR Emmanuel Sanders
21 WR Kenny Golladay
22 WR Cole Beasley
23 WR Dede Westbrook
24 WR Calvin Ridley
25 WR Mohamed Sanu
26 WR John Brown
27 WR Robby Anderson

Average of two ranks

1 WR Michael Thomas
2.5 WR DeAndre Hopkins
2.5 WR Julio Jones
4.5 WR Keenan Allen
5.5 WR Davante Adams
6.5 WR Robert Woods
8 WR Mike Evans
10.5 WR Stefon Diggs
10.5 WR Amari Cooper
11.5 WR Tyler Boyd
11.5 WR Jarvis Landry
11.5 WR Tyreek Hill
12 WR Julian Edelman
13.5 WR Chris Godwin
14 WR Odell Beckham
15 WR Kenny Golladay
16 WR Allen Robinson
17.5 WR Tyler Lockett
18 WR D.J. Moore
20 WR Larry Fitzgerald
20.5 WR Emmanuel Sanders
23 WR Calvin Ridley
23 WR John Brown
23.5 WR Cole Beasley
24.5 WR Dede Westbrook
25.5 WR Robby Anderson
26 WR Mohamed Sanu


As for reference of explosive plays, Hill ranks first in 40+ with an average of 7.0 (Mike Evans came in #2 at 6.5, while 3 players tied for #3 at 4.5 - Golladay, Cooper, and Lockett).

When it comes to 20+ yards, Julio Jones ranked #1 with 22.5, Mike Evans #2 at 21.5, Kenny Golladay #3 at 20.5, DeAndre Hopkins #4 at 19.5, and Tyreek Hill at #5 with 19.0.

With regard to TDs, Hill comes in #1 with 9.5 and then a 4-way tie for 2nd with 9.0 between Locket, DeVante Adams, Hopkins, and Thomas.

First down percentage puts Mike Evans #1, Golladay #2, Chris Godwin #3, Julio Jones #4, and John Brown #5.

If any receiver is criminally underrated, to me its Mike Evans.

Taking an average ranking of all the categories presented here (Rec, Yds, TD, 20+, 40+, 1st%) would result in the following average (Bolded top 10):

4.67 WR Mike Evans
5.67 WR Julio Jones
5.83 WR DeAndre Hopkins
6.33 WR Tyreek Hill
7.83 WR Michael Thomas
7.83 WR Kenny Golladay
8.83 WR Davante Adams
10.00 WR Chris Godwin
10.17 WR Amari Cooper
11.00 WR Stefon Diggs
11.33 WR Tyler Lockett
12.67 WR Keenan Allen
12.67 WR Robert Woods
12.67 WR Tyler Boyd
14.33 WR Odell Beckham
15.17 WR Jarvis Landry
15.17 WR John Brown
17.00 WR Allen Robinson
17.00 WR Calvin Ridley
17.83 WR D.J. Moore
18.17 WR Julian Edelman
19.17 WR Emmanuel Sanders
20.83 WR Robby Anderson
21.83 WR Larry Fitzgerald
24.00 WR Cole Beasley
24.50 WR Dede Westbrook
25.50 WR Mohamed Sanu

And that ranking really is about how I'd see the top 10.

Personally, I'd go

1. Julio Jones
2. DeAndre Hopkins
3. Tyreek Hill
4. Mike Evans
5. Michael Thomas
6. Kenny Golladay
7. Davante Adams
8. Chris Godwin
9. Stefon Diggs
10. Tyler Lockett