{"id":186,"date":"2023-09-29T19:44:53","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T23:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/?p=186"},"modified":"2025-12-17T15:03:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T19:03:36","slug":"13-best-wide-receivers-in-the-nfl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/2023\/09\/13-best-wide-receivers-in-the-nfl\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Wide Receivers in the NFL (2022)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this article, we will use the data in the massive Pro-Football-Reference.com memory banks to find out who from the 2022<\/a> season were the best wide receivers in the NFL. We can achieve this by their production in the regular season for that year and determine who the leaders in each category make the cream of the position rise to the top of the best receivers in the NFL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Catch Percentage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A great way to measure the proficiency of a receiver is to take their receptions divided by the number of times the passer targeted them. Here is the top player who had the most reliable set of hands at his position in 2022 with a minimum of 50 receptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\t
\n\t\n\n
\"Photo\n<\/div>
\n\t

\n\t\tRichie James<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n \n

\n \n Richard Rhondel James Jr.\n \n <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tPosition<\/strong>: WR\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n

5-9<\/span>, 185lb<\/span> (175cm, 83kg) <\/p>\n

Team<\/strong>: Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> (Injured Reserve)<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\n Born:<\/strong> \n \n\t\tSeptember 5<\/a>, 1995\n \n \n in Sarasota, FL<\/a><\/span>\n \n<\/span> (Age: 28-021d)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

College<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tMiddle Tenn. St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t (College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…)<\/a>:<\/strong> 12 (7556th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High School<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tRiverview Sarasota<\/a> (FL<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draft<\/strong>: San Francisco 49ers<\/a> in the 7th round (240th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n

<\/p>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t

\n\t\n 13 \n\t<\/a>\n\t\n 80 \n\t<\/a>\n\t\n 17 \n\t<\/a>\n\t
+2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n
\nSUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n

2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n
\nG<\/strong><\/span>

2<\/p>\n

59<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nAV<\/strong><\/span>

–<\/p>\n

13<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>

\n
\nRec<\/strong><\/span>

1<\/p>\n

96<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nYds<\/strong><\/span>

6<\/p>\n

1264<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nY\/R<\/strong><\/span>

6.0<\/p>\n

13.2<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nTD<\/strong><\/span>

0<\/p>\n

7<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nFantPt<\/strong><\/span>

-1.4<\/p>\n

158.9<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The New York Giants<\/a> had a secret weapon when Richie James was on their roster in 2022. The receiver led the NFL in the percentage of balls caught per target for WRs, who corralled in at least 50 balls out of the air. 81.4% was his stat in 2022, and that gave him value on the open free agency market for the Kansas City Chiefs to snap him up for 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first area of leaders in 2022 is in catching the ball. This group will look at the wide receivers with the best yards per catch, most receptions, and more from the 2022 season. First up are the men who make the most of each catch in moving the ball downfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\t
\n\t\n\n
\"Photo\n<\/div>
\n\t

\n\t\tJaylen Waddle<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n \n

\n \n Jaylen Waddle\n \n <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tPosition<\/strong>: WR\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n

5-10<\/span>, 182lb<\/span> (178cm, 82kg) <\/p>\n

Team<\/strong>: Miami Dolphins<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n

\n Born:<\/strong> \n \n\t\tNovember 25<\/a>, 1998\n \n \n in Houston, TX<\/a><\/span>\n \n<\/span> (Age: 24-305d)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

College<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tAlabama<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t (College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…)<\/a>:<\/strong> 19 (5700th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High School<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tEpiscopal<\/a> (TX<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draft<\/strong>: Miami Dolphins<\/a> in the 1st round (6th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n

<\/p>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t

\n\t\n 17 \n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n
\nSUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n

2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n
\nG<\/strong><\/span>

2<\/p>\n

35<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nAV<\/strong><\/span>

–<\/p>\n

19<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>

\n
\nRec<\/strong><\/span>

8<\/p>\n

187<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nYds<\/strong><\/span>

164<\/p>\n

2535<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nY\/R<\/strong><\/span>

20.5<\/p>\n

13.6<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nTD<\/strong><\/span>

0<\/p>\n

14<\/p><\/div>\n\n

\nFantPt<\/strong><\/span>

16.2<\/p>\n

342.2<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Waddle may not have been the fastest man in his position on the Miami Dolphins or even the top receiver, but he played like he was. Jaylen\u2019s league-leading 18.1 yards per reception earned some respect from the defensive secondaries around the NFL. He caught 75 balls for eight scores and over 1,300 yards to help propel the Phins into the AFC playoffs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n\t
\n\t\n\n
\"Photo\n<\/div>
\n\t

\n\t\tA.J. Brown<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n \n \n\n\n\n \n

\n \n Arthur Juan Brown\n  (Swole Batman<\/span>)\n <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tPosition<\/strong>: WR\n\t\t\tThrows:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n

6-1<\/span>, 226lb<\/span> (185cm, 102kg) <\/p>\n

Team<\/strong>: Philadelphia Eagles<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n

\n Born:<\/strong> \n \n\t\tJune 30<\/a>, 1997\n \n \n in Starkville, MS<\/a><\/span>\n \n<\/span> (Age: 26-088d)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

College<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tMississippi<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t (College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…)<\/a>:<\/strong> 44 (2178th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High School<\/strong>: \n \n\t\tStarkville<\/a> (MS<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draft<\/strong>: Tennessee Titans<\/a> in the 2nd round (51st overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

Instagram:<\/strong>\n 1k_alwaysopen<\/a><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n