Ranking Top Wide Receivers in AFC East in 2020
Continuing on with our AFC East positional rankings, we now turn to the receivers.
In 2020, the division will have a strong group of wide receivers. Especially after the Buffalo Bills traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason. With Diggs now in the fold in Buffalo, DeVante Parker coming off a strong season, and John Brown and Julian Edelman still playing strong, this group of receivers can prove this season that they might be the best receiving group in the entire AFC.
Let's rank each of the top two receivers on each roster in the AFC East. That includes Edelman and N'Keal Harry of the New England Patriots, Diggs and Brown of the Bills, Parker and Albert Wilson of the Miami Dolphins, and Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder of the New York Jets.
8. Albert Wilson
Wilson does not provide much more than just pure speed. His only hope to rise on this list is that Tua Tagovailoa loved his speedy receivers in college like Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and 40 yard dash champion, Henry Ruggs, and knew how to feed them the ball. Maybe Wilson will be used in a similar light. While this could be a breakout year for Wilson, he is yet to post above 400 yards receiving with Miami, whom he has been with for two seasons now. That pushes his stock down a bunch and makes him a hard guy to project.
7. N'Keal Harry
Harry's spot on this list could very well be higher at the end of this year. In fact, Patriots fans should be disappointed if he isn't flirting with the fifth spot, or at least the very least, the sixth. It's tough to project where Harry is right now as his first season in the league was marred by a multi-week ankle injury. After being activated off IR, he did little to nothing, coming nowhere close to the Patriots nation's lofty expectations for the young receiver. After being portrayed as the team's next Randy Moss and savior of the receiving unit during that summer, he ended up being a piece that during the second half of last season could never earn the trust of Tom Brady, constantly was used questionably by his coaching staff, and muscled together an unspectacular 12 catches off a measly 24 targets.
It's too early to write Harry off, as one of his biggest struggles last season was his route-running and separation, which he has apparently emphasizing this offseason. This prime candidate to breakout should undoubtably see more than 24 targets this season. If he can stay healthy and run crisper routes, he can earn the trust of his new quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, and in all likelihood, show flashes of why he was worth a first round pick.
6. Breshad Perriman
Perriman is the bonafide replacement to the loss of Robby Anderson. New York loves to have a straight line speed option to be their second receiver in the offense. With one leaving, another comes in.
Perriman had his first real impressive stretch of his career last season. After being a disappointing first round pick through the first three years of his career, he went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he stretched the field for Jameis Winston. With a rather small sample size over the last two years, Perriman has averaged a fantastic 19.6 yards per catch during those two seasons. Expect him to bring that deep threat ability to a team that covets it. Hopefully, Sam Darnold will have enough time to sit back and get the ball to him downfield.
5. Jamison Crowder
Crowder is a phenomenal slot receiver that seems to be criminally underrated across the league. While he is not anything spectacular, he is a very solid No.2/No. 3 in any offense. Crowder was the leading receiver for the Jets last season, standing on top in every major receiving category available. He was the guy that Sam Darnold relied on with a constantly collapsing pocket around him. That was just in Year 1 with the Jets, expect bigger things in Year 2 for Crowder.
4. John Brown
Brown and Edelman both made convincing cases for number three on this list. In the end, Brown lost the fight. The two were pretty close to each other after both finishing with six touchdowns and just 100 yards separating the two in 2019. Brown had a fantastic year as the Bills' number one guy, however, the good news for him is that he is now the number two in Buffalo's passing attack because of the arrival of Stefon Diggs. That's good news because Brown will likely be drawing the second best cover guy rather than the best.
Last season, Brown had relative success against Stephon Gilmore. This season, Gilmore will be covering Diggs, causing Brown to be covered by someone like J.C. Jackson. Brown has the same ability and has a solid understanding of technique, but now he will clean up against lesser competition with a strong arm quarterback throwing deep to him.
Diggs will take away targets, likely a lot. However, Brown's yards per catch will likely be through the roof.
3. Julian Edelman
With both Harry and Mohamed Sanu struggling last season, an injured and battered Edelman found a way to put up his first 100-catch season since 2013. Now he embarks on his eleventh season in the league as he celebrates his 34th birthday on Friday, May 22. But he's entering the 2020 season with an unproven, rather unknown new quarterback that will be throwing him the football.
Edelman is due for some regression stat-wise. It is almost certain his stats will decrease this year. That being said, right now, with his high quality route-running skills and his constant ability to move the chains keeps him here, in the third spot in these rankings.
2. DeVante Parker
Parker deserves much-needed respect. This is a guy who from Week 11 on last season went on an absolute tear. During that time, he ranked 7th in the NFL receptions (39), 1st in yards (733), tied for 1st in touchdowns (5), and finished that stretch with an 86.4 PFF grade, which was good for 4th among receivers. Not to mention, his last game of that stretch and the season was an eight-catch, 137-yard performance, where he was covered by none other than the DPOY, Stephon Gilmore, all game long. Parker was the only player to put up over 100 yards on Gilmore last season. That's an impressive feat against a player who had one of the better coverage years in recent memory by a defensive back.
Now, with an even better quarterback (Tagovailoa) and an improved offensive line, Parker is in line to progress even further. Parker, still being the best receiver on the Dolphins by a wide margin, will get fed big time by his rookie quarterback and ease the youngster's transition into the league. Expect Parker to carry his momentum into this season and put up big numbers once more.
1. Stefon Diggs
This should not surprise anyone. Diggs is many miles ahead of any other receiver in this division. As a top five route-runner in the entire NFL and a fringe top ten receiver overall, he stands head and shoulders above Parker, Edelman and the rest. While he will be moving on from Minnesota to Buffalo, dealing with a new scheme and new squad, the high draft capital the Bills spent to get him should ensure they find ways to get him the ball.
Diggs oozes with talent and polished receiver ability and is the best route-runner that Buffalo has had since Stevie Johnson. The still young 26 year old could give Johnson a run for his money as Johnson ranks as the eighth all-time leading receiver for Buffalo. Assuming Diggs keeps his head on straight and does not orchestrate another escape like his forced trade out of Minnesota, Diggs could very well eclipse that spot.
