Where Do Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen Rank Among the Top WR Duos in the NFL?
This portion of the NFL offseason — the six or so weeks after OTAs and minicamp end but before training camp begins — is probably the slowest time of year in the sport. With minimal news or events, fans and media are left to do things like debate player rankings, make predictions about specific teams or divisions, and generally look ahead to the upcoming season.
And why not? Talking about football is fun, particularly when it's done outside of the often-toxic confines of social media. So today, let's indulge by looking at a discussion I've seen come up time and time again since Julio Jones was traded to the Titans earlier this month, one that directly pertains to two of the most exciting players on the Minnesota Vikings: ranking the best wide receiver duos in the league.
There was an outrage on Vikings Twitter when Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen were left off an NFL Network top five list, and the team's official account has unsurprisingly made its pitch for the top spot.
This is my take on the top five, with a few honorable mentions thrown in as well. I cover the Vikings for a living and am a native Minnesotan, but I've done my best to put together this list as objectively as possible. Still, it's just my opinion, one I've based in traditional and advanced stats as well as watching a ton of football every year. This will be limited to wide receivers, but the Chiefs' Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill would likely take the top spot if I were to expand it to pass-catchers of all positions.
Here we go. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@WillRagatz) to let me know what you agree or disagree with.
1. Tennessee Titans: Julio Jones and A.J. Brown
To me, there's little doubt that this is now the top WR duo in the NFL. Jones is up there with Antonio Brown in the debate for best receiver of the 2010s, having led the league in yards per route run for four straight years from 2015-18. The concern is obviously his durability now that he's on the wrong side of 30, as he missed seven games last season and was limited in others. But he's shown he can still get it done at a high level when healthy, with three outings of 135-plus yards in 2020.
If Jones is healthy, there's really no debate here in my eyes. That's because A.J. Brown is a true alpha in his own right, having finished third in Y/RR last season while recording his second straight 1,000-yard season. The 24-year-old is spectacular with the ball in his hands and can catch anything thrown in his vicinity, although you'd like to see him cut down on the drops slightly in year three. Both of these guys are clear top ten receivers in the NFL with arguments to be in the top five. This Titans offense is going to be incredible to watch if Jones can avoid injury.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin
2020 wasn't the most prolific season for Evans and Godwin, as they fell short of 2,000 combined yards due to Godwin missing some time and the presence of Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, and other weapons saturating the target market. However, the Super Bowl champs still deserve their respect. Evans and Godwin combined for 2,500 yards in 2019 and have proven to be supremely talented receivers throughout their careers. Because of that track record, each player's individual ability, and the fact that both are in their prime — Evans will be 28 this season, Godwin 25 — I can't justify ranking this duo any lower than second. They might even have an argument for the top spot if you're worried about Jones' age and health.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen
Considering how good Thielen and Stefon Diggs were in 2018, it says a lot that Jefferson came in and was immediately part of the Vikings' best receiving duo of the Mike Zimmer era. The rookie sensation was simply phenomenal, finishing top-three among wideouts in receiving yards (third), yards per route run (second), and PFF grade (second). That Jefferson did all that with a drop percentage of just 4.3 percent while running 70 percent of his routes from the outside — some people seemed to think he was just a slot receiver after his huge 2019 season at LSU — only adds to how impressive his debut campaign was.
Oh, and while Thielen's yardage was down a bit, he finished third among NFL receivers in touchdown receptions (14 of them) and seventh in PFF receiving grade. Turn on the tape and you'll see that Thielen can still make corners look silly every week. This is absolutely one of the three best WR duos in the league, and they could be even higher than that if Jefferson continues ascending.
4. Seattle Seahawks: D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett
Only two teams had multiple wide receivers reach 1,000 yards last year: the Seahawks and the Panthers (D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson). With respect to Carolina's duo, I'm buying the two Seahawks out of that group. Metcalf cemented his rapid rise to superstardom with an 83/1303/10 season, while Lockett now has over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns since 2018 after another strong year. Metcalf is a freak of nature who is just getting started, and Lockett seems to be good for one or two massive games each year (last season's 200-yard, 3-TD performance against the Cardinals was the peak example of that). However, Lockett isn't always the most consistent, and in my opinion he's a slight step below the seven other guys I've listed so far in this piece in terms of his all-around game. That's why Seattle's duo doesn't quite crack my top three.
5. Buffalo Bills: Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley
Diggs was so insanely good in 2020 that I can't justify leaving him off this list. And unlike, say, the Packers' Davante Adams, he has a legit No. 2 behind him in Beasley, who you may forget was named an All-Pro last year. Still, this is mostly about Diggs, who paired perfectly with Josh Allen and led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He believed he was underutilized in a run-heavy offense in Minnesota, and it turns out he was probably right. Diggs earned every bit of his first team All-Pro nod. Beasley also put together the best season of his career with 82 catches and nearly 1,000 yards. He's good enough to get the Bills into the top five.
Honorable mentions: Cowboys (Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb), Panthers (D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson), Chargers (Keenan Allen and Mike Williams), Browns (Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr.), Rams (Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods)
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
