- The Colts, Cowboys and Patriots each feature three wide receivers in the top 32: George Pickens, Josh Downs and Stefon Diggs lead the way for their respective squads.
- Drake London joins the top three after a big week: The Falcons star caught nine of 14 targets for 118 yards and three touchdowns on his way to a league-leading 91.2 PFF receiving grade for the week.
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Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
We're diving into the top wide receivers by PFF receiving grade through Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. To qualify, players need to have logged at least 100 receiving snaps.
1. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams (93.4)
Nacua had a big second quarter in his return from an ankle injury, accounting for two explosive gains for 54 yards. He opened up the frame with a 15-yard catch against Kool-Aid McKinstry in coverage. He later ran past McKinstry for a 39-yard touchdown, his third of the season. Nacua finished the Rams' win over the Saints with three gains of 10-plus yards and caught all seven of his targets for 95 yards.
He earned a 90.9 PFF receiving grade (second best among receivers with at least 15 snaps) and posted a perfect passer rating when targeted. It was his third 90.0-plus PFF receiving grade in a game this season. The versatile receiver was forced to exit in the third quarter with a new injury (chest), after taking a jet-sweep run inside the Saints' five-yard line on a fourth-down play. The injury is not thought to be serious.
The superstar receiver now has 61 catches for 711 yards (fourth most) this season. He has caught all but 10 of his targets (71) through the midway point of the year. Nacua ranks in the top five in yards after the catch (252) and yards gained after contact (155). He is averaging 4.1 yards after the catch per route run, has forced eight missed tackles and has racked up 16 explosive gains.
Nacua has also been excellent in contested situations, securing 10 of 13 such targets for 163 yards (sixth most) and seven first downs. He is averaging 17.6 depth yards per target (ninth) and leads the league with a 143.9 passer rating when targeted. He also owns an elite 90.6 PFF receiving grade on contested catches (seventh best).
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (92.9)
Smith-Njigba continued his torrid run with eight catches for 129 yards on Sunday Night Football against the Commanders. He averaged 10.7 depth yards per target in the game — his second-lowest mark of the season, but still recorded four explosive gains in the second quarter, including three catches of 20-plus yards. Smith-Njigba averaged 5.6 yards after the catch and 5.61 yards per route run in the contest. He finished with seven catches of 10-plus yards and an 89.5 PFF receiving grade (second among receivers with at least 25 snaps).
The third-year star now has 58 catches on the season, increasing his first-place mark in receiving yards to 948. He is also tied for second in first downs (41). Smith-Njigba has been masterful downfield, earning a 98.4 PFF receiving grade on targets 10-plus yards in the air (first). He averages 12.8 depth yards per target — 31st out of 80 qualifying players — yet leads the league in gains of 15-plus yards (26) and gains of 20-plus yards (17).
3. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (89.0)
London returned to the field against the Patriots after missing Week 8 with a concussion and did not skip a beat. He caught nine of 14 targets for 118 yards and three touchdowns — all red-zone catches. London also notched three explosive gains on the day, including a leaping 40-yard grab over Christian Gonzalez in the fourth quarter. He gained eight first downs, secured five contested catches and led the position in PFF receiving grade for the week (91.2, first among players with at least 25 snaps).
The former eighth overall pick now ranks eighth in receiving yards (587). He’s up to five touchdowns and 13 gains of 15-plus yards. London has been dangerous in the red zone this season, hauling in six of 10 targets for 35 yards. His 88.6 red-zone PFF receiving grade paces the NFL, and all of his scores have come within that area.
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (87.0)
St. Brown caught nine passes for 97 yards against the Vikings. He gained two first downs, secured three contested catches and notched three explosive gains — all with Byron Murphy Jr. in coverage.
The fifth-year veteran now has 59 catches for 635 yards (sixth most) on the season and ranks in the top 10 in explosive gains of 15-plus yards (17). He’s been excellent between the numbers, catching 38 of 46 targets (third most) for 421 yards (fourth), 20 first downs (tied for third) and a touchdown. Eleven of his explosive gains have come from that area of the field, and he ranks eighth in PFF receiving grade (86.7) on throws between the numbers.
5. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (86.4)
Chase put up six catches for 111 yards in the Bengals' wild defeat to the Bears. Each of his catches moved the chains, and he recorded three explosive gains — including catches of 24 and 36 yards. Chase averaged 14.3 depth yards per target and 7.8 yards after the catch per reception (fourth among receivers with at least five targets). He did record a drop in the second quarter, giving him three in his past three games, but he has also seen a whopping 50 targets in that span. So, his 8.1% drop rate over that period ranks only 21st highest among qualifying receivers.
The fifth-year phenom leads the league in targets (106) and catches (76) through the midway point of the season, while placing second in receiving yards (831). He now has 41 first downs (tied for second) with five touchdowns and an elite 90.0-plus PFF receiving grade at every level of the field beyond the line of scrimmage.
Chase also ranks in the top 10, both in the slot (73.8 PFF receiving grade) and out wide (87.9 PFF receiving grade). From the slot, he is tied for fifth in targets (34) and has made 27 catches for 234 yards and 13 first downs. He has caught 49 passes on the outside for 597 yards and 15 explosive gains.
6. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins (85.0)
Waddle caught six passes for 82 yards against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. He gained four first downs and tallied five catches of 10-plus yards, including two grabs of 20-plus yards in the first half.
The former sixth overall pick enters Week 10 with 41 catches for 586 yards (ninth most). He has gained 30 first downs, secured nine of 14 contested catches and racked up 17 explosive gains. Waddle also has four touchdown catches on the season.
He continues to torch zone coverage, with 31 catches for 484 yards (fourth) and 23 first downs (third) against those looks. Waddle is averaging 4.1 yards after the catch per reception and ranks fourth in PFF receiving grade (87.4) against zone. He also holds a 75.5 PFF receiving grade against single coverage, having secured eight of 11 passes for 77 yards and five first downs.
7. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys (82.9)
Pickens caught six of his seven targets for 79 yards against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football. He also forced four missed tackles on the night and accounted for three explosive gains, including back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter — although he did fumble on both. Pickens had been reliable entering the game, with no drops since Week 5 (three on the season) and no fumbles all season.
The former second-round pick ranks third in receiving yards in his first year in Dallas, with 49 catches for 764 yards. He has gained 222 yards after the catch at a rate of 4.5 yards per reception, and he ranks fifth in yards gained after contact (152). Pickens has amassed the second-most explosive gains (20), as well as the second-most 20-plus-yard gains (12).
The former Steeler is feasting in contesting situations, slotting into the top three in targets (21) and receiving yards (236). Pickens has 13 contested grabs, all for first downs. He has recorded six explosive gains and earned an 85.9 PFF receiving grade in contested situations.
8. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (81.9)
Downs caught six passes for 57 yards against the Steelers, with most of his work coming in the fourth quarter. He brought in four passes for 42 yards in the period, all first downs, including a four-yard touchdown with just over four minutes remaining to cut into the Steelers' lead. He also secured a contested 17-yard catch on third-and-11 over Darius Slay earlier in the frame. Downs finished the contest with two catches of 10-plus yards.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel now has 35 catches for 313 yards and 23 first downs this season. He’s up to three touchdowns, all within his past three games. Downs has seen 46 targets, with 36 coming within nine yards of the line of scrimmage (eight). He has caught 29 of those passes for 208 yards, 17 first downs and two touchdowns. He is also tied for fifth in PFF receiving grade at the short level of the field (94.9).
9. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles (81.7)
The Eagles were on a bye in Week 9.
10. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams (81.7)
Adams caught five of seven passes for 60 yards against the Saints — his best yardage output since Week 5. He moved the chains with each catch and brought in two touchdown passes — both inside the five-yard line. He also forced two missed tackles and recorded two gains of 20-plus yards.
The 12th-year All-Pro receiver has logged 36 catches for 491 yards in his first season with the Rams. He has also added 21 first downs and recorded 17 explosive gains. Adams is up to eight touchdowns on the season, with five coming in his past two games, a span in which he owns an 80.1 PFF receiving grade.
Adams now ranks fifth in red-zone PFF receiving grade (80.6), having caught seven passes for 37 yards, including all five of his scores, in that area.
11. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (81.0)
Jefferson reeled in six of nine passes against the Lions but was held to fewer than 50 receiving yards for the first time since Week 1. He still recorded three catches of 10-plus yards, including a one-handed catch over Amik Robertson in the first quarter for a 10-yard touchdown, along with a 21-yard gain in the third quarter.
The sixth-year star remains ranked fifth in receiving yardage (649). He also continues to shine downfield, having caught 23 of 38 targets thrown 10-plus yards from the line of scrimmage for 459 yards (fifth most). He ranks 10th in PFF receiving grade (92.7) from that depth. Jefferson has also brought in 14 of 23 short-area targets for 113 yards and six first downs, averaging 4.71 yards per route run. He boasts an 84.3 PFF receiving grade on passes within nine yards of the line of scrimmage.
12. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (81.0)
Hill is out for the season with a knee injury.
13. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (80.1)
Pittman and Alec Pierce both eclipsed 100 receiving yards against the Steelers, marking the first time this season that the Colts have had a 100-yard receiver. Pittman caught nine of 12 passes for 115 yards, with 11 of his targets coming in the second half. He was on the end of five explosive gains, including gains of 15, 21 and 16 yards in the fourth quarter. The last play came with 4:46 remaining in the game and the Colts trailing by 17. Pittman came across the middle for the catch and held on after a shot from Jalen Ramsey to move Indianapolis inside the Steelers' 10-yard line.
The former second-round pick has made 52 catches for 561 yards with 15 explosive gains this season. He ranks in the top 15 in targets (67). Pittman has been targeted 23 times on play-action passes, bringing in 19 for 196 yards, 14 first downs and two touchdowns. He has forced five missed tackles, logged six explosive gains and picked up 50 yards after contact on his way to an 82.2 play-action PFF receiving grade.
14. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (80.1)
Allen caught two passes for 41 yards against the Titans, with both gains going for 10-plus yards. Most of his yards stemmed from a 31-yard catch late in the first quarter, where he was able to make his way across the field untouched into space. He also forced a missed tackle in the game.
The 13th-year man out of California now has 50 catches for 520 yards this season. He continues to dominate on late downs, with 30 of his 73 targets coming on third or fourth downs (second). Allen has 20 late-down catches for 234 yards and 18 conversions, leading to an elite 90.1 PFF receiving grade on those plays.
15. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens (79.9)
Flowers caught each of his five targets for 64 yards against the Dolphins. He forced three missed tackles and recorded two gains of 10-plus yards — including a 39-yard pickup late in the third quarter, where he was able to break away from Dante Trader Jr. Flowers generated a 118.8 passer rating when targeted in the game.
The shifty receiver has 46 catches for 550 yards and 22 first downs this season. He ranks in the top five in yards after the catch (250) and missed tackles forced (11). He also now has eight catches of 20-plus yards.
Flowers owns 78.0-plus PFF receiving grades against both man (78.4) and zone coverages (78.7). He has caught 16 passes against single coverage for 210 yards (sixth) and nine first downs. Meanwhile, he has brought in 28 passes against zone looks for 332 yards and 14 first downs, averaging 5.5 yards after the catch per reception.
16. Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots (78.8)
Diggs caught three of four targets for 38 yards and two first downs against the Falcons. He took an underneath pass 11 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter, moving through the defense and forcing a missed tackle before diving into the endzone. Diggs made two catches of 10-plus yards on the day, with his second being a 21-yarder on third-and-12 early in the fourth quarter. He finished the day with a 143.8 passer rating when targeted.
The 11-year veteran out of Maryland is up to 45 catches for 508 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has 11 explosive gains on the year.
Diggs has been targeted 33 times from the short part of the field and has brought in 31 passes for 257 yards (eighth). He has forced five missed tackles, picked up 14 first downs and averaged 7.79 yards per route run on short passes, all leading to a 92.7 short-area PFF receiving grade.
17. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (78.1)
While Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. did most of the work in the second half against the Steelers, Pierce got going early with three first-down catches, including two explosive gains. He worked his way to the sideline for an 18-yard reception on third-and-11 on the Colts' opening drive with Joey Porter Jr. in coverage. He followed that up by getting behind Darius Slay and sidestepping a closing Jalen Ramsey for a 36-yard gain on the next play. Pierce also recorded two explosive gains in the fourth quarter, with his final catch being a 26-yard gain with 42 seconds remaining to move the Colts to midfield while trailing by 10. Pierce finished the game with six catches for 115 yards.
The fourth-year receiver now has 24 grabs for 501 yards and leads the Indianapolis receiving corps with eight plays of 20-plus yards. Three of his explosive gains in Week 9 came along the sidelines, where he has now caught five of 12 targets for 121 yards — all first downs. He ranks fifth in PFF receiving grade on sideline targets (90.8).
18. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (78.0)
McLaurin did not play in Week 9 due to a quad injury.
19. Demario Douglas, New England Patriots (77.5)
The third-year man from Liberty put together his first career 100-yard receiving game in Week 9, a four-catch, 100-yard day against the Falcons. All of his receptions went for 10-plus yards, including three 15-plus-yard gains. Douglas got behind Jalon Walker on a backfield route for a 17-yard touchdown catch on the first drive of the game. He later got free downfield in the second quarter for a 58-yard gain on third-and-7, evading multiple defenders before finally going down inside the 15-yard line.
Douglas' last catch of the day came early in the third quarter, when he held on against Mike Hughes to secure a contested pass for 15 yards. He played 13 receiving snaps and earned a 95.7 PFF overall grade in that limited action. That mark ranked first among receivers who ran at least 10 routes in Week 9.
Douglas has caught 18 of 27 passes for 262 yards, 10 first downs and three touchdowns this season. He has forced four missed tackles, tallied five explosive gains and recorded three catches of 20-plus yards. Douglas had a rough start to the season, catching seven of 13 passes for only 30 yards. His 49.3 PFF receiving grade in that span ranked second worst among qualifying receivers.
However, he has surged ahead in his past four games, catching 11 of 14 targets for 232 yards, nine first downs and two touchdowns. All of his explosive plays have come in that stretch, and he sports a 94.7 PFF receiving grade — the top mark among qualifying receivers.
20. Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (77.5)
Pearsall remains sidelined by a knee injury.
21. Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (77.2)
New England was dealt a blow to its passing game when Boutte exited early in Week 9 with a hamstring injury. He was targeted only once and did not record a catch. He is considered day-to-day with the injury.
Boutte has 23 catches for 431 yards this season, ranking behind only Stefon Diggs for the team lead. He leads the team in average target depth (17.7 yards) and has been the Patriots' top vertical threat, with nine catches of 20-plus yards.
22. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (77.2)
The Eagles were on a bye in Week 9.
23. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals (76.8)
Higgins recorded season highs in catches (seven) and receiving yards (121) against the Bears in Week 9. He fought through downfield contact from Nahshon Wright for a 44-yard catch late in the second quarter, waltzing into the endzone for a touchdown. He recorded a second score late in the third quarter with a two-yard catch over C.J. Gardner-Johnson to give the Bengals a narrow lead. Higgins also had two fourth-quarter grabs of 20-plus yards — including a 21-yarder on third-and-16 early in the period. Higgins gained six first downs, secured five contested targets and generated a perfect passer rating when targeted in the game.
The 26-year-old now has 32 catches for 481 yards on the season. He has gained 24 first downs and has secured the third-most touchdown catches (six, tied). Higgins has forced six missed tackles, recorded 11 explosive gains and is generating a 121.2 NFL passer rating when targeted. He also leads the league in contested targets (25), securing 11 of them for 151 yards and nine first downs. Two of his touchdowns have been contested grabs, and he has three contested catches of 15-plus yards, leading to an 88.0 PFF receiving grade on contested plays.
24. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (75.8)
Lamb caught seven of 12 targets for 85 yards, with four catches of 10-plus yards, against the Cardinals. He recorded a 15-yard catch against rookie cornerback Will Johnson on the opening drive of the game and was later left alone late in the third quarter for a 33-yard play on a scramble drill. Lamb forced five missed tackles and averaged 4.6 yards after the catch per reception in the game. He finished the contest with a 73.3 PFF receiving grade.
The All-Pro receiver had split his time evenly between the slot (1,495 snaps) and the outside (1,341) over the past three seasons before 2025. This year, most of his snaps (189) have come outside, where he’s caught 22 of 34 targets for 329 and 14 first downs. Lamb has eight explosive gains from outside targets, as well as a 75.4 PFF receiving grade.
He has handled 96 snaps from the slot, catching 13 of 19 targets for 162 yards and five first downs. Lamb is averaging 5.2 yards after the catch on slot targets and notched his lone touchdown of the season from that alignment.
Overall, Lamb has 35 catches for 491 yards and 19 first downs entering Week 10.
25. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (75.6)
Shakir saw eight targets against the Chiefs, bringing in seven for 43 yards. He forced a missed tackle, gained three first downs and took an underneath pass for a 20-yard gain late in the third quarter.
The third-year man out of Boise State is up to 38 catches for 399 yards, with four gains of 20-plus yards. He has 10 explosive gains on the season, too.
Most of Shakir’s work has come against zone coverage, where he’s caught 23 of 30 passes for 283 yards. He ranks in the top three in yards after the catch (244), yards after the catch per reception (10.6) and forced missed tackles (13). He has also gained nine first downs and ranks ninth in zone PFF receiving grade (82.2).
26. Nico Collins, Houston Texans (74.6)
Collins returned to action after missing Week 8 with a concussion. He caught seven of 10 targets for 75 yards against the Broncos, his most yards in a game since Week 4. Collins gained five first downs and recorded two explosive gains in the second quarter. He created a step on Riley Moss downfield for a 26-yard pickup early in the period and later held on after taking a shot across the middle from Brandon Jones for a 15-yard gain. Collins secured three of five contested targets and made three catches of 10-plus yards in the contest.
The former third-round pick now has 33 catches for 414 yards, with 11 explosive gains, ahead of Week 10. He has caught nine of 15 contested targets for 109 yards and four first downs, with three plays of 15-plus yards. Two of his three touchdowns this season have been contested grabs, and he is averaging 7.27 yards per route run (eighth). Collins boasts the third-best PFF receiving grade on contested targets in the NFL this season (91.3).
27. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (74.5)
Sutton logged six targets against the Texans, but he brought in just one catch for 30 yards. The play ended up going for a touchdown, though, as he was able to outrun Derek Stingley Jr. on third-and-10. Sutton also dropped a pass, giving him three in his past three games — and four on the season.
The 30-year-old veteran remains ranked 10th in receiving yards entering Week 10 (566), and his 10 catches of 20-plus yards are the 10th most in the league.
28. Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks (74.2)
Kupp missed Week 9 due to a hamstring injury.
29. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers (74.1)
Doubs turned 10 targets into seven catches for 91 yards against the Panthers in Week 9. He moved the chains five times and recorded three catches of 10-plus yards, with gains of 30 and 28 yards along the way. He also forced a missed tackle and secured two contested catches.
The fourth-year man from Nevada now has 34 catches for 441 yards, with seven catches of 20-plus yards, this season. He boasts 70.0-plus PFF receiving grades against man and zone coverage schemes.
Doubs has caught 20 of 28 zone targets for 278 yards and 13 first downs, averaging 6.8 yards after the catch. He’s been even better against single coverage, hauling in nine of 16 targets for 98 yards and three touchdowns.
30. Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys (73.4)
Flournoy was targeted three times against the Cardinals, catching two passes for 12 yards. Both plays came on the same fourth-quarter drive. The first was a seven-yard contested catch over Budda Baker to convert on third down. A few plays later, Flournoy got his first career touchdown with a five-yard endzone catch to cut into Arizona’s lead.
The second-year man from Southeast Missouri State has caught 18 of 21 passes for 198 yards and 12 first downs this season. He has made only three catches for 19 yards in his past two games, earning a 57.5 PFF receiving grade in that span.
31. Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans (73.1)
Noel played six receiving snaps in Week 9 but was not targeted. He was used mostly on special teams against the Broncos, and he returned a punt for 45 yards early in the third quarter.
The 2025 third-round pick from Iowa State has 14 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in his rookie campaign. He has moved the chains eight times and has four explosive gains of 15-plus yards. His most productive stretch came in Weeks 7 and 8, where he caught nine passes for 140 yards and seven first downs. Noel earned an 88.0 PFF receiving grade in that span.
32. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears (73.1)
Following a seven-catch, 114-yard performance against the Ravens in Week 8, Odunze was targeted just twice and held without a catch in the Bears' win over the Bengals in Week 9. It was his first time this season seeing fewer than five targets in a game. He still has 31 catches for 473 yards entering Week 10.
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