NFL wide receiver rankings ahead of Week 12: Tyreek Hill, Brandon Aiyuk and more

2NJ3W0E MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 16: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs after the catch for a big gain during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins on October 16, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

Two rookies make the list: Puka Nacua and Tank Dell have impressed so far, even though neither was a first-round draft pick.

Tyreek Hill is on a record-breaking pace: The Dolphins’ playmaker is on track for over 2,000 receiving yards.

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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

The past few NFL drafts have brought an influx of talent at wide receiver, with multiple rookies vaulting themselves into top-20 consideration over recent years.

Now that we're through Week 11, we are taking a look at the highest-graded wide receivers who have seen 30 or more targets — and two rookies have earned spots for their work this season.

1. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins: 93.6 

Hill is still on pace for over 2,000 receiving yards and has been the NFL’s best player at the position through 11 weeks. His 4.06 yards per route run is not just the league's best mark — it’s over half a yard more than any other receiver.

2. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers: 91.9 

Aiyuk's 3.83 yards per route run trails only Hill. The 49ers receiver has dropped just two of his 45 catchable targets in nine games, giving him a drop rate of just 4.4%.

3. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles: 91.1 

Brown is coming off his worst game of the season, as he picked up just 8 yards on one reception from four targets in the Monday Night Football win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. Still, his 1,013 receiving yards is good for second in the league, while his 13 forced missed tackles and 11 contested catches are tied for third.

4. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys: 90.3 

Lamb has got hot over the second quarter of the season, picking up over 100 receiving yards in four straight games from Week 6 onward. He recorded just 38 yards this past week against the Carolina Panthers, but his 1,013 receiving yards on the season is tied with A.J. Brown for second at the position. 

5. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: 89.9 

He’s played only five games, but Jefferson still ranks among the top 30 wide receivers in receiving yards (571). He dropped just one pass before his injury and ranks fourth in the league in yards per route run (2.87).

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5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions: 89.9 

In just his third season, the fourth-round pick out of USC looks set for a career year in 2023. He needs 264 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions over the final seven weeks to set career highs in both categories.

7. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers: 87.5 

In his 11th season in the NFL, Allen might be about to have his best season. His 2.57 yards per route run average ranks seventh at the position, and he has dropped just 4.6% of the catchable passes thrown his way.

8. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears: 86.3 

Moore is quietly having a top-10 season after joining the Bears in the trade down from the No. 1 overall pick before the 2023 NFL Draft. He has dropped just one pass this season, and his 11 contested catches are tied for third at the position.

9. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams: 85.1 

An Offensive Rookie of the Year contender after the fast start to his career as a fifth-round rookie out of BYU, Nacua has seen his numbers dip over the past three weeks but is still sixth at the position with 897 yards in 10 games.

10. Nico Collins, Houston Texans: 84.6 

Collins has forced 13 missed tackles, tied for third among wide receivers, helping him to a ninth-ranked 16.2 yards per reception. His 2.54 yards per route run is the eighth-best mark at the position, and he has dropped just 4.4% of the catchable passes thrown his way.

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11. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins: 84.2 

Waddle hasn’t quite hit the heights of his 2022 season that saw him rack up 1,356 yards in the regular season, but he’s still having a fine season opposite Tyreek Hill in Miami. He’s averaging 2.22 yards per route run, 0.24 yards down on last season.

12. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: 83.9 

Chase looks set to finish the 2023 season with a PFF grade above 80.0 for the third time in three years since joining the NFL as the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s dealt with injuries, which have disrupted his season, but he is still one of the top receivers in football.

13. Tank Dell, Houston Texans: 82.0 

Dell is coming off his best game as a professional this past week, where he set career highs with eight receptions for 149 yards. He has dropped just four passes on the year, while his 82.3 receiving grade trails only Nacua among rookie wide receivers.

14. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills: 81.1 

Trailing only Tyreek Hill with 16 missed tackles forced on receptions, Diggs remains Josh Allen’s top target in Buffalo. He has dropped just four passes all year, though two of them have come over the past two games.

15. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks: 80.3 

Lockett has the second-lowest yards per route run average among players in this top 20 (1.67), but he has displayed a safe pair of hands again this year. He has dropped just 1.9% of the catchable passes thrown his way and is tied for 20th in contested catches with six. 

DeAndre Hopkins: Receiving metrics by target depth — available in PFF Premium Stats

16. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans: 79.7

While he’s not at the same level he was up until 2020, Hopkins has very much proved that he is not done yet. He has been a big-play threat for the Titans, averaging 15.5 yards per catch.

17. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers: 79.5 

Another player who is shutting down premature reports of his demise, Thielen has been a bright spot for the Panthers in a tough season as they rebuild. He has dropped just one pass from 77 catchable targets.

18. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs: 78.9 

Much was made of his preseason drop issues, with Rice dropping four passes in just three games. He has largely cleaned that up in the NFL, though, dropping just two passes so far in his rookie year.

18. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 78.9 

Godwin is the only wide receiver in football who has seen 50 or more catchable targets this season and has yet to drop a pass. His 1.65 yards per route run is the lowest mark among players on this list, but he is tied for the league lead in contested catches (12).

18. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 78.9 

Godwin’s Tampa Bay teammate has been more productive on a per-route basis, ranking 10th at the position with 2.49 yards per route run. Drops are the biggest issue keeping him from being higher on this list, with his 9.4% drop rate ranking 12th-worst among the 49 receivers who have seen 30 or more targets this season.

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