Ranking Every Wide Receiver Room In The NFC South For 2024
Depth And Talent Are Key In The NFC South
While Quarterback and Running back rooms only rely on the top guy, maybe the number two in some circumstances, the receivers are different. There are three of them on the field at a time, and most of the time, even the third guy has a few hundred yards every year. Despite teams having an abundance at the position, it's crucial to have elite guys everywhere regarding wideouts. This begs the question, who in the NFC South has the best wide receiver core?
4: Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have a great tight end and an elite running back room but an exceptionally mediocre wide receiver room. Drake London is a promising youngster who fans hope takes the leap to a Pro Bowl player, but outside of that, there isn't much. Darnell Mooney came over from Chicago during free agency and provides some speed as a deep threat but not much more. The Falcons have good overall weapons but the depth at wide receiver is weak and barely existent.
3: New Orleans Saints
New Orleans is in a similar boat to Atlanta, but a bit more proven and a bit deeper. Chris Olave is one of the NFL's best route runners but has suffered a mixture of injuries and poor quarterback play throughout his career. Despite those setbacks, he has gone over 1,000 yards in both years while dealing with injuries. Rasheed Shaheed is a second string and is more experienced than Mooney in Atlanta, but broadly the same role. Shaheed is a home run hitter who stretched the field for New Orleans well. Outside of those two, it's a pretty weak receiver room, but the proven skill and sustainability of Olave and Shaheed put them over Atlanta.
2: Carolina Panthers
This ranking might shock some, but the Carolina Panthers have earned it. While Adam Thielen is getting older and more than likely won't produce 100 catches (even though he had a 1,000-yard season last year), the receiver room is deep. Carolina traded for Steelers wideout Diontae Johnson and drafted Xavier Legette with a first-round pick this year. Johnson brings elite route running and speed to the room, while Legette is a bigger target that can develop with quarterback Bryce Young over time.
These three, plus Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr., make for a deep room of talented receivers. With new head coach Dave Canales hoping to work his QB guru magic on Bryce Young, a loaded room of pass catchers will help immensely.
1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While the Panthers may have depth, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers easily retain the number one spot. Mike Evans has continuously defied the odds and has now recorded ten straight seasons of 1000 receiving yards, the most in NFL history. Alongside him is Penn State product Chris Godwin, who has added an extra layer of depth to this offense for a few years and has been a versatile weapon for the Buccanneers. While this duo is already one of the NFL's best, Tampa Bay drafted Jalen McMillan from Washington in April. McMillan is a speedster who can stretch the field for Evans and Godwin underneath.
Evans' consistency and Tampa quietly keeping solid depth around him make the Buccanneers the easy choice for the best receiving room in the NFC South.