Ranking The NFL's Elite 'Second Option' Wide Receivers
In today's day and age of football, having more than one viable option to throw the ball to is essential. Most teams have two guys capable of being in the receiver position. There are a ton of good WR2s in the NFL, but who is the best?
8) DeAndre Hopkins
We don't know how the Titan's new-look receiver room will pan out. Tyler Boyd will likely assume the WR3 slot while Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins fight for WR1. In this scenario, we'll just say Ridley is WR1. Hopkins is an excellent second option, even if he's getting up there in age.
Hopkins is an 11-year NFL veteran who built a decent relationship with rookie quarterback Will Levis last season. Hopkins was able to catch 75 passes for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.1 yards per reception and 62.2 yards per game. Sure, Hopkins is far from his old self, but he's still more than capable. Last season, we saw him score three touchdowns, with 128 receiving yards on just four receptions. That's 32 yards per catch!
7) Jordan Addison
Although he only has one season in the NFL under his belt, Jordan Addison showed us that he's a serious threat on the field. With Justin Jefferson missing a bunch of time due to injury and a questionable quarterback situation, Addison still had a great rookie season. After the Vikings selected him 23rd overall last year, he proved them right by making the NFL All-Rookie Team.
Addison caught 70 passes for 911 yards and ten touchdowns in his rookie campaign, good enough for fourth in the NFL. He averaged 13 yards per reception and 53.6 yards per game. At just 22 years old, Addison is bound to be a star.
6) Deebo Samuel
Deebo Samuel has been forcibly removed from his WR1 spot by an emerging Brandon Aiyuk, which could change if Aiyuk is traded. But for now, Samuel is a WR2 and a pretty good one. The dual-threat pass-catching and rushing attack from Samuel is a unique playstyle in the NFL.
Samuel has played 66 games for the 49ers, catching 283 passes for 4,122 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 14.6 yards per reception and 62.5 yards per game. He also has 1,007 rushing yards for 19 more touchdowns in his five-year career. Samuel led the NFL in yards per reception in 2021, one of his best seasons that saw him become a First-Team All-Pro.
5) Nico Collins
We saw Nico Collins burst onto the scene as a big-time threat with Texans quarterback CJ Stroud last season. It was an excellent year for both players, but Collins will likely take a back seat to the newly acquired star Stefon Diggs. You're in a pretty good situation if Collins is your second option.
Last year, Collins caught 80 passes for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. The Texans star averaged 16.2 yards per catch and 86.5 yards per game. He finished the year eighth in receiving yards and touchdowns and seventh in yards per reception and yards per game. Stroud got something out of Collins that we didn't see during his first two seasons in the NFL, and it should continue in 2024.
4) Puka Nacua
Another second-year guy, Puka Nacua, burst on the scene last season as one of the better pass catchers in football. A tough guy that refuses to go down. The Rams' decision to take him in the draft's fifth round certainly paid off for Sean McVay and company—a perfect weapon when paired with Cooper Kupp.
In his rookie season, Nacua caught the ball 105 times for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He also averaged 14.2 yards per reception and 87.4 yards per game. His Pro Bowl year saw him finish fourth in the NFL in receiving yards and sixth in receiving yards per game. At just 23, the sky is the limit for Nacua.
3) Tee Higgins
Finally signing his franchise tag, Tee Higgins is slated to return to the Bengals, where he is JaMarr Chase's sidekick. The four-year vet wants his money, but he must wait for now. At just 25 years old, Higgins is still on the verge of being a star, but he can't reach that potential in Ohio.
Over his four-year career, Higgins has caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per reception and 63.5 yards per game. Higgins is 11th among active players in yards per reception, not bad for a WR2. Last season, Tee ended the year in 15th for yards per reception.
2) DeVonta Smith
Playing with AJ Brown can't be easy for other receivers, but DeVonta Smith does a good job. The Eagles picked him 10th overall in the 2021 Draft, and he's lived up to the hype. Smith's put up back-to-back seasons with seven touchdowns and finished 9th in the NFL in receiving yards in 2022 with 1,196 yards.
Last year, Smith played 16 games and caught 81 passes for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 13.2 yards per reception. Over his career, Smith has 240 catches for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns. A young star next to a superstar.
1) Jaylen Waddle
The Dolphins are one of the most dynamic offenses in football, and Jaylen Waddle is a big part of it. Waddle is 25 years old, being selected overall by the Dolphins in the 2021 draft. He's put up 1,000+ yards in all three of his NFL seasons. He's surrounded by other wide receiver talent, including Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr.
2022 was his best season, where he caught 75 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 18.1 yards per reception and 79.8 yards per game. Waddle even posted over 100 receptions in his rookie season. He's been legit from the start.
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