Over the next few weeks until the season, I’ll be ranking each position group around the NFL. I began with quarterbacks on Monday, only to follow it up with wide receivers on Friday. Do Chris Godwin and Mike Evans crack the Top 10? Is Julio Jones still elite? Who are the next great talents at wide receiver? Should Antonio Brown still make the list? Where in the world should Odell Beckham, Jr. be ranked?

No rookies were included in these rankings. It’s simply impossible to rank guys who have never played in the NFL against guys who have. The evaluation process wouldn’t be clean.

I’ve also compiled these rankings with an eye toward 2021 projections, although I tried not to do anything too outlandish. It’s important to remember that rankings like this are largely fluid year-to-year, especially when you get outside the first five receivers. But this is how I expect wide receiver play to stack up across the NFL in 2021.

Tier 1 – The Elite WRs

1. Davante Adams, Packers
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals
3. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
4. Julio Jones, Titans
5. Stefon Diggs, Bills

Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill and Bucs CB Carlton Davis III – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I feel pretty strongly that these are the five most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL. For several seasons there have been no weaknesses to Adams’ or Hopkins’ games. Both are all-around elite talents, despite sometimes less than ideal circumstances. Adams obviously benefits from great quarterback play, but has had very little receiving talent around him to attract attention. Hopkins’ usage in Arizona was far too static, yet he still put up a monster season with over 1,400 yards.

Hill isn’t as complete as the top two receivers, but his trump card speed has him in the conversation for No. 1 overall. He’s also a much better contested catch receiver than he’s given credit for. We’ve known Diggs was Top 10 for several seasons now, but finally playing in a great passing attack solidified his Top 5 spot.

To me, Jones is an elite wide receiver until he doesn’t play like one anymore. Sure, he missed six games last year, but he was still a monster when he was on the field. I think he bounces back and has a great season in Tennessee.

Tier 2 – Fringe Elite WRs

6. A.J. Brown, Titans
7. D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks
8. Chris Godwin, Bucs
9. Mike Evans, Bucs
10. Allen Robinson, Bears
11. Michael Thomas, Saints
12. Justin Jefferson, Vikings
13. Amari Cooper, Cowboys
14. Keenan Allen, Chargers
15. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
16. Calvin Ridley, Falcons
17. Terry McLaurin, Washington
18. Adam Thielen, Vikings

What a brutally difficult group to tier. It was splitting hairs even to rank 6-7 over 16-17, so you can imagine the struggle at 6-11. Call it a cop out if you want, but I’m fine with almost any ordering of this tier. Each of these players is outstanding in their own way. It’s really a pick-your-poison situation.

But I’m here to make an argument, so here we go.

Brown and Metcalf can both be special, elite-tier wide receivers for the majority of their careers. Brown has opened his career with back-to-back 1,ooo-yard seasons in a run-first offense. He’s elite after the catch and has averaged over 20 and 15 yards per catch, respectively, through his first two seasons. And he’s done all this despite rarely being used as a vertical threat … yet.

Bucs WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Metcalf isn’t quite as well-rounded as Brown, but he might already be the league’s premier deep ball threat. Metcalf can still improve as a contested catch receiver, but his result there has already been better than college, and his size and speed make him impossible to defend on an island. We are talking about a certified freak whose skill level has taken off too.

Godwin and Evans slot in next, just above Robinson and Thomas. I think Thomas can get back into the Top 10 with a great season, but this group is so competitive that even a 2020 season like Thomas had can knock a receiver down a few spots. Can he prove to be as dangerous of a big play threat as the three receivers directly ahead of him, now that he has a quarterback who will throw deep?

I compared Godwin and Evans on Tuesday, ranking Godwin higher because he has no real weakness. He would have been the Bucs’ leading receiver last year if not for some injuries to start the year. Evans and Robinson are pretty similar receivers, but I think Evans creates more separation as a route runner and a deep threat.

Jefferson is poised to jump into the Top 10 of this group next year, and perhaps even higher. His rookie season was special, and he’s not even playing in a great offense. Consistency matters in these rankings, but another year like he had in 2021, and Jefferson will be at least up there with Brown and Metcalf.

The receivers slotted 13-17 are all elite route runners who can be put in any order. Cooper is one of the NFL’s elite separators, which is arguably the most important skill for a wide receiver. Allen and Lockett are more reliable, but a little less explosive. Ridley had some drops last year and will never be a dominant contested catch receiver, but his route-running and releases are among the best in the NFL.

Two strong seasons for McLaurin have him in the conversation to break into the Top 10 next year. The position is just so loaded that you have to wonder if his ceiling is high enough. Thielen is still a marvelous technician on tape, but he’ll be 31 before the season and he’s coming off back-to-back sub-1,000-yard seasons.

Tier 3 – Very Good Starters

19. Antonio Brown, Bucs
20. Courtland Sutton, Broncos
21. Odell Beckham, Jr., Browns
22. Deebo Samuel, 49ers
23. CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
24. Kenny Golladay, Giants
25. Cooper Kupp, Rams
26. Robert Woods, Rams
27. D.J. Moore, Panthers
28. Brandin Cooks, Texans
29. Jarvis Landry, Browns
30. Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

Bucs WR Antonio Brown – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

You can’t be higher than tier 3 playing nine regular season games over the past two seasons, but Brown is still as high as it gets in this tier. I don’t think he’s fallen off as a talent, he just needs to remind everyone with a full 16-game season.

Sutton and Samuel are two receivers I’m bullish on flying up this ranking, but they’ve gotta stay on the field and get some stable quarterback play. Both are more talented than several players in tier 2. The best is yet to come for that duo.

I don’t know what to do with Beckham. He’s remained mildly productive, but we’ve rarely seen vintage Beckham since 2018. The enigmatic wide receiver has zero 100-yard performances in his past 17 games. If Beckham hadn’t been a Top 3 wide receiver in the NFL for years, he wouldn’t even be this high. He desperately needs a comeback season to stay on this list.