The Dallas Cowboys just completed a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver George Pickens. That’s sparked debate amongst some about who the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL is. Cincinnati Bengals fans would surely love to know where the pairing of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would rank ton a Top 10 list.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports has the duo at No. 2 on his list of the best 1-2 punches in the entire league.
“Higgins has been hit or miss with extended injuries, but when he’s on the field, he maximizes his size as a contested-catch outlet for Joe Burrow,” Benjamin writes. “In truth, however, this is all about Chase: He’s an absolute home run waiting to happen, with a burst capable of launching him past an entire defense on any given play.”
Benjamin is correct, Chase won the triple crown of receiving in 2024 with 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Those are insane numbers and earned him every penny of his new four-year, $161 million extension.
Who was No. 1?
Not entirely shocking, Benjamin listed the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning pair of Devonta Smith an A.J. Brown as the best in the league. The fact that the Eagles liked to run first in 2024, doesn’t change the fact that they both bring a lot to the table.
“They may have taken a bit of a backseat to the Eagles’ awe-inspiring ground game en route to Super Bowl LIX victory, but no matter: Brown is a prototypical alpha with an imposing blend of both size, strength and downfield acceleration,” Benjamin writes. “Meanwhile, Smith is just as, if not more, tenacious despite his slender build, thriving in critical spots. Together, they’re the total package physically, but best of all, they show up when it matters.”
While they won’t be overwhelming anyone with fantasy stats, Brown and the “Slim Reaper” just come through whenever they are called upon. There is only one football in Philly, and that has to go to those two, as well as Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts (yes, he runs a lot) and tight end Dallas Goedert.
Other notable WR pairings in the Top 10
No. 4: The Cowboys new pairing of Pickens and incumbent stud CeeDee Lamb put the team on a list that they definitely wouldn’t have made just a week ago. But now? They are just behind the Minnesota Vikings‘ pair of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (No. 3 on the list).
“The newest pairing of them all, this might be Dak Prescott’s best WR duo since Lamb briefly worked alongside Amari Cooper,” Benjamin continues. “Lamb is as good as they come, excelling as a high-volume weapon amid quarterback injuries. Pickens, meanwhile, is an acrobatic deep-ball artist, albeit with a volatile temperament.”
No. 7: The Miami Dolphins‘ wide receivers are absolutely electric. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can run with just about anyone in the NFL. Is seven too low?
“This sun-soaked duo has drawn high praise for years and understandably so: Few can fly the way they do, even with Hill into his 30s,” Benjamin writes. “At peak form, they can headline a video-game-like aerial attack. Unfortunately, the speed doesn’t always translate to high-pressure moments. And Waddle is often nicked up.”
What Benjamin kind of leaves out…is Tua healthy? That’s always a huge question mark and is probably the biggest determining factor as to whether these two are dominant or we see Hill walking of the field early.
Who would you rank as the best wide receiver duo in the NFL?
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